Air horn illegal?

[dgk]

I ordered an air horn from Nashbar. Sort of a joke, but sometimes
there are folks jogging along with headphones on that seem unable to
hear my bell or my follow up shout (bike passing!). It occurs to me
that horn blowing, in NYC at least, is supposedly illegal except for
emergencies. Failing to get through a green light before it turns red
is apparently a sufficient emergency from what I can tell.

Anyway, it's legal and even required to have a ding-a-ling bell, and I
do. But I would think that I could get a summons for blasting the air
horn. Well, it's a good conversation piece anyway.

Slightly funny story on getting it. I ordered it in the same shipment
as some rain pants. The package arrives, rainpants are fine, but the
air horn looks suspiciously like knee warmers. That's because the
label on the wrapper says air-horn, but the label on the other side of
the package says knee warmers. Both useful items but not
interchangeable.

The air horn is on the way to me and the knee warmers are going back.
I never even use the arm warmers I ordered when I first started winter
biking. If it's cold enough to wear arm warmers, then I'm wearing
something heavy enough to keep the rest of me warm as well.

 

[catzz66]

dgk wrote:
> I ordered an air horn from Nashbar. Sort of a joke, but sometimes
> there are folks jogging along with headphones on that seem unable to
> hear my bell or my follow up shout (bike passing!).

If you find it is not illegal, have you considered also carrying
emergency medical equipment in case you cause the offender to have a
heart attack? I admit it would be tempting from time to time to have an
airhorn, though.

 

[dgk]

On Wed, 24 Oct 2007 12:49:50 -0500, catzz66
<[email protected]> wrote:

>dgk wrote:
>> I ordered an air horn from Nashbar. Sort of a joke, but sometimes
>> there are folks jogging along with headphones on that seem unable to
>> hear my bell or my follow up shout (bike passing!).
>
>If you find it is not illegal, have you considered also carrying
>emergency medical equipment in case you cause the offender to have a
>heart attack? I admit it would be tempting from time to time to have an
>airhorn, though.

My pack has a few bandaids but nothing that could be considered
emergency medical equipment.

When I mentioned to our mailroom that my airhorn had not in fact
arrived, one of the guys said that he had had one a few years back. He
said that it really is loud and gets attention, but that it is a pain
to keep pumped up. He said that you are not supposed to use a
compressor on it. Bummer.

I read these reviews before I ordered it. I was laughing.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/cu...F8&n=3375251&s=sporting-goods#customerReviews

A semi on helium.

 

[Roger Zoul]

I thought you were talking about this:

http://www.animalbehaviorassociates.com/training-safety-sport.htm

which is only a couple bucks at walmart in the boating section. Easy to
hide.

 

[SMS]

dgk wrote:
> I ordered an air horn from Nashbar. Sort of a joke, but sometimes
> there are folks jogging along with headphones on that seem unable to
> hear my bell or my follow up shout (bike passing!). It occurs to me
> that horn blowing, in NYC at least, is supposedly illegal except for
> emergencies. Failing to get through a green light before it turns red
> is apparently a sufficient emergency from what I can tell.
>
> Anyway, it's legal and even required to have a ding-a-ling bell, and I
> do. But I would think that I could get a summons for blasting the air
> horn. Well, it's a good conversation piece anyway.

It may be illegal to have that loud of a horn, but the chances of
getting a ticket for it are probably close to zero.

I use this,
"http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bin/item/ES-1/search/12_VDC_SIREN_.html"
as my horn. A short blast is more like a horn sound than a siren sound,
and at 120db it's very useful when people start to cut you off.

 

[amakyonin]

On Oct 24, 12:49 pm, dgk <[email protected]> wrote:
> I ordered an air horn from Nashbar. Sort of a joke, but sometimes
> there are folks jogging along with headphones on that seem unable to
> hear my bell or my follow up shout (bike passing!). It occurs to me
> that horn blowing, in NYC at least, is supposedly illegal except for
> emergencies. Failing to get through a green light before it turns red
> is apparently a sufficient emergency from what I can tell.
>
> Anyway, it's legal and even required to have a ding-a-ling bell, and I
> do. But I would think that I could get a summons for blasting the air
> horn. Well, it's a good conversation piece anyway.

