Posted: 12/18/2010 7:52:32 PM EDT
I ran into an interesting thread over here- http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-main-forum/62208-prius-fatal-accidents.html And it led me to this. http://priuschat.com/forums/freds-house-pancakes/87564-censorship-bob-wilson-prius-chat.html Why would they want it silenced? |
| Just read a article this week about Congress and the auto industry agreeing to work on standardizing some kind of minimum noise levels on hybrid and electric vehicles due to pedestrian accidents, especially affecting deaf people. At low speeds and when running on the electric motor, they are too quiet. I experienced this recently as I got stuck with one as a rental car while my truck was in the shop. Had some guy stand behind the car in a parking lot chatting away with someone and he didn't hear any engine running so he didn't know I was trying to back out. Hell, if it weren't for the lights on the dashboard, there were times I thought the damn engine had died as it didn't make any noise. Definately wouldn't hurt to have some kind of sound when driving at lower speeds like through parking lots, neighborhoods, etc. |
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The silent killer. I've actually heard of people getting hit by these cars, Due to how quiet they are. We all know, Small skinny tires make less road noise. It's the electric drive. I almost got hit by one in a parking lot. Just one more reason to hate them and the smug eco-faggots that drive them. |
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Meh The car is too quiet?! LOL Maybe the people that are getting mowed down by them are either truly deaf, or just morons that don't actually LOOK before crossing the street! I dont know about you, but.... I don't rely solely on my hearing when it comes to crossing streets and walking in parking lots.
Hell, when I was young and dumb, a friend and I were walking the railroad tracks and a BNSF train On the mainline doing 70 mph managed to sneak up on us, you would be shocked at how quiet some of those trains are. The only reason we didnt get smeared is because i could hear the rails flexing, they make a distinct ping sound when the flex. The engineer never honked the horn. |
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Ones guys post on PriusChat....
Pointing out accidents involving a Prius is similar to news stories that sensationalize crimes involving a gun. This leads others to believe they are inherently dangerous. No news media talks about the 95,000,000 gun owners that DIDN'T have a shootout today, tomorrow or the next.
I sleep with a gun under my pillow and drive a Prius. Care to guess which is more dangerous? post 72 |
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Just read a article this week about Congress and the auto industry agreeing to work on standardizing some kind of minimum noise levels on hybrid and electric vehicles due to pedestrian accidents, especially affecting deaf people. At low speeds and when running on the electric motor, they are too quiet. I experienced this recently as I got stuck with one as a rental car while my truck was in the shop. Had some guy stand behind the car in a parking lot chatting away with someone and he didn't hear any engine running so he didn't know I was trying to back out. Hell, if it weren't for the lights on the dashboard, there were times I thought the damn engine had died as it didn't make any noise. Definately wouldn't hurt to have some kind of sound when driving at lower speeds like through parking lots, neighborhoods, etc. Actually Toyota thought of this problem when they designed them. It turns out that if you press firmly on the center of the steering wheel it will emit a very loud noise meant to alert others to the presence of the vehicle. Truth is that there are lots of cars that aren't much louder than a Prius. most modern luxury cars are damned near silent at low RPM, inside and out. |
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How exactly is this going to help deaf people? They can't hear!!!! So, after years of complaining that cars are too loud, now they are too quiet? Most modern cars are too quiet to hear in a parking lot when they are just idling along. Might hear the tire noise or something. I am not a big fan of the overpriced smugmobile, but what is the govt gonna do? Make it have a high pitched whine while in motion? Those beepers like when trucks back up? Then not interveine when people start filing class action lawsuits against the manufacturer when people complain of hearing loss due to the noise? ETA: A custom homebuilder that I did some work for has a Prius, he used to use it to silently sneak up on "lazy people" slacking off. His regular truck was a big diesel that you could hear coming from a mile away. Caught many a slacker with his "little electric car". ETA2: Might I suggest as the noise a sound similar to an old steam train, using the words "fuck obama, fuck obama, fuck obama, fuck obama". |
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The silent killer. I've actually heard of people getting hit by these cars, Due to how quiet they are. We all know, Small skinny tires make less road noise. It's the electric drive. I almost got hit by one in a parking lot. Just one more reason to hate them and the smug eco-faggots that drive them. Mommy didn't teach you to look both ways? |
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China is having huge problems with stuff like this too. They have electric motorcycles/scooters there that a very high number of people own and drive around. Since sales have been increasing steadily the past few years, they've had a huge jump in pedestrians getting killed by these quiet scooters.
Personally, I think people just need to look a little harder. |
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The silent killer. I've actually heard of people getting hit by these cars, Due to how quiet they are. We all know, Small skinny tires make less road noise. I thought it was the lack of open headers. 
Loud Pipes Saves Lives.  It just needs a 500 watts per channel stereo + subwoofers, assuming the electrical system has enough surplus. |
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Add a third set of data points called "number of Prius's on the road", and you might see a similar line. Hey, lay off the "hard math", buddy... this is ARFCOM... if it ain't a pushrod V-8 gettin 8MPG, it smells like a deer vagina! And gay bum orgies. |
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As a rule I do a visual check when walking where cars have access - lots of combustion cars out there today you can't hear until they hit you.
