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other passing cars would give a little toot to just let you know they were there. I always thought Italians were terrible drivers (a lot are) but it was actually very helpful and I wish we used it in the same way over here instead of "get out my fucking way"
Absolutely agree with this. Imagine if horns weren't used as an act of aggression, but instead just to say 'hi mr/miss cyclist, I need to come past you'. It could do away with so much shit between drivers and cyclists imo.
edit - I dunno, maybe if horns had two levels, like wipers do. So you can have soft setting that says 'excuse me' and a harder setting for whatever.
Hairingtons-
I did notice, when driving in Portugal this year, that even big cars have very soft horns. I tended to use mine for "hello I'm coming round this blind corner" purposes. And I didn't notice any aggressive beeping in Lisbon but that was only a day's driving in the city.
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Horns can definitely have a friendly toot rather than the more aggressive barp
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My grandfarther's old Rover had two horns as you describe. He only used the loud one though because he was a bit like that.
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When we were driving about in Oz we kept getting tooted at but could never understand why, spoke with someone in the garage we stopped at and ask why and he said it was to say thanks, horns aren't used to be aggressive. Not sure its strictly true for all parts of oz but up North it was.
beanpie
Jimmy_Fingers
Scrabble
CanonAxe
Definitely, bells/horns etc should be used to notify other road users of your presence, not "get out of my way".
I noticed this when driving in Italy last week. At junctions, tight bends, pulling out of parking spaces, other passing cars would give a little toot to just let you know they were there. I always thought Italians were terrible drivers (a lot are) but it was actually very helpful and I wish we used it in the same way over here instead of "get out my fucking way"