I've used my AirZound in the presence of NY police officers and they
just ignore me. I only use it when I have a justifiable reason of
course. You should have no trouble with being ticketed. I would expect
most police officers are not aware of this law anyway.

I have been meaning to research when this law was introduced. I
suspect it came into effect in the 20's or 30's when cars all had the
a-oooo-ga style air horns and this is the type of horn the law is
referring to. There were bicycle horns of this type available around
the same time. The AirZound sounds like nothing else since it is a
higher pitch and a bit louder than the typical truck trumpets. It is
really impressive when used in an urban canyon. There is no
possibility of confusion with another type of vehicle.

 

[[email protected]]

On Oct 24, 2:18 pm, dgk <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Wed, 24 Oct 2007 12:49:50 -0500, catzz66
>
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> >dgk wrote:
> >> I ordered an air horn from Nashbar. Sort of a joke, but sometimes
> >> there are folks jogging along with headphones on that seem unable to
> >> hear my bell or my follow up shout (bike passing!).
>
> >If you find it is not illegal, have you considered also carrying
> >emergency medical equipment in case you cause the offender to have a
> >heart attack? I admit it would be tempting from time to time to have an
> >airhorn, though.
>
> My pack has a few bandaids but nothing that could be considered
> emergency medical equipment.
>
> When I mentioned to our mailroom that my airhorn had not in fact
> arrived, one of the guys said that he had had one a few years back. He
> said that it really is loud and gets attention, but that it is a pain
> to keep pumped up. He said that you are not supposed to use a
> compressor on it. Bummer.

The no compressor thing sounds like ass covering to me. My compressor
has an adjustable pressure regulator & a gauge, it seems to me any
such compressor could be used safely enough.

I almost bought one of those horns a while back, but didn't due to
concerns of harassment from the law. I do most of my riding in NH,
and while the state is pretty decent bike wise there are far too many
ignorant police on the roads biased against cyclists.

 

[Zoot Katz]

On Wed, 24 Oct 2007 20:59:44 -0000, "[email protected]"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>>
>> When I mentioned to our mailroom that my airhorn had not in fact
>> arrived, one of the guys said that he had had one a few years back. He
>> said that it really is loud and gets attention, but that it is a pain
>> to keep pumped up. He said that you are not supposed to use a
>> compressor on it. Bummer.
>
>The no compressor thing sounds like ass covering to me. My compressor
>has an adjustable pressure regulator & a gauge, it seems to me any
>such compressor could be used safely enough.

The AirZound horn is rated for 80 lbs. psi. I've filled mine with a
compressor but most service stations' regulators cut out way before
that. I wouldn't do it in freezing weather as I don't trust the
plastic bottle wouldn't explode.

When they're low on air they sound lame. A small bulb horn is
louder. They do leak air so you have to make sure your bottle is
pumped up hard before entering traffic and then you have limited
toots and fewer blasts.

At 120dB, they're very loud. I don't use it on pedestrians but it has
stopped a Jeep and a Lexus. It gives you auditory command equal to
automobiles and trucks and a corresponding "moron factor".

I didn't use it that often and currently don't have it mounted on any
bikes

The only time I felt I really needed it is what convinced me to try
one in the first place.
--
zk

 

[max]

In article <[email protected]>,
amakyonin <[email protected]> wrote:

>
> I have been meaning to research when this law was introduced. I
> suspect it came into effect in the 20's or 30's when cars all had the
> a-oooo-ga style air horns and this is the type of horn the law is
> referring to.

I have a <http://www.airraidsirens.com/klaxon/benjamin_longh9.jpg> of my
very own It is very loud.

As an ex-submariner* i find its song soothing and comforting. Everyone
else jumps out of their skin, gets pale and shakes.

some nice ooga .wav files on the above site if you're into that kind of
thang.

..max

--
The part of betatron @ earthlink . net was played by a garden gnome

 

[Tom Keats]

In article <[email protected]>,
dgk <[email protected]> writes:
> I ordered an air horn from Nashbar. Sort of a joke, but sometimes
> there are folks jogging along with headphones on that seem unable to
> hear my bell or my follow up shout (bike passing!). It occurs to me
> that horn blowing, in NYC at least, is supposedly illegal except for
> emergencies.

I don't expect you'd be using it indiscrimately.

