LA:
Make the sticker to say ' I don't honk. I am not rude'. Why only wednesdays?


DA:
There has to be a beginning - wednesday as a silent day. Just yesterday a friend of mine got so irritated by a person honking behind his vehicle unnecessarily that he hit him and later regretted for loosing his patience. I do know most on these egroups don't honk, but we are a few hundreds - what about the lakhs of road users of Bengaluru. This kind of violent behaviour will increase. How do we reach the message across to them? Why are airhorns still allowed? Instead of asking the Police to stop the honking menace isn't it better to ban the manufacture of such horns. There is a Supreme court order about the decibel level within which any sound is made in public.


VM:
Indians are beyond repair. This is what i cynically feel sometimes. Almost 9 out of 10 are "horny". unfortunately i cannot find refuge in that humour and let it pass cos other vehicles just do not leave me alone! Most people are in a hurry so they are always using their horns and some are just not confident of their driving skils and so they are always using their horns. Driving schools should all be banned cos if you have ever gone to a driving school to learn how to drive say a car....the instructors will advise you to use the horn often.

Some years ago Mr.Praveen Bhargava of Wildlife First had marked down Registration numbers of vehicles that were using loud horns and had sent it across to the concerned traffic authorities. No prizes for guessing if anything came out of it. I have a Delhi public school bus that comes twice a day to pick up children from my street and he uses ear splitting air horns 4 times..twice at 7 in the morning. A woman opposite who cannot drive to save her life uses her infuriating reverse horn . When i politely told her about it she arrogantly brushed me off saying she could do whatever she wanted. When i drafted a letter as a complaint against her to the local police station and i wanted support from the neighbours around( who had also raised their voice about it), the same neighbours were unwilling to put down their names. And when i went ahead and brought 2 constables to their house, they said it was not at all an issue and went away. Even today the woman continues to use her reverse horn. And this lady is an educated software professional!

what about the studs with their big boom boxes inside their jazzy cars? they drive with that loud noise openly. The traffic authorities should do something about it. They could take a particular area as an experiment and declare a few hours as a silent zone , supervise and penalise offenders who are using their horns. The same could be announced in the newspapers before like how they announce traffic curbs . If the traffic moves without any accidents then that would prove that horns could be used sparingly.

PS: produce less humans to save the earth!


NS:
Agree with you completely. Education doesnt make a wee bit of difference. I was driving in Koramangala and was taking a right turn when there was a clear distance from another swift coming at right angle to me. The guy increased his speed and braked suddenly honked loudly.

The guy had such a loud horn that the ringing in my ears did not stop for 1 hour. I thought I had lost my hearing in the right ear.

And yes - less population is the only answer but its a free country- You can do what you want!!!


MR:
I was abroad only recently and one of the things that came glaringly different there was the way they use their horns. In my 3 month stay in US I heard a horn honk possibly only twice that too when I made a mistake while driving. In UK I never heard one in nearly 4 months of stay. I wondered how do they manage without using horns - using it only as a symbol of disapproval! :) I have seen the West being aped in such craze today be it the beer=party culture, the lifestyle (using tissues at office n otherwise, amount of plastic etc.), being horney not horny:), but when it comes to things such as picking the poop of your pet or discipline on road we see seem nowhere close! :) A nice read on if we can at least match the east!

In a survey I read that the most stressed out people are not the software engineers (despite the many succumbing to cardiac arrests and such at under 30 - more to do with their sitting on their inactive behinds than to stress) - it was the traffic men standing on the junctions and trying not to lose their temper amidst the hullabaloo, smoke, dust and crackpots not wanting to follow the rules (I wud belong to that clan sometime with my cycle but - no smoke or noise!!! :)). Hard to sympathize with them with their insatiable desire for Chai Paani. The noise can drive people insane and esp so when it comes from those broken autos or those _IDIOTS_ out their with their stupid motor bikes with silencer ripped off usually stoned (not sure that comes from west) set out to make a style statement!!!

I have a cycle with a very dumb bell and I m glad it is so coz then I use it only when absolutely necessary. Guess everyone should be _forced_ to move to cycles (that wud solve a lot of the problems I guess! ;)). When the fuel would be replaced by muscle power all their impatience will disappear. A traffic signal would be a nice break the feeling no less than that portrayed in the Avenger ad ("I feel like god!";)). I can't believe I am reduced to listening to Chamrajpet Charles / Rajni crap on Radio One; having to choose between the sea and the devil!!!

