Honk Slap / Punch

I think I am a victim of noise pollution. Considering a second post on the same topic, I think it’s only me who’s being so cynical about unnecessary honking! Honking totally puts me off, lands me on the other side of sanity and I lose it. But I seem to be the only one getting bothered by it, when others on the roads carry on with their relentless honking for no reason whatsoever. People think their horns can convey (communicate) everything they want to from inside their cars – they keep honking till the watchman opens the door. Really now!!! In my previous post, I had spoken about government regulations to be imposed on the sound levels, or penalties being imposed on honking in specific areas etc.

But today, on my way to the office, as people were busy irking me off with their honking, an idea of an almost impossible product struck me! But innovations are always considered to be impossible in the beginning, isn’t it? So, the product I was thinking all the way along was a “Honk Slap/Punch!”  As we design smarter cars and bikes by the day, I hope this product sees the light of the day in the near future. So, the product slaps (tightly across the drivers face) every-time the driver honks unnecessarily. The product gauges the situation in front of the car. Unless and until it is utmost necessary, according to the product, if the driver honks, he/she gets one tight slap across the face!  I thought of the other way out to this as well – that the horn won’t work in such a situation. But no, this will not make me happy and make them quit their habit of honking. They should be punished for such stupid behavior, and punished hard – so that they realized how they are screwing up with others ears and peace! And it’s not only cars (they obviously don’t get the same noise of the horn as others outside do) but the bikers as well. They honk as if there’s no tomorrow. Not that they are scared or less on confidence – it’s just coz they have a horn and they the liberty to honk whenever they want, how much ever times they want without getting reprimanded for their irresponsible behaviour.

In the process they are totally ignorant of the fact of how much noise pollution they create. Noise pollution, as most of us are not aware has very dangerous repercussions on our health. The health hazards can range from hyper-tension to stroke. But like many other harmful things that go unchecked in our country, even this problem is not being taken seriously. I wonder if doctors even consider checking their patients if they are a victim of noise pollution when they come for check-up for diseases related to it.

Coming back to our product, the slaps should increase with every reckless honking - one slap the first time, three for the second time, so on and so forth. This should be supplied as a compulsory accessory by the car manufacturers. And the power of the slap should be directly proportional to the sound decibel of the horn the car has. A neck holder will come out from the seat and the hand will come out from the rear-view mirror and slap the driver in full swing. For bikers, lets design a “Slap Punch.” A punch that comes out from the fuel tank and punches the rider either on the face or stomach – considering helmet has become compulsory across major cities. Let’s leave it to the machines discretion. It can punch the rider randomly. There shouldn’t be any gender bias for this machine – no escape! I am not saying that only men honk stupidly, women do it as well. And so we will not spare anyone!

This product, when and if it comes in the market, I am sure will be an outcome of extreme frustration from the noise pollution on road. I know it is next to impossible to launch or even invent such a product, but this again is as an outcome of utter frustration as a result of brainless honking on the streets. I just hope and wish people would be a little more aware of the effects of noise pollution and do their bit in controlling it.