I trust we have reached the end of this discussion. IMHO, we cannot simply ignore advocacy groups, but must strive to find a solution that we agree with. It's not just the blind, but also the deaf. Unfortunately, some of the deaf are walking and talking on their cellphones. Here at Florida Tech, I occasionally see a student walking across a crosswalk on a busy street while ignoring oncoming traffic. They have no awareness of traffic as they are overconfident that cars will always stop for them. Some have been hit, but rarely. So the deaf won't be helped by a sound alert. Strobe lights manually enabled? Likely illegal now. It's really the driver's responsibility to avoid the accident (though in the cellphone talker's case, I'd call it a "negligent"). I was truly impressed when I heard Charles Whalen's EV backing across the lawn grass here on campus -- I could hear the grass crushing, but there was no sound from the car. Frank
_____ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Glenn Kellis Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2008 8:18 PM To: FLEAA Mailing List Subject: Re: [FLEAA] Blind advocates lobby for noisier hybrid cars Thank you Hugh, This is just what I was thinking when I first heard this absurd argument a few months ago. The best thing we can do is ignore it and not dignify it with another word. As the saying goes, "never argue with a crazy person, people might not know the difference" Best regards, Glenn Hugh E Webber wrote: This is another last-gasp attempt to stop EVs, IMHO; I've seen dozens of even more shaky (and outright bogus) objections to HEVs, EVs and anything that threatens Big Auto or Oil. I drive a bicycle and a pedalcab. If autos should be required to be noisy enough to alert the blind, then States could require bicycles, pedicabs, scooters, skaters, skateboarders and pedalcabs to make noise, and bell all pedestrians. Oh yeah: hydrants, parking meters, utility poles, trafic light signal boxes and traffic signs should sound off constantly, for fear that someone might walk into them. Seriously, people, where do we stop protecting people who are at increased risk because they're out on the street blind, deaf, color-blind or drunk? I smoke cigarettes, and pedalcab passersby continually warn me that I'm gonna die from it. I point to the SUVs in the street in front of me, some driven by drunks, and point out that THAT's what's far more likely to kill me (and not slowly, either!) The signal-to-noise ratio is quite low on this particular trumped-up obstacle to ZEVs. Breathe free, Hugh E Webber Florida Chapter, Electric Auto Association http://www.floridaeaa.org www.eaaev.org Earth Shuttle Pedalcab www.pedalcab.us Please note: message attached _____ Hi Everyone, I have heard this argument brought up a few times over the last year, and have been hearing it made more and more over the last couple of months. It seems the 'advocates' are making great headway with the media and getting great attention. While I agree that some hybrids and EV's are hard to hear, I think mandating that cars produce noise is not the right answer. What do you guys think? I personally enjoy the silence of driving an EV around. The driver should be responsible enough to observe his/her surroundings while driving. http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9874568-7.html?tag=nefd.pulse Shawn _____ _______________________________________________ Florida EAA mailing list listserv@floridaeaa.org http://www.floridaeaa.org
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