Reverse Car Alarms - A Spreading Nuisance?


Thread Starter #1

350Z

Core Team
Joined
Aug 10, 2009
Messages
21,193
Likes
7,835
Location
New Delhi
The reverse car alarms need no introduction in India. In every nook and corner, every second car owner has equipped their ride with a reverse car alarm which creates odd and funny sounds. Although ever wondered if it serves any real purpose, except that of awakening your neighbours while reversing the car in early morning? Personally, I find it too annoying when someone in my neighbourhood with an ugly reverse horn attempts to park their car between two, at the same time letting everyone else know about it. In fact, these types of alarms are not only irksome but are also contributing to a considerable extent to increase the noise pollution.

Basically reverse horns are used to alert others around the car while it is reversing but now the situation is that it's doing more of a harm than good. You might be surprised to learn that using reverse horns is illegal in India yet it continues right under the nose of authorities. It's high time that something is done about it. Your take?

Drive Safe,
350Z
 
Joined
Jul 15, 2010
Messages
815
Likes
91
Location
Pune
I agree with you 100%. It's a nuisance rather than a helpful feature for the driver in India. At least TAI'ans should not opt for it.
 
Joined
Feb 2, 2010
Messages
1,408
Likes
297
Location
Margao, Goa
They are a real nuisance. Earlier they used to come in some stupid musical tones or "Attention Please, this car is backing up". Now they are almost extinct. But now we have the remote locking alarm which beeps when reversing. This is really loud and irritating. It can easily be disconnected. I've done it on my cars at the time of installation itself.
 
Joined
Aug 6, 2011
Messages
6,206
Likes
4,220
Location
Meerut, U. P.
I use to blow horn and then roll down my window and throw some flowers at them after slightly hitting them.After that those people shout,call me "BADTAMEEZ" and leave the place taking a lesson.
 
Joined
Jun 9, 2011
Messages
90
Likes
3
Location
Cyberspace
Complete nuisance especially at night. It can be easily disabled tho. Suggest ppl upgrading to new horns place the old horn on the rear and use them when nessecary
 
Joined
Sep 22, 2009
Messages
6,377
Likes
489
Location
NYC
This is one of the most irritating car accessory invented ever. Most of the cars here in Ranchi, have these tones. The car which i mostly use for my office purpose, has "Twist- Love Aajkal" tone. Somehow, i enjoy it sometimes, since it relieve me from the work load.
 
Joined
May 11, 2011
Messages
4,095
Likes
948
Location
Bangalore
I use to blow horn and then roll down my window and throw some flowers at them after slightly hitting them.After that those people shout,call me "BADTAMEEZ" and leave the place taking a lesson.
This isn't the right way to communicate with the people brother, you wouldn't know them and what if they happened to be aged people or people with health problems? Instead tell them boldly to move aside and blocking his way.

Nobody who is sensible wouldn't opt for the reverse horns, only those people who are very scared and pamper their cars to the fullest do such kind of things, and there are kinds of people who really likes annoying others with their reverse horns.

You might be surprised to learn that using reverse horns is illegal in India yet it continues right under the nose of authorities.
[surprise] And why is law ignoring it? There should a strict action taken when a rule is passed. I am pretty sure this rule would surprise our 'Sensible' Traffic cops.
 
Joined
Jan 9, 2012
Messages
180
Likes
2
Location
Bangalore
Agreed about the fact that reverse alarm is very disturbing & sounds like a toy car[lol]. I dont have one in my Car. Hope nobody around me curses me. If I had to take a reverse I would rather move my car slowly & probably if people behind then honk once which has served purpose many times for me.

Drive Safe[thumbsup]
Santosh.V
 
Joined
Oct 8, 2011
Messages
1,558
Likes
457
Location
Bangalore
When i was young our neighbor got there first car a Maruthi 800,there driveway was exactly wide enough for a truck but backing the car out early morning(6 a.m) they would require atleast 2 min(learner) & this was the case for next 3 odd months,that car had "jingle bells" reverse tone & it still echos in my head today.

But reverse tones are not the only nuisance,i can safely say over sensitive car security alarms too are a pain,around a few years back the house opposite ours had a Wagon R & a worker would come early morning to clean most of the cars on that road,every morning at around 6:30 without fail while he would clean the car he would manage to trigger the over sensitive alarm & it would go on for a min to even 5 min[frustration] before car owner deactivates it with a remote.This was the norm for next 6 odd months even until i moved from the neighborhood.


