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Silent, Yes — But Deadly?

MSN autos -- Hybrids and electric cars are increasingly being called silent road hazards. So what should they sound like?

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Submitted Mar 13, 2010 By: Kamakani

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granitestater Champion Author New Hampshire Posts:6,309 Points:1,017,395 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Mar 14, 2010 8:36:55 PM Ignore granitestater Report Abuse I'm for one of those whistles used for deer. Except low pitch for people.
chemist74 Champion Author Cleveland Posts:12,371 Points:2,175,290 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: Mar 14, 2010 9:35:15 AM Ignore chemist74 Report Abuse The pedestrians and cyclists don't have a legitimate argument since they should be watching where they are going when they are in the street. Only the blind have a legitimate concern. If a noise is added for the blind, what do we do for someone who is blind and hard of hearing? There is a limit to how much we should change things to aid the handicapped.
Bussman Champion Author Dallas Posts:3,857 Points:990,605 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Mar 14, 2010 6:25:07 AM Ignore Bussman Report Abuse MikLamb, you've got my vote for the comment of the day. I'm laughing my head off.
Amplion Champion Author Oregon Posts:4,227 Points:1,396,260 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Mar 14, 2010 1:38:52 AM Ignore Amplion Report Abuse If you have a teenager in the car, you should be able to hear the radio !!!!
MikLamb Champion Author Texas Posts:5,633 Points:1,710,070 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 9:27:20 PM Ignore MikLamb Report Abuse Just put cards in their spokes.
kkimes All-Star Author Illinois Posts:680 Points:1,091,530 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 9:05:44 PM Ignore kkimes Report Abuse "To the person that said "just open your eyes", the danger is for blind people. They can't hear them coming." Blind people definitely should not be walking down the middle of the road. Even with a Harley coming, I doubt if they would know which way to run. Probably run right in front of a regular gasoline engine car that didn't make enough noise.
CiVX Champion Author Oakland Posts:5,702 Points:1,011,750 Joined:Feb 2009	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 8:35:31 PM Ignore CiVX Report Abuse Like a symphony!
alterman156 Champion Author New York Posts:5,080 Points:1,089,025 Joined:Dec 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 6:59:35 PM Ignore alterman156 Report Abuse I can hear a Toyota hybrid coming quite easily. They produce a distinct whir though not all that loud. [Edited by: alterman156 at 3/13/2010 10:59:54 PM EST]
FuelOilOH Champion Author Cleveland Posts:2,338 Points:944,805 Joined:Oct 2007	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 5:12:44 PM Ignore FuelOilOH Report Abuse If they force automakers to add sound affects so others can "hear" them coming I hope they isolate the sound from the driver.
OHMS Champion Author Orange County Posts:10,790 Points:1,248,695 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 4:57:27 PM Ignore OHMS Report Abuse rocks in the hubcaps by the GM assembliers who put coke bottles in the GM frames. can you hear me now??
SpaceAce5 Veteran Author South Dakota Posts:300 Points:68,195 Joined:Feb 2010	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 4:54:59 PM Ignore SpaceAce5 Report Abuse ooohh, i just had a silent but deadly. lol
ops3 Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:1,229 Points:737,025 Joined:Dec 2007	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 3:54:17 PM Ignore ops3 Report Abuse This is just more Chicken Little BS by writers who need to get out in the real world and get a real job. If you are walking in a silent area and you are blind and need to hear a car, the tires of today will make sufficient noise to warn you!
FastAndy Champion Author Indianapolis Posts:4,405 Points:1,575,705 Joined:Jun 2007	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 3:01:23 PM Ignore FastAndy Report Abuse Sounds like they just want to add to cities noise pollution.
PetroPedro All-Star Author Florida Posts:753 Points:163,590 Joined:May 2007	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 1:27:25 PM Ignore PetroPedro Report Abuse KABOOOM
CarrottopNe Champion Author Lincoln Posts:1,025 Points:368,415 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 1:03:50 PM Ignore CarrottopNe Report Abuse Silence is a problem? When was the last time you avoided an accident by hearing? Unless you're walking in the street and not paying any attention and the driver of the silent car doesn't see you, then I can see where silence is a problem.
