When is it appropriate to use your horn?

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Honking is a safety tool. It should be used to warn others of a danger or to prevent a collision, delivering a brief, decisive signal when there’s an imminent risk that another driver, cyclist, or pedestrian needs to notice you and adjust course or speed. In quiet residential areas or whenever sound would unnecessarily disturb others, keep honking to a minimum or avoid it entirely.

Using the horn to express anger, to greet friends, or to scare pedestrians isn’t appropriate. Those uses don’t address a potential hazard, can startle or inflame drivers, and may be illegal or penalized in many places. The horn’s purpose is safety, not expression.