Comments on: Japan wants hybrid vehicles to make more noise http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/07/03/japan-wants-hybrid-vehicles-to-make-more-noise/ Gadgets, gear and computer hardware. Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:27:17 -0500 hourly 1 By: Bob Wilson http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/07/03/japan-wants-hybrid-vehicles-to-make-more-noise/comment-page-1/#comment-1050860 Bob Wilson Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:26:56 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=98750#comment-1050860 Which is safer for your offspring: (1) pedestrian avoidance and crash absorbing hoods, bumpers and quarter panels in all cars, or (2) the same noise that traffic already makes today? I would be happy if your offspring carried a beacon, a type of "panic button" found on the keyfobs that would alert me via my car that they are in the area. Noise on demand because there is someone who needs special attention. But that is not found in HR 734 nor in S 841. About 5 of 4,700 pedestrian deaths are the blind, killed by today's noise generating vehicles. This is 0.1% of all deaths and HR 734 and S 841 ignore the 99.9% by legislating a failing system on one class of vehicles. It is the least effective approach to pedestrian accident safety. Bob Wilson, Huntsville AL Which is safer for your offspring: (1) pedestrian avoidance and crash absorbing hoods, bumpers and quarter panels in all cars, or (2) the same noise that traffic already makes today?

I would be happy if your offspring carried a beacon, a type of “panic button” found on the keyfobs that would alert me via my car that they are in the area. Noise on demand because there is someone who needs special attention. But that is not found in HR 734 nor in S 841.

About 5 of 4,700 pedestrian deaths are the blind, killed by today’s noise generating vehicles. This is 0.1% of all deaths and HR 734 and S 841 ignore the 99.9% by legislating a failing system on one class of vehicles. It is the least effective approach to pedestrian accident safety.

Bob Wilson, Huntsville AL

]]> By: collin http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/07/03/japan-wants-hybrid-vehicles-to-make-more-noise/comment-page-1/#comment-1050647 collin Tue, 07 Jul 2009 04:36:43 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=98750#comment-1050647 This is definitely an issue for the blind and visually impaired. As a parent of a person with low-vision, of course I'm biased toward a little more noise, for the added safety benefit. H.R. 734, the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2009 is now in the works: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-734. This is definitely an issue for the blind and visually impaired. As a parent of a person with low-vision, of course I’m biased toward a little more noise, for the added safety benefit.

H.R. 734, the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2009 is now in the works: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-734.

]]> By: Sky http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/07/03/japan-wants-hybrid-vehicles-to-make-more-noise/comment-page-1/#comment-1049345 Sky Sat, 04 Jul 2009 03:00:23 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=98750#comment-1049345 Thanks for fixing this. :) Thanks for fixing this. :)

]]> By: Bob Wilson http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/07/03/japan-wants-hybrid-vehicles-to-make-more-noise/comment-page-1/#comment-1049131 Bob Wilson Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:52:56 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=98750#comment-1049131 Interesting, the Volt that is not for sale is getting the noise maker yet the GM two-mode, hybrid Tahoe, which has sold over 1,000 this year, does not have a pedestrian noisemaker. The difference is Lotus Engineering that is consulting on the Volt. The real problem is having over 500,000 Prius sold in the USA since 2001, there is no evidence of a hybrid hazard. The accident statistics show the Prius has the same accident rate as ordinary vehicles. The NHTSA held a hearing June 23, 2008 and the opposition research is available at www.regulations.gov, search "NHTSA-2008-0108-0020" and the facts and data remain. There are enough Prius on the road and the accident data shows no hybrid hazard any worse than ordinary vehicles. Bob Wilson, Huntsville AL Interesting, the Volt that is not for sale is getting the noise maker yet the GM two-mode, hybrid Tahoe, which has sold over 1,000 this year, does not have a pedestrian noisemaker. The difference is Lotus Engineering that is consulting on the Volt.

The real problem is having over 500,000 Prius sold in the USA since 2001, there is no evidence of a hybrid hazard. The accident statistics show the Prius has the same accident rate as ordinary vehicles.

The NHTSA held a hearing June 23, 2008 and the opposition research is available at http://www.regulations.gov, search “NHTSA-2008-0108-0020″ and the facts and data remain. There are enough Prius on the road and the accident data shows no hybrid hazard any worse than ordinary vehicles.

Bob Wilson, Huntsville AL

]]> By: Gregory Glockner http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/07/03/japan-wants-hybrid-vehicles-to-make-more-noise/comment-page-1/#comment-1049041 Gregory Glockner Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:36:41 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=98750#comment-1049041 I am both a runner and a hybrid owner, and I have mixed feelings about this. I love that our Camry Hybrid is so quiet. You've never heard a car stereo sound so good until you've been in such a quiet car. But as a runner, I have to be more careful to listen for hybrid cars. The Toyota hybrids have a quiet, high-pitched whine when they're running on electric power. This is subtle and harder to hear than a traditional internal combustion engine. A hybrid is also especially dangerous for someone who is listening to earphones. And I can't imagine how much harder it would be for someone who is deaf. But then again, I don't want my hybrid to sound like a diesel. I love the quiet when I'm behind the wheel. I am both a runner and a hybrid owner, and I have mixed feelings about this. I love that our Camry Hybrid is so quiet. You’ve never heard a car stereo sound so good until you’ve been in such a quiet car. But as a runner, I have to be more careful to listen for hybrid cars. The Toyota hybrids have a quiet, high-pitched whine when they’re running on electric power. This is subtle and harder to hear than a traditional internal combustion engine.

A hybrid is also especially dangerous for someone who is listening to earphones. And I can’t imagine how much harder it would be for someone who is deaf.

But then again, I don’t want my hybrid to sound like a diesel. I love the quiet when I’m behind the wheel.

]]> By: Sky http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/07/03/japan-wants-hybrid-vehicles-to-make-more-noise/comment-page-1/#comment-1049039 Sky Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:31:09 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=98750#comment-1049039 It is spelled "quiet". It is spelled “quiet”.

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