"Bell the Hybrid Act" -- Lobby effort next week

Hi folks,

Sad to say but there will be a lobby effort next week, Feb 8-11, 2009 by the National Federation of the Blind. They are planning to train a bunch of citizens to visit every Congressional office, both House and Senate, to push for H.R. 734, the latest effort to put noise makers on our hybrids. This posting suggests what hybrid owners can do:

CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE

Start now with your local, Congressional offices, both House and Senate. If you can, visit these offices and talk face-to-face. Leave your materials and follow-up.

A phone call to the Washington Congressional office is good but be patient as they are likely to be pretty busy. Of course, follow-up with a letter and "Attention" the legislative affairs or person you spoke with. Remember postal mail is going to be 2-3 weeks late due to screening delays. FAX is likely to be better but it needs to be brief and to the point (as it joins a growing pile of competing FAXes.) Regardless, choose quality over quantity so take the time to do it right.

TALKING POINTS

Your arguments need to be from you're heart, so think about the issue before calling. The following are relevant to H.R. 734 (be sure to remember the bill) and these may help. This is what I'll be hitting on:

• Makes hybrids no safer than gas vehicles - gas vehicles already kill 4,700 pedestrians each year and this makes no change in this carnage. It is too narrowly focused on just one small class of vehicles. NOTE: Please look for Dr. Christopher Hogan's report of 2008 that analyzed the accident data.
• Prius have same pedestrian accident rate as gas cars - with eight years of Prius experience on USA roads and highways, they have the same pedestrian accident rate as the existing gas cars. This was found looking at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration fatality accident data.
• Five blind die per year from gas cars - in the first five years of available data, the Prius had not killed a blind pedestrian. The NHTSA has yet to report accident data showing a higher Prius pedestrian accident rate.
• Hybrid owners will have to pay - and they have not been included in H.R. 734. This exclusion ensures a poor outcome and leaves us no choice but to petition our Representative and Senators to stand in for us. Hybrid electric owners alone will have to pay for any solution and have a vested interest in an effective solution.
• Insurance industry not included - another party who has a vested interest in an effective solution, they have not been included in this bill.
• Medial profession not included - another approach is to make car-pedestrian accidents less lethal like they are doing in Europe. Air-bags for pedestrians are another approach that works for not only the blind but all pedestrians. This is what I mean by trying to save the 4,700 pedestrians, not just the 5 blind.
• Pedestrian avoidance technology is advancing - the SAAB pedestrian radar, Denso accident avoidance system and several wireless solutions have been demonstrated but are all but excluded in this legislation. Sound is not the only answer and already kills 4,700 pedestrians each year.
• Cars already have wireless built-in - about 80-90% of all cars have key fobs, just like the ones people carry in their pockets, and all hybrids. What is needed is a universal fob that works when attached to the shoes of children and the elderly, the most at risk pedestrians, as well as the blind. Similar to the "panic" button that flashes the lights and horn, the 'pedestrian' version sounds a muted horn when an risk pedestrians is in the area and active. This will protect all at risk pedestrians and sound the built-in noise maker, the horn, in a muted state as needed.

PRESS

There will be a spat of "pro-noise" news articles. Don't wait, call, post or otherwise contact the editor and cite the reporter and their story. Hit on 'facts and data' and don't be shy. Follow-up with a FAX and paper letter but use phone and e-mail to answer right away.

SOURCE MATERIAL

www.regulations.gov - search NHTSA-2008-0108-0020 opposition material. Have a copies and answer from the facts and data.
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Dr. Hogan's report was part of my submission as well as the "Chip" Chidester report by the NHTSA on backover accidents. The backover accidents occurred with the engine running, exhaust pipe often striking kids who were then run over and crushed, at least 25 deaths per year. Engine noise obviously failed those kids and their families.

BILL STATUS

Unlike last year, this bill has yet to be referred to a subcommittee of the "Committee on Energy and Commerce." Congress makes its own rules and it is possible they are planning to 'hold hearings' without our input, a Kangaroo Court. But that is what our Representatives are supposed to do.

A bill can not become law until a Senator introduces a similar measure. As of right now, I haven't seen anything in the Senate but that just means I haven't found it in my ordinary monitoring of Congress.

SUMMARY

Those who would "Bell the Hybrid" will get the first 'whack' and we have to play defense but don't be shy. This legislation has no supporting fatality accident data. It is our duty to call for science, empirical data, to evaluate the risk. It is also important to find of science and empirical methods to address all 4,700 pedestrian deaths, not just the blind. The safety of the blind and all pedestrians will be better covered by addressing every pedestrian's risk and we are already living with the results of sound.

Bob Wilson

 

Excellent!

I'll be doing mine probably on Monday with a face-to-face visit to each Congressional office. I'll be dropping off the cover letter and a full, printed data package. Most important of all, I want to talk with the local office rep to make sure they understand what is going on. <grins>

Bob Wilson