Is it safe to honk at drivers on cellphones?

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Specializes in ER.

On our county's community Facebook page one gal posted how she honks at people when she sees them driving and talking on the phone. I suggested to her that honking is very distracting and startling to other drivers, and maybe not a great idea. Especially elderly drivers might be affected by honking.

What do you think?

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

IMHO? Honking is pointless for this purpose...

Cell phone use is so ubiquitous in society that these distracted drivers will not realize why she's honking. And if they don't know the purpose of the honking, it is pointless by default.

I only honk to avoid collisions or after near-misses...

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Don't do it.

From what I've read here lately? You may get shot.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I take it you don't live anywhere between DC and Boston, because in that region people just honk repeatedly as they are driving down the road, even if nobody is around.

The purpose of honking is to make someone aware of danger, so I don't really see how it's prohibitively dangerous and is actually pretty appropriate if you see someone driving while looking down at their phone.

If being startled by a horn to the point where it's not safe is a problem for any drivers, they really should not be driving.

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Specializes in Healthcare risk management and liability.

I do not honk, tailgate or flip off other drivers to show my displeasure. If there is one thing that 33 years of healthcare experience has taught me, there are a lot of people with anger management or poor impulse control out there, and it can take very little to set them off.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I would say it's very UNSAFE!

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On our county's community Facebook page one gal posted how she honks at people when she sees them driving and talking on the phone. I suggested to her that honking is very distracting and startling to other drivers, and maybe not a great idea. Especially elderly drivers might be affected by honking.

What do you think?

I don't know, I think if you're startled or distracted by honking to the point that it may cause an issue for you then you really shouldn't be driving.

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