Drivers in Shenzhen, China, are attracting attention online after videos showed motorists using unusual ways to express themselves on the roads, including howling like monkeys, shouting through open windows and using alternative noise-making devices.
The bizarre behaviour has sparked amusement among social media users, with some joking that motorists are being forced to behave like animals just to get other road users’ attention.
The trend has been linked online to Shenzhen’s strict restrictions on vehicle horn usage, which took effect under a renewed five-year regulation on November 1, 2026.
Shenzhen Enforces 24-Hour Restrictions on Car Horns
Under the latest regulation jointly issued by Shenzhen’s environmental authorities and traffic police, vehicles are prohibited from sounding their horns on roads throughout the city, at any time of the day.
The measure is intended to reduce traffic noise pollution and improve the urban living environment.
Drivers caught violating the restriction can face a fine of 300 yuan (approximately S$56). Repeat offenders who commit the same violation more than three times within a year face a higher fine of 500 yuan (approximately S$93) from the third offence onwards.
The new notice is valid for five years, running from November 1, 2026, until November 1, 2031.
However, the restrictions are not entirely new. Shenzhen has maintained citywide restrictions against unnecessary honking for many years, with the latest announcement renewing the existing arrangements.
Drivers Find Unusual Ways to Express Their Frustration
Against this backdrop, videos circulating on social media have shown motorists experimenting with unconventional ways to attract attention without using their vehicle horns.
One particularly amusing trend involves drivers rolling down their windows and producing loud monkey-like howls or Tarzan-style cries.
Other clips have featured motorists shouting through megaphones, blowing whistles and using small hand gongs or squeaky toys.
Some online posts have also joked about drivers placing warning stickers over their steering wheel horn buttons, reminding themselves not to press them and risk receiving a fine.
The videos have generated plenty of amusement, with netizens joking that Shenzhen’s roads are beginning to sound more like a jungle than a modern city.
However, the extent to which these behaviours are actually being adopted by motorists remains unclear, and some clips may be humorous parodies rather than genuine reactions to the regulation.
Drivers Can Still Honk in Certain Situations
Despite the strict restrictions, Shenzhen’s regulations do not completely prohibit the use of vehicle horns in every circumstance.
Drivers are still permitted to sound their horns when approaching sharp bends or the tops of slopes where visibility is restricted.
Honking is also allowed when overtaking or responding to genuine emergency situations where an audible warning is necessary to prevent an accident.
Emergency vehicles, including police cars, fire engines and ambulances, are also permitted to use their horns and warning sirens when responding to emergencies under the specified conditions.
The distinction is that unnecessary honking, particularly during traffic congestion or out of frustration, is prohibited.
For motorists in Shenzhen, this means that expressing road rage through the traditional car horn could become an expensive habit, although the internet has certainly found plenty of alternative ways to make noise.