Should I buy an AirZound Horn...?

Glasgow Calum
Glasgow Calum Posts: 52
edited September 2012 in Road buying advice
Hi all,

Im sure many have seen these pump-up AirZound horns for about £19 and im sure some of you own one.
Question is, I like the idea of it (namely a LOUD audible horn that drivers can hear and might just save my life) however I'm not sure if its the "right way to go".
I question it because im not sure if it would actually make me a worse cyclist by perhaps changing my behavior in a negative way. To explain better, I bought a helmet camera a while ago, but I found when I had it on, i almost was "looking" for trouble? (does that sound mad)? I reacted differently (read "more confrontationally") to drivers who were in the wrong. I found myself being more aggressive and generally not enjoying my cycle as much. So I removed it.

So really my question is, do you think the horn might effect my behavior too? make me more willing to scream and shout at a driver who has done something wrong rather than tut and get on with my day. OR will it indeed potentially save my life?

Comments

  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,237
    I think you should strap one of these to the bars

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  • metronome
    metronome Posts: 670
    Glasgow Calum wrote:
    do you think the horn might effect my behavior too?

    Yes. It'll make you very horny.

    ps - shouting is free and more fun :)


    edit - it also doesn't weigh as much...
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  • brabus
    brabus Posts: 138
    I bought one as i was sick of van drivers pulling out on me on the 3 lane roundabouts of East Kilbride! :wink:

    it is very very loud and comes with a warning not to use it on pensioners! i have heard reports of them being overinflated and splitting so be careful!

    to answer your question ...yes it did make me act more aggressively and i am suprised someone didnt turn round and deck me for blowing the thing at them repeatedly and shouting abuse about their driving :evil: .....i dont use it now to be honest.

    it could be useful for alerting those dog walkers with the extendable leads (who seem to cause carnage on country roads) of your approach....but i found if i did use it, cos its so loud and threatening , that people reacted aggressively to it also....a simple bell may be enough if thats your thing!

    it may be that its best to chill and assume everyone on the road is an idiot and ride to avoid them!
  • mystic.bertie
    mystic.bertie Posts: 136
    brabus wrote:

    it could be useful for alerting those dog walkers with the extendable leads (who seem to cause carnage on country roads) of your approach....but i found if i did use it, cos its so loud and threatening , that people reacted aggressively to it also....a simple bell may be enough if thats your thing!

    ha ha the extendable dog lead happened to me on a narrow cycle/ walk path, i SHOUTED FFS at the guy, i was just new to cleats too so crapped myself, they are lethal, i am always gonna use my bell when approaching folk from behind, i wish there was something not as ponsy as a bell. I would love a loud horn but i think i would get myself in more trouble to so best just swearing under my breath lol.
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    There was a woman ready to run across the road in front of me to meet with her hubby and two kids, now as a 'responsible' mother she should have looked both sides of the road before stepping into the road, but did she? Did she heck, put her hands out to try and protect herself, I wasn't going that fast fortunately and missed her.

    She was very apologetic and clearly embarassed, but one of these horns would have come in handy, so yes, get one and use with discretion imo ....
  • t4tomo
    t4tomo Posts: 2,643
    giant man wrote:
    She was very apologetic and clearly embarassed, but one of these horns would have come in handy, so yes, get one and use with discretion imo ....

    No it wouldn't, you'd have been too busy trying to avoid her to give it a blast, or if you had time, then it wasn't as close a shave as you make out. Shouting "look out" (or indeed "luck out") is still the best for those circumstances.
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  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    Well yes it would because if I had sounded a horn she might have looked before stepping out ... and it was a close shave, thank you.
  • t4tomo
    t4tomo Posts: 2,643
    far better to shout" look out" and either brake or swerve as you are shouting than reach for your air zound / penis extension and then think about avoiding them
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  • buder
    buder Posts: 154
    I had one of these and they are very loud.

    I found I stopped using mine as on the cycle path I use which peds seem to wander aimlessly onto when approaching it tended to startle them so much they literally darted left or right in a random directions or just froze to the spot.

    I found it to be much more effective to shout regarding peds, on the other hand it was brilliant on the road when cars and lorries were concerned to let them know where you are, they would instinctively move over.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    I bet a lot of people wouldnt expect that noise from a bike so they'd be looking around for the real danger.
    Shouting is easier and you can phrase things better than a big parp.

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