Ask Dr. Dumb: Can Drivers Honk at Me While I’m Jogging?
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Readers, today’s Ask Dr. Dumb topic is honking.
Honk, honk!
Specifically, the topic is drivers and runners (or “joggers”) (and cyclists) and when, if ever, drivers are allowed to honk at runners (or “joggers”) (and cyclists). It comes via this article in the Idaho Statesman:
Can You Honk at Bicyclists and Joggers in Idaho? Only Under Rare Circumstances. Here’s Why
If you’re anything like me, you read that headline and immediately laughed so hard and so loud, you frightened your cat. Because, in my experience, drivers routinely honk at cyclists and joggers and, as far as I can tell not one of them ever wrestles with questions like, “Should I be doing this?” or “Am I using my horn in a thoughtful and judicious manner?” They just honk.
So, what’s the deal with this article? To find out, I could have contacted the writer. But I am very shy. So instead I turned to our resident expert on acoustics and Idaho, Dr. Dumb.
Dumb Runner: Hello, doctor, and thank you for joining us.
Dr. Dumb: Hey.
Wait, what’s that noise? Are you driving?
Yeah, but it’s OK. It’s hands free.
It is not OK! Using a phone while you drive is dangerously distracting—and going hands free is not safer. The issue isn’t your hands being distracted, it’s your attention being distracted.
[Honking] Watch out!
Are you OK?
Yeah, almost hit some jogger. Came out of nowhere.
Can you just pull over, please, so we can talk?
Fine.
Thank you. So, what’s going on in this article?
The article in question explores how motorists in Idaho may and may not use their horns when dealing with pedestrians and cyclists, both legally and from a practical, safety-focused perspective.
For instance, at one point it asks, “(C)an you honk at bicyclists, or even joggers, if you’re behind them or see them doing something you don’t like?”
And?
And, it goes on, Idaho law says “drivers may honk their horns only for safety reasons, such as to give an audible warning of imminent danger. Otherwise, using a horn is not permitted in Idaho, including honking at cyclists or joggers whom you may find annoying and in the way.”
Does the article offer examples of ways that joggers might be “annoying” to motorists, of “doing something they don’t like”?
No, but I imagine such examples might include things like:
Jogging in public
Yes, I can see how that would send any reasonable driver over the edge.
That’s right. Yet, according to the law—in Idaho, anyway—that same reasonable driver is prohibited from honking.
On paper.
On paper, yes.
Well, I look forward to visiting Idaho sometime soon to test this out.
Good luck.
Doctor, before we go, are there any funny honking-related bits of text you’d like to share?
Yes, and thank you for asking! Here is one of my favorite pieces of poorly translated text, from the brochure of a car rental firm in Tokyo:
''When a passenger of foot heave in sight, tootle the horn. Trumpet at him melodiously first, but if he still obstacles your passage then tootle him with vigor.''
Beautiful. Thank you once more, doctor, for your time.
You’re welcome. Tootle-oo.
