Hi Cor, A quick internet search shows (for the UK, source- BBC) from 2001-2009:
Killed by cycles: 18 Seriously injured by cycles: 434 Killed by cars: 3,495 Seriously injured by cars: 46,245 As the US has 10 times as many fatal car crashes generally than the UK I would assume US fatalities due to being hit by cycles would be about 15-20 per year. That's 15-20 too many in my book. On your second point, in my experience (27 years woking on the streets of London), cyclists are even worse than car drivers in their recklessness, lawlessness and inattentive riding. Add to that the fact that a lot of them are children without the benefit of much experience as well as the fact that many ride (unlawfully) on the pavement where they are far more likely to come into conflict with pedestrians and you can see the argument for noise from cycles logically applies just as much as to cars. At least cars generally stay on the road which brings us back to the fundamental fact that if pedestrians don't want to get run over - by whatever contraption is operating in the vicinity - they should look where they are going! Then we can all reap one of the key benefits of EVs, a more tranquil and therefore pleasant environment, especially in built up areas. MW On 2 Jul 2013, at 19:26, Cor van de Water wrote: > Bicycles are not 2-ton boxes of steel and hardly ever ride fast enough > to cause more than painful bruises. Most bicyclist do not ride > distracted as that would lead to a high probability of accident or even > death. > > Cor van de Water > Chief Scientist > Proxim Wireless Corporation http://www.proxim.com > Email: [email protected] Private: http://www.cvandewater.info > Skype: cor_van_de_water Tel: +1 408 383 7626 > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of Chris Tromley > Sent: Tuesday, July 02, 2013 9:58 AM > To: Electric Vehicle Discussion List > Subject: Re: [EVDL] silent EVs > > Years ago I considered mounting a bicycle bell. It's the right volume > and > has a cheerful sound. > > Which raises a new question. Why aren't the blind all up in arms about > bicycles? > > Chris > On Jul 2, 2013 12:35 PM, "Barry Oppenheim" <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> I used to think that the whole EV lack of noise thing was BS. But my >> opinion has changed since getting a Tesla. As much as I hate to admit > it >> this is a real problem for some EV's. >> >> On my DIY EV it is not a problem because the sound of the DC motor is >> easily >> heard. But the Tesla is whisper quiet at low speeds on asphalt roads. >> >> I can tell you from personel experience that it is "creepy quiet". > Once I >> was standing in the driveway waiting for my wife to return home. I > turned >> to do something. A few seconds later I turned around and almost > jumped >> when >> I saw the car right next to me! >> >> On several occasions while driving through crowds my wife has > commented on >> the fact that the pedestrians are not even getting out of the way. I > told >> her it is because they don't hear us coming. >> >> I think a better choice for an EV noise would be to have a "pedestrian >> horn". Just like the regular horn it would be operated as needed, not > on >> all of the time. The difference would be that the sound would softer. > Not >> as startling as a regular horn, but enough to make sure the pedestrian >> hears >> you coming. >> >> Barry >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On >> Behalf >> Of Electric Blue auto convertions >> Sent: Tuesday, July 02, 2013 11:25 AM >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: [EVDL] silant EVs >> >> this is beyond dumb , just about all new cars are so quiet you cant > hear >> them, after they have mileage on them they get a bit noisy, maybe they >> should put marbles in the hub caps to tell them a car is coming . and > why >> is >> there Braille on a drive up ATM ??? go figure that one out .. My wifes > car >> is 10 yesrs old and its very quiet, you only hear tire/road noise when >> driving >> -------------- next part -------------- >> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... >> URL: >> < >> > http://lists.evdl.org/private.cgi/ev-evdl.org/attachments/20130702/3c424 > 485 >> /attachment.htm> >> _______________________________________________ >> UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub >> http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org >> For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA >> (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA) >> >> _______________________________________________ >> UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub >> http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org >> For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA ( >> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA) >> >> > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: > <http://lists.evdl.org/private.cgi/ev-evdl.org/attachments/20130702/68ab > 7c78/attachment.htm> > _______________________________________________ > UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub > http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org > For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA > (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA) > > _______________________________________________ > UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub > http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org > For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA > (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA) > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... 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