Silent Hybrids And EVs Poised To Make Noise

Another consideration, if these things are to be retrofitted to existing hybrids who is going to pay for them? The government sure isn't, neither are the blind people who have been convinced we have to have them, and auto makers are going to squeal like stuck pigs if they are ask to have massive recalls to add noise makers. You don't suppose they (the rule makers) would expect us (hybrid owners) to pay to add obnoxious noises to our own cars?

 

No need to go paranoid, yet. If there were evidence that noise makers would save lives, I would have no problem and would advocate for it. But the facts and data are at best, ambiguous. Harder data suggests there is no increased risk, 'a coin toss,' and therein lies the madness.

This is why I object to the inflated conclusions of DOT HS 811 204, September 2009. Because this is what happens when there is no clear relationship. Marginal data can be presented as claiming something that isn't there. In this case, a math trick was used to provide 'cover' for the Congress-critters.

The math trick is incident counts were converted to percentages and the smallest numbers and percentages were used to claim a ratio that was falsely asserted for all hybrid operations. However, the largest percentages that show hybrids are safer with fewer 'straight line' incidents were ignored in the conclusions. The approach used to analyze this data is a 'net sum zero' game in that it can never show in absolute terms that hybrids are more or less dangerous than non-hybrids. It can show a difference in the profile that needs to be backed up by absolute risk analysis.

What is frustrating is I see this relationship in my mind's eye but it is hard to explain it in words to those who don't 'see math.' But I think I have an approach that I'll try to post later tonight.

BTW, I have three congress-critters, two Senators and a House member, Dr. Griffith, who changed parties and lost his primary last week. I had sent briefing packages to all three but asked and received a fact-to-face with Dr. Griffith before he 'fell on his sword'. As for the Senators, one is dumb as dirt and the other venial and I do not trust their commitment to vehicle safety.

Bob Wilson

 

Come on...you guys are keeping it all too simple.
It should be much more complicated.

We all know predators in the wild are silent. We've all seen the Lioness as she crouches in the grass, slowly unperceptibly down wind as she inches ever closer to the grazing Wildebeest. The big wildebeest passing wind and loudly mulching wet grass like an SUV at the filling station.

Come on. We want to be the predator. We want to be the Ninja. We don't want to be the wildebeest. We want to come and go unnoticed, leave our mark emblazoned on the filling station pump like Zorro's large "Z"....Prius was here!

Let the blind grasp their canes in unsighted terror at the mere thought of a lurking Prius. We don't care...we are predators. How dare the majority bell the cat!

We all know god whispers. He might end it all in a spectacular light show...but it usually starts with a whispered "If you Build it, They will come" and how am I suppose to hear god if everyones car is drownding him out? The Prius is like an angel or saint..and they have to be quiet. It's a religious edict.

It's been about 200 years of everything getting louder and louder. Well I say bring out your dead because it's far too noisy now. What happened to subtlety? Because The Prius is just being subtle. That used to be appreciated once. The difference between Royalty and the Common Man used to be measured inpart by an ability to keep ones mouth closed while chewing. The Prius is Royalty among automobiles. Royalty get's to hunt the entire forest...and anything it kills gets put on it's own table with pride. Silence is Golden and just because Prius is more golden than most should it be penalized? I say nay!

Crouch on hidden Prius! To honk or not to honk that is the question. I don't need the white noise of rolling tires and an Internal Combustion Engine to drive away the glorious conversation I am having with myself. Why else would I be so adamant about disabling the internal reverse beep? I've taken a vow of silence, I'll investigate what that thud was once my Hybrid Battery warranty expires and not a second sooner!

It started with a big bang...and things follow an arc..we used to sit and take pride in reving our engines...now we want to glide as quietly as possible to the next stop, using the gossamer wings of regenerative braking as little as possible because we all know we might not stop if we hit some uneven pavement.

So keep your graphs, charts and traffic safety statistics...too simple. Prius Drivers are gods Royal Predators of the Automotive Wasteland. Our Hybrid Premium gives us a members only jacket with earplugs in the pocket. Just get out of our unintended way, and keep your eyes open...somewhere down in the silent depths of the ocean an oil leak poisons the enviroment. Well rage against our machines but we obviously never wanted this!

Someday...subtle clicks...whirs...extension cords and instead of fuel gauges, voltage meters and charge gauges! But until that quieter day, beware to all the wildebeest- Do not go into the woods at night....

 

and don't ask for a second 'opinion'