Why do drivers in Saudi Arabia honk their horns unnecessarily?

One may be able to put up with the sound of a honking horn in any place.

May 21, 2015

Samar Al-Miqrin



Samar Al-Miqrin

Al Jazirah






One may be able to put up with the sound of a honking horn in any place, save near a hospital. Unfortunately, many drivers honk horns near hospitals in complete disregard of the needs of patients for quiet.



Ten years ago, the honking of horns was not as frequent as it is today. Drivers used to be more polite and considerate and never used horns at night. However, many of them gradually began to lose patience and now they use the horn incessantly. We hear horns honking constantly—even in the middle of the night. It seems that every driver thinks he owns the street and can do whatever he wants.



Honking horns is antisocial and should be stopped, especially near hospitals. Every hospital patient has the right to feel comfortable and to enjoy some quiet. The Ministry of Health and the General Traffic Department should work together to put an end to this negative practice.



I think that if car companies knew how our drivers abuse the horn, they would remove horns from the cars that arrive in the Kingdom. This might be a good solution if traffic officials are unable to stop this annoying practice, which sometimes contributes to accidents.



The behavior of some drivers speaks volumes about their character. We need drastic solutions to restore the respect of our Traffic Police and make drivers think twice before they break the law.



We are sadly slipping backwards instead of moving forwards. New generations are usually more educated and have higher levels of awareness, but in our case, it seems to be the other way round. Take a look at our roads and just see how drivers behave. Everyone seems to think he is traveling alone and can do whatever he wants. Drivers on the Kingdom’s roads are simply selfish and do not care about others.



The chaos on our roads needs to stop. The authorities and Traffic Police should cooperate to come up with the right solutions.


May 21, 2015
HIGHLIGHTS
World
40 minutes ago

Anger in Israel at 'irresponsible and hasty' ceasefire

World
48 minutes ago

Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire designed to be permanent, says Biden

World
hour ago

Five survivors found day after Red Sea tourist boat sinking