§ 43. Lieut.-Colonel Sir Thomas Mooreasked the Minister of Transport if he will consider introducing legislation to make it a penal offence for a motorist to use a horn.
§ Mr. BarnesNo, Sir.
§ Sir T. MooreIs the Minister aware that the use of the motor horn in built-up areas in Sweden has been banned since 1936 with most beneficial results since, obviously, both motorists and pedestrian become extremely cautious?
§ Mr. BarnesI am not aware of that, but I see no reason to depart from our own practice of barring it during certain hours of the night. I am not satisfied that it would add to safety generally if we were to bar the use of the horn altogether.
§ Mr. RankinWould my right hon. Friend consider legislation of a more limited nature to cover a very common practice—the use of the horn as a signal by a motorist when the car is at rest?
§ Mr. Henry StraussWhile I agree with the right hon. Gentleman's original answer because I think the proposal in the Question goes too far, may I ask if he will keep himself informed of the practice in foreign countries, where a prohibition or limitation of the use of the horn 21 has, in fact, been followed by a diminution in the number of accidents?
§ Mr. BarnesYes, I think we should always be prepared to study objectively any arrangements that may be made in other countries, always bearing in mind, of course, that sometimes the conditions here are different.