Putting the Honk in Perspective

Last week I had an encounter with a woman who seemed to believe her horn was an effective tool for expressing her displeasure at being “stuck” behind a bicyclist (me).

After over 30 years of suffering the full variety of beeps, honks and blasts, I’ve gotten beyond the knee-jerk rage many cyclists use to respond.  And I believe the key in many circumstances is pity.  Really.  If somebody gives you a short honk give them the benefit of doubt that they’re either giving a quick “I’m coming by” or they honked at someone else.  If it’s a real blast definitely aimed at you, just feel sorry that they’re so miserable that they can’t bear to wait a few extra seconds behind a bicyclist.  Trying to cheer them up will not work of course, but you can at least entertain yourself with your response.

The same motorists will likely give no thought to using their horns to express frustration with all the delay they experience sitting at red lights, behind stopped transit buses, behind cars waiting to turn left, etc.  But being behind a bicyclist?  That must just be a downright humiliating experience.  To be so important and to have all that horsepower and yet be stuck going 15 miles per hour behind a lowly bicyclist…

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