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question for bay area folks... what is with honking in tunnels?

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salin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:00 AM
Original message
question for bay area folks... what is with honking in tunnels?
Edited on Sat Apr-22-06 10:01 AM by salin
for six months I commuted across the golden gate bridge - and through the tunnel on the Marin side. Almost every time in the evening commute, random cars would honk in the tunnel.

Given that I am not from this part of the country... Is it something to do in all tunnels? Just that tunnel? Whats that all about?
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Robb Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:08 AM
Response to Original message
1. In a hurry
....out of the WAY, people! :D
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salin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:14 AM
Response to Reply #1
2. heh
but usually was done with people laughing and or waving and or trying to get other folks to honk.
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GOPisEvil Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:16 AM
Response to Original message
3. I think some people like the echo.
:shrug:
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salin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:24 AM
Response to Reply #3
4. ...people like the echo... like the echo... the echo... echo....
:D

could be... given that the area doesn't get much natural echo phenom - like one gets in a thunderstorm when one lives with hills. In my five + years out there recall some big rain storms - but only one instance with thunder. ??
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GOPisEvil Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:26 AM
Response to Reply #4
5. I think we're on to something here.
I love people who are easily amused, as I am. :D
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ScreamingMeemie Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:31 AM
Response to Reply #5
7. Then we were meant to be friends...
:) I am a diehard tunnel/cow honker at-er. :hi:
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GOPisEvil Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:33 AM
Response to Reply #7
8. You honk at cows?
Awesome! I "moo" at them. :D

:hi:
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ScreamingMeemie Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:34 AM
Response to Reply #8
9. Yes! I honk at them, and will "moo" if I am on a bike!
;) :hug: MrG gets mad at me for "disturbing" them. How can one disturb a cow??? The road is already noisy.
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GOPisEvil Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:36 AM
Response to Reply #9
10. I wonder if the cows get mad at us for butchering their language.
Yikes - probably shouldn't have used "butchering" in reference to cows. :yoiks:
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ScreamingMeemie Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:37 AM
Response to Reply #10
11. !
:spray: :rofl: I never thought of that. :rofl:
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GOPisEvil Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:38 AM
Response to Reply #11
13. Honestly, it just hit me.
:rofl:
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salin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:47 AM
Response to Reply #8
14. I used to randomly bark
at dogs. Til one mean one looked back at me, bared fangs and let out a ferocious sound. Sorta cured me of that form of self-amusement.
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GOPisEvil Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:49 AM
Response to Reply #14
18. "What did you say about my mama?"
:rofl: You have no idea WHAT you said to that dog!
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ScreamingMeemie Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:51 AM
Response to Reply #18
20. You're on a roll this AM...
:rofl:
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GOPisEvil Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:51 AM
Response to Reply #20
22. Like buttah...
;)

:hi:
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salin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:52 AM
Response to Reply #20
23. saturday morning...
GOPreallyisEvil time :D
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salin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:51 AM
Response to Reply #18
21. I should have taken that course on 'cross-species-cultural communication'
rats.
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GOPisEvil Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:52 AM
Response to Reply #21
24. Sounds like hippie-liebrul learnin' ta me.
;)
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ScreamingMeemie Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:53 AM
Response to Reply #24
25. Yes, which you never bothered to take, and are thus offending cows
all along the Eastern Seaboard...:eyes:

:D
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GOPisEvil Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:55 AM
Response to Reply #25
26. Eastern seaboard?
I'm offending Texas cows; I'm taking my life in my hands with every drive to the country. :D
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ScreamingMeemie Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:56 AM
Response to Reply #26
29. Texan cows are easily offended....Cows along the Eastern seaboard
are of a higher standard.

**my father used to say "along the eastern seaboard in the way that people would say "west of the Mississippi"...I thought more people than just us did that. What a moran I am.
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GOPisEvil Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:58 AM
Response to Reply #29
31. OOOOOOOOHHHHHHH!!!
I get it now. You dad sounds like a real pill. Kinda like my dad.

OK - I really do have to get moving today. :hi:
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ScreamingMeemie Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 11:00 AM
Response to Reply #31
34. he's a laugh a minute...
Me too. I'll race you...:hi:
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salin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:59 AM
Response to Reply #29
33. just south of ya folks didn't moo at cows
but many a hoosier college youth went out on at least one cow-tipping excursion.
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ScreamingMeemie Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 11:01 AM
Response to Reply #33
35. Fer shame! Wisconsin youth "never" tipped cows.
It's just not nice. :rofl:
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salin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 11:02 AM
Original message
Here is a regional question...
did wisconsin youth ever go "corning" or is that just a hoosier thing?
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ScreamingMeemie Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 11:05 AM
Response to Original message
39. One time we did and then ran like all heck when the guy stopped
his car and got out looking for us. We stuck strictly to worm flinging after that. :scared:
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salin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 11:07 AM
Response to Reply #39
40. as a kid it was a halloween prank
run around with socks full of kernals - throw a handful at windows (making a ticking sound)... as if it was spooky and the folks in the house wouldn't know what it was :eyes: Usually ended up with rival groups of kids throwing corn at each other.
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blondeatlast Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 12:59 PM
Response to Reply #8
45. I'm a moo-er too; comes from my Kansas childhood.
Not much else to do on long car rides through KS...
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ScreamingMeemie Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:30 AM
Response to Original message
6. My dad always honks in tunnels...If you come to Michigan and
use the Detroit/Windsor Tunnel to Canada you will hear the same phenomenon. :hi:

