Hybrid Car Feedback. Senior Design Project Help.

As I posted over at GreenHybrid.com, I'm a principle on this issue.

Quote:
Originally Posted by wocman
. . .
How is the driving experience like?
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Wonderful! The lack of noise and vibration means I have the comfort of a larger, more expensive vehicle, with fuel efficiency that can not be equaled by most gasoline vehicles. I typically can drive 700+ miles in one day and arrive tired but not 'beat up.' Long distance driving is no longer exhausting.

Quote:
Originally Posted by wocman
. . . Do you have problems with pedestrians/bicyclists not noticing your vehicle approaching?
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Pedestrians - no more than normal. If their heads are looking around, just as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration advocates in their safety literature, there is no problem. The only problem areas are in parking lots where too many pedestrians often have iPods and cell phones or a distracting crowd of small children needing attention.

Bicyclists are traveling too fast to hear anything. You might try riding one with a helmet. You'll soon discover that at speeds needed to keep the bike upright and stable there is enough 'wind noise' around your ears that only the loudest vehicles can be heard and only when you are already close. To ride a bicycle, you MUST use your eyes and know that you are INVISIBLE.

Quote:
Originally Posted by wocman
. . . Why do you think so? Where does this happen?
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I drive a hybrid and I know it is NOT SO! It does not happen and we have the accident data shows this is the case:

• Prius has the same fatal accident rate as other vehicles (Christopher Hogan report)
• NHTSA does not consider hybrid-pedestrian accident fatalities to be worthy of looking at because the speeds are unlikely to cause a fatality (Freedom of Information Act meeting September 24.)

In June 23, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration held a meeting in Washington DC to discuss this nonsense. The public record is available:

www.regulations.gov - search NHTSA-2008-0108-0020
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Although denied a place in the program, I attended the hearing and like any member of the public, made my critical comments in the transcript:

www.regulations.gov - search NHTSA-2008-0108-0023
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You can read the full record by searching for NHTSA-2008-0108 from that web site. Now for some more recent facts and data.

In 2008, the California legislature passed SB 1174, an exact copy of the pending legislation in the US House of Representatives, HR 5734. On September 30, the Governor vetoed this legislation. Please use Google to read his exact message (you will need it for your footnote and bibliography.)

The House bill HR 5734, we call "Bell the Hybrid," never had a Senate equivalent. With Congress out on recess until after the November election, this bill will die with this Congress unless something remarkable happens. However, I've done a lot of grassroots organizing to make sure this legislation dies with this congress and have plans to nail the coffin lid after the November election.

I am one of the principle opponents of this legislation. Please check your instructor to find out if you can interview a principle and then get back with me. Send me a PM and we can coordinate an interview phone call. Note, I ask that you read the Dr. Christopher Hogan and the Augustus Chidester reports. To maximize the value of a phone interview, read all of the materials from the June 23 hearing.

You have a chance of getting an "A" on this paper because I am one of the principles. You may have to ask your instructor for some relief on the page or word count limit. I doubt if you can fully cover it in less than 1,000 words. Heck, I've probably written nearly 250 words in just this reply.

Bob Wilson

ps. What school is associated with the "Nevada Power Company?" We normally find students use a .edu domain.

 

We like our Prius a lot. It's quiet a different driving experience. I have never had an issue with pedestrians or bicyclists not noticing my car.

 

How is the driving experience like?

Same as any other high end economy car.

Do you have problems with pedestrians/bicyclists not noticing your vehicle approaching?

No.