Quiet Hybrids Pose Safety Threat to Blind Pedestrians and Children |
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Newer hybrid cars are practically silent and dangerous to blind pedestrians, cyclists, pets, and others, who depend on sound to alert them to oncoming traffic.
The initial response from advocates for the blind has been to set minimum sound standards for new cars and trucks. Rather than increase sound levels in urban areas and elsewhere, it would be more desirable to find a way to alert those in danger without eliminating the benefit of quiet cars.
How might we protect people from the dangers of quiet cars without losing their quiet benefits?
The solution will have to satisfy advocates for the blind, cyclists, and children. Legislators will need a solution they can defend politically, ideally, one that does not cost a lot of money.
The story, Blind Pedestrians Say Quiet Hybrids Pose Safety Threat in the Wall Street Journal provides more background.
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Known Solutionsfor Quiet Hybrids Pose Safety Threat to Blind Pedestrians and Children |
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The automotive companies are developing a series of pedestrian protection packages to help prevent or reduce injuries in an accident with a person. This was developed out of europe and regulated becau...
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Although the technology has not yet been perfected, the solution is to have an automatic sound device go off, similar to motion sensor lighting, when people or animals are within a certain distance fr...
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Attach a micro chip to the cars so it activates a vibrating or noise device to a visually impaired or deaf person....
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Pink or white noise generated via a speaker within the grill of the electric or Hybrid car, the sound generated by white and pink noise is less obtrusive than an engine sound....
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Devices are arriving with echolocation built into eyeglasses, canes, etc. These could also be built into watches, briefcases, and the like. Blind pedestrians would be advised to use them in big cities...
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Some pavement surfaces make sound, some even pleasant or at least not unpleasant. Consider available surfaces and choose the least expensive that produces the most distinct and not unpleasant sound. M...
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Innovative Solutionsfor Quiet Hybrids Pose Safety Threat to Blind Pedestrians and Children |
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Create an after market attachment to the rims of cars. At a slow speed items rattle a recognizable pattern and pitch letting you know where they are and how fast they are moving, (percussion type). Al...
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Vehicles should generate an inaudible ultrasonic sound (at a prearranged unique frequency above 20khz) and blind people should wear a simple ear device that resonates at the same frequency.
(thanks t...
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Volvo has been developing and is currently introducing a Collision Avoidance Technology, which automatically stops a car when a pedestrian comes into its path and the car is operating within a certain...
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For blind people who own guide dogs, a solution is currently being worked out. In some cities, guide dogs have already been taught to sense danger coming from hybrid cars.
Guide dogs normally wi...
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Why not let drivers personalize the sound of their cars? Like a ringtone for wheels. Maybe there could be an MP3 player that generates a speaker on the exterior of the car that emits one of a wide ran...
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Cars emit an ultramild electric field that can be sensed but does not shock. Or the field causes sensors at intersections to announce the presence of a moving vehicle with a sound that increases with ...
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Make the ambient noise less. Hybrids aren't completely silent, just quieter than everyone else. So it would be like an arms race, only for the quietest car.
Then you set a fine and issue tickets fo...
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Commentson Quiet Hybrids Pose Safety Threat to Blind Pedestrians and Children |
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Living in Holland, I have daily encounters with vehicles participating in traffic and which make no engine noise... These are called bikes. Strangely enough, people riding bikes do not hit children an...
- Marcelo Ackermann
Recent news suggest, if only weakly, that traffic noise might be harmful to our health. See "<a target="_blank" href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090202135936.htm">Road Traffic Noise ...
- Peter Lloyd
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