Reminding motorists that a vehicle’s horn is “not a means of communication,” Qatar’s Ministry of Interior has posted a list of tips on its Facebook page outlining horn etiquette.
The advice explains when it’s appropriate to use your horn, such as:
- To avoid imminent traffic accidents due to sudden braking, obstructing of traffic, etc;
- To alert pedestrians crossing the road that they are in danger; and
- To avoid collision with animals crossing or standing in the road.
There are also times when it’s NOT ok to use your horn, such as:
- To express frustration at another motorist;
- To say “hello” to friends you pass on the road;
- To “magically” clear a traffic jam; and
- To get the attention of a grocer while sitting in your car.
MOI refers anyone with more questions to Traffic Law No. 19/2007, adding that the law prohibits honking near hospitals, schools and other places of “public importance.”
Would you add anything to this etiquette list? Thoughts?
What if you’re sitting in front of a yummy yummy (and healthy) chocolate bar? It’s ok to honk with glee, right?
I hope that yummy yummy healthy chocolate bar doesn’t contain pork DNA.
How will I get the shopkeeper to come out to my car if I cannot use the horn. Whats wrong with these MOI people that they cannot understand my needs???????????
Get down & get it….
Dont make me use my wasta on you.
Just get on your mobile or text them while you are driving on your way there so they are ready with your order 😉
Moral of the story..DO NOT BE LAZY
absolutely funking/honking hilarious. lazy funking/honking people believe they are entitled to delivery at their vehicle. such is the culture of people who have never had to earn anything and deserve nothing yet have everything. like spoiled brats.
Give it to me straight. What are you saying 🙂
What a wonderful initiative in Doha! I just hope someone doesn’t Photoshop that image.
Oh yes really. This won’t make a bit of difference because there is no enforcement of any traffic laws. One example is people driving while texting or calling. I have lost count of the number of times I’ve nearly been hit or run off the road by these people.
I thought it was part of the driving test in the Middle East to be able to honk your horn within 0.005 of a second as soon as the light goes green?
Arrghhhh there is nothing more annoying is there??
And the solution is to sit and look back in your rear view mirror making eye contact with subject and wait until subject waves their arms in protest.May not be the tactic for everyone,but it has its advantages.
I often do that, very therapeutic
Hahaha. when you think about it that is a serious skill. That takes some hand to eye coordination. you have to be staring at the light without a blink. I think its hilarious and I usually take an additional 10 second break before moving so that I can laugh at the situation. But that just makes them angry. LOL!
It’s stories like these that bring an extra chuckle to my day. Thanks Doha News!
This is serious stuff. Horns cause more road deaths than speeding, tailgating, using mobile phones and not wearing seatbelts combined.
Honking is a prevention for all those that you have mentioned. But obviously, their mentality here is totally different. My colleagues said that it is the weather. It has fried their brains.
I will absolutely be beeping people in frustration seeing as I am banned from making the hand gestures I very often wish I could!!!!!
I waited behind a red pick up truck for over 5 minutes (thinking that there is a long line of cars in front of his car). Then I realized that the driver has left his car to go get his daughter from the school right on the middle of the road (blocking entrance to my own compound) and causing a traffic jam 30 cars behind me. He has obviously violated the law, caused unnecessary stress for us waiting (he took more than 10 mins) and when I honked, he got angry. So were the rest of the people waiting by the road side. They were telling me not to honk. Hello, if I do not honk, do you think he will move his car? He would have taken his own sweet time saying hi to his friends while we are waiting for him to move his car. There is a clear line between being very stupid and inconsiderate and this guy obviously is sitting on both sides.
Daily there is frustration road 1) People driving slow on the fast lane, when they are supposed to move to the other lane, deliberately they do not move, even if a slight flash they do not move…In such situation horn should be allowed (these drivers in short have attitude problem) 2) reckless drivers how to tackle especially on busy roads or highways…in such case horn should be allowed..if people actually seriously took importance of the road rules then there is no need for this article or road safety awareness…But i find the traffic police do not take action against 1) and 2)…More traffic police should be deployed to take immediate action
what constitutes “slow” in your opinion- under the speed limit, at speed limit, or above speed limit? (referring to driving slow in the fast lane)
Land Cruisers have a conversion system on the dashboard that automatically changes from mph to mach number above a certain speed. Hence when I (I don’t have a LC but for the purposes of this story lets say I have) am hooting outside the KFC for service I can complain that I travelled here at mach .78 only to have to now wait wasting my time. The car in front is a crashed Toyota.
