- A Russian couple was confused by India’s constant honking during their first car ride
- The father asked why the driver was honking so frequently in Russian
- The mother wondered if they had annoyed the driver or done something wrong
A video capturing a Russian couple's confused reaction to India's constant honking culture gained widespread attention on social media. The clip was shared on Instagram by Marina Kharbani, who was documenting her parents' first car ride in the country. While seated in the back of a car, Marina's father, visibly puzzled by the persistent noise, asked the driver in Russian, "Why is he honking so much?"
Marina's mother also questioned the driver's intent, wondering aloud if they were personally "annoying him" or if they had done something wrong to cause such frequent honking. Amid this, Marina, laughing in the front seat, told them, "Welcome to India; here we don't really need a reason to honk."
Watch the video here:
The video highlighted how honking, often viewed as a sign of aggression or emergency in many Western countries, is used as a standard form of "communication" or a tool to announce one's presence on Indian roads.
The video sparked a relatable discussion among social media users, with many users noting that silence on a busy Indian road would actually feel more unusual than the noise. While some users found the reaction funny and typical for first-time visitors, others talked about road etiquette and civic sense in India.
One user wrote, "Navigating India can be chaotic! Too many people, limited visibility, and unpredictable traffic due to lack of median dividers. Horns become a vital tool to announce presence and avoid collisions."
Another said, "Because it's a hilly state, so it's compulsory to honk to avoid any accident."
"Sorry Uncle and aunty," joked a third user.
A fourth added, "People are laughing, but it's sad. We Indians have no civic sense, and it's not funny. Just shows how backwards we are."