You've invoked a pet peeve of mine. It used to be
that here in Vancouver nobody'd sound their horn
except in the most dire of emergencies, such as
failed brakes or weddings. They were a last resort.
Now they're a first resort -- "Hurry up 'n get outa
the house -- I'm out here waiting!" Nobody needs
such egregious horn use at 2:30 AM in their residential
neighbourhoods. It's almost as bad as too-sensitive
car alarms.

> Failing to get through a green light before it turns red
> is apparently a sufficient emergency from what I can tell.

Public transit bus drivers do that here. A lot.

> Anyway, it's legal and even required to have a ding-a-ling bell, and I
> do. But I would think that I could get a summons for blasting the air
> horn. Well, it's a good conversation piece anyway.

It may well be that your local (by)law states the requirement
for some sort of signaling device, without specifying bells.

I think it would be kewl if you could get it to emit a stream
of bubbles at the same time it honks. Maybe with some sort of
Sparklets pressurization. Or, phonically top-up yer scotch with
a spritz of soda.

> Slightly funny story on getting it. I ordered it in the same shipment
> as some rain pants. The package arrives, rainpants are fine, but the
> air horn looks suspiciously like knee warmers. That's because the
> label on the wrapper says air-horn, but the label on the other side of
> the package says knee warmers. Both useful items but not
> interchangeable.
>
> The air horn is on the way to me and the knee warmers are going back.
> I never even use the arm warmers I ordered when I first started winter
> biking. If it's cold enough to wear arm warmers, then I'm wearing
> something heavy enough to keep the rest of me warm as well.

Anything that keeps knees warm in winter chill is good.
Arms can just deal with it, but knees need at least a
modicum of TLC.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

 

[dgk]

On Thu, 25 Oct 2007 01:39:14 -0700, [email protected] (Tom Keats)
wrote:

....
>> Anyway, it's legal and even required to have a ding-a-ling bell, and I
>> do. But I would think that I could get a summons for blasting the air
>> horn. Well, it's a good conversation piece anyway.
>
>It may well be that your local (by)law states the requirement
>for some sort of signaling device, without specifying bells.
>
>I think it would be kewl if you could get it to emit a stream
>of bubbles at the same time it honks. Maybe with some sort of
>Sparklets pressurization. Or, phonically top-up yer scotch with
>a spritz of soda.

I love the new battery powered bubble toys. There are some clever
variations. I was in Cape May for a week with my extended family in
August and brought down an assortment of them (ostensibility) for my
young nephews and nieces. Everyone had a great time. It kept them
occupied for hours. Some even got into the old manual blowing
technique. The pictures are priceless and can be used for blackmail in
the future.

It does seem like something like that could be mounted on a bike,
leaving a trail of bubbles behind. I think that serious bike folks
might find it frivolous.

>> Slightly funny story on getting it. I ordered it in the same shipment
>> as some rain pants. The package arrives, rainpants are fine, but the
>> air horn looks suspiciously like knee warmers. That's because the
>> label on the wrapper says air-horn, but the label on the other side of
>> the package says knee warmers. Both useful items but not
>> interchangeable.
>>
>> The air horn is on the way to me and the knee warmers are going back.
>> I never even use the arm warmers I ordered when I first started winter
>> biking. If it's cold enough to wear arm warmers, then I'm wearing
>> something heavy enough to keep the rest of me warm as well.
>
>Anything that keeps knees warm in winter chill is good.
>Arms can just deal with it, but knees need at least a
>modicum of TLC.
>

Maybe I should have kept them. My knees, particularly the right one,
are definitely a weak spot. I didn't bike today because, well, it was
pouring when I set off to work, plus, my knee has been giving slight
complaints. I've learned to take it easy when it starts *****in. I'll
bike tomorrow.

 

[Stephen Harding]

Tom Keats wrote:

> You've invoked a pet peeve of mine. It used to be
> that here in Vancouver nobody'd sound their horn
> except in the most dire of emergencies, such as
> failed brakes or weddings. They were a last resort.
> Now they're a first resort -- "Hurry up 'n get outa
> the house -- I'm out here waiting!" Nobody needs
> such egregious horn use at 2:30 AM in their residential
> neighbourhoods. It's almost as bad as too-sensitive
> car alarms.

I really agree with this!

I even question the need for a motor vehicle to have a horn
that can be "blasted" in a long continuous sound.

