Some may ask, the horn is for honking, and the lights are for illumination, what is there to say? Below, a senior Portugal immigration expert will explain in detail how to correctly use the lights and horn while living in Portugal. In China, on streets and alleys, anyone can honk the horn at will; cars, electric vehicles, motorcycles, tricycles, and even children's toy cars create a symphony of sounds amidst the noisy crowd, with honks and beeps that can become noise over time. In Zhejiang and surrounding areas, the meaning of honking includes the following points:
First, to remind the car behind to come forward; if you want to overtake, you can honk to alert the driver ahead.
Second, to alert pedestrians; a short honk is polite, while a long honk is to drive them away.
Third, to create trouble for no reason.
So, are the horns of cars produced in China adjusted for volume? The answer is yes! Because Chinese people honk as casually and frequently as they use their mobile phones, the decibel level is controlled to be within 80 decibels during production, while cars abroad do not use the horn as much. Therefore, when Chinese people drive in Portugal, they often find the horn sound to be quite loud; it is not that they intend to be noisy, but due to different national conditions, the reasons are as follows:
First, China is vast and populous, with many cars, while abroad, the land is wide and the population is sparse; on roads where there are few people within hundreds of meters, if the horn does not sound, who will hear it?
Second, there are many Chinese people and few foreigners; when the author is driving, sometimes they hear a horn from a distance and feel startled, thus the horn's alert function is highlighted, leading everyone to consciously use the horn correctly, so as not to scare the passing birds.
Third, the speed of cars in China is generally slower; when driving in Portugal, highways usually do not have significant speed limits. This means that buying a Porsche, Lotus sports car, or Ferrari here is quite enjoyable; if the speed is fast and the horn does not sound, what is the use of it?
When driving in Portugal, when foreigners honk the horn, it has the following meanings:
1. To remind oncoming vehicles that your driving route has issues, or to indicate that you are violating traffic rules.
In China, others' violations seem unrelated to oneself; traffic police only care about the violating driver, while pedestrians go their own way. However, foreigners have a sense of public duty; if they notice someone violating traffic rules, they will seriously remind you.
2. To complain.
When you block someone else's route and are not driving correctly, the cars behind will often honk for a long time to express their anger. Do not think it is insignificant; if you are complained about every time you drive, your confidence will be affected. This is different from China, where even if you deliberately block oncoming traffic, the other party will only avoid you or find another way. Foreigners will glare at you as if you have committed a heinous crime. This reflects a clear difference in social order.
3. To get someone's attention.
Sometimes, when drivers spot friends on the road or intend to ask a store clerk for assistance, they will also honk, usually with a short and soft sound, which reflects their quality at that moment.
In summary, the use of the horn clearly reveals the differences in quality between Chinese people and Portuguese people, as well as the differences in national conditions. If friends immigrating to Portugal plan to buy a car in European countries, it is best to learn the local traffic rules appropriately first.
Next, let’s talk about lights. Lights are often used for illumination, and every car has high beams and low beams. By lightly flicking the light switch, you can notice the change between high and low beams. This can be used at night to alert distant and oncoming vehicles. Here, Chinese people in Portugal have become accustomed to using low beams; occasionally flashing the lights indicates a reminder to the vehicle ahead or to yield. In contrast, in China, it is often the opposite, sometimes indicating that one intends to go first, which I will not elaborate on here.
It can be seen that driving in Portugal is not an easy task; one must first learn different traffic rules while also considering public safety and the safety of others. A car is not just a simple means of transportation and a protective umbrella for travel; it is an object that must pay attention to both its own and others' safety within the social order. A car belongs to you; although you paid for it and hold the key, safe driving is not just your own responsibility. Maintaining overall public safety and adhering to traffic regulations is crucial for the very peaceful nation of Portugal. Chinese immigrants in Portugal should abandon their luck-seeking mentality, ease off the accelerator, and while saving fuel, enjoy the beautiful Portuguese scenery along the roadside. Why not?
