Reverse Car Alarms - A Spreading Nuisance?

[FJ CRUZER]

Sorry to say this I have a reverse horn in my car !! but has an switch to activate it..

As this is preferred by my dad, he says all these people will never move when the car is reversing.. In tight parking directly coming out on the road this would be helpful..

Though I am against it, having a on-off switch is really good for the sake of others. Hopefully, you might be using it to switch off when you take you car out from the parking lot, this is the most irritating thing for other occupants of the house/apartment.

Also, this allows to use it at the discretion of the driver; like using it only when it is highly necessary.

Some Foreign guest were visiting us through the last week. You know these guys are very upset about Indian traffic scenarios and the way we drive on our roads. However, we were waiting for a cab for pick up and there was a car reversing in our parking lot; it had the reverse horn and these guys actually liked the idea. It was thought that it will help other guys understand that you are reversing. He wanted to have that for his car. I got him a reverse horn and told him how that is fixed so he can do it on his car. They do not have any rule against in his home nation.

 

[Varun560061]

Yes as you said I will turn it on only when the rear view is blocked or when i have parked the car in between other cars..

I never switch it on in my appartment..some times it is useful.

 

[type-r]

i am totally against it. i have heard some of the most disastrous reverse alarms. its annoying. reverse sensors also let the guy behind that a car is in reverse mode. it might not be as loud as a reverse alarms but it gets the job done for me atleast.

i have heard a truck having a reverse alarm with the song dhoom machale and yeh dosti from sholay.

 

[Jazzy]

GUYS,

An idea suddenly dawned on me, as I read this thread. Why don't we have a separate horn installed behind the car (maybe inside the bumper) which we can activate via a switch. So that way we can honk while backing up without creating a ruckus which the 'reverse car alarms' do? Why don't the manufacturers think about this idea?

Cheers
Jazzy

 

[350Z]

Sorry to say this I have a reverse horn in my car !! but has an switch to activate it. As this is preferred by my dad, he says all these people will never move when the car is reversing.. In tight parking directly coming out on the road this would be helpful..

I don't think it's required much for smaller cars. But it's good to have a separate control switch as in your case.

BTW, I didn't know there was a rule against using that. I think the traffic cops are not aware of it. Otherwise they will not shy from making easy money.

Mumbai Cops conducted a special drive back in 2008. Quoting an article from Times of India.

MUMBAI: Conducting a special drive, the Mumbai traffic police have booked 2,047 motorists for using reverse horns. Traffic officials, however, say booking motorists is difficult during the day as most vehicles usually move forward and do not require to use the reverse horns. The department has now appealed to people to register complaints against the use of reverse horns. The complaints can be lodged at Mumbai Traffic Police. Residents have been complaining about the nuisance caused by reverse horns, especially at night.

Traffic officials say a good number of complaints are against call centre vehicles, which have to visit residential areas at unearthly hours to drop and pick staffers. "The call centre vehicles are the biggest culprits when it comes to the misuse of reverse horns. But as our traffic personnel cannot be physically present at all the places, we want citizens to note down the numbers of the erring vehicles and report to us," said a traffic official.

The campaign against the injudicious use of horns has continued ever since the traffic police observed No-Honking Day on April 7. In the special drive against horns carried out till May 18, the police penalised 606 motorists for using pressure horns. A total of 29,719 motorists were penalised for honking unnecessarily, which in itself is an offence under Rule 231 of the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.

The use of pressure, musical and reverse horns is illegal under Rule 119 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, punishable with a fine of Rs 500. "This includes even the use of a musical system in a car, if played at a very high volume," the traffic official pointed out. On No-Honking Day, the traffic police had penalised 6,154 offenders. The department had also roped in actor Amitabh Bachchan to drive home the message of not honking without a reason. Traffic officials say there are more than 1.5 million vehicles on Mumbai's roads, including 1.10 lakh autos and 55,000 taxis, all of which create a lot of noise pollution due to unnecessary honking.

Drive Safe,
350Z

 

[Highway Ranger]

I knew that air horns and musical horns were prohibited inside city limits. Reverse beeper is news to me.

