No person on a bike would fail to realise that there’s a massive brick of a vehicle behind them
Assume you must be a fair weather rider that never rides when it’s a tad windy then, personally I don’t mind a warning toot & am quite happy to give a toot in the right situation.
Got a mirror on the tandem, it’s great for advance warning instead of having to crane my neck past my stoker to see what’s going on behind.
It is a secondary less aggressive horn. One for regular use that is mounted in the steering wheel centre and a ‘cyclist-friendly’ alternative that lets out a lesser ‘toot’ when the red button on the steering wheel is pushed.
Think this is a fantastic idea. Particularly as electric (silent) vehicles become more usual so have more capacity to startle with an unexpected (even if safe distanced) overtake.
To all those getting so hot under the collar, it’s just design. They’ve identified a target market and designed a product to appeal to it. I don’t like the look of Orange bikes but plenty do and I don’t hate them for it.
No person on a bike would fail to realise that there’s a massive brick of a vehicle behind them – therefore this is not helpful to the average bike rider,
It’s happened to me, quite hard to hear a car approaching if there’s a headwind. I guess I’ll have to live with being worse than average.
It would be nice if it was a short soft toot – like a US car being locked rather than a blast of the horn which in the wrong hands may startle riders more than just overtaking safely!
I don’t suppose it’s a problem if its separate from the horn though.
I’ve wondered before whether it would be possible to hack something like a Hornit to make a more pleasant horn. The ones on my MG had obviously perished and actually made a pleasant “honk/parp” noise until I fixed them with new Lucas ones and now they sound like every other car again.
It is a secondary less aggressive horn. One for regular use that is mounted in the steering wheel centre and a ‘cyclist-friendly’ alternative that lets out a lesser ‘toot’ when the red button on the steering wheel is pushed.
Think this is a fantastic idea. Particularly as electric (silent) vehicles become more usual so have more capacity to startle with an unexpected (even if safe distanced) overtake.
Has anyone heard it?
All it does is encourage sounding your car horn with the clear inference contrary to the actual facts of who has right of way to get a cycle rider to move over. If you are driving in accordance with the highway code you shouldn’t need to sound any horn at person riding a bike
The idea that a little ‘toot’ button makes a vehicle this size cyclist-friendly in any way is hilarious.
Maybe I’m being a ‘fun sponge’, but I happen to feel quite strongly that this kind of car makes using road space far less fun for just about every other road user.
All it does is encourage sounding your car horn with the clear inference contrary to the actual facts of who has right of way to get a cycle rider to move over. If you are driving in accordance with the highway code you shouldn’t need to sound any horn at person riding a bike
Doesn’t the highway code state that a horn is for use as an audible warning that you are there & nothing more, quite happy to receive an audible but friendly warning myself.
It is a secondary less aggressive horn. One for regular use that is mounted in the steering wheel centre and a ‘cyclist-friendly’ alternative that lets out a lesser ‘toot’ when the red button on the steering wheel is pushed.
Maybe that’s what the engineer/designer thinks. Will that survive contact with the public? Not a chance. In practice, it’s a button that says honk at cyclists.
Cycle team owning car producer adds a jokey little nod to being polite to cyclists and the utter bellend brigade are outraged.
I really can’t make head nor tail of it.
Are folk really this stupid and bitter ?
The more I read the more amazed I am.
Other than “I’m here, move over” would a car driver need to “toot” at a person on a cycle. If you are in front you have right of way, if they sit behind you what danger do they pose? Oncoming, would you hear it and why “toot”? From the side, why “toot”?
When was the last time you sounded your horn at a person on a cycle?
I’m inherently opposed to it because I don’t like the founder, but it is interesting. It seems a bit of an odd mix of retro and modern. I half expect the radio to be set up to only play the band of the Coldstream Guards! 😀
So from Scotroutes video, it appears that the ‘secondry’ toot horn is indeed a safety feature to let cyclists know youre there without scaring them with a big standard horn – sounds quite a good thoughtful design to me
So from Scotroutes video, it appears that the ‘secondry’ toot horn is indeed a safety feature to let cyclists know youre there without scaring them with a big standard horn – sounds quite a good thoughtful design to me
Despite the cultural problems identified by some posters here (entrenched hatred of cyclists, who in turn anticipate aggressive intent from drivers), it might be a really useful feature in countries where a friendly toot is just that.
And it might be seen as part of the solution in terms of building more respect for cyclists.
But you’d have to separate that from the Brexit promoting, offshoring, polluting billionaire behind it and from any residual distaste for huge motorised lumps of metal.
Maybe that’s what the engineer/designer thinks. Will that survive contact with the public? Not a chance. In practice, it’s a button that says honk at cyclists.
Maybe it makes a cheery “Hello! Have a nice day” toot.
Explain why I should feel “respected” when a driver “toots” at me. Please.
Because if you ride anywhere outside of town it’s entirely possible to be subject to a headwind or just general wind noise and higher car speeds which makes it impossible to hear traffic coming up behind unless they have to slow right down behind you long enough to be noticed?
A polite ‘toot’ would have been appreciated in those circumstances even if they did cross over the white lines to the other side for the overtake. Modern horns designed to be heard through soundproofed car panels and double glazed windows on the other hand are bloody terrifying!
But it’s not particularly easy when you’re safely ensconced in your massive 4X4 to tell if there’s a headwind, or a sidewind, and/or whether it’s blowing at quite a sufficient velocity to drown out your ridiculous diesel engine or not. So you’re supposed to ‘toot’ at all cyclists, just to be on the safe side?
I think nickc needs to back away from this thread before he gives himself an aneurysm.
I quite like that dash, at least it’s a bit different to most things out there. Sadly I’m not the target audience seen as I’m not a 50-something entitled golf playing gammon (or whatever… 🙄).
Imagine people actually liking different things. Crazy.
Toot button is a bit random though (unless it’s a less aggressive version of the horn, then it makes more sense)
So you’re supposed to ‘toot’ at all cyclists, just to be on the safe side?
Er… no.
But I can think of plenty of occasions, especially on country lanes, where being made aware of the presence of a vehicle, without being made to jump out of your skin, would be useful.
But it’s not particularly easy when you’re safely ensconced in your massive 4X4 to tell if there’s a headwind, or a sidewind, and/or whether it’s blowing at quite a sufficient velocity to drown out your ridiculous diesel engine or not. So you’re supposed to ‘toot’ at all cyclists, just to be on the safe side?
Doesn’t seem like the worst idea in the world, does it? A polite toot from 400m back has got to be more pleasant than the more common surprise-but-safe overtake.
We manage to ding bells for walkers without turning into a frothing at the mouth Brexit voting gammon?
So you’re supposed to ‘toot’ at all cyclists, just to be on the safe side?
Er… no.
But I can think of plenty of occasions, especially on country lanes, where being made aware of the presence of a vehicle, without being made to jump out of your skin, would be useful
My first day cycling in France I couldn’t work out why drivers seemed so angry at cyclists- getting horns honked at me in little country lanes – until it began to dawn that they were little toots of encouragement with an occasional ‘Bon Courage’ out the window.
Theres quite a range of emotions that people communicate with what toot of a horn – difficult for the person being tooted at to know what the tooter intended.
