In the back on many buses or trucks you can read the message “Horn OK Please.” I’ve heard that when the traffic is awful in India people use the horn at least every 35 seconds, and if the horn of a typical “bus” produces a sound of around 93 decibels, how does it feel to be in the middle of that? I live in one of the most populated cities on earth too, and the traffic is definitely awful, but not many people use their horns. Can’t imagine how it is over there, but wonder why buses have this sign of “Horn OK Please”?
The word "OK" should not be used anymore. OK used to be written on every bus and truck when they used to run on kerosene hence the abbreviation "OK" it means "On Kerosene" and nothing else. Horn please is written behind trucks because most of them cannot see if a small car or a motor bike is right behind them. Traffic is such that it would make sense when you actually drive on Indian roads. If traffic rules get enforced well enough then no one would need to use horns anymore. Right now people just use it to let everyone know that they are there more than anything else. Once traffic gets organised, you won't see anyone using horns. I must add that people do take offense in Delhi if you blow your horn for no apparent reason.
Oh, so this is the reason they have this sign! I think that no one that lives outside India would’ve ever understood what the OK means. I found this picture so funny, it’s so cute. I think that the trucks in my country need these signs, like really desperately because drivers are so reckless. About the traffic, I don’t know how it is over there, but in here it’s pretty bad too. It takes me three hours to get to work every single day, when at nights without traffic I could get there in twenty minutes.
I think the main purpose of "Horn please" is to let the driver know when you plan to overtake a big vehicle like truck. Small vehicles like cars or bikes will not be visible to the driver of a heavy vehicle and it may cause accidents. It is better to blow horn while overtaking. So "OK" means "on kerosene". Thanks @Chahal for updating my knowledge. Yes, sometimes it is really unbearable in the midst of a traffic in cities and you need to wait in the long queue wasting your entire life. There is lot of scope for infrastructure development in India.
I think most major cities in the world have massive problems when it comes to traffic congestion. As anybody ever driven in Rome for example? Well I have and its something I definitely wouldn't recommend, not even to my worst enemy! Looking at the traffic in India, it's looks similarly chaotic, and while it might be alright for a local, if your a tourist I think it's something that you should probably avoid at all costs!
I never knew that vehicles used to run on kerosene, and the phrase is an abbreviation of ‘On Kerosene’. My knowledge was limited to the fact that OK is a misspelled format of OTK (Overtake). However, this phrase is used behind large commercial vehicles, and sometimes these vehicles are so heavy that the driver cannot notice a smaller automobile, especially in the highways. In India, big commercial vehicles are not allowed inside the city limit during peak working hours. So, there is little chance for this phrase to add to the noise level. It is meant for the highways, where the line carries a value.
If you drive in India, you will notice how it is extremely hectic and crazy. I am surprised about how few accidents do occur. Truck drivers usually make way for smaller cars, especially if the road is narrow. For this reason, they recommend using your horn to gain attention to your vehicle.
