Horn tap, rebel yell zap stress
Christine Strobel, Honolulu Advertiser, Feb. 1, 2005
People don't use horns in Hawaii? That's news to me. I mean, our streets aren't New York City or anything (where horns are so common they often overlap in a bizarre urban harmony), but I hear quite a bit of honking out there. Heck, when I lived in Makiki, near Jeremy Harris' ridiculous miniature "roundabout," horn duels were pretty common.
Maybe the car horn was untouchable in the 60s or 70s or something, but for as long as our city roads have been congested and as long as "road rage" has existed, even mild-mannered, Drive Aloha locals have gone for the beep. (There was very little beeping in Hilo, as I recall, but it happened there, too.) Not just the "hey, buddy, the light is green" reminder toot, either... we're talking a "You cut in and dishonored my family and must pay!" three-second serenade.
Hell, I'm not afraid to use my horn if someone's being boneheaded to the point of endangering lives.
I wouldn't go so far as this writer and say that a honk a day keeps the doctor away, but if it's the only way to get the attention of someone who seems to have forgotten they're not alone on the road, then so be it. (Or so beep it.)
Christine Strobel, Honolulu Advertiser, Feb. 1, 2005
Now, I don't think there's anything wrong with a judicious use of the horn. But doing that here is unspeakably offensive. People in the Islands shudder with horror when it's used. But we must communicate! Not only do we need to be alert stewards of the road, it isn't healthy to stew over everybody else's bad driving. Keeping that bottled up will only raise your blood pressure and cause an embolism. And that would really mess up your dashboard.
Maybe the car horn was untouchable in the 60s or 70s or something, but for as long as our city roads have been congested and as long as "road rage" has existed, even mild-mannered, Drive Aloha locals have gone for the beep. (There was very little beeping in Hilo, as I recall, but it happened there, too.) Not just the "hey, buddy, the light is green" reminder toot, either... we're talking a "You cut in and dishonored my family and must pay!" three-second serenade.
Hell, I'm not afraid to use my horn if someone's being boneheaded to the point of endangering lives.
I wouldn't go so far as this writer and say that a honk a day keeps the doctor away, but if it's the only way to get the attention of someone who seems to have forgotten they're not alone on the road, then so be it. (Or so beep it.)
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