Horn abuse!

[Betsy]

I just got an email that I found to be very relevant to this post. (OK its a fwd but it demonstrates why the horn should not be used as an explicative )

An honest man was being tailgated by a stressed-out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.

The tailgating woman hit the roof--and the horn--screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection.  As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up.

He took her to the police station where she was searched, finger printed, photographed and placed in a holding cell. After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.

He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the  guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the 'What Would Jesus Do' bumper sticker, the 'Follow Me to Sunday School' bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk. "Naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car."

[hobish]

I've been tempted a lot of times to use my horn willy-nilly and now I'm twice as glad I never gave in.   Usually, I take the time to ask myself what I hope to accomplish by hitting the horn.  That one question is enough for me to realize that it wasn't a dangerous situation, and usually also enough that the person I'm annoyed with has already done what I want them to do.

And if I honk first and ask questions later?  Every time it's happened it's been a dangerous situation.  Like someone trying to switch lanes into the spot I'm occupying at the time.  I might not be great at physics, but that Law about two objects not occupying the same space at the same time... that one sunk in. 

heh heh heh ... when i was in a car accident years ago my mom told people that i didn't believe that law of physics & was trying to test it.

I'm going to hope and guess that you're ok though, since you can laugh at it.  And in that case, that comment is pretty funny.

Oh, how nice of you! I spent 5 days in the hospital with a lacerated liver after that one, but i am fine & the hospital was actually great. I was 19 & living on my own at the time, so having 3 good meals a day & cable was kind of luxurious, lol.

[goblue2539]

Oh, how nice of you! I spent 5 days in the hospital with a lacerated liver after that one, but i am fine & the hospital was actually great. I was 19 & living on my own at the time, so having 3 good meals a day & cable was kind of luxurious, lol.

Oh honey!  I don't know how long ago 19 was for you, but that still made me cringe.  I just hope that your mom didn't make that comment until you were feeling better.  Unless you're like me, and use humor to get through the bad stuff.  That can make a difference.

Of course, I remember being 19 and living on my own for the first time.  I know what you mean about the 3 meals a day!