Hybrids a hazard to the blind?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(N_IL_Priusfan @ Oct 3 2007, 08:50 AM) [snapback]520548[/snapback]</div>

I'm guessing this is one of those stories that's going to pop up every six months or so. Got a lot of discussion last March.
http://priuschat.com/index.php?s=&show...st&p=395002
http://priuschat.com/index.php?s=&show...st&p=389516

 

I just heard this on the radio this morning. The spokeswoman for some organization is seeking additions to clean car regulations in Maryland to (something like): "require that hybrids sound just like any other car, not matter what the power source of the car".

No mention on how exactly to do that. I can imagine giant speakers on the car playing the sound of a Hummer revving its engine.

Of course, bicycles don't sound like cars, and they're required to ride on the roads. They're actually a lot quieter than a coasting Prius.

A solution might be have hybrid and electric cars make a clicking noise when moving, like a bicycle with playing cards clipped into the spokes.

 

This "news" story is a few years old and for some reason was recently recycled.

Obviously this is a case of someone trying to manufacture anti-Hybrid news. You'll get used to reading this sort of thing as a Prius owner.

 

Ahhh. I get so tired of this crap.

Where is the outrage about the hundreds of thousands of people that car exhaust kills, and the millions that it makes sick? We all have to look out for each other. Adding to the local noise pollution by making quiet cars louder is not the solution. Hey... how about this? Make all the loud cars quieter, and then you can hear the quiet cars...

 

This was on my local news this morning, too.

If it's going to be required that the car make some kind of noise, it should be easy enough to program it to only come on when the car is in stealth mode.

In addition to the 'spoke-wheel' noise, I'd like to suggest a voice coming on, saying 'Car approaching' or something to that effect. Or perhaps, we could just have a speaker facing out/forward and pipe out the music/radio sounds of whatever's on the stereo at that moment the car is in stealth mode cruising around the neighborhood.

 

Why is it always about the blind people not being able to hear the hybrids? What about the deaf people? They can't hear them either! :lol:

(I know they can see them. It's a joke ... you know, ha ha ... [Silence] Sheesh, now I know how Tony feels. )

 

Blind people shouldn't be allowed to drive hybrids. Period.

 

All kidding aside, I think it should be easy to implement some kind of RFID-based solution to allow anyone with an RFID receiver to detect an oncoming vehicle. Kinda like how tolltags and tollbooths work.

Hey, maybe I should patent this idea!

 

What about a pair of those whistles that are meant to scare away roaming animals? or a cow bell?

 

Of course, no matter how loud your car is, it's probably hazardous to deaf people, right?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(zenMachine @ Oct 3 2007, 11:28 AM) [snapback]520613[/snapback]</div>

But isn't it for them that Braille instructions are posted at drive-up ATMs? :blink:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JimboK @ Oct 3 2007, 01:00 PM) [snapback]520664[/snapback]</div>

That's an idea. We can print CAUTION - APPROACHING CAR in large Braille letters on the front of each Prius.

Tom

 

cow catcher:train:edestrian catcherrius

 

The whole thing is rediculous. Has anyone ever heard of a blind child being taught "Listen both ways before you cross the street." and "Listen to the right, then the left, and then listen right again before crossing."

What if a blind person hears a noisy semi bearing down on them. They might leap into the path of any quieter car to avoid being hit by a noisier vehicle that is masking the sound of the quieter vehicle.

I don't think a blind person ought to be out crossing any streets unless they have a well traind guide dog, a sighted friend or are at a signal with audible alerts.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NoMoShocks @ Oct 3 2007, 01:09 PM) [snapback]520715[/snapback]</div>

I'd be interested to learn about any rules/regulations that apply to blind people when they need to cross the street. I don't know if there are any rules requiring drivers to look out for them.

Regardless, if blind people can learn to listen for the sound of car engines, they can also learn to use an RFID device that can emit alerts in either sound or vibration mode. The technology can be applied to more than just electric cars, of course.

I think this problem, as silly as it may sound at first, is worth the effort to solve. And it probably will be solved eventually as hybrid and electric vehicles become more numerous (if not the norm at some point.)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(patsparks @ Oct 3 2007, 09:25 AM) [snapback]520647[/snapback]</div>

Guess what? I got a fever! And the only prescription.. is more cowbell!
Bruce Dickinson, as played by Christopher Walken

 

One question - has even a single blind person been hit by a Prius? If the answer is yes, then are there any statistics comparing the accident rates associated with the Blind and a Prius to non-hybrid conventional cars?

Possibly if the Blind can provide statistics supporting their case, then legislation may be warranted. Certainly a reasonable and responsible Blind advocacy group wouldn't want to impose un-necessary regulation unless statistics back up their claims.

 

I once took a blind person home from church and he really appreciated the sounds (and the lack of which) of the Prius. He said maybe their next car would be a Prius.

 

Hi All,

What if the blind person cannot hear the noisey Semi bearing down on him 50 yards out? Or anybody else either. This is what happens when engines are too loud. Especially those of overhead jet aircraft near an airport. Happens to me at least once a month.

As allot of other commeters have commented, the Prius being anymore dangerous to the blind than many other all ready existing traffic situations is baloney.