I also honk at cows. My daddy taught me that.
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salin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:48 AM
Response to Reply #6
16. Only did that tunnel a couple of times.
Wasn't aware of the phenom - so if I heard honking (don't recall) probably wrote it off to a traffic thingy. Never went through any other tunnel during my years in Michigan - so didn't know I have lived in two places where this is common :D :hi:
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DS1 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:38 AM
Response to Original message
12. And what's with those assholes throwing a bucket of superballs out
of their car in a tunnel?

Oh wait, that was me

:hide:
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nothingshocksmeanymore Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:48 AM
Response to Reply #12
15. try it on a skate path sometime
way more return on investment :evilgrin:
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salin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:50 AM
Response to Reply #15
19. just don't try it at the dog park
:D
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nothingshocksmeanymore Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:56 AM
Response to Reply #19
28. Hehe....my dog would make you go get them yourself
He looks at me like "you fetch it!"
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salin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:58 AM
Response to Reply #28
30. and make you go into the line of retaliatory fire
you have always spoken of what a smart dog he is...
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salin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:49 AM
Response to Reply #12
17. DId you drive highways in the bay area in the 90s?
I was hit by a paintball on 280 near Palo Alto... was that you???
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DS1 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:55 AM
Response to Reply #17
27. No, I wouldn't shoot someone with a paintball on the highway
that's just idiotic

and I was not in the bay area at any time :-)
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nothingshocksmeanymore Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 10:59 AM
Response to Reply #27
32. weak alibi
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salin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 11:01 AM
Response to Reply #27
36. Have to admit it sorta stunned me
but at least it was a paintball prankster rather than the drop stuff off of the overpass sort. :shrug:

I'll believe ya per the Bay Area avowal... until such time I have other evidence ;-)
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ScreamingMeemie Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 11:02 AM
Response to Reply #36
37. I had somebody drop a lit firecracker out of their truck right next to my
open window on I-94 once. It's like there is a breed of people out there who don't realize they can kill a person with a stupid prank. :hi: I thought I would lose hearing in that ear for good.
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salin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 11:04 AM
Response to Reply #37
38. I drove I94 between A2 and Detroit for three years...
that was a scary commute. Trucks doing eighty in the snow. No one ever using blinkers to cross lanes. And all sorts of crazy folks doing crazy traffic things. Topped anything I saw in DC, the Bay Area - or even down here in INdiana.
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Bitter Betty Donating Member (66 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 12:08 PM
Response to Original message
41. Because it's fun & infectious
I've lived in the bay area my entire life so I was never sure whether it was a local phenomenon or not. There are specific rules: I always honk on my way into the city, but only when traffic is stopped, and of course, the intent is to get everyone else to honk as well. I never honk on my way out of the city, but perhaps that's because the traffic is always flowing. And as someone else pointed out the echo is part of the fun.
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salin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 12:19 PM
Response to Reply #41
42. That is EXACTLY it....
I almost always drove when traffic was stop and go - or crawling. Never heard it on my commute out of the city (I did the opposite rush hour commute to Marin in the am, towards and past the city in the pm.)

Picked up on the sense that there was a 'come on... honk, too!' sense about it - but being clueless at first I didn't get it... then I was sometimes amused, and occaisionally a wee bit annoyed. Now that I see the "rules" it makes more sense. Sorta the hype and fun of "going into the city" tone. Thanks for the explanation. :hi:

With that have to head off for a much less scenic commute back here in the midwest.
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Bitter Betty Donating Member (66 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 12:46 PM
Response to Reply #42
43. Because the city is way much more fun than the 'burbs
I once tried honking when the traffic was moving quickly (an unusual occurence) & it did not catch on... and the only time I've ever been annoyed was one time when I had the top down. It was a sunny day (another unusual occurence) & traffic was going nowhere. Man it was loud! No one has gone postal yet though. :crazy:
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Shine Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 12:55 PM
Response to Original message
44. I wouldn't necessarily assume it's just in our area.
It's been something I was raised with, as a sort of fun little thing to do when passing through a tunnel.

Just a few little beeps...usually in the pattern of 5 quick beeps and then see if anyone else beeps, in reply with two beeps.

We do it with the kids and they love it. :hi:
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salin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-22-06 03:40 PM
Response to Reply #44
46. I think I must have often travelled at the time
when the mostly grown up kids from families like yours were driving - usually seemed like college age kids ... and always like they were having fun! :-D
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