The the problem is too many people think the fast lane means go as fast as I want. I take the salwa road express way often. The speed limit is 100km which means you can’t go faster than that even in the fast lane.
I always drive 100km but there are always fools in the fast lane who want to go 140km.
the people flashing have an attitude problem. It is so rude to flash lights at someone. In the civilized world people don’t do that. Flashing your lights at someone is basically telling the other driver “get out og my way because I want to drive like a maniac”.
I agree…
So, if a person is in the fast lane because he or she is preparing to take a left turn ahead and is driving at, not above, the speed limit, then it is they who have the attitude problem? Surely it is the impatient person, tailgating and flashing their lights who has the attitude problem. More chill pills required in my opinion.
You know that you appear pretty reckless when you roll up on someone even if they are in the fast lane going slow and you flash your lights and blow your horn. It is very threatening and rude. Just because the dummy in front of you is being rude does not mean that you have to compund that unless you have a legitimate family emergency or something. Dont do it. Give that idiot the space of a car link and calm yourself down. You were probably going way faster than the speed limit to begin with.
To “magically” clear a traffic jam…. It works! 🙂
I think in terms of priorities, they should first add mandatory lessons of overtaking in the driving license: 1 – how to keep a good distance before overtaking 2 – how to use the indicators few seconds before moving from your lane 3- how not to move from extreme right to extreme left lane or vice versa in one move – 4- how not to change lanes inside the roundabout, etc.
What’s that supposed to mean?!! How am I going to get my karak from tea time if I don’t honk the horn like 10 times in a row???
Why do you need to honk.. what is the purpose of the 2 legs god gave.. honking is sign of showing laziness. ..by walking few distance you ain’t losing anything
Really, the first one should be: To express frustration at another motorist in avoiding an imminent traffic accident due to sudden braking or obstructing of traffic by an IDIOT.
When there is little to no law enforcement, how will people obey rules? a few months ago we were told that people cutting in from the right side at signals will be fined, but so far no action is being taken … till date I see many dangerous drivers (expats & locals) cutting in dangerously from the right side (read that as wrong side) every single day, right in front of radars.
what about flashing headlights while tailgating?
That is for kindly and gently saying: Pardon me, Sir, can you move over? :)))
How is this going to be effective? So the guys (and gals) that are constantly honking their horns when they shouldn’t, they’re going to read this, get shocked and never do it again? Either they know they shouldn’t and don’t care, or they don’t know they shouldn’t, in which case they probably won’t understand any of this anyway. Fine them, after a few fines, points on license, after a few points, revoke license for x period.
What about the Lewis Code?
http://www.panarabiaenquirer.com/wordpress/new-system-allows-you-to-make-food-orders-via-car-horn/
“I wish I can just honking but MOI didn’t allow me to. Can I have one karak, please?”
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=oszMP_LVrTwwGM&tbnid=fkvMfKC7NPYneM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bleepingcomputer.com%2Fforums%2Ft%2F192243%2F1000-pages%2Fpage-8&ei=MdyKU6fIBoH0OejcgagL&bvm=bv.67720277,d.d2k&psig=AFQjCNGx09y157DX-RD6ZrH80IWqbdDGAQ&ust=1401695473173899
So we just honk the horn and we receive the loan? :))
If I couldn’t honk when someone drives like a selfish idiot, I would lose my will to live.
Personally speaking with no pun intended. I am in favor of Honking (Road Rage type of as in NFS2) on other motorist who think that fast lane is their mother inherited property and they can drive on what ever low speed they please giving no respect to people coming from behind.
Where is MOI’s etiquette on using your high beams and not blinding other drivers in around you?