Klaxton Horn

[Beagler]

Are they legal. Conflicting views on the web. Some pass MOT though a horn must have a single tone, apparently.

[Jonathan Kay]

For England...

7.7. Audible warning (horn)

An audible warning must be loud enough to be heard by other road users.

For vehicles first used on or after 1 August 1973, the sound emitted must be continuous or uniform. It cannot be harsh or grating.

The following cannot be used as an audible warning:
• gongs
• bells
• sirens
• anything that has more than one tone

However, on vehicles first used before 1906 the audible warning can be a gong, bell or siren.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspection-manual-for-private-passenger-and-light-commercial-vehicles/7-other-equipment

Jonathan

[Beagler]

Thanks for that.

[John Vine]

anything that has more than one tone

That's a tad ambiguous, as it depends on whether "anything" refers to a single warning device.  Using two horns simultaneously that have different tones is ok, not to say very common.

JV

[Jonathan Kay]

"That's a tad ambiguous, as it depends on whether "anything" refers to a single warning device.  Using two horns simultaneously that have different tones is ok, not to say very common."

Are we approaching the notorious:

?

Jonathan

[SM25T]

So you can have double or triple airhorns as long as they all sound together, you cannot have multiple airhorns that play in sequence, as in a tune, nor can you have an aroogah style klaxon.

[7 wonders of the world]

this is possibly the smallest most powerful horn if your looking for something to get you noticed

https://www.mx5parts.co.uk/stebel-nautilus-compact-horn-black-p-3356.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=googleshopping&utm_campaign=googlebase&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzZLt3YqY8gIVp-jtCh03RwbKEAQYBSABEgIP2vD_BwE

[Toughie]

My understanding, from members who are also traffic police, is that double or triple airhorns sounding simultaneously are also illegal, as referenced by Jonathan above.

anything that has more than one tone

[John Vine]

Re #8:

That would appear to make the Stebel (in #7) illegal.  That doesn't sound right. 

Or do you mean more than one airhorn unit sounding simultaneously?  As I commented in #4, sounding two separate units simultaneously with different tones is commonplace.

JV

[Roger Ford]

"My understanding, from members who are also traffic police, is that double or triple airhorns sounding simultaneously are also illegal"

Trafpol aren't lawyers, and generally have a tenuous grasp of traffic law in my experience. Most cars have two horns, each with a different tone, since two tones combined makes a more penetrating noise than a single tone. I see absolutely no reason why air horns should be treated any differently from conventional (diaphragm?) horns.

BTW, anyone know where you can get ice cream van chimes? I want to fit one to my race car for the cool-down laps.

[Roger Ford]

Here's the actual legislation. Usually better than reading "guidance" written by a civil servant.
 Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986

Note section 37.10(d) “two-tone horn” means an instrument which, when operated, automatically produces a sound which alternates at regular intervals between two fixed notes.

[David aka Blue7]

I used to have a klaxton or oogah horn installed but changed it for triple air horns.  They play in sequence and are operated by a different button and I still have duel standard horns fitted, well not standard, they are the snail horns as recommended on an earlier thread.  The snail horns are used for warnings and air horns used occasionally for fun eg folk that wave ... so the air horns get by far the most use

[Toughie]

#11 Roger,

Thank you for that link.  I'm indebted to you for the clarification.  I stand, very happily, corrected.

In view of the wording of the Act, I shall now be seeking a pair of FIAM air horns, which will get regular use on roundabouts, for all the drivers who evidently don't see me.  Oh, and those that sit in the outside lane of clear dual carriageways, oblivious to the traffic behind them.

Love the idea of the ice cream chimes on the cool-down laps.  But all that additional weight!

[Jonathan Kay]

Jonathan

[Beagler]

So if used on a separate switch for responding to acknowledgement of the car for example, is this legal.

[John Vine]

Re #15:

Could be, I suppose, if it's not used as an "audible warning device"?

JV

[SM25T]

#14 .... they are yummy. Check out the two different flavour coatings too.

[Roger Ford]

Love the idea of the ice cream chimes on the cool-down laps.  But all that additional weight!

I'm carrying 8kg of lead ballast to bring me up to minimum weight, so not worried about a bit of extra weight.

[Toughie]

I'm carrying 8kg of lead ballast to bring me up to minimum weight

Sounds like a great excuse for a good meal and a drink the night before an event.

[Roger Ford]

Like I need an excuse!

[grumpy the 7th]

re #5.

If that red button was used round these parts you'd get your car kicked in when (IF EVER) you managed to get past the throng of lycra  

[Toby S]

I've just fitted PIAA dual tone 500hz and 600Hz twin horns which sound together - give a 115 decibel continental (higher pitched) squeak - tends to get people's attention !!

[John Vine]

Re #4:  To clear up the ambiguity (in my mind, at least), I thought I'd ask the folks at DVSA.  This was the reply from a Policy Specialist (MOT Testing Service):

"Essentially, it does not matter how many trumpets there are, producing however many different notes, as long as they all sound simultaneously to give a single tone.  More than one tone means, for example, the horn sounds like an old fashioned emergency vehicle (nee-naw, nee-naw), or plays a tune (colonel Bogie used to be common!)"

So, "tone" doesn't mean what it would to, say, a musician (that is, a single note) but rather a single sound, comprising one or more tones.

JV

[Jonathan Kay]

Thanks for chasing that, John.

Jonathan

[Beagler]

So is the Klaxton legal or not. It is a single sound but the pitch goes up and then down. The one I had consisted of a corrugated disc spun with a pawl rubbing on the disc. The disc sped up and then down to give the typical sound.