I almost ran someone over today in the parking lot.

The guy was probably drunk ... and that's why he fled. Sooo ... with such a huge amount of 'danger' ... and an inability of both sides to simply "BE CARFUL" ... I guess that means that (in addition to the Prius having bells, whistles, strobe lights, noise makers, an ultra foul smell {for blind AND deaf folks} and a road thumping device tantamount to an earthquake) all pedestrians will hereby be granted a free crash helmut, a bubble suit with an equal amount of flashing/strobing/banging/shaking/stinking, so we can all be on par.

Didn't we beat this thing to death already, in the "bell the hybrid" thread?

 

The problem I keep encountering is that most people are on to themselves and don't pay any attention to what is around them regardless of whether I am driving a hybrid or one with a flow-master, .

 

Because the driver needs to be careful when reversing. It might also be very easy to accidentally select reverse when intending to select drive. Yep, even Prius people can do dumb things.

 

Actually it means there are about 170 vehicles (actually a smaller number since that list includes different 'trim levels' of the same model) that need to be tested at "far lower speeds" since they are already as quiet if not 3 dBA quieter than the Prius at full throttle. For example, luxury vehicles and those with the engines in the rear need similar testing at "far lower speeds." ... Right?

Bob Wilson

 

In short, "EVERYONE WHO IS NOT IN A CAR, GET THE HELL TO THE SIDE OF THE LANES IN THE PARKING LOTS AND TAKE SOME PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR GETTING OUT OF THE WAY AND NOT PUTTING YOURSELF IN HARMS WAY"!!!!

I AM TIRED OF CATTLE.........

To quote SlowTurd....

 

nothing would have changed. noise pollution, personal MP3, cellphones with games, music, RT's etc... all make us retreat into our own world.

add to that mix; young, bullet-proof and careless. i have seen people almost get hit by garbage trucks. ya know, the ones with hydraulics on them so fricking loud that only champion yodelers can out-decibel them.

its sad when you age and your vision starts to go. it makes you hesitant because your peripheral vision is gone. no longer can you glance to the side and be assured you are clear to go. now you must turn your head and suffer the wrath of the impatient 22 year old behind you cursing because you missed that sliver of an opening in traffic.

but it causes one to be more safe. they have the burden of a nearly full lifetime of close personal experiences with death, accidents and near-misses.

its a shame that we have become so time oriented here. we are the richest nation in the world, but only because we work significantly more hours than anyone else. and soon we wont be the richest and our work time will probably increase to boot

 

i suggested the theme from "Jaws" but it was rejected...

the "Darth Vader" theme was 2nd choice, also rejected

 

that's what the horn is for! Also I think you can get an add-on where the car will alert you for a potential impact/collision.

That's extra dough but maybe worth it!

 

I heard rumors a long time ago that they were going to ban hybrids somewhat, maybe not that harsh, but its because blind people might cross the street at the wrong time.

I think blind people rely on their stick and hearing of cars coming, I'm not exactly sure, but if they start to cross and a silent hybrid comes along, then they might end up getting hit.

Anyone else hear about this?

 

There are two bills in Congress:

• HR 5734
• S 841

They have this specific provision:

". . . and require that vehicles emit a minimum level of sound designed to alert all pedestrians, especially blind pedestrians, to the presence of such vehicles."​

I've been following this "Bell the Hybrid" activity and spoken in opposition since the first bill, HR 5734 died. These bill proscribe one remedy, "emit a minimum level of sound." But there is no evidence that this will address the 4,700 pedestrians deaths each year; no engineering study showing that "sound" is the most effective solution for pedestrian safety; nor traffic accident data showing that hybrids, the Prius in particular, posses a unique threat.

Every year, 4,700 pedestrians die from ordinary, sound emitting vehicles. Making a Prius as noisy as the existing vehicles only continues this carnage. Think about it, more people than died in 9/11; more than soldiers who died in Iraq; these numbers add up year after year.

There are pedestrian safety systems that do save lives and reduce injury such as the improved pedestrian crash features built in to the 2010 Prius and the limited number of accident avoidance systems. The pedestrian crash features included improved bumpers, hoods and front panels that convert fatal accidents into survivable injuries and hospitalization injuries into out-patient. They work at all speeds and for all vehicles and should be universal.

