It's the same problem with bikes. Pedestrians step out of me quite often because they didn't hear me coming. Except when I am on my winter rust bucket.
Mike Rewey ************************************************* Date sent: Thu, 7 Jul 2005 00:43:27 -0700 (PDT) From: Brady Clark <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: [Bikies] are hybrid cars too quiet? > > i was passed the other day on my bike during > daylight hours by a toyota prius, and i barely > noticed it. > > cars with hybrid engines are a good thing when it > comes to reducing noise pollution, but i have to > wonder, is there such a thing as too quiet when it > comes to safety? > > the question needs to be asked, when these cars > are more common on the roads, what will be the > safety impact on cyclists, pedestrians, those hard > of hearing, and cats and dogs? > > and if it is deemed that they are too quiet, then > what should be done about it? mandatory external > noise limits? updated driver/cyclists/pedestrian > training? in-board bicycle detecting ray guns with > horns and flashing lights? > > i guess for now, i'm just curious if anyone out > there is concerned about this. > > below is some web-sleuthing i did in case you want > to know more about hybrids, decibels, and > engineering. > > -brady > > p.s. in case anyone is wondering why they have > never met me, it's because i live in olympia and > portland, or. i spent the first 16 non-motorized > years of my life in madison, so i subscribed to > find out what's going on there- hope you don't > mind me posting occasionally! > > ------------------------------------------------- > > decibel measurements from a prius: > > "Bottom line: the Prius is [perceptually] about > half as noisy as most other cars." > > http://www.abouthearingloss.com/5259-Prius-noise-levels.html > > ------------------------------------------------- > > fuel cell motorbikes: too quiet! > > "Intelligent Energy, the company that built the > prototype, is looking at ways to produce an > artificial engine noise that will alert people to > its presence, making sure the machine is not > silent and deadly." > > http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7206396/ > > ------------------------------------------------- > > designed to hurt pedestrians... less > > "An impact absorber is fitted to the front bumper > to help minimise leg injuries in a pedestrian > accident. The placement of the windscreen wipers > has also been optimised to limit injuries to the > head and face areas in the event of a severe > pedestrian accident." > > http://tinyurl.com/89z9x > > ------------------------------------------------- _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
