"Bell the Hybrid" - 111th Congress - Page 2 - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

Daox · 10-19-2009, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

I don't think there is a valid concern.

New luxury cars are so quiet I often can't tell if they're running or not unless another sense besides hearing tells me so. My hearing isn't bad either.

Do we need dingers on Caddys and Benzes too?

That is my argument as well. Nobody ever complained about luxury cars and their incredible quietness.

dcb · 10-19-2009, 08:34 AM

Just imagine the terror a blind person must feel knowing there multi thousand pound invisible cars, driven by your average joe.

Yes all cars including "luxury" should be included in any legislation regarding pedestrian safety.

Just a stone in the tread would make a difference. ding isn't right though, makes you think it is a bicycle or something.

Would like to entertain something besides noise, but have no clue what that is. One loud bike and all the other vehicles become invisible. If you make the noise dynamic then all the cars would get instantly as loud as the loudest vehicle and, well, screw that.

And I don't know if putting mars lights on all the vehicles works for the deaf and everyone else, to look at a complimentary siuation, after looking into DRLs (they have a very significant negative effect on pedestrian safety as far as I can tell) it makes me wonder if adding noise would have the intended effect.

bestclimb · 10-19-2009, 11:10 AM

The road is there for cars. By having designated bicycle lanes, and crossing areas the dangers of car/bike and car/pedestrians is about as mitigated as it can be. The rest is software. Drivers being aware of their surroundings, pedestrians waiting for a safe time to enter the road to cross and bicyclists not darting into traffic. Most cities have cross walks, for blind pedestrians they even have bell or bird chirp sounds to indicate when it is safe to cross. The onus of making sure a pedestrian does not do something dumb should not be on the driver. If you are unable to insure that where you are putting your feet is a safe place you should not be putting your feet there.

Having the car make an extra signal reminds me of the old law stating that if a car is to be driven through town there must be a man walking in front of it waving a red flag.

dcb · 10-19-2009, 12:28 PM

Maybe I'm reading that wrong, but it seems like a "its someone elses problem" handwave. The road is for citizens, not just cars, bicyclers use it, pedestrians have to cross it, kids run out into it, we all pay for it to some degree, and we know there are a lot of drivers who shouldn't be driving. Just cuz a bell went off at the crosswalk does not make it safe, you would have to be stupid to put your life solely in the crosswalk signals hands.

If you drive a car, you are part of the problem, don't be blind to it (even if you are a fan of irony).

bwilson4web · 10-19-2009, 01:48 PM

BMW uses an IR camera and this makes a lot of sense because it works at longer ranges and higher speeds. I'm for anything that works to be benefit of all parties. But this noise maker is too short range and specific to one group of pedestrians. We need solutions with longer ranges and wider application.

Bob Wilson

PaleMelanesian · 10-19-2009, 02:10 PM

I think there is no problem. Just last week I observed:

50 paces away: Dodge Ram diesel idling
100 paces away: Prius moving ~10 mph

The Prius' tire noise was louder than the idling diesel, at twice the distance. Maybe we should "Bell the Diesels" instead.

bestclimb · 10-19-2009, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcb

Maybe I'm reading that wrong, but it seems like a "its someone elses problem" handwave. The road is for citizens, not just cars, bicyclers use it, pedestrians have to cross it, kids run out into it, we all pay for it to some degree, and we know there are a lot of drivers who shouldn't be driving. Just cuz a bell went off at the crosswalk does not make it safe, you would have to be stupid to put your life solely in the crosswalk signals hands.

If you drive a car, you are part of the problem, don't be blind to it (even if you are a fan of irony).

I think you may have read it wrong if you think I was just saying bah if they wan't to cross my road good luck to um.

The roadway is for cars, if it weren't for cars it would say no motorized vehicles and would be much smaller. City planner folks have recognized the need for pedestrians and bicyclists to get around a city. So the best hardware for keeping pedestrian/vehicle accidents to a minimum is segregation, bike paths, pedestrian over passes. This is not always possible so we get areas of converging dissimilar traffic when that happens the speed of the cars is reduced (or at least should be). Cross walks and the like attempt to keep traffic segregated in these mixed areas. In those areas it is best for all parties involved to by eyes up and look out, especially those who are not protected by cages. Not because they don't have a right to cross the road but because they have the most to loose in a collision.

You hint at the point I was trying to make when you say "...stupid to put your life solely in the crosswalk signals hands." To rely on any technology to keep you safe will fail at some point. The best system is to keep your head about you and pay attention, as any citizen that is my responsibility, not just for my own good but for yours as well.