TomT said:
I don't get this one. Is it considered less rude to simply crash in to someone because they started to pull out in front of you and did not see you?
I generally try to take evasive action rather than think about the horn. For example, I've had oncoming cars botch a pass (at 60+ mph, 120+ mph closing speed) and I've been forced to move over to the shoulder to give them space; no multilane divided highways here. I'm more focused on avoiding a collision than trying to honk the horn, which would be utterly useless anyway. Such situations are very rare, however. The most common collision danger here is deer on the highway. Again, honking the horn is useless. If pedestrians cross in the middle of the block I wait for them to do so, I would never honk at them. What's the point? Road rage? In the case of someone moving over into my lane from an adjacent lane I brake to avoid a collision (and try to avoid blind spots where practical). What do you do? Honk and hope they react in time?
One day, about sixteen years ago, I was in a left turn lane in Boulder. The light turned red and the car ahead in the intersection completed the left turn on red, as is allowed. I hadn't entered the intersection yet so I waited for the next light cycle. To my amazement the car behind me leaned on the horn because I didn't run the red light! Turned out that obnoxious car had a New York plate. Figures. I remember it vividly because it was so unusual in mellow Boulder.