I see people blaring their horns even when they know the one in front can't move any further - guess it is their undying love for cacophony!!! I have never understood how much of an IQ wud it take for people to realize that honking their frustration out will not get them to any place any sooner - like they say common sense is uncommon. People travel with such high levels of stress on road they are willing to jump on to a fight for petty reasons... :) Loved this wonderful video from the Pangea Day(hope u guyz were part of the event) on the subject -

http://www.pangeada y.org/filmDetail .php?id=71 ! Will soothe your nerves a little I hope... :)


LA:
From what I have observed, most of the noise pollution from honking comes from vehicles like buses, trucks, vans, cabs etc. viz. mainly public transport vehicles. How can this campaign influence these people?


NAP:
From my experience, I think you're wrong. Most of the noise comes from private transport vehicles -- cars of all kinds, motor two-wheelers. Also autorickshaws. Note also that these far outnumber buses and trucks. Keep in mind also the horrendous noise from vehicles whose exhausts (or
whatever) have been modified to produce such noise.

I am not defending public transport vehicles. There is also a matter of definition here I think. I'm not sure if public transport always means mass transport. If so, it leaves out vans, cabs, autos. They transport the 'public' of course, but they are not mass transport. None of this of course exempts anyone from noise pollution regulations.

Muralidhar Rao

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We've driven ourselves into a such a situation that only a slap in the face will make a difference.

To me the most annoying noises in the city are:

• Auto Silencers - they never bother fix it!
• Silencers modified on purpose by "bikers" and "Drag racer wannabes"
• Religious establishments: For Example I stay next to the Sai Baba Temple. everyday music spells out to two streets on either side. Now two buildings away is another temple, who belives its music must compete with Sai baba temple's! The results are a nightmare. Authorities have turned a deaf ear to it as religious establishments have a mob backing them! And no politician wants to risk loosing his seat due to secularism!

I rode a bike for 4 years without a horn (i was just lazy to fix it.) never had a problem and now its become a habit not to use it!

I support a silent day (it can be a start to quiter lifestyle) - but how do we enforce it? It seems impossible that all road users will adhere to it!

I am also Fed up with the "what to do ya (shrug?" or "We are like this only" attitude. People are lazy to change.

What we need is a mich more strict enforcing agency. maybe creating a secondary police for civic policing (they wont deal with crime only fine offenders!)

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Agree that enforcement is the key which is the single common denominator among all the problems faced. Enforcement is lax on noise pollution too especially given that the apex court has ruled (http://esamskriti.com/rc_noise_poll_2.htm) but this ruling seems to have no respect & no enforcement leaving the apex court helpless.

Another source of noise pollution is unauthorized mills, garages & such noise producing small industries in residential areas. While these and noise pollution from automobiles can be tackled..noise from places of worship is a really touchy issue given the volatility surrounding it & would be one area of termendous challenge with a lot of work to do. I go really mad & almost deaf when I am within earshot of an auto. Those vehicles are the first ones to begin with.

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I reproduce below the mail exchanges in our residential complex Yahoo-group, on the subject:

Initial comment by a resident:

I presume the folks of A Block who face E - - M - - (neighbouring complex) would be more cognizant with the issue I am going to bring up,

Does anyone know the genius in EM, to whom the car that keeps shooting off its burglar alarm belongs to? I mean, it has to be genius, since the timing of the alarm is either post 11pm or pre 7am, and usually finely tuned to occur on weekends, and often magically coincides just post an hour of effort to put our daughter to sleep.

I'd like to know if someone knows the owner... or at least the car number.


My response (as the President):

Reversing horns and intruder alarms are equally annoying even within the confines of our basement. Fortunately for us, the noise doesn't reach up to the surface.

If you ask me, all these are just a source of noise pollution. I would rather if every car owner voluntarily gets the sound part disconnected, retaining only the blinker connection.

I had once taken up the matter of the noise pollution from EM car parking lot with their office bearers. There was respite for a while. But, apparently, some other person has got into he act now. I will take it up with hem once again.


My latest posting:

While I do not have the latest on the noise pollution caused by our neighbours, I am finding a few pesky (actually, far more annoying than that) reversing alert noises, loud enough to reach upto the 1sr floor and bother even my not-so-sharp hearing senses. One is based on the 'terminator' theme (?), and the other - the sound of frogs croaking. While the sound of real frogs croaking, coming from the water body just outside my flat, I find very romantic the unnatural sounds are most unbearable. Can I request the perpetrators to mitigate my hardship, please!

Very often it is the drivers who fit these out, with the owners just letting them be. Please do not let that continue.

Muralidhar Rao

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A honk should be to convey "caution, you may be in my way", or "please allow me to pass" as compared to "get out of my way" that the call centre vehicle drivers seem to want to convey. And, they should be in short bursts, where necessary, rather than the continuous blasts that these drivers tend to resort to. As such, while we are beginning to see the effects of the genuine training efforts on the part of atleast some of the fleet managers, this particular aspect about honking does not appear to have drawn enough attention.