I see lots of idiots just watch the cross light and take off as soon as it changes w/o ever checking traffic, Darwin claims one every now and then 
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Word has it that no Mustangs were involved in fatalities in 1963. Within 10 years, there were many. Was 1963 a miracle? Nice!!!
Anyone want to buy my MINT '63 Fastback Coupe? I really need the money so I'm willing to art with it for $4,000. It's really an AWESOME deal on this rare car! |
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Quoted: How exactly is this going to help deaf people? They can't hear!!!! So, after years of complaining that cars are too loud, now they are too quiet? Most modern cars are too quiet to hear in a parking lot when they are just idling along. Might hear the tire noise or something. I am not a big fan of the overpriced smugmobile, but what is the govt gonna do? Make it have a high pitched whine while in motion? Those beepers like when trucks back up? Then not interveine when people start filing class action lawsuits against the manufacturer when people complain of hearing loss due to the noise? ETA: A custom homebuilder that I did some work for has a Prius, he used to use it to silently sneak up on "lazy people" slacking off. His regular truck was a big diesel that you could hear coming from a mile away. Caught many a slacker with his "little electric car". ETA2: Might I suggest as the noise a sound similar to an old steam train, using the words "fuck obama, fuck obama, fuck obama, fuck obama". I thought I could, I thought I could, I thought I could, I thought I could, I thought I could, I thought I could, I thought I could, I thought I could, I thought I could, I thought I could, |
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WASHINGTON — Silent hybrid vehicles may soon be a thing of the past. <o:p></o:p> Auto safety regulators would be required to set minimum sound levels for hybrid and electric vehicles under a bill approved Thursday by the House. Blind pedestrians have pushed for the changes, saying the quiet purr of hybrids can pose risks for them because they use sound cues to travel safely. <o:p></o:p> Hybrids such as the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight are well-regarded for their high gas mileage, but they are virtually silent when propelled by electric motors at low speeds. With more hybrids and new electric cars coming onto the market, automakers and advocates for the blind have raised concerned about potential safety problems for blind pedestrians. <o:p></o:p> "The trend toward putting more environmentally friendly, quiet vehicles on the road has unintentionally jeopardized the safety and independence of the blind and other pedestrians," said Rep. Edolphus Towns, D-N.Y. <o:p></o:p> The House passed the bill 379-30. The Senate approved its version, sponsored by Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., last week, and the measure now goes to President Barack Obama for his signature. <o:p></o:p> Rep. Cliff Stearns, a Florida Republican, said the bill would protect blind pedestrians along with joggers, children and others who need to be alerted to approaching traffic. <o:p></o:p> Automakers and the National Federation of the Blind support the plan. Car manufacturers have started developing artificial sounds that will be emitted from electric cars and future hybrids. <o:p></o:p> The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a research report last year that hybrid vehicles are twice as likely to be involved in pedestrian crashes at low speeds compared with conventional vehicles. The study looked at circumstances in which vehicles were slowing down or stopping, backing up or entering or departing a parking space. <o:p></o:p> The government has been researching the safety risks that hybrids and electrics can pose for blind pedestrians for vehicles traveling at 20 mph or less. When a car accelerates beyond 20 mph, the friction between the tire and the road's surface makes the vehicle louder. <o:p></o:p> Story continues below <o:p></o:p> ADVERTISEMENT |
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WASHINGTON — Silent hybrid vehicles may soon be a thing of the past.<o:p></o:p>
Auto safety regulators would be required to set minimum sound levels for hybrid and electric vehicles under a bill approved Thursday by the House. Blind pedestrians have pushed for the changes, saying the quiet purr of hybrids can pose risks for them because they use sound cues to travel safely.<o:p></o:p>
Hybrids such as the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight are well-regarded for their high gas mileage, but they are virtually silent when propelled by electric motors at low speeds. With more hybrids and new electric cars coming onto the market, automakers and advocates for the blind have raised concerned about potential safety problems for blind pedestrians.<o:p></o:p>
"The trend toward putting more environmentally friendly, quiet vehicles on the road has unintentionally jeopardized the safety and independence of the blind and other pedestrians," said Rep. Edolphus Towns, D-N.Y.<o:p></o:p>
The House passed the bill 379-30. The Senate approved its version, sponsored by Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., last week, and the measure now goes to President Barack Obama for his signature.<o:p></o:p>
Rep. Cliff Stearns, a Florida Republican, said the bill would protect blind pedestrians along with joggers, children and others who need to be alerted to approaching traffic.<o:p></o:p>
Automakers and the National Federation of the Blind support the plan. Car manufacturers have started developing artificial sounds that will be emitted from electric cars and future hybrids.<o:p></o:p>
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a research report last year that hybrid vehicles are twice as likely to be involved in pedestrian crashes at low speeds compared with conventional vehicles. The study looked at circumstances in which vehicles were slowing down or stopping, backing up or entering or departing a parking space.<o:p></o:p>
The government has been researching the safety risks that hybrids and electrics can pose for blind pedestrians for vehicles traveling at 20 mph or less. When a car accelerates beyond 20 mph, the friction between the tire and the road's surface makes the vehicle louder.<o:p></o:p>
Story continues below<o:p></o:p>
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Preparing the path for the child, so it seems. I can hear cars rolling on just their tires, and as mentioned, many traditionally powered cars are VERY quiet at low speeds. Paying attention would surely do more good. But that is personal responsibility, and we can't be fostering any of that. |