Measure’s aim: To protect blind pedestrians from quiet hybrids
Ryan Beene Automotive News
April 9, 2008 - 12:00 pm ET
Legislation setting a minimum sound level for vehicles sold in the United States by as early as 2010 is expected to be introduced today in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The bill would require the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to lead a study to determine if a minimum sound level is needed to protect pedestrians, specifically the blind. And if such a level is necessary, the bill would set it.
U.S. Reps. Edolphus Towns, D-N.Y., and Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., are sponsors of the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2008. The proposed legislation stemmed from concern that blind pedestrians may be put in danger because of quiet-running hybrid and electric vehicles.
" The beneficial trend toward more environmentally friendly vehicles has had the unintended effect of placing the blind and other pedestrians in danger," Towns said in a statement. " As someone who taught travel with a white cane to the blind for many years, I understand that the sound of traffic is critically important in order for them to travel safely and independently."
In March, a similar bill was passed by the Maryland Senate and House.
Like the Maryland measure, the U.S. House bill would seek input from organizations representing the blind, other pedestrians and the auto industry.
" This bill will prevent many injuries and fatalities while still allowing more clean vehicles on our nation’s roads," Towns said.
The bill gives automakers two years to comply with the requirements.
Separately in November 2007, the auto industry’s engineering trade group SAE International set up a subcommittee task force to study the issue. The group expects to issue findings by year end.
An SAE statement says: " Even though the subcommittee’s initial focus is only on hybrid vehicles, any data collected or generated in understanding the issues could eventually include other vehicle types besides hybrids."
It makes sense and I really doubt it would be that hard to add some sort of sound to an electric car.
Put yourself in the blind guy’s shoes. You’ve fought hard to keep some independence and now you can’t safely cross the street because you may get hit by some Prius running in electric only mode.
so my friend had a 3 wheeled electric cart that was 100% silent. Not only did it look fucking funny as hell, but the only noise it made was the tires on the pavement.
sometimes his fat dad would drive it. It was fucking awesome.
once we made a sidecar for it out of a wheelchair and drove it around hamburg at 2am.
The driver wore a helmet and shop goggles with a maglight taped to the side.
if you cant hear the tire/road contact noises or see the vehicles coming… then darwin should work his magic anyway (sorry if your blind or deaf, you’re not among the “fittest”
Seriously though, would there be enough of a benefit from this to justify a legislation change and then mandatory design changes?
I just really see this as a massive waste of time. How many blind people have been hurt because of a car without a running gas motor? I’m going to go out on a limb and say it’s a number close to zero. How many years have hybrids been out now?
I guess the thing that bugs me is that even with this legislation passed they still won’t be able to walk out into traffic “safely.” There’s this thing called the dopplar effect…
Ah well. Maybe I’d be singing a different tune if I was blind?
I can see it now, a bunch of hippies meeting in a parking lot, bragging about how many miles they get per gallon. Illegally modifying their cars to be silent and get even better mileage as well.
Setting up endurance races, most of which will happen from a roll on highway to see who can last longer on a gallon of gas, because they don’t get the concept of going from a dig stoplight to stoplight.
EDIT: And try to end the suffering of any blind people that should cross their paths.
