Comments on: Hybrid Vehicles: It’s quiet out there, a little too quiet

By: JoeAverage

JoeAverage — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:10:50 +0000

How about some sort of wireless transmitter than can be picked up by a reciever that a blind person carries. They could make it directional so that the blind person knew which direction the car was coming from.

And it is still silent.

For that matter it could be fitted to the dog’s collar and the dog trained to wait until the nearly silent beeper on his collar stopped. A beeper on the left side of this collar for vehicles approaching from the left maybe.

Would be simple and cheap using modified bluetooth tech.

By: Bob Wilson

Bob Wilson — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:02:39 +0000

This nonsense, HR 5734, the “Bell the Hybrid Act” has been supported by Congress critters who haven’t realized that noise making cars already kill 4,700 pedestrians per year. This bill does nothing to improve safety, just drive up the cost of hybrids and ensures someday a blind pedestrian will hear their faux noise maker just before they die.

There was a hearing June 23 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the submissions, including counter arguments can be found at: http://www.regulations.gov search: NHTSA-2008-0108-0020.

In reality, the problem is drivers need notification pre-school kids and the blind are in the area. This can be solved with a modified “panic” keyfob. Automatic, it would ‘bleep’ the horn and flash the lights to let the driver know hazardous pedestrians are in the area. Solve the problem, don’t legislate what is already failing.

By: shelbinator

shelbinator — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 17:56:48 +0000

That’s not a horse, you’ve got two empty halves of coconuts and you’re bagin’ ‘em together.

By: Michael

Michael — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 21:01:26 +0000

One word: Thundercougarfalconbird

By: Ted

Ted — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:16:23 +0000

Hmmm how about a steam locomotive or a diesel locomotive.

Then those pesky pedestrians would here me a mile away.

By: jonathan

jonathan — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 19:54:53 +0000

How about the sound of a horse galloping? It could whiny and wheeze at stop lights.

By: jonathan

jonathan — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 19:54:53 +0000

How about the sound of a horse galloping? It could whiny and wheeze at stop lights.

By: hawk88

hawk88 — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 19:48:04 +0000

It’s not the pedestrians fault they are getting hit, the car is at all times supposed to stop for pedestrians, silent or not.

By: Sag

Sag — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:20:53 +0000

I have a Prius and like it the way it is … SILENT

By: Steve Jabs

Steve Jabs — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:33:34 +0000

Don’t worry, all of the thug kids where I live will put in 50 inch subs anyways like they do now and you’ll be able to hear them coming from about a half mile away.

By: Jon Erickson

Jon Erickson — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:06:26 +0000

How about the jingle from the local ice cream truck, that will sure get peoples attention, or may be we can create a mobile advertising business where jingles are beamed down by satellite played by the hybrid cars.