New mini-comic: A guide to NYC honking

Oct 04, 2023

I had guests visiting me here in NYC recently, who commented on how startling all the honking is, especially in Manhattan. I hadn't thought about it in a long time, and I realized, OMG, you don't know what we mean when we honk! So, here's my attempting at honking translation. It’s on Instagram, too, if you want to see it there.

Slide 1: A SHORT GUIDE TO NYC HONKING by Deanna Zandt. New York City has a lot of overwhelming stimuli, but one that troubles our visitors most often is the sound of cars & trucks honking. It’s scary if you don’t speak our honking language! Let me explain what our honks mean.

Slide 2: SHORT HONKS. A line drawing of a NYC taxi with the words "toot!" coming from its hood. This text is next to it: A short honk means your attention is requested. No one’s mad (yet). In fact, sometimes we toot at you to get you to look at us, so we can let you turn in front of us! A line drawing of a delivery truck with the words, "GIDDOWDADAWAY Delivery Service" on the side, and the words "toot! toot!" coming from its hood. This text is next to it: Even if a large delivery truck, with its scary-sounding horn, toots twice at you, you’re still in a relatively yellow zone (versus red or green). It’s how we say, “Hey there!”

Slide 3: LONG HONKS. A line drawing of a large SUV with the word, "HOOOOOOOONNNNK!" coming from its hood. This text is below it: You’re about to die, either from that car hitting you, or by the driver’s road rage. Basically, this is the more important type of honk to pay attention to. HOPE THIS HELPS! COME VISIT US, WE’RE ACTUALLY PRETTY NICE! JUST DON’T STAY LONG! OR WALK SLOW! love, deanna

Ruth Ann Harnisch

Oct 4, 2023

Also we have the honk and siren language of official cars “talking” to each other. Upper East Siders who live near the medical industrial complex can hear them chatting in boops and beeps throughout the night

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Love letters from dz

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