 

[jalex]

I totally agree with you 350Z. The only thing that most reverse horns do is irritate others in my opinion. The wierdest one I ever came across was one that said, "This Car is backing up! WARNING!! WARNING!!...This car is backing up." The only ones I ever thought was not much of an issue were the ones I've seen on Ashok Leyland buses in the 80's which only had a mild intermittent beep when backing up.

It sounded just like the one in the video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8Pw1_Pbtz0

 

[ToughGuy]

I just hate these reverse car alarm and hate those people who has this stupid thing on their car, they are so annoying and irritating in my society lots of people uses it to disturb everyone. They even take extra time to park the car even in open space which irritates me more, most irritating is one old uncle near my home who takes 5 minutes daily with this alarm on to park his car, can't say anything to him.

Please ban this completely and seal the shops who are selling them.

 

[Crazy cat]

I really hate those horns with film songs. But i'm not against the idea, in crowded streets it is a boon. I would appreciate some system that normally don't make any sound and when required a push and hold button should be used.

 

[Prads]

On Christmas 2010 i saw this huge multi axle crane reversing at Brigade road junction(Bangalore) where Metro was being constructed & that thing had a train air horn as a reverse tone .But i felt it was needed that day atleast cos road was filled with shocking amounts of drunk messed up people.

 

[nimrod]

Reversing horns are needed when you're in a moderately crowded place. So, I'm not totally against it. However, we should be prudent enough to turn it off when its use is not really warranted by the environment. Yes, there HAS to be a switch to deactivate it.

Until a few years ago, the MASS electrician would wire the Reverse Alarm directly to the Reversing light, saying that's how it should be. They would simply disconnect the wire that I've run from the rear to the dash board switch, each time the car is taken there for service. But now, I tell them specifically not to alter any wiring in the car without letting me know, and the switch stays.

 

[rsrs_in]

The reverse horn is not permitted in Mumbai & by extension I believe Maharashtra. My car was caught for having reverse beep around 5 years back & I paid a fine of 500/- and removed the reverse horn.

Having said that we cannot take the good things like no hoking , no reverse horn without some assurance of the general public having better civic sense. In a country like ours where people, kids, animals, you name it, can make any place their home or resting place - it is very important to have a mechanism which provides adequate alert to the other person when reversing.

It would be too optimistic to think that everyone can and will afford a reverse camera. Having said the above, the reverse horn should not be more than the standard beep and any other obnoxious sound/music can be prohibited.

 

[krish_go]

Im not quite sure to agree with all.
On Indian rd, Reverse horns are infact a must option. I never had a reverse horn for my Bolero. Once while reversing, there was a huge cry and ppl started running toward me and started to give their cool language on me.
Reason- There was a 3yr kid suddenly left his Mom's hand and was reading "B-O-L-E-R-O" on the call. Now, How on earth i would know he is right behind my spare wheel. Lucky i did not hit him. But the boys parents and on lookers blamed me as an SUV rude arrogant driver.
After this, I have personally got installed reverse horn on both my cars.

 

[rekharam]

It is not that irritating unless the person took hell lot of time to reverse in midnight or early morning. Especially in parking lots with kids playing, crowded market, it is acceptable.
PS: I don't have one. I check my car once before taking a reverse. I honk and reverse slowly.

 

[Prads]

Im not quite sure to agree with all.
On Indian rd, Reverse horns are infact a must option. I never had a reverse horn for my Bolero. Once while reversing, there was a huge cry and ppl started running toward me and started to give their cool language on me.
Reason- There was a 3yr kid suddenly left his Mom's hand and was reading "B-O-L-E-R-O" on the call. Now, How on earth i would know he is right behind my spare wheel. Lucky i did not hit him. But the boys parents and on lookers blamed me as an SUV rude arrogant driver.
After this, I have personally got installed reverse horn on both my cars.

This reminds me of the parents who hold there little children's hand & walk with them side by side with adult on/towards foot path & child will be on/towards the road
I saw a Enticer bike fellow getting it cos the child walked onto the road after the parent left its hand to answer a phone call.I hate these pathetic street justice sometimes.