They should make them intermittent sounding, even if some
jerk is laying on the horn for 5 seconds, it just goes
"honk honk honk honk" for 5 seconds.

I question the real safety value of a long horn blast in a
car. For trains or shipping, OK, but not really necessary
IMHO for a car or truck.


SMH

 

[max]

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] (Tom Keats)
wrote:

> In article <[email protected]>,
> dgk <[email protected]> writes:
> > I ordered an air horn from Nashbar. Sort of a joke, but sometimes
> > there are folks jogging along with headphones on that seem unable to
> > hear my bell or my follow up shout (bike passing!). It occurs to me
> > that horn blowing, in NYC at least, is supposedly illegal except for
> > emergencies.
>
> I don't expect you'd be using it indiscrimately.
>
> You've invoked a pet peeve of mine. It used to be
> that here in Vancouver nobody'd sound their horn
> except in the most dire of emergencies, such as
> failed brakes or weddings. They were a last resort.
> Now they're a first resort -- "Hurry up 'n get outa
> the house -- I'm out here waiting!" Nobody needs
> such egregious horn use at 2:30 AM in their residential
> neighbourhoods. It's almost as bad as too-sensitive
> car alarms.

I once lived in a neighborhood in Aurora (IL) where that sort of thing
went on, so i became *very* confrontational with the offenders. 1
million candlepower spotlight, a 4-cell maglight, my loudest, most
grating R. Lee Ermy voice, direct commands and precse threats of
specific police involvement, jail time and vehicle searches.

I made the consequences thoroughly unpleasant for the horn honkers and
.... they stopped. 100% in-your-face stuff. Very successful, reduced
the honking from multiple times/night to maybe once or twice a week.

This technique may not work for/on everyone and has certain limitations
and potentially unpleasant consequences, so i don't recommend it without
reservation.

Where i live now, no one tolerates it from anyone, not even their own
visitors, so it's not a porblem for me anymore.

..max

--
The part of betatron @ earthlink . net was played by a garden gnome

 

[dgk]

On Thu, 25 Oct 2007 13:32:13 -0500, max <[email protected]>
wrote:

>In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] (Tom Keats)
>wrote:
>
>> In article <[email protected]>,
>> dgk <[email protected]> writes:
>> > I ordered an air horn from Nashbar. Sort of a joke, but sometimes
>> > there are folks jogging along with headphones on that seem unable to
>> > hear my bell or my follow up shout (bike passing!). It occurs to me
>> > that horn blowing, in NYC at least, is supposedly illegal except for
>> > emergencies.
>>
>> I don't expect you'd be using it indiscrimately.
>>
>> You've invoked a pet peeve of mine. It used to be
>> that here in Vancouver nobody'd sound their horn
>> except in the most dire of emergencies, such as
>> failed brakes or weddings. They were a last resort.
>> Now they're a first resort -- "Hurry up 'n get outa
>> the house -- I'm out here waiting!" Nobody needs
>> such egregious horn use at 2:30 AM in their residential
>> neighbourhoods. It's almost as bad as too-sensitive
>> car alarms.
>
>I once lived in a neighborhood in Aurora (IL) where that sort of thing
>went on, so i became *very* confrontational with the offenders. 1
>million candlepower spotlight, a 4-cell maglight, my loudest, most
>grating R. Lee Ermy voice, direct commands and precse threats of
>specific police involvement, jail time and vehicle searches.
>
>I made the consequences thoroughly unpleasant for the horn honkers and
>... they stopped. 100% in-your-face stuff. Very successful, reduced
>the honking from multiple times/night to maybe once or twice a week.
>
>This technique may not work for/on everyone and has certain limitations
>and potentially unpleasant consequences, so i don't recommend it without
>reservation.
>
>Where i live now, no one tolerates it from anyone, not even their own
>visitors, so it's not a porblem for me anymore.
>
>.max

Honking to pick someone up is really annoying. And it's becoming even
less necessary with cell phones. Whenever I pick up someone and
don't/can't leave the car I just call. Hey, I'm outside. Of course, if
you don't like the neighbors, bring your bike and use the air horn.

