Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. News

Quit honking! Mumbai tests traffic signals that stay red if you hit your horn

Trevor Mogg
By

Drivers in the Indian city of Mumbai seem to have the idea that if you honk your horn at a red signal, it’ll switch to green more quickly.

Recommended Videos

But the pointless behavior is only serving to fill busy neighborhoods with a wall of noise that’s not only annoying but also bad for your health.

Determined to quiet things down a bit, the city’s cops came up with an ingenious idea that forces drivers to wait even longer at the lights if they insist on honking their horns.

The so-called “punishing signal,” which was set up at several busy road junctions in Mumbai at the end of last year, uses decibel meters attached to traffic signal poles. When the meters register noise levels greater than 85 decibels, the countdown timer on the red signal resets to 90 seconds, keeping everyone stuck at the lights for even longer.

Local police, who describe Mumbai as “the honking capital of the world,” have even come with a snappy catchphrase for its innovative system: “Honk more, wait more.”

A slickly edited video (below) showing the punishing signal in action has been viewed more than three million times and received 89,000 likes since Mumbai Police posted it on Twitter about a week ago. It shows bemused drivers gradually realizing what’s going on, apparently prompting them to lay off the honking. The video ends with the line: “Feel free to honk … if you don’t mind waiting.”

A system that discourages endless honking is all well and good, but sorting out the road system would surely be a more welcome solution for Mumbai’s stressed-out drivers. The 2019 TomTom Traffic Index ranks Mumbai as the fourth most congested city in the world, with Bengaluru, also in India, ranked top. Manila in the Philippines is the second most congested city on the planet, with Bogota in Colombia ranking third. According to TomTom, America’s most heavily congested city is — you guessed it — Los Angeles, which shows up in 31st place in the global rankings. The least congested capital city is Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, according to TomTom.

The punishing signal is currently part of a trial, but it could become a permanent feature in Mumbai and other cities in India once the system’s effectiveness has been fully assessed.

Topics
Trevor Mogg
Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Mercedes-Benz EQG: range, price, release date, and more
Concept image of the larger electric G-Wagon

The G-Class is going electric. We already knew that Mercedes-Benz was working on an electric, small-size G-Wagon, but it looks like the company is also working on a larger G-Class SUV, in the form of the EQG. In fact, Mercedes has gone as far as to show off a concept version of the off-roader.

While there's much we don't know about what will become the production model of the EQG, Mercedes has also shared a lot about it. Curious about whether the Mercedes-Benz EQG could be the EV for you? Here's everything we know so far.
Design
Fear not -- the EQG will retain many of the design aspects of the G-Class that you already know and love but with a modern face-lift. The EQG will keep the boxy design that gives the G-Class a classic look but with some additional modern styling, at least if the concept version is anything to go by.

Read more
Rivian R2 vs. Kia EV9: battle of affordable electric SUVs
Kia EV9 GT-Line Three Quarters

The long-awaited Rivian R2 has finally been announced, and it's an excellent option for those who want an electric SUV that doesn't completely break the bank. Sure, the R2 isn't cheap -- but it's a whole lot cheaper than most other EVs out there, especially when it comes to SUVs. But Rivian isn't the only company trying to tackle the problem of the budget electric SUV. The Kia EV9 is finally available, and it too offers a modern design and a range of helpful features.

Given the fact that the Rivian R2 and Kia EV9 are two electric SUVs in a similar price range, you might be wondering which is better for your needs. That's why we put the Rivian R2 and the Kia EV9 head-to-head.
Design
Both the Rivian R2 and the Kia EV9 are actual SUVs -- not crossovers pretending to be SUVs, like plenty of other EVs out there. The two vehicles offer big, boxy designs and plenty of interior space, making them excellent options for families or those who need that extra storage.

Read more
Rivian R2 vs R1S: How will Rivian’s cheaper SUV compare?
The front three-quarter view of a 2022 Rivian against a rocky backdrop.

Rivian has finally unveiled the R2, its long-awaited attempt at a more affordable electric SUV. The new vehicle may not be available just yet, but fans of Rivian's design aesthetics and feature set are already looking forward to being able to order the new car. The R2 is targeted at being a more affordable take on the electric SUV and will sit alongside the flagship-tier R1S.

Let's get this out of the way right now: The R1S is most likely going to be a better vehicle than the R2. Rivian isn't replacing the R1S with the R2 — it's releasing the R2 as a more affordable alternative, and there will be some compromises when buying the R2 over the R1S.

Read more