Horn-Blowing as National Sport

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(HaberTürk Newspaper, 19 February 2016)


       A routine scene hereabouts...

With the aim of preventing noise pollution created by
the wanton use of car horns in traffic and to increase
public awareness of this problem, Toyota has initiated a
campaign with the slogan "don't blow your horn, don't steal
my tranquility." (Turkish: "korna çalma, huzurumu çalma."
Cute usage of two negative meanings of the verb çalmak.)

Within the framework of the campaign, which continues on
social media, a noise meter has been placed in Mecidiyeköy,
Istanbul.  During the 24 hours of 16 January, the meter noted
5,289 instances (!) of horn-blowing.  The Toyota campaign, which
is supported by the National Education Ministry, Environment
and Urban Ministry, Istanbul, Izmir, Adana, Gaziantep and Malatya
municipalities, also has support from the Taxi Driver Association
(the worst offenders!).


One sign that's followed to the letter.

The target of the campaign is to reach 25 million drivers. The
decibel level of a car horn is 120 dB and hearing this noise for
7.5 minutes a day can lead to hearing loss.  Prof. Dr. Ali Osman
Atahan of Istanbul Technical University stated that "in many countries
there are noise abatement barriers along roads to protect people from
the noise of blowing horns.  Continually blowing one's horn makes
a driver uncontrollable and aggressive."

Erzurum Parliamentarian Prof. Dr. Mustafa Ilıcalı, who sits on the
Parliament's Transportation Commission, noted that "we have to
develop a culture to dissuade people from blowing horns for no
reason.  There should be noise abatement barriers, too. In Europe
it's not forbidden to blow one's horn but the culture prevents it. I
have never seen a country like Turkey where drivers blow their
horns so much." (Amen!)


Mecidiyeköy, Istanbul. On the far right.