But in India reverse car alarms do have necessity(Provided a switch for on/off)- There have been cases i have felt it would be needed as one of my friend usually takes his Punto to the heart of the city & faces huge irritation while backing the car! The reason is Punto has a small single reverse lamp on the bottom corner & people walking behind the car fail to notice it so in such a scenario it would be needed.I have told him to switch on hazard lamps which seems to help.

And talking about stubborn people i was backing out in the Octavia & i could see a fellow in the mirror leaning on the rear spoiler,i honk & no response(Skoda horns are good remember),i jerk the car a bit backwards & stupid fellow sways with the car,the car is a diesel so obviously one leaning against it can feel the vibration if not when i rev which i did you can hear the exhaust & see a puff of smoke but idiot still stands behind the car,by now i was sure this guy was trying to snatch something from the car by making me get out & distracting me,now close to a min had passed & i just thought of backing out no matter what until i noticed his face it was a construction manager from a nearby building(he did seem like a retard) i got out & tapped him on the shoulders & told him to move(with temper flaring),he was talking to another fellow standing a bit away from him & i guess he wanted to look cool.I wished at that moment there was a train horn for a reverse tone to destroy his ear drums[music]
 
Last edited:
Joined
Aug 6, 2011
Messages
6,206
Likes
4,220
Location
Meerut, U. P.
This isn't the right way to communicate with the people brother, you wouldn't know them and what if they happened to be aged people or people with health problems? Instead tell them boldly to move aside and blocking his way.
I know buddy that I am quite known for doing nonsensical acts but then before saying anything to a person I also look at the person and the way person behaves to my action.Simple it is,if I am at fault then you can see me come out of the car within seconds and ask sorry and if another person is at fault then who I am to say sorry.But still I take care of senior citizens and ladies(but not young girls).

And talking about stubborn people i was backing out in the Octavia & i could see a fellow in the mirror leaning on the rear spoiler,i honk & no response(Skoda horns are good remember),i jerk the car a bit backwards & stupid fellow sways with the car,the car is a diesel so obviously one leaning against it can feel the vibration if not when i rev which i did you can hear the exhaust & see a puff of smoke but idiot still stands behind the car,by now i was sure this guy was trying to snatch something from the car by making me get out & distracting me,now close to a min had passed & i just thought of backing out no matter what until i noticed his face it was a construction manager from a nearby building(he did seem like a retard) i got out & tapped him on the shoulders & told him to move(with temper flaring),he was talking to another fellow standing a bit away from him & i guess he wanted to look cool.I wished at that moment there was a train horn for a reverse tone to destroy his ear drums
When I come across such people first of all I simply start my car and blow horn once or twice.Most of the people get away in such cases.Only once it has happened to me that the person ignored,in that case I simply moved my car forward with a jerk,rest all was done by the person't leaning action itself.
 
Joined
May 1, 2011
Messages
3,594
Likes
761
Location
Bangalore
Sorry to say this I have a reverse horn in my car !! but has an switch to activate it..

As this is preferred by my dad, he says all these people will never move when the car is reversing.. In tight parking directly coming out on the road this would be helpful..
 
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
1,736
Likes
2,545
Location
Hosur/Chennai
I never had reverse horns in any of my cars. Highly irritating. Imagine listening to 'Jingle Bells' in summer.

In my old car which had a alarm, there was a option to silence the beep and only have the headlights blink, and I always used this option when I lock or unlock the car.

BTW, I didn't know there was a rule against using that. I think the traffic cops are not aware of it. Otherwise they will not shy from making easy money.
 
Joined
Jan 20, 2012
Messages
1,151
Likes
94
Location
Kannur, Kerala
It's really irritating & I hate that.
My grandmother's car has one & its so irritating that I told her to remove it. And her reply was "It helps me to identify whether I had put the gear in 4th or in the reverse". [lol]

BTW, I didn't know there was a rule against using that. I think the traffic cops are not aware of it. Otherwise they will not shy from making easy money.
I bet you. They don't know that!
If they had, then the cops would have been super rich [lol]
 

Top Bottom