what do you think of cogress's plan to require electric cars to be noisy?

Question

I was looking forward to quiet streets in the future, but I can also see why it might be hazardous

Answer 1

see this vidoe of an electric car on the pikes peak hill climb that had to have a noise generator http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtWoGdICgd4 - very annoying.



but there is no reason you can't download a suitable "ringtone".

The noise is only required from stationary to about 10mph. The biggest problem I have is there is no clunky grinding starter motor to tell people you are ready to move off, and electric cars can move off very much faster than infernal combustion due to maximum torque from zero.

Over 10mph the tyres make enough road noise (although in our local multi-story carpark it has a very smooth painted surface so it can really scare kids mucking about when I come creeping up behind them :)

Answer 2

I didn't realize that Congress in Canada (question originally posted on the Canadian Y!A site) was now picking up the US HR 5734 "Bell the Hybrid Act."



http://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/183771-post1.html

http://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/178003-post1.html



Basically, it's a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. Congress should spend their time doing something useful.



Although there are numerous pedestrian-involved fatal accidents each year in the US, so far there have been none involving hybrids. So why are they being singled out?



There has been a suggestion to add noisemakers to the cars, but who will bear the cost? What sort of added noise pollution will it create? Will the added noise even work? (Children often go *towards* the sound of a beeping reversing truck...) The cars already aren't silent - there's still road noise (tires on pavement and air whooshing around the vehicle in motion) and the electric inverter whine...

Answer 3

Stop-Look-Listen. The problem is, blind people can't Look, and if cars are quiet as a mouse, it might be hard to Listen as well. So it makes sense that Congress might consider putting a minimum sound requirement on vehicles. It wouldn't have to be much - just enough for someone with reasonable hearing to catch (if one is blind AND deaf they probably shouldn't be out crossing streets).



I suppose another solution would be for devices to be installed near each crosswalk to sense when cars are coming and to warn the pedestrians. This would cost a lot of money (but so would companies making their cars artificially loud).



The issue might affect other non-blind pedestrians - namely kids. Kids often are careless, and don't look both ways when crossing the street. The noise of an engine is an extra warning signal.



There needs to be a study conducted on car-pedestrian accidents with hybrid-electric vehicles. There are enough of these cars on the road to obtain statistically-significant data.

Answer 4

I like the idea of a quiet vehicle. The problem is that there are a lot of noisy vehicles on the road and it is difficult to tell that something quiet is a vehicle.



To resolve the issue, I would rather see all vehicles contain a transmitter or an item similar to an RFID type of device that could bounce back a signal to the hearing impaired in a visual way or to the blind in an audible way. Those who needed help could have it through devices they could carry with them and the rest of us would not be disturbed by needless noise pollution.



Electric vehicles do make some noise. With enough of them on the road we will learn to recognize them.

Answer 5

Well, we have a situation now where all cars make noise when they're active. That's a side effect, but it benefits blind people greatly.



Back in the 1890's, when most cars were electric and most other vehicles were also silent (horses!) blind people were out of luck. They were shut-ins and had no rights and no choices. Now, we want the disabled to be full members of society. That's a good thing.



Having cars make noise may seem silly, but it really helps the blind. It doesn't have to be loud or obnoxious noise, notice that many existing cars are not that loud. It's easy enough to do... why not do it?



Besides, you'll never live to see quiet streets. There will be fuel-engine vehicles for a long, long time to come, and then there will always be teenage boys who need to make a statement with their vehicle.



John W - downloadable enginetones... rock on. I'm going for Alco 539 myself. http://www.soundtraxx.com/dsd/tsunami/index.php?p=tsunamisound.php

And mrvadebo... there's your cost. $65 in low quantity.

Answer 6

No I don't think so. The tires actually make some good noise and also the air passing over under and thru the vehicle. The only time people outside the car will not hear what they commonly hear is the acceleration noise of the engine working hard to accelerate. Plus people will be in the cars making noise like a party because of the huge amount of money they are not giving to combustion engine cars for parts, maintenance, and repairs. Life will be GOOD!!!!

Answer 7

Mostly for the blind who need to cross the streets are listening for the noise of the auto engines to know if its safe to Cross the street. Without the sound of the noise or traffic, the blind or other needy people may not be able to cross the street safely.

The noise required is very minor out side for them to hear

Answer 8

you mean Congress?



Cars need to have sound of some sort to warn the pedestrians that does not look before crossing the street.

Answer 9

It's great. You can pay me 99 cents to download the drivetone of your choice.

Answer 10

Pile stupidity on stupidity.



Soon the earth will start cooling due to lack of solar activity. Then they'll require electric cars to have CO2 generators on them.