I was almost taken out today by an electric car. Was crossing the parking lot, minding my own business pushing the cart (buggy) back to the car after shopping. Went to cross the parking lane from one side to the other, a horn toots (yeah, typical small car horn) and zoom, the car whizzes around me making almost no sound. 

I guess it's partially my fault cause I didn't look behind me but I so used to hearing the engine noise that it didn't even cross my mind to look. It missed me by inches, I almost pissed my pants! A cell phone could have been involved also. So much for pedestrian right of way.

I can't imagine the fear this causes for the visually impaired. And now Harley has an electric cycle. There is no way I'd even consider owning one without it making noise. 

So if you own an e-car, turn up the music and roll down the windows.

(I'm off to check my shorts)

Darwinian selection continues.

I don't have the money for a Harley. But I want one of the ones that make noise. Not much of a speeding bike man. I want the wind in my helmet and the trottling around of a 2 weeled sofa.

(July 8, 2019 at 11:55 am)onlinebiker Wrote: Darwinian selection continues.

An idea - manufacturers need to develop a ultrasonic transponder - that could be standard frequency range (with differences) and amplitude ---- 

The blind could have a hearing aid that hears that ultrasonic transponder and drops it to an audio frequency that a blind user could hear. If done stereo - the user could learn to predict vehicle speed and direction by amplitude and the doppler shift.

Having slight differences in transponder freq would allow the user to hear more than one vehicle at a time.

All without adding to existing noise levels.

(July 8, 2019 at 11:50 am)wyzas Wrote: I was almost taken out today by an electric car. Was crossing the parking lot, minding my own business pushing the cart (buggy) back to the car after shopping. Went to cross the parking lane from one side to the other, a horn toots (yeah, typical small car horn) and zoom, the car whizzes around me making almost no sound. 

I guess it's partially my fault cause I didn't look behind me but I so used to hearing the engine noise that it didn't even cross my mind to look. It missed me by inches, I almost pissed my pants! A cell phone could have been involved also. So much for pedestrian right of way.

I can't imagine the fear this causes for the visually impaired. And now Harley has an electric cycle. There is no way I'd even consider owning one without it making noise. 

So if you own an e-car, turn up the music and roll down the windows.

(I'm off to check my shorts)

You need to watch where you are going. Bikes are also quiet and I cant count the number of times people have strode confidently into the road, then check the road and leap back as I bear down on them at speed.

Operating a vehicle takes both hearing and sight. Never just assume that no one is behind you just because you don't hear anything. It's nice when you can identify sounds to tell you a vehicle is coming, but don't rely only on hearing.

We have a Leaf, it's not exacty silent, but I do see the OP's poin. The motor makes a high pitched whine when accelerating, other than that it's just road noise and brake noise. Frankly though, in downtown bicyclists are a bigger problem for pedestrians. In 20 years of working downtown I have literally never seen a bicyclist following the rules of the road, particularly in sidewalks and intersections.

I fucking hate bicyclists. They make driving in Boston the biggest motherfucker ever.

(July 8, 2019 at 2:43 pm)Shell B Wrote: I fucking hate bicyclists. They make driving in Boston the biggest motherfucker ever.

You aren't looking at it right.

Do you think it would be better if they all drove Humvees?

Just think what the air would be like if they all left their bikes home and drove a big ol' honkin' SUV...

(July 8, 2019 at 2:43 pm)Shell B Wrote: I fucking hate bicyclists. They make driving in Boston the biggest motherfucker ever.

It’s the same in Wellington.

They have cycle lanes and the idiots stretch out in a line in front of your car at intersections.