4 ms·
Ok, time to throw in the explanation I grew up with. I always thought it was definitive, but turns out its not. Unfortunately I have already passed on this urba
by newswasboring 5y ago
Ok, time to throw in the explanation I grew up with. I always thought it was definitive, but turns out its not. Unfortunately I have already passed on this urban legend :P.
On foggy roads in north India, it is difficult to see vehicles on the road. So lights were used to indicate the status of big vehicles like trucks. Two lit bulbs on left and right corners (illuminating Horn Please) meant honk to get a pass. And to indicate you can overtake, the driver could light one bulb in the middle (illuminating a OK) to indicate its ok to take over. Eventually this system was scrapped but the tradition to paint "Horn OK please" remained.
(my god the theory is falling apart in my own head as I retell it).
- aitchnyu 5y agoEven today truck drivers use their right blinkers to show its ok to overtake. Atleast in Kerala. Yes, its ambiguous.
- nodelessness 5y agoThat's what I heard as well. Your recollection is good.
- sva_ 5y agoI presumed it is because almost no trucks there have side-mirrors. Or if they have any, probably not for long.
- alkonaut 5y agoSeems like a pretty infuriating state of affairs when India has a horrible rate of accidents and a government that wants to address it. Is there no talk of (for example) mandating mirrors, lights and other important equipment on all vehicles, and ticketing offenders? The next step would be overloaded trucks, (especially if the load is human).
- jfk13 5y agoOr if they do have side-mirrors, the bulging load may well obscure them anyhow. https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-overloaded-truck-carrying-hay-kerala-india-43806954.html https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-overloaded-truck-carrying-...
- d13 5y agoThis is ineed the real reason, I also learnt about this when I lived in India. The article is totally clueless.