One thing I've noticed about Jamaica
is that here you can say many things with your car horn. When I first
arrived, I was frustrated by how I would often get honked at by cars coming up
behind me. I eventually learned that it is usually a taxi wondering if I
want a ride. If I ignore it, it will pass without stopping.
The horns here have many more tones
than those at home, both literally and figuratively. At home, you honk out
of frustration or as a last resort before an accident. Consider this common
scenario: you're approaching a bend on a narrow road so you let off one
clear blast to alert any traffic on the other side that you're coming round.
Then, if on the other side you see that another car has stopped to the side to
let you through, you would tap lightly on the horn as a
"thank-you".
I've also heard drivers use their
horn as a greeting to people they know, to encourage the traffic in front of
them to start after the light turns green, or to notify a bike or slow truck that
they are coming up behind them. The horn is a very important part of
driving in Jamaica, and not just because the traffic laws are generally seen as
guidelines, only to be followed if convenient.
Of course, the first car I
rented in Jamaica had no horn to speak of. We banged in the centre of the
wheel and a pathetic wheeze came out...
You will have to imagine the
soundtrack to these photos.
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| You can see the mountains north of Kingston |
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| Downtown Kingston |
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| Nice sign |
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| Check out the pothole - I've seen worse since! |
