Originally Posted by HardRider1

I guess many here can't handle an evasive move while at the same time sounding the horn. Yes the horn button is in an inconvenient location whereby the left signal switch is closer to the thumb, but, my point is not in regards to switch positioning but rather to the effectiveness of the horn.

While in a situation where one needs to evade an intruding vehicle, many times sounding the horn while performing the evasive move alerts the driver (idiot) behind the wheel resulting in less evasiveness being required on the part of the cyclist.

The OP stated a true fact and was looking for input other than the wise cracks that I so often see here, I always attempt to live by the rule, if you don't anything good to say then don't say anything at all.

While in heavy traffic, I often, "cover" the horn button as well as the brake lever and yes the horn is effective in alerting most intruders, many times resulting in a much less extreme move on my part. Can I rely fully on this reaction, absolutely not, does it help, it sure does. Like so many other things we do to stay upright in traffic, the horn is just one on a long list of survival techniques!

Originally Posted by Rogillio

Having said that, I have a habit of putting my thumb on the horn button if I see someone with the potential of pulling out in front of me.

Originally Posted by Uncle G.

I've found that in a REAL emergency, I'm too busy trying to take evasive action to worry about the horn. If I have time to use the horn, it's not really an "emergency", I'm just angry for having been cut off.


Around here using the horn is the equivalent of flipping the bird anyway. It just makes the other driver mad.