While driving through the Great Smoky's from Stecoah, North Carolina to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee we elegantly made our way through bright green grass-covered tunnels adorned by majestic warrior trees. With daytime running lamps on our rental, there was no need to remember to turn on the lights while rolling through.
Each time we drove into a tunnel a car, or two, would honk. I immediately thought that something was wrong with our car upon entering the third tunnel and having the man behind us honk the horn on his Ram diesel dually. The horn's echo hovered over our compact rental like a misty fog.
What in the world? Why are they honking at us? Are our lights not working? Is the gas cap open? Is there something on the roof? What? What? Uneasy about the entire experience, we were finally able to get a signal and google why people kept honking at us in the tunnels.
Thank you, Google! People were honking in the tunnels because it's a superstition. Ohhhh! When the railway tunnel workers would go into the tunnels they would reach their hands up to touch the metal in hopes that they would return safely.
Each time a car drives through a tunnel, you are supposed to reach your hand up, touch the roof of the car, honk your horn, and make a wish.
Thanks for the paranoia, Tennessee!
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| Carolina Hinojosa-Cisneros, 2015 The Great Smoky Mountains Somewhere near Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, Tennessee |
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