CNN - Boy hit by Prius - Couldn't hear it.

My neighbor died when she was hit by a guy on a bicycle going down hill. I've almost been hit a couple times in front of my house. Just can't hear them. They really should yell "BIKE!" when approaching someone with their back to them.

 

We Mountain bikers are trained to yell just that when we approach walkers, hikers, runners, other bikers, or to press on our "ooooggggaaa horn," but my horn fell off...

 

Yes its true, people do not LOOK before crossing the street. Doesn't matter how old they are, they just don't Look anymore! I don't want sounds on my Prius, but I'll put cards in my spokes so you can hear me coming

 

Mr. Darwin had a theory about those people. I'm in favor of naturally selecting those smart enough to look before riding (or walking) into traffic.

... Brad

 

BAD BOY!!! Punish the boy for scratching the pretty car.

 

Hi Cyber...,

Yep. I had one guy do that while I was out walking. With the traffic around, it sounded like "mumble mumble ... LEFT!" . And then I jumped left and he ran right into me. He said he yelled "Passing On Your Left".

Most people can hear things behind them, and walkers know what a bike sounds like. Best to not say anything, unless your path is blocked. In anycase, its best to slow down to walking speed as you pass.

To make this work, you need to get a response from the person you are attempting to communicate with, before asuming he/she understands your communication.

 

You left out Harley Davidsons. Those are the loudest!

 

Blame someone anyone but the kid who didn't look ... yes the Prius (HEVs in general) are different and those differences IMO should be addressed but lets not go overboard, ya need to look AND listen if possible ...

 

If they do I hope it's loud as hell, at least 95db, and annoying as hell. That way someone across the parking lot can hear me coming. Then, when you get 4 or 5 Prii in one place it'll start driving people crazy.

If I'm forced to put a noise thing on my car you'll probably be able to hear it in the next county.

Maybe it will be up to the driver to pick the sound. Then you can get a train horn and have it blast when the car is in E mode. Or play a song, or a tone that is just out of hearing senses for people but will still give them headaches.

I can see people who would be against this kind of policy go out of their way to be malicious.

How about this, have the parent wear a dunce cap to read "I'm a dumass and got my kid run over by a car because I didn't teach them to look both ways."

 

As drivers we excesses a privilege and as such we have a responsibility to the people around us to look out for them. I believe this is why Prius has the reverse beeper on the inside, to remind the driver to be cautious.
Walking around is your right therefore walkers have the right of way over drivers at intersections. All parties must excesses due care on the road.

If you read the judgement on the McDonald's coffee case you wouldn't compare it to this incident and you would understand why she took it to court.

I also wonder why this made the news on CNN when I doubt CNN report every road death so why this?
This would be counter to the GM Volt's promotion but pro any conventional car.

 

It is unfortunate that most parents actually teach their kids that it is there birth right to ignore all rules and regulations; prime example when the family crosses at a crosswalk riding their bikes (instead of walking them across) or when mommy and kid cross with a steady Red pedestrian sign.
Worse still most schools have dropped classes to teach basic manners and most families don't even know the word.

 

Next, the Prius will need to emit a foul smelling, poisonous fumes when on battery since we are conditioned to smell the car too!! What a sad testament to our society. This is going to be a VERY embarrassing fossil record of our species.

 

I have been riding bikes ever since I was a kid. I rode my bike to school, my entire childhood. I ALWAYS looked over my shoulder before turning to the left, and I was ALWAYS aware of vehicles on the road. For the past 15+ years, Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) cars have been VERY quite. To be honest, I think most new ICE cars today make more noise from their tires on the road than their engines make (as long as you aren't doing a "zero to sixty.") As a life-long biker, this is clearly the kid's fault for not looking before pulling into the street. It has nothing to do with the sound of the car. When I ride my bike or walk today, I do not rely on my ears alone, because if someone in an ICE car is cruising along at a constant 60mph down the street, you will not hear their vehicle until it is too late. For those of you that drive Priuses or know people that drive Priuses, they do make plenty of road noise. AND IF THEY ARE GOING 5 MPH IN A PARKING LOT, THEN THE DRIVER SHOULD BE WATCHING OUT FOR PEDESTRIANS! (as we do in our ICE cars!!!!!!!!!!!)

Before long, the public will be accustomed to quiter cars, and this will no longer be an issue. All the old rules still apply: Ultimately, the driver is responsible for where they point the car. And, pedestrians are responsible for looking both ways before walking out into the street.

For blind people ... I just finished reading an article that seeing-eye dogs today are being trained with hybrids in their training, to rely on eyesight and not sound when crossing a street. So, do, we do not need to put special speakers on our cars to simulate race car engines, LOL!

 

What... you think logic is going to get you anywhere with this one? No sir!

Quiet cars are DANGEROUS. Gasoline cars are GOOD because they so *naturally* make the sounds that save lives. And being run over by cars is really our only fear. The deadly pollution is something that we've just come to accept.

 

Funny how things change. When I was a kid I was taught to look both ways before crossing a street. Now they are taught to listen then cross.

Well I already got my deck of cards out and placed a card at every wheel across the wheel spokes on my Prius. Maybe that will work. I emailed Toyota about having a recall to put cards on the wheels so they can make noise across the spokes.

Also maybe Toyota can increase the price of the Prius by a dollar and donate it to the "Get a Dog for the Listen Then Cross Foundation."

 

Little Owen said it himself "always look". Just as a back-up I have my SWC.

 

I noticed a Lexus LS 460 driving through a parking lot the other day (non-hybrid model) and it was nearly silent. I could not hear the engine, and the tires were extremely quiet. This is just one of the selling points of a luxury car - a quiet ride. It would be stupid to require noise makers on luxury cars too.

People will adapt and become more alert for quiet cars.

I think you people are full of it that are railing on parents though. While parents are there to set rules and provide guidance, in the end a large portion of our behavior is molded by experience. When I saw a 40 year old man dressed in a suit, holding two cups of coffee walk right in front of my Prius the other day, I was not so ignorant as to think "Doh, his stupid parents sure did not raise him well! He did not even look before he entered the street?!?!?" The fact is, through years of experience his mind has been trained that listening for traffic is as effective as looking for it when in a parking lot. Unfortunately, that is not longer true, but he will learn to adapt to the silent cars.

 

Adapt or die. :evil:

 

I have been surprised in parking lots more than once by non-hybrid quiet cars, usually either luxury cars, or the very small sub-compacts. You don't hear it start up, but you do notice it once it starts moving. My conclusion is it's a matter of background noise. No moving car is silent. The tires make a fair bit of noise just crunching on the pavement. So, don't make laws to make quiet cars noisy, make laws to make noisy cars quiet. Then you can hear the Prius when the Hummer isn't drowning it out.

 

I agree, CP- I learned to yell out "ON YOUR LEFT" as I passed others flying down the switchbacks. I do the same when I'm on a road on my bike too, passing the pansy road bikers and their skinny-wheeled road bikes.