Beep beep! So sounds the car horn, a sound that in the city of Lima is as common as the roar of the Pacific ocean, the cry of "Taxi!" as cabs hurtle past, and the repetitive beat of salsa music. Car horns here often make more exotic noises, such as a belching sound or a few bars of an infuriatingly catchy tune, but generally, the bulk of your daily soundtrack in Lima is "Beep! Beep!"
It gets annoying. Especially as the horns don´t stop at night. No noise pollution laws here! So, as the cacophony continues 24-7, I found myself asking the question, "why?"
The car horn, for a Peruvian, seems to be a tool of at least equal - if not more - importance than the brakes. The horn means "Get out of my way!" It also means "I´m here, please don´t crash into me," as well as "hello," or "goodbye," or even, "can I buy a pen off you please?" (That last one is not a joke. It happens.)
We British are so reserved when it comes to deplying our horns, that to me a honking sound means someone has done something extremely rash and dangerous, or someone is very angry. So, as I walk around the streets of Lima, I am constantly flinching as horns blare, and a look around preparing to do that most British things; apologise. It is a habit that I am finding it very hard to break.
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