LanguageMan1 Champion Author Tampa Posts:9,135 Points:1,196,185 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 12:41:08 PM Ignore LanguageMan1 Report Abuse Silent and Deadly? YES! Especially at night! But they're not deadly to everyone or everything!
janctx Champion Author Lubbock Posts:2,715 Points:882,880 Joined:Nov 2007	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 12:12:29 PM Ignore janctx Report Abuse whats wrong with eyes? well for starters if they dont turn on their lights at night and I have seen lots forget to put them on, one Might not be able to SEE them until to late
jaxtrax Champion Author Toronto Posts:1,862 Points:563,025 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 12:09:02 PM Ignore jaxtrax Report Abuse Mstearno -- the blind don't see.
Z51Corvette Champion Author Austin Posts:6,151 Points:1,223,565 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 12:07:59 PM Ignore Z51Corvette Report Abuse Adding noise to a "Silent Vehicl" isn't truly "Adding Noise" to the overall equation. Any NOISE ADDED is likely less than what an actual INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE would produce. So you are STILL reducing NOISE. NOISELESS Vheicles are DANGEROUS, because our SENSES were designed to respond to DANGER. There are many kind of noises. Some are good and some are bad, hearing a vehicle is a GOOD noise.
afghaned Champion Author Hamilton Posts:8,492 Points:819,875 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:46:46 AM Ignore afghaned Report Abuse Some have said they will add a sound so people will hear the vehicles coming. Interesting how we reduce one type of pollution but increase another that was naturally reduced.
Wizrd03 Champion Author Illinois Posts:5,771 Points:1,165,110 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:45:33 AM Ignore Wizrd03 Report Abuse LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES! Open header Harley would work
PathfinderSC Champion Author South Carolina Posts:7,160 Points:1,364,905 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:42:51 AM Ignore PathfinderSC Report Abuse Sound should be no problem to add.
mstearno Champion Author Dayton Posts:5,862 Points:1,285,210 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:37:58 AM Ignore mstearno Report Abuse We have eyes USE THEM
outlaw329 Champion Author Austin Posts:5,279 Points:931,320 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:36:20 AM Ignore outlaw329 Report Abuse Maybe add sn exhaust like on my Harley and then everyone will know they are around.
saleboss Champion Author Phoenix Posts:2,852 Points:963,585 Joined:Feb 2006	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:35:28 AM Ignore saleboss Report Abuse I like the idea of giving hybrids/EVs an alarm! You can't get out of the way, if you can't hear them coming!
ljmatney Champion Author Wichita Posts:4,024 Points:565,120 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:34:18 AM Ignore ljmatney Report Abuse To the person that said "just open your eyes", the danger is for blind people. They can't hear them coming.
fullauto Champion Author Reading Posts:3,302 Points:1,065,500 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:33:33 AM Ignore fullauto Report Abuse silent but deadly? methane comes to mind, and all that produce it.
DarthDadJr Champion Author Virginia Posts:5,524 Points:1,119,210 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:33:31 AM Ignore DarthDadJr Report Abuse There was an article about this a while back in the Washington Post...people are too use to "hearing" the cars coming and not watching...we grownups need to learn that we REALLY need to look before crossing the road, like teach our children.
Jeff1944 Champion Author South Dakota Posts:3,082 Points:676,835 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:30:36 AM Ignore Jeff1944 Report Abuse Gee, will someone want to reintroduce cow bells for cars?
diatzikis All-Star Author Raleigh Posts:947 Points:289,510 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:29:52 AM Ignore diatzikis Report Abuse Just open your eyes.
spunky4443 Champion Author Washington Posts:4,756 Points:1,215,915 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:28:51 AM Ignore spunky4443 Report Abuse The only ones that are Deadly now is Toyota.
MS_steve Champion Author Mississippi Posts:2,242 Points:924,635 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:27:17 AM Ignore MS_steve Report Abuse I suggest they make them sound like a couple of baseball cards flapping in the spokes of a bicycle... I thought that sounded pretty cool when I was 8.
DooDaa Champion Author Massachusetts Posts:4,585 Points:1,029,220 Joined:Dec 2004	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:22:17 AM Ignore DooDaa Report Abuse can you hear it coming..
ChuckGVT Champion Author Vermont Posts:4,363 Points:1,225,945 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:20:23 AM Ignore ChuckGVT Report Abuse They sound like someone passing gas.