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Summary of article:
To cooperate with the APEC summit and reduce noise, Shenzhen banned honking altogether, but this caused drivers to resort to strange tactics like monkey sounds and whistling. Actually, ban on honking has already been imposed at the local level and this time too it is just a continuation.
Since the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit will be held on the 18th, Shenzhen will ban motor vehicles from honking throughout the day from this month. Its original purpose was to reduce traffic noise. Unexpectedly, after the new rules came into effect, various alternative “quick sounds” appeared on the streets. Some drivers rolled down their windows and howled loudly, imitating the sounds of monkeys, while others whistled, hollered and even chirped chickens. The car owners displayed their skills as if they were monkey kings. Netizens joked that the streets of Shenzhen had turned into “mountains of flowers and fruits.”
According to a notice issued by Shenzhen authorities, starting from November 1, 2026, motor vehicles will be prohibited from honking their horns from 0:00 to 24:00 every day on all roads in the city, according to comprehensive Ming Pao and CCTV reports. These measures will remain effective for 5 years. Violators will be fined 300 yuan (RMB, similar below, about US$44). If there are more than three violations within a year, a fine of 500 yuan will be imposed each time, starting from the third time. However, cars can sound sirens to warn when passing sharp turns, tops of ramps and other road sections that affect safe sight distance, as well as when overtaking or encountering an emergency.
After the ban came into effect, drivers had no choice but to find other routes when they encountered situations such as the car in front of them being stationary or pedestrians blocking the road. Some car owners simply rolled down their windows and started shouting loudly, even imitating the sounds of monkeys; Some used whistles or small loudspeakers; Some drivers picked up the microphone and turned the driver’s seat into a mobile live broadcast room, and the streets of Shenzhen instantly became a “hundred schools of ideology”.
Netizens also got creative. Some suggested that horns should not be fitted to cars sold to Shenzhen in the future to save costs; Some joked that drivers were collectively “throwing back their ancestors” and roaring instead of honking their horns; Others described that the sound on the roads became louder even during rush hour, and drivers used their special skills to issue beeps, as if monkeys were kings of the mountains, and the streets of Shenzhen were like mountains of flowers and fruits.
Actually, Shenzhen’s ban on tweeting is not a new policy. The official Weibo of “Sina Guangdong” reported that Shenzhen began to enforce the ban on honking as early as 1996, and expanded it to the entire city in 2000. In the past, it has adopted the rolling renewal management method after the expiration of short-term notice. The notice is largely a continuation of existing rules and is not the first blanket ban on whistling.
Summary FAQ
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From November 1, 2026, motor vehicles will be prohibited from honking on all roads in Shenzhen from 0:00 to 24:00 every day. These measures will remain in effect for 5 years; Violators may be fined 300 yuan, and violators more than 3 times will be fined 500 yuan each time.
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Some drivers rolled down their windows and howled loudly, imitating the sounds of monkeys, while others used whistles, small loudspeakers, microphones, and even brought screaming chickens onto the road to create various “voices” on the streets of Shenzhen.
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No. Shenzhen began banning honking as early as 1996 and expanded it to the entire city in 2000. In the past, this was often managed with short-term notice for renewal; This notice largely continues existing rules and is not the first blanket ban on honking.
