Hey, wanna hear the most annoying sound in the world?

When you stop and think about it, this isn’t it. Although, a mighty good attempt. And a funny one at that. Now, if we’re talking about those multi-melody car alarms from the 1990s? Yes. A perfect candidate for the “most annoying sound in the world.”

What about the days when there was the possibility of being woken up in the middle of the night because a neighborhood cat walks across the hood of a car? That car has an ultra sensitive alarm, which immediately starts to blare. And it doesn’t stop because the one person frantically digging for their keys in the dark… is actually the one sleeping right through it.

Back in the 90s, car alarms were a state-of-the-art product that was supposed to deter car thieves. When you heard a car alarm going off, it was normal to stop what you were doing and curiously look around to see if everything was ok. Which car is it? Is there someone running away with a crowbar in hand?

And chances were, if you had one installed in your vehicle, it was an after market product. Like the Viper Alarm System. Which believe it or not, is still around today.

As a kid, seeing this commercial scared the crap out of me! Never mind the fact these aired late at night. So already, the dark environment was a little scary. But I really thought it came with a snake that protected the car. This fear can surely award sympathy towards the thief… “Run!! Save yourself!”

Eventually car manufactures made the keyless entry system a standard feature. Which includes the security alarm. How many times did you accidently pull the door handle before deactivating the alarm? A mistake made multiple times, especially in a rush. And that’s when the embarrassment kicks in.

As for the most annoying sound in the world? After the quick flashbacks of this era, yes. Fortunately, a sound no longer heard very often, if at all. A lot of alarms today are simply just the horn. And people seem to be more attentive to the repetitive honking.

But the nostalgia behind the old car alarms won’t soon be forgotten. They still make an excellent topic of conversation as most of us remember the day car alarms went from prestige and excitement, to just plain annoying. And as of now, we can all just continue to make jokes and laugh about ’em.