 

[Tom Sherman]

Stephen Harding wrote:
> Tom Keats wrote:
>
>> You've invoked a pet peeve of mine. It used to be
>> that here in Vancouver nobody'd sound their horn
>> except in the most dire of emergencies, such as
>> failed brakes or weddings. They were a last resort.
>> Now they're a first resort -- "Hurry up 'n get outa
>> the house -- I'm out here waiting!" Nobody needs
>> such egregious horn use at 2:30 AM in their residential
>> neighbourhoods. It's almost as bad as too-sensitive
>> car alarms.
>
> I really agree with this!...

The use of rocket propelled grenades on people who think the doorbell is
mounted on the steering wheel of their car should be legalized.

Anyone who has ever worked night shift and needs to sleep during the day
should understand.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
When did ignorance of biology become a "family value"?

 

[Tom Sherman]

"dot" max wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] (Tom Keats)
> wrote:
>
>> In article <[email protected]>,
>> dgk <[email protected]> writes:
>>> I ordered an air horn from Nashbar. Sort of a joke, but sometimes
>>> there are folks jogging along with headphones on that seem unable to
>>> hear my bell or my follow up shout (bike passing!). It occurs to me
>>> that horn blowing, in NYC at least, is supposedly illegal except for
>>> emergencies.
>> I don't expect you'd be using it indiscrimately.
>>
>> You've invoked a pet peeve of mine. It used to be
>> that here in Vancouver nobody'd sound their horn
>> except in the most dire of emergencies, such as
>> failed brakes or weddings. They were a last resort.
>> Now they're a first resort -- "Hurry up 'n get outa
>> the house -- I'm out here waiting!" Nobody needs
>> such egregious horn use at 2:30 AM in their residential
>> neighbourhoods. It's almost as bad as too-sensitive
>> car alarms.
>
> I once lived in a neighborhood in Aurora (IL) where that sort of thing
> went on, so i became *very* confrontational with the offenders. 1
> million candlepower spotlight, a 4-cell maglight, my loudest, most
> grating R. Lee Ermy voice, direct commands and precse threats of
> specific police involvement, jail time and vehicle searches.
>
> I made the consequences thoroughly unpleasant for the horn honkers and
> ... they stopped. 100% in-your-face stuff. Very successful, reduced
> the honking from multiple times/night to maybe once or twice a week.
>
> This technique may not work for/on everyone and has certain limitations
> and potentially unpleasant consequences, so i don't recommend it without
> reservation.
>
> Where i live now, no one tolerates it from anyone, not even their own
> visitors, so it's not a porblem for me anymore.

The more upscale part of the Fox Valley (Batavia to St. Charles)?

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
When did ignorance of biology become a "family value"?

 

[hi-powercycles]

On Wed, 24 Oct 2007 20:59:44 -0000, "[email protected]" wrote: [COLOR=0000FF][COLOR=008000] >> >> When I mentioned to our mailroom that my airhorn had not in fact >> arrived, one of the guys said that he had had one a few years back. He >> said that it really is loud and gets attention, but that it is a pain >> to keep pumped up. He said that you are not supposed to use a >> compressor on it. Bummer.[/COLOR] > >The no compressor thing sounds like ass covering to me. My compressor >has an adjustable pressure regulator & a gauge, it seems to me any >such compressor could be used safely enough.[/COLOR] The AirZound horn is rated for 80 lbs. psi. I've filled mine with a compressor but most service stations' regulators cut out way before that. I wouldn't do it in freezing weather as I don't trust the plastic bottle wouldn't explode. When they're low on air they sound lame. A small bulb horn is louder. They do leak air so you have to make sure your bottle is pumped up hard before entering traffic and then you have limited toots and fewer blasts. At 120dB, they're very loud. I don't use it on pedestrians but it has stopped a Jeep and a Lexus. It gives you auditory command equal to automobiles and trucks and a corresponding "moron factor". I didn't use it that often and currently don't have it mounted on any bikes The only time I felt I really needed it is what convinced me to try one in the first place. -- zk

 

[JSWin]

This is funny. I had a car when I was a teenager that I put an air horn on. I love those things. I say it's a great idea.

 

[Corzhens]

I don't think air horn for bikes is illegal but surely it is irritating to pedestrians. What I have in mind is a gadget with small speakers where you can set the sound or even voice lines. How about saying "excuse me" to those pedestrians who love to walk on the street instead of on the sidewalk? Or maybe it is cute for them to hear a child's voice saying "get out of the way." Hahahaaa, just trying to enjoy myself with such thoughts.