Indian (Morse) code. .. . ...

I've been studiying this honk phenomenon. I didn't go into to detail previously about it because it was only something I noticed upon arrival in Hyderabad at 1:30 Monday morning - I was travel woozy and I thought maybe they were honking to let everyone know I was here - so they could brace themselves for the culture shock of Scott. Not the case.

The honk is a language of vehicles in this city. I cannot speak for the whole state or country for I have yet to travel out of my domestic radius. But I'm guessing it's similar - I reside in the well-to-do region of Hyderabad - and even here, there are no traffic lanes, a disregard for the dividers(unless they are cement), and you'd be hard pressed to find a traffic light.

But the city still flows. And ebbs. Oh, yes, the ebbing is commonly accompanied my honks from each vehicle trying to manage their way towards conflicting destinations. As I'm being driven to work, I've been watching my driver and his honks and the motorcycles' honks and pedestrians - no, they don't honk - but there are plenty of honks for them.


>>Honk Legend<<

*honk* - short honk

*HONK* - long honk

**HONK!!** - Los Angeles honk


1. *honk* - traffic is flowing, this can be arbitrary. This is to maintain stasis, keep the flow. There is usually a small motorcycle to the side. Cars or motorcycles on each side.

2. *honk* *honk* - traffic is flowing, but there is something up ahead on the side - possibly a pedestrian - tells them to stay as they are, in position - there's a vehicle on the way that might kill them if they wander out.

3. *honk* *HONK* - traffic is moving, but something or someone is in the way. The first honk is to communicate your presence, the second - get the fuck out of the way. (not really as hostile as this - everyone usually moves, without gripe.)

4. *honk* *honk* *honk* *honk...* - a motorcycle does this when moving through slow traffic. Each honk is for each car passed. How considerate.

5. *HONK* *HONK* - going around a blind corner, important to let another car or motorcycle or person know you're coming - they may be on your side of the road. This is common, and it works. We would have killed 17 people so far if it weren't for the old reliable, double-long honk.

6. *honk* *HONK* **HONK!!** - the progression communicates as well as the end honk itself. Since there are really no lanes, we commonly need to go left across two cars to turn left, including navigating around a huge bus, to get to our designated street. So, students: *honk* - we're here - *HONK* - we're coming, so move away or... don't move at all(stay put) - and lastly, **HONK!!** - Don't move your big-ass bus another fucking inch because you're going to crunch our pristine luxury sedan and sandwich the motorcycle in between us and snap his femur, so just chill the fuck out out for a second while we drive horizontally across in front of you and the motorctycle, and hey you, pedestrian - don't even try and walk across us right now, we have to get Scott his morning coffee.

At least these people have their principles. That's why I love it here.