The accident avoidance systems were just coming out last year and they detect both pedestrian and all accidents and apply the brakes to avoid or minimize a collision. Applied to all vehicles, not just hybrids, we would see a reduction in both the 37,000 annual accident deaths for everyone.

Two of us, Dr. Christpher Hogan and I, have both look the number of Prius versus pedestrian fatal accidents and can not find evidence of a greater risk. I have only found 11, Prius-only pedestrian accidents from 2001 to 2007. The number of Prius-only pedestrian accidents follows the numbers sold and in service and the rate is nearly the same as today's 'sound' emitting cars. In short, we've looked but can not find a unique, Prius accident rate involving pedestrians.

This is of course just a summary but if you would like more details, including the backing data, I would recommend starting with:

http://www.regulations.gov/
search "NHTSA-2008-0108-0020" for opposition
search "NHTSA-2008-0108" for all submissions
​

Bob Wilson

 

I've had morons mindlessly walking in front of, or behind me, in parking lots, texting, or on the phone, or just clueless that there are vehicles present, even when I drove a loud, rumbly Camaro, so.. whatta you gonna do???

When I first heard my back-up beeper, I figured, "well, sure, that makes sense, possibly no engine noise, so it beeps to warn pedestrians", but later I realized it's not audible outside the vehicle! Huh?

Then I realized that, since you don't get a traditional "bump" when you put it in reverse, the beep assures the DRIVER he's in reverse.

I bet an outside beeper could be easily wired in to the existing beeper circuit. Or maybe a loudspeaker like the cops have...
"Ahem...excuse me, hope I'm not in your way, mind pulling your bicycle over a bit so cars can pass? ... Thanks!! Nice purple helmet and orange day-glow pants, by the way..."

 

There are two bills in Congress:

They have this specific provision: . . . and require that vehicles emit a minimum level of sound designed to alert all pedestrians, especially blind pedestrians, to the presence of such vehicles.



So now Congress wants to ADD noise pollution? C'mon! There are many non-hybrid cars on the road that are very quiet as they drive down the road. Virtual silence from the exhaust and engine. A typical auto driving into an intersection (at a pedestrian) is silent running - unless it's a semi or UPS truck. I don't believe any added sound to a vehicle would alert an absentmided pedestrian of an oncoming auto going 35MPH at them. Other than a horn.

How about Congress work on a Bill to emit a minimum level of sound as they spend a Billion dollars? Perhaps an air raid siren (remember them?) in every U.S. city every time that cash register rings. That may wake the public up a bit.

 

DeanFL,

Congress already has the "Bill to emit a minimum level of sound as they spend a Billion dollars?" They vote increases in their pay and bills to drain our wallet all the time and there is no Air Raid Siren going off as it really should!

 

It doesn't take a 2010 Prius for this to happen as it has happened to me several times. And I have a 2008 Prius. I think in general, the Prius is a quiet car when it runs and many people simply expect a car to make a certain noise. And the Prius simply doesn't make that kind of sound when it moves.. And the 2010 is of course, even more silent.

Steve

 

i can't wait to get my car.




do you think other pedestrians that see it will stay away?

 

Bicycles don't make and noise either and there are lots of them whizzing around on sidewalks and streets. I hope the government doesn't see fit to require people put baseball cards in their spokes!

A Corolla or Civic moving along at 5mph (with the fans off) hardly makes any noise either. People just need to pay attention when walking where cars drive! I can't count the number of times people have just been walking in the middle of parking lot lanes with me crawling behind them in my Mazda. Ugh!

 

Actually it isn't. Hobbit and others have noticed it makes more noise than the earlier models.

Bob Wilson

 

happens a lot to me in parking lots. People tent to walk thinking they will HEAR a car coming instead of checking... I donno... with their eyes

 

I think it's more that people tend to walk...forget the part about eyes or ears.

Tom

 

Parking lot wanderers are CATTLE..
Mooo....ve THE HELL TO THE SIDES OF THE LANES, you know, where those big shiney things are... they sorta act like a Fence.
Cows LOVE fences,
"Shag Your Bum Over To One Side Or The Other"!!!

Instead of noise we need "CowCatchers"