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Explanation:

If there is one thing that everyone wants to know, it's 'why do Indians honk so much?' So TOI decided to map the minds of these noisemakers and look for some method in the madness. Turns out, these sound machines have silently, though not literally, averted MANY a war on Mumbai's famously clogged roads. "Wouldn't you rather hear a cacophony of sounds than witness some pushing, shoving and swearing on the streets?" whips back Ashok Rai, a taxi driver from Grant Road, as he shoots a sharp glance at an intrepid biker grazing past his window during an inglorious moment within a traffic pause. "Now, that's when I would blow my horn." Rai also depends on the honk to usher stray animals out of his way.

The ubiquitous horn has attained a life of its own--an extension of people's feelings, a language of communication. "I use the horn as a substitute for an expletive. It's how people use the caps lock to type out anger or irritation. In a city like Mumbai, with jaywalkers, reckless autorickshaws and haphazard parking, you can't help but use it every minute of your chaotic DRIVE home," roars Shruti Guha Thakurta from Bandra. "See, some of us are inherently not that talkative and always short on time so honks are an alternative for words and a way to avoid altercations."

Not surprising that more and more continue to embrace what they feel is a healthier release to their road rage. Mihir Ferrao (32) recalls having an epiphany during a yelling routine so he decided to redirect his energy into pounding the horn.

"Drive time is when I prepare myself for work or to de-stress when going home. I'd rather use my horn to vent my frustration and maintain inner calm," he says.

Every hand that launches the aural Armageddon offers an argument, hard to beat. "In Mumbai, roads aren't just for cars. They are for people to walk, amble, play and squat. It's necessary to honk to simply establish the right of way," says Ashok Menon, a Wadala resident. At times, the horn can be more important than brakes, says Trini D'Souza from Prabhadevi. "There are roads thickly lined with hutments, women COOKING and children playing. It's safer to honk your way through these stretches than risk hitting anyone," he says. Given the hierarchy on Indian roads, honking is a necessary act of caution, reasons Menon. "If ever there is an unfortunate accident, the mob will always go after the person behind the wheels."

A pet peeve for most drivers is the foot traveller. "If they aren't walking on the road despite footpaths, they're talking on their phone while crossing the road. You can't help but blast that horn!" exclaims Mihir.

Then there is the need to jolt an inattentive driver into action. "When the reflexes of the person in front are slow, you need to scream VICARIOUSLY through your horn, asking them to look up from their phone and hurry up!" says Menon. "It's strange how I'm a different person on the road."

And sometimes it's just an exceptional case of being lazy. "When seated comfortably in an air-conditioned car, who wants to roll down the glass and shout or get out in the heat and bang their fist on another's window?" This "obsessive-compulsive" horn drill can have a cathartic effect on stress LEVELS too. "Just like boxing a punching bag relieves you," says D'Souza, recalling how honking had occasionally helped him fight his mood swings.

So when everyone is at it night and day--from cabbies and chauffeurs to the city's ultra-rich--abolishing India's legacy of honking can be a tall task. Hazy awareness of traffic laws haven't helped much either. "If rules were stricter like they are with drunk driving, the horns would stop blowing," says D'Souza.