Don't get me wrong, I love my Prius but the darn thing is so quiet. Since I bought it in July, I have been nervous about people not hearing me in parking lots and walking out in front of me. This week it happened twice! The first time was a middle school student (I work at the school). As I was pulling up to a stop sign I saw the kid on his bike, turning his head to talk to his friend that was a little behind me. He apparently didn't hear my car come to the stop sign and at the last second looked and saw me. Had I not been paying attention and waiting for him to see me and stop, he would have riden his bike right into me. The second time was this morning. A neighbor is having a yard sale. An older lady got out of her car and walked right in front of me to cross the road! I had to stop rather quickly. Again I was aware that she might not here me and was going slowly enough to stop in time. ANyone else have this happen to them? I am thinking I will have to blast my radio so people can her the "thump-thump-thump" like we here from the kids driving their ricers! :lol:
I'm thinking of installing a modification to have the backup beeper audible from outside. Have nearly backed into several folks in the 2 years of Prius ownership. There's a thread in PriusChat that details how to add a RadioShack part which will do that... and it's inexpensive.
Yes... I had it happen last weekend. It freaked the guy out. He wasn't upset, but amazed at how he couldn't hear the engine. He kept turning around and looking at Trixie as we drove away. I loved it. I just try to be more aware when in stealth mode. Maybe we do need to put in some subs to let people know we're there! B)
I went to my local post office, and when I went to pull forward out of my parking space, a woman skimming through her pile of mail was coming toward me. I stopped because she wasn't looking, and she walked right into my front bumper!
I'm thinking of installing one of those MELODIC chimes that ice cream trucks have, through a megaphone speaker. Turning it on while I go around shopping mall parking lots. That'll surely get people's attention from their INATTENTION! :lol: Only downside is...HOW DO I KEEP THE CHILDREN AWAY FROM THINKING I'M SELLING ICE CREAM!? AAAAhahahahaha! Just kidding! Vinny :blink:
Most of my transportation time is on a bicycle. Next most time is in an EV. The Prius is LOUD. I'm used to being invisible, so driving the Prius has presented no new challenges for me. Just assume that nobody can see or hear you, and you'll be fine. Can't tell you how many people I've followed in the EV at walking speed down the middle of the parking lot. Most never even knew I was there when they stop out of the way. When I'm in the Prius, it'll do the cold start thing when I'm pulling out, so I'm just as loud as everybody else.
Could always install a locomotive 150 dB air horn. That will get people's attention. http://cgi.ebay.com/Double-Locomotive-Trai...1QQcmdZViewItem
Yep. I actually had this girl walk TOWARDS me as I was driving TOWARDS her. Let's just say, she eventually saw me before I hit her lol. I was just staring in disbelief. I mean, if I was behind you I can understand but she was facing me! There's a particular road on campus that's very quiet as not many cars go by. I love to drive by in EV Drive mode knowing I'm not disturbing the silence. Once, I had the volume up and the windows down. People were staring at me so I decided I'll be considerate and turn the music off. I continued in EV and now even more people were staring lol.
Hi Renocat, Whenever i see people with that zoned out look, stairing right through my Prius, (or even if they made a quick look to the side right at it) as if it was not there - I HORN EM! Have seen this comment on Priuschat a few times. So, I have not been making any assumptions about people actually recognizing the Prius is a car , even when they are stairing right at it. I think the car horn burrows into the cognition portion of the brain allot better than lights, vision, or the sound of low rolling resistance tires.
The first week I had the car, my neighbor was walking her dog back to her house and was square in the middle of our street. I rolled up behind her and just followed along about 3 feet back. After a ways she got this funny feeling and looked behind her. She jumped about 5 feet sideways out of instinct, then we both laughed hysterically. I love this car ...
Our local swim team was sponsering a carwash today so I decide to have Pri washed. The kids were amazed when I pulled up to them so they could dry her off. One kid said...did you roll over here? When I told them the car was on they were amazed. Then one of them spotted the MFD...you would have thought I was driving a space ship! :lol: I was going to tell them to make sure they dry off the back up camera lens because water spots on that really annoy me but thought better of it....I would probably still be there showing of my Pri
That's why a woman who was very close to me HATES electric cars/hybrids. She's blind, and she goes by traffic noise to cross the street. She's already had a couple of close run-ins.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tempus @ Sep 30 2006, 06:21 PM) [snapback]326211[/snapback]</div> :lol: :lol: Boy, does that bring back memories of riding our bikes around and around the house. We laid out 2X2's and pretended they were railroad tracks...(yeah, we were poor and lived in the sticks so entertainment was anything we could make up )
I installed a back up beeper but it doesn't do any good. I've watched people in my rear view mirror completely ignore the fact it's beeping. As for moving forward, I'm just very vigilant. I don't understand why they can't hear the tires crunch and the bit of hum the car generates. I think some people are just oblivious and/or stupid.
I like the quietness. I feel relaxed when the engine is not running. When I am driving alone, with no music on, it is "darn quiet". It's just me and Pria. I LOVE it.
I wish cars (especially quiet ones like the Prius) had 3 horn volumes. (or at least 2) 1. the standard volume 2. a gentler tone to alert someone politely (blind street crossers, for ex.) 3. and a FOGHORN-level blast for dolts that need just a little extra volume. (if they're blasting their stereo or talking on a phone, for instance)
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Festus @ Sep 30 2006, 06:45 PM) [snapback]326269[/snapback]</div> The EV1 had this. You pulled the signal stalk toward you, and the horn would "warble" - it was specifically to warn pedestrians of your presence without making them jump out of their skin. I never used it.
