Mumbai drivers are swapping regular honks for loud, obnoxious 'pom-poms'
Mumbai's streets are getting even noisier as more drivers swap in extra-loud horns to stand out in the chaos.
At one intersection near the NPR bureau, honking hit 27 times a minute in the afternoon, with noise levels in Mumbai regularly topping 80 decibels.
Fines for excessive honking exist, but actually enforcing them is tough with the city's hectic traffic.
Manufacturers are making sturdier horns just for India's wild traffic
"Pom pom" horns are now the go-to for many drivers because they cut through all that urban clatter.
Manufacturers have started making sturdier horns just for India's wild traffic.
Still, these upgrades haven't made roads safer—over 150,000 people die in road accidents each year.
Some suggested swapping regular honks for musical notes from Indian classical instruments, but experts say that won't fix noise pollution or help safety.
Health experts warn that constant traffic noise can seriously harm
Health experts warn that constant traffic noise isn't just annoying—it can seriously harm your health, linking it to heart disease and mental stress.
They're urging stricter enforcement and want everyone to see noise as a public health issue, not just an inconvenience.