Silence is assent -- HR 5734

[bwilson4web]

Hi folks,

If you don't let your congress critters know what you think about the "Bell the Hybrid" act, HR 5734, you have not one to blame when noise makers are added to our cars. As we've pointed out, the bill as written all but excludes any technology other than noise makers put on our hybrid cars. It means noise, not "smart highway" technology will be used so our hybrids will be just as lethal as the existing cars and trucks that killed 5,000 pedestrians and cyclists each year.

The bill continues to sit on the committee agenda:
H.R. 5734: Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2008 (GovTrack.us)

This bill is badly written and full of factual errors but if you don't let your local Congressman and Senators know your opinions, your silence is assent to what it calls out for. If like some of us, you've already contacted your congress critters, THANKS! If not, educate them so this bill can get fixed.

There is a real problem, 5,000 pedestrians and cyclists killed per year but putting a "bell on the hybrids" only makes them just as deadly as the current cars and trucks.

Thanks,
Bob Wilson

ps. Moderators send me a PM if you'd prefer I modify or update the existing threads with 'reminder' or 'progess' messages.

[chogan2]

Originally Posted by bwilson4web

Hi folks,

If you don't let your congress critters know what you think about the "Bell the Hybrid" act, HR 5734, you have not one to blame when noise makers are added to our cars....

For those of you who have never done this, it's incredibly easy to send an email to your representative. If you wish to send and email, go to United States House of Representatives, 110th Congress, 2nd Session, type in your ZIP+4 (or ZIP and they'll help you find the +4) to find your representatives site, and follow the links under "contact" to find the email page.

The subject line should mention the bill:
HR 3754: Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2008

Here's what I sent to Tom Davis (R, VA):

Dear Congressman Davis:

A bill has been introduced in the House Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection, that would mandate putting noisemakers on hybrid cars (and possibly on other quiet vehicles), based on the assumption that these cars are so quiet they are a hazard to blind pedestrians.

This premise of this bill -- that hybrids are "extremely hazardous" to blind pedestrians -- is based on no facts whatsoever.

I took the time to tabulate the data from several Federal databases, including the US DOT's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data. There is *no* evidence to suggest that this is a problem. I summarize the findings below, and if you (your staff) would like a copy of my white paper on the subject I would be more than glad to email it to you.

I own a Prius. And, more importantly, Northern Virginia has one of the highest concentrations hybrid owners in the country.

If you have the opportunity, please do Northern Virginians a favor and vote against this bill. At the minimum, instead of mandating noisemakers on hybrids, the bill at least ought to ask DOT to look at their own data to see whether or not there appears to be a problem. Then, only if warranted, to proceed with some solution. As currently written, DOT has two years to determine the standards for noisemakers on hybrids, and then two more to implement the standards.

Finally, here are the main findings from my study of blind pedestrian deaths and hospitalizations, based on the DOT FARS data, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) data.

Thank you for your time in considering this matter.

(Summary of study findings).

[bwilson4web]

I forgot to mention, the number of co-sponsors has grow. Is one of these yours?

Del. Madeleine Bordallo [D-GU]
Rep. Robert Brady [D-PA]
Rep. Corrine Brown [D-FL]
Rep. Keith Ellison [D-MN]
Res.Com. Luis Fortuño [R-PR]
Rep. Virgil Goode [R-VA]
Rep. John Lewis [D-GA]
Rep. James McDermott [D-WA]
Rep. James McGovern [D-MA]
Rep. Steven Pearce [R-NM]
Rep. David Price [D-NC]
Rep. Linda Sánchez [D-CA]
Rep. Clifford Stearns [R-FL]
Rep. Peter Welch [D-VT]
Rep. Donald Young [R-AK]

The time to write is BEFORE they sign-up for the bill ... before they can be deluded by this bill. After they sign-up, it makes more sense to send them suggested changes that strike "hybrid" and emphasize "technology." It is bad enough if they sign up for it but afterwards, give them some cover, a bill that focuses on the problem and encourages a "technology based" or a "science based" solution.

Bob Wilson

[brick]

Done.

[Keri]

Done.

[Bob64]

Originally Posted by chogan2

Finally, here are the main findings from my study of blind pedestrian deaths and hospitalizations, based on the DOT FARS data, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) data.

(Summary of study findings).

Uhhh, missing summary of study findings? Without much ammunition to use against the bill, it'll simply increase our chance of failure.


oh well, sent this (cut and pasted from various sources here, plagiarism yes, but you've stated it better then I can):

In regard to HR 3754: Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2008

Dear Congressman Wolf:

A bill has been introduced in the House Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection, that would mandate putting noisemakers on hybrid cars (and possibly on other quiet vehicles), based on the assumption that these cars are so quiet they are a hazard to blind pedestrians.

This premise of this bill -- that hybrids are "extremely hazardous" to blind pedestrians -- is based on no facts whatsoever.

Yes, there is a real problem with pedestrian and bike accidents since our cars can easily cause death and severe injuries. But the right answer is to focus on vehicle-pedestrian accidents. The blind may be at the leading edge but of the 4,784 pedestrians killed in 2006, I suspect the blind were a small percentage. Unfortunately I believe that this proposed legislation is fatally flawed.

People with no vision problems are equally at risk. Adding something for blind people doesn't solve the bigger picture, and will not solve the overall problem.

It is a fact that the Prius does NOT operate long in "silent mode" as it is the most inefficient use of fuel due to enormous conversion losses. Please vote against this bill. If you become more informed about the car, you will find that the lack of sound is overstated and blown out of proportion.

If you have the opportunity, please do Northern Virginians a favor and vote against this bill. At the minimum, instead of mandating noisemakers on hybrids, the bill at least ought to ask DOT to look at their own data to see whether or not there appears to be a problem. Then, only if warranted, to proceed with some solution. As currently written, DOT has two years to determine the standards for noisemakers on hybrids, and then two more to implement the standards.

Thank you for your time in considering this matter.

[djasonw]

Amazingly stupid legislation. How about bicycles too? If they ever did put a noisemaker on hybrids I'd disable it.

[Proco]

Just wrote to my Representative using bits & pieces of the other letters. My Rep is a member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce (but not this particular subcommittee), so I was able to urge him to work to keep the legislation from even making it to the House floor.

[AdamKPL]

Personally I want to stay on the side of caution, just ordered a whistler tip for my Prius...I hope you all recall Bubb Rubb from a few years back:

YouTube - Whistler Tips

WOOOO WOOOO

None the less, just got in touch with my own congressman about the issue (just talked to him a few weeks ago at my law school actually)

[Sheepdog]

stupid. I note that the list of sponsors is mostly democrats and a couple of very clueless republicans. The dems do love making stupid laws. will send from work today