The inevitable ill effects of economic growth could get a lot mitigated if a bit more attention is given to such details.

Muralidhar Rao

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Autoes produce terrible noise on the road. They never bother to fix auto silencers. BBMP shold take an instigation to avoid this noise pollution due to autoes. BBMPshould make it as a rule to fix auto silencers. If its not there in the auto, they should put a fine.

Now a days some younsters remove silencer from the bike, just for the sake of style. Such bikes produces irritating sound. First of all in that traffice people will honk unnecessarily, on top of that such irritating sounds, God excruciating!!!!!!!!!!!!. Traffic police shold take a responicibility to screw such youngsters. They should not entertain such issues.

So its a kind request to all lovely citizens of Bangalore, Don't honk unnecessarily, don't remove silencers and educate auto drivers on noise pollution and ask them to put silencers whenever you travel in auto.

I request BBMP and Traffic Police on behalf of all bangalore citizens to take action on above mentioned issue.

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This is very disturbing news! 7000 more Autos are entering the streets of Bangalore. Beforing giving such permits, it would be nice to see the govt offer some kind of Training Programme, Awareness Programme and have a contract that allows for the cancellation of licences due to negligence! We have 60,000 Autos in Bangalore Currently. Personally I dont see a shortage of them. The longest I have had to wait is 10 mins. The longer wait are more because of the denials from the drivers or excessive fare demands! I dont see this problem being addressed by adding more Autos.

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In a way, good news to have more autos on the road which should translate to lesser refusal. However, I have the opinion that autos are menace to the city life and there should be sincere effort from everybody invloved in getting the city free from auto menace. I am sure there will be hue n cry for this kind of enforcement but if there is sincere effort it will make everybody happy at the end of it. What if Govt comes with a plan to exchange every auto with Maruti Omini/Nano/maruti 800 kind of vehicle which are euroII complaint. There are numerous study which suggest the direct relationship of slow moving traffic to number of auto plying on the road. Mumbai has learned it long ago and has banned auto from South Mumbai. I think its only in India that we can see Auto, Mercedese, Bullock-cart, Tractor , Bike (motor n non-motor), cows n buffalo and Pedestrian standing parralel ( soryyyy..zig zag) to each other on any traffic signal. Building n number of flyovers or road widening is not a solution until unless there is strict enforcement of traffic rules ( for that matter our traffic law is also out dated and need immediate overhaul)

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The dream of making Bangalore as Singapore remains only as a dream until and unless people of Bangalore change their mindset/attitude towards others and their city.

* New autos shouldnt be allowed. There will be no place left if more autos are allowed.It will be more pathetic. Most of the autos are empty and why they need more autos in bangalore. Is there any kind of deal going between auto unions and the transport department or the transport department is not aware of the situation.

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Autos are Vote Gainers. 7000 More autos is an easy 20,000 votes (inlcuding families) I have always wondered why Reva hasnt considered entering the Auto Segement. True, it only lasts for 80 kms, but if there is a quick way to recharge (replace batteries, and enough replacement centres across the city then it can work. The advantages of an Electric Auto, The per kilometre rate would be less, hence same Auto Rates = Bigger Profits. Also less Noise and way less pollution.

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Autos, although has been good form of transport for middle class, it is neccessary to look at the economic, pollution and social impact. On the economic front, if we observe carefully, the slowing down of traffic in most congested areas is caused by three autos overtaking each other with no worries of the traffic that follows them. If only someone could estimate the general cost of loosing time sitting in traffic, I am sure that would be mind boggling. Further, the irritability of normal citizens when dealing with Auto Drivers (who argue, rude, refuse and cheat) is another factor that could add to the woes of the public, if this can be solved by proper training of the drivers, could help pleasant social environment too. Of course, I do not mean, Autos are the only cause, BUT one of the main causes. Could any private organisation initiate a program like the NEW BIAL TAXIs. so that when a citizen notices a GREEN auto, we know the driver would be polite, good quality vehicle, follow the traffic rules and also be honest and  we can pay extra 2 Rs per KM.

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Uma, The only way such a scheme can be introduced is privatisation. Currently Autos are a monoply. People dont have an alternative. Which is why the Autos even protested against the Metro Rail. As I suggested before. One way is to privatise Autos. Instead of giving 7000 permits, give one travel agent (like Meru or Easy Cabs) 1000 permits to run Autos with a clause for termination if conditions werent met. What the difference! When money matters - attitude changes.

