Car horn switch/activator positions.

[Accy cyclist]

Or rather the position of the horn's button/activator you press. My grumble is that i have two buttons to aim for on the sides of my car's steering wheel. When I have to use my horn suddenly i just cannot find it, especially when it's dark outside. I long for the days when car horns were in the middle of the steering wheel! You automatically knew what to press/hit or thump. Now it seems you have a little hard to see device. I find the horn on my car quite dangerous. If i'm taking a bend and need to use it i have to remove my hands from the recommended 10 to 2 position. I also have to take my eyes off the road to locate the button/switch. I want a big saucer sized thingy in the middle of the wheel, not a little hard to find/see button. Why have they done away with saucer sized middle of the wheel thumpable car horns? 🤔

Below is a stock photo of a BMW Mini steering wheel. My car's wheel/horn switch is the same. In my opinion where that Mini badge is there should be a big thumpable horn!!!🧐

 

[Electric_Andy]

Car horns are often not in the middle now becasue of the airbag. If the airbag goes off it would fire the button into your face. There are no easy fixes that I know of, but you could get someone to wire the switch to a push-sensitive swith that's relocated somewhere else. It wouldn't look pretty unless you take it to an auto electrician which would cost upwards of £60/hour. But it is doable

 

[Accy cyclist]

Ok, the hand isn't thumping, more flat palming, but even doing that is surely better than fiddling for a little button?!

 

[Accy cyclist]

Car horns are often not in the middle now becasue of the airbag. If the airbag goes off it would fire the button into your face. There are no easy fixes that I know of, but you could get someone to wire the switch to a push-sensitive swith that's relocated somewhere else. It wouldn't look pretty unless you take it to an auto electrician which would cost upwards of £60/hour. But it is doable

The horn buttons on my car don't even light up when i put my side or headlights on. You'd think they would have a bright yellow light background to see them immediately.🤔

 

[tyred]

Genuine question, how often do you really need to sound the horn in normal driving?

It's very, very rare for me to have to sound the horn. For the record, it's located on the end of the indicator stalk in mine and is easy to find on the very rare occasions that I need it.

 

[Accy cyclist]

how often do you really need to sound the horn in normal driving?

Not that often, probably about 2 or 3 times a week. The last time was when some bozo on a phone just wandered into the road as i approached. I wanted to warn bozo (other road user) of my presence (which correct me if i'm wrong,car horns are meant for) but as i was turning the wheel slightly at the time, for a second or so i couldn't locate the little hard to see switches (it was dark at the time). By the time i'd found them i'd passed the dangerous obstacle!🧐

 

[rualexander]

Not that often, probably about 2 or 3 times a week. The last time was when some bozo on a phone just wandered into the road as i approached. I wanted to warn bozo of my presence, but as i was turning the wheel slightly at the time, for a second or so i couldn't locate the little hard to see switches (it was dark at the time). By the time i'd found them i'd passed the dangerous obstacle!🧐

Rather than warning Bozo maybe you could have slowed down or stopped instead and waited for Bozo to exit the carriageway?

 

[HMS_Dave]

I would disagree that it is dangerous. If you are on a bend and you require the use of a horn in situations requiring such manoeuvring it would be best to have both hands on the wheel. To be clear also, the 10 - 2 position is actually with the steering wheel straight ahead, you can maintain this position in most driving scenarios, unless steering sharply at a low speed, which would then surely make better sense to stop the vehicle if a dangerous situation occurs before use of the horn.

 

[CXRAndy]

Genuine question, how often do you really need to sound the horn in normal driving?

It's very, very rare for me to have to sound the horn. For the record, it's located on the end of the indicator stalk in mine and is easy to find on the very rare occasions that I need it.

I'm always using the horn, I use it to frighten birds off the road. I use it to get the attention of drivers who approach junctions looking the opposite direction to flow. People thinking of crossing whilst using a mobile not paying attention. Don't get me wrong and misinterpret how I use the horn, just a short bip usually gets someone's attention.

Trust everyone to do the most stupid of actions where vehicles are concerned.

I'd rather sound the car horn than be cursing another after an incident has occurred.


A classic example where a horn bip might have saved my neighbour's daughter from a minor collision.

A car pulled out of a drive, she decided to keep going and move a little further out into the centre part of the lane. She couldn't see the drivers face until they collided. Nothing major, except due to age of her car it was written off. From having a nice little reliable car, to having to go and buy another, which had become a big financial problem due to used car prices rocketing.

 

[Bazzer]

Not that often, probably about 2 or 3 times a week. The last time was when some bozo on a phone just wandered into the road as i approached. I wanted to warn bozo (other road user) of my presence (which correct me if i'm wrong,car horns are meant for) but as i was turning the wheel slightly at the time, for a second or so i couldn't locate the little hard to see switches (it was dark at the time). By the time i'd found them i'd passed the dangerous obstacle!🧐

Blimey. I can't remember the last time I used it on my car and in Mrs B's was, IIRC a couple of months ago.

 

[SydZ]

2 or 3 times a week?!! It’s a good job the MOT station tests mine to see it still works as I can’t remember the last time I used it.

 

[winjim]

Not that often, probably about 2 or 3 times a week. The last time was when some bozo on a phone just wandered into the road as i approached. I wanted to warn bozo (other road user) of my presence (which correct me if i'm wrong,car horns are meant for) but as i was turning the wheel slightly at the time, for a second or so i couldn't locate the little hard to see switches (it was dark at the time). By the time i'd found them i'd passed the dangerous obstacle!🧐

If you're having to use the horn 2 or 3 times a week then maybe you need to have a think about your driving. I reckon I've used my horn maybe 2 or 3 times ever.

That may be an exaggeration but not by much. I used it a couple of weeks ago but I can't remember a time before that.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I'd also like point out that i often catch the switches on my car's wheel just by holding the wheel. It's quite embarrassing when someone looks at me as if to say "why pip at me, do i know you"? In fact when i said i probably use my horn 2 or 3 times a week, i bet most of the uses are involuntary. If the horn's activator was in the middle involuntary horn use would be almost non existent!

 

[Archie_tect]

*wanders off to find where the car's horn is*

 

[winjim]

I'd also like point out that i often catch the switches on my car's wheel just by holding the wheel. It's quite embarrassing when someone looks at me as if to say "why pip at me, do i know you"? In fact when i said i probably use my horn 2 or 3 times a week, i bet most of the uses are involuntary. If the horn's activator was in the middle involuntary horn use would be almost non existent!

You seem to be able to get into reverse gear pretty easily.