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Thanks Narayan, I agree. I thought even now many Auto's belong to one powerful Individual and the drivers kind of rent them everyday. I was wondering, whether the govt with the help of priavte partners, initiate a, kind of Co-operatve, providing certification and redressal system, to enable efficiency and profit. If the organisation strictly enforces good practice norms, by making, individual Auto owners to become members, we could revolutionize the system, I hope. Do I sound too naive, would this work.

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Uma, I have often wondered the same. If these auto drivers have to pay a Rent towards the logo (either to the owner or EMI) why would they refuse so many journeys? I learnt from one Auto Driver, that the rent for an Auto is Rs 200/Day. On top of this there is fuel and maintainence costs. So if an auto is ucky he gets Rs 500/Day. Keeping this in mind as an Auto Driver I would proactively work towards making as many trips as I can. But this seldom happens. I often wonder if Auto Driving is a merely a hobby. Maybe these Auto drivers have another source of sitting income and Auto Driving is merely to make them look busy! About addressing the drivers - again you see they need an incentive to work harder and be polite. Otherwise they prefer this lifestyle. Also enforcing it is tricky. A Sub Inspector once pulled up and Auto Driver as he cut a signal. And that resulted in about 20 Auto Drivers mobbing the poor SI and blocking traffic for over 2 hours! We've let them create a mob that takes advantage of itself. What we need is some kind of incentive - an incentive to work better. One example is create competition. For example like using Meru Cabs/Easy Cabs, next time people will twice before using a KSTDC taxi. Once people see a better alternative the others are forced to pull up thier socks So if we can somehow get about 7 - 10 thousand autos in the city to start behaving themsevles better and being more productive for the customer then the others would have to start working better too! Thats how i see it.

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Bryan takes a comic dig at Bangalorean's 'horny' culture here http://www.lifeofburaian.com/2008/08/the-10-most-com.html . Funny to read and sad at the same time. -Shastri

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Came across these creative bumper stickers by 'learner on board' blog, who is fed up with honking on bangalore roads.

-Shastri

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some years ago i used to go to the temples for the maha manglarthi, which is considered auspisious, to worship god at that time.

I stopped going these days, as most of the temples have fixed electrical

bells with 7 instrumental noice.

Those days it was very few temples who  had fixed these electrical bells.

now most of the temples have it.

imagine if every temple in every road is fixed and all go together at the same time, what will the noice decibals.

those days the noise was made to drive away the wild animals during the worship, since most of the worshipping places were in the deep forests.

today these noises are forcing us to keep away from the worship place bcos of the noise.

Is it to keep us away like the wild animals, from the temples.

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The supreme court ruling virtually bans honking.complaints under this are to be kept in a separate record with prompt action by the police. Honking does not prevent accidents. Infact in all accidents there is a strong element of honking which preceded the accident.We tend to be more cautious if we do not have the option of honking. It is not reasonable to suggest  that each honk you hear on the road actually prevented an accident. If that is true there is a bigger cause for withdrawing the driving licenses of those involved!

Also honking can be penalized under pollution control laws. We do need to keep reporting the violators to dcp traffic or commissioner transport, along with other violations.
Now with the automation centre enforcement has improved tremendously. Eventually the message will percolate down. Air horns , musical horns reverse horns, 2 wheelers fitted with braying 4 wheeler horns should be condemned on the spot. with a screwdriver driven through the diaphragm.  

I have faith even after 30 years of consumer activism, that Indian governmental system is better than even the USA. For the simple reason a written complaint will be dealt with. May be not the way you expect or want but atleast it will be dealt with so it is off the record of the department concerned. Which is more than what you get in the west. 

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Where do I complaint against the noise pollution created by water tankers which are towed by a very noisy tractor. They drive rashly and create lot of noise. Is there a way to put curb on them? I feel that noise pollution will be less if they drive slowly.

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After the successful launch of the first phase of National Ambient Noise Monitoring Programme (NANMP) in the city, five more sensitive and prime noise zones will have noise monitoring systems in the second phase. The proposed zones are Victoria Hospital, Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health, City railway station, Whitefield and Domlur.

KSPCB says that in any industrial area in the city, the noise level should not exceed 75 decibel during the day and 70 decibel at night. In commercial areas, it should be 65 decibel during day and 55 in the night. In residential areas 55 should be the limit during day and 45 in the night. In silent zones like hospitals and schools, it is 50 in day and 40 in night.

For the full report in the New Indian Express, click here.

Well, that's all very fine. But, is there any effort going to be made at retention of noise levels within the limits? And, is there some simple way an ordinary citizen can guage the level of noise, in order that he can cite the same when reporting to the L&O police?
 

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