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140 Comments
- gronne, on 10/12/2007, -2/+46I don't know about you but I was taught "look both ways before crossing" not "if the car sounds far away it's okay to blindly walk into an intersection". I don't think we should stifle our progress to save the people whose gene-pool seems to be being singled out by evolution anyway. If it wasn't a Prius, they'd kill themselves with a vending machine, falling piano or something like that.
- andrebsd, on 10/12/2007, -1/+39Around here in Los Angeles they don't seem to listen or look. They just cross; so it really won't make any difference if they can hear your engine or not... They can still hear the horn, and thats all what counts.
- st3v, on 10/12/2007, -1/+30Yes, I'd like to purchase a Ford Focus with the optional Ferrari engine noise package.
- IphtashuFitz, on 10/12/2007, -1/+19Horns don't necessarially help, at least around here in Boston. So many pedestrians are engrossed listening to their iPods, cell phones, etc. that they tune out horns, etc. and simply ignore blaring horns.
Reminds me of a video I saw of two people walking across the train tracks at a station. A train was stopped on the near tracks but the gates were down & lights were flashing. The video showed people still running across. The last two on the video were a man and a woman. The man happened to look around the stopped train and pulled back quickly enough to avoid the oncoming train on the other track. The other woman never even bothered to look. The video ended before you saw the inevitable result.
If pedestrians are that self-absorbed then frankly they deserve what they ultimitely get... - recursive, on 10/12/2007, -3/+20Deaf people relying on sound? I think I see the problem...
- swax, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15good riddance to street noise
- aximilation, on 10/12/2007, -4/+16There's the Darwin effect right there...
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+12The owner of said car ought to know it is made by Toyota!
- youareretarded, on 10/12/2007, -1/+12The way I look at it, if someone gets hit crossing the street because they didn't bother looking both ways, it's just Darwinism as work:D
- shinynew, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8GASP! cars are visible?
the only people this SHOULD effect are bilind people. Deaf people, this is your time to shine, you will know if a car is comeing if its hybrid or not. - efisher, on 10/12/2007, -3/+11Natural selection is very unforgiving. Survival of the fittest. The universe is secretly laughing behind your back as you are crushed by a hybrid.
- xutopia, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9Use your eyes!!! Sound polution is bad.
- Daveed, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9I hate the idea of synthesized engine noise. Eventually everyone will know that cars are silent (as hybrids/electrics grow in popularity) and those who are sacrificed in attainment of that end, well, sorry, should've looked! :)
We currently erect barriers on highways to mitigate engine noise, and real estate near highways is devalued. Silent traffic will be welcomed by many; artificial engine noise won't catch on. - zimm, on 10/12/2007, -8/+15sounds good to me.... i hate pedestrians.
- seamusx, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6I don't get it. As a pedestrian, I avoid cars by SIGHT. Sound only comes into play if you are talking about HORNS. So do hybrids have silent horns?
- zodiacal, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6i hate when an old noisy clunker drives up my street. quieter cars are progress. look both ways or evolution will get the best of you.
- subject117, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7I don't agree with this. I know that I look when I hear a vehicle coming, but if I was going to walk across a street, I would definately look regardless if I heard a car or not.
- dootisterhans, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6You have to put a card in your spokes
- thenativeraver, on 10/12/2007, -3/+9pitiful humans
- recursive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6>We have become conditioned to assuming we will be able to hear engine sound if a car is coming therefore only listening when we should look.
Then you can also become conditioned to assume that you should look before stepping into the street. - Godric, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7I remember when Ford was testing their electric cars in the 1990s, they had a little button on the dash that would start up a noise-maker that sounded like a gas engine. If you were driving in a commercial or residential area, you would turn it on for the safety of pedestrians. If you were on the highway, you would turn it off to drive in complete silence.
No reason why hybrid companies can't make a synthesized noise or even offer up a selection for you to use. - CodeTrap, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5It's odd that I see this today, as I was talking with the blind guy on my bus yesterday about crossing the street, and the topic of hybrids came up.
His take on it is that his guide dog is pretty good for crossing controlled interesections, but at uncontrolled ones he realizes that he's taking his life (and his dogs) in his own hands as he crosses the street. He also stated that his saving grace was he could hear the cars approaching.
With the advent of these highly silent vehicles will definately cause him problems as he may not be able to hear them over the general din of the city. He's not too impressed by that, as it will increase his dependence on passerby's and general kindness, of which there is an extreme shortage. - cybernetic798, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Where I am (Berkeley, CA) the local public transport, AC Transit, has been testing three fuel cell buses on a few of the more frequently used lines. They are so very quiet and smooth that I almost want to say it is sexy haha.
- syntheticfth, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5``I had to jump out of the way of a hybrid, which suddenly, and completely silently, moved toward me,'' he said. ``The car was a brand new Prius, which I remember because it was still very shiny.''
Shouldn't the "moved toward" you part have been enough? It's like people complaining about getting bitten by sharks because the Jaws theme isn't playing. - shakin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4I think all hybrids should make the sound that the Jetsons' car makes. Problem solved and hybrid owners would gain in coolness by a factor of ten.
- lalindsey, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Hah, in New York they neither look or listen. And even if they see you coming they will walk right out in front of you - so what does the noise level matter!
I don't think the car should be blamed for pedestrians inability to look where they are going. Plus how many people walk with headphones on?? Should we now blame iPods and other mp3 devices for people getting hit by cars because they couldn't hear them?? - Bytor, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4This is stupid and only matters when cars are moving very slowly. Listen to cars the next time you are out for a walk. You seldom hear the engine noise on a car coming towards you. It is wind and tire noise that you notice. It is only after being passed that you hear engine noise. Exceptions for hard accelleration or noisy cars.
- lukas88, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I'm a pedestrian, but I'll admit I'm an *****. Usually it is just around my school where I feel like the student should have the right of way. I'm the kind that walks out and puts a hand up to oncoming traffic. I get honked at, I get yelled at, I get shown various different gestures, I just keep walking and remind myself that I deserve it.
- xLiKx, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5great, i guess race cars in the future won't be revving engines to show off power ;)
- bacon_skoda, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5unless you are blind.
- JohnnySoftware, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3This is true. I had a guy walk right out in front of me in a parking lot one night. I was driving my hybrid.
At least I was paying attention. I hit the brakes instantly - and he heard the brakes, I guess. He stopped, standing in front of me. About the first thing out of his mouth was, "I didn't hear you". I thought it was weird because they teach you in grade school: stop, look, listen, when crossing a street.
If only we all knew everything we learned when we were in grade school. Time to unbreak bad habits; quiet cars are here to stay.
He thought my car was cool, though. We chatted about it for a minute before we both had to get on with where we were going. - BigJuiceMan, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Bwahahaha!
- chicken101, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3It's common sense to look both ways before crossing a street. The funniest thing is, you might be suprised to find that you cannot hear an oncoming train, even if it is only a few hundred feet away.
People ignore the warning light/sound for a railway crossing- so I wouldn't expect some people to look both ways before crossing the street. It's amazing to me that people can be so dumb; therefore, if hybrid cars make less noise than regular gas/deisel ones, it doesn't make much of a difference.
If you're too stupid to practice simple, easy safety procedures then I have no pity for you when you get hit by a car. - praxcelis, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3"Any motorist driving along a country road at night must stop every mile and send up a rocket signal, wait 10 minutes for the road to be cleared of livestock, and continue."
This was the law in Pennsylvania in the early 1900s. I imagine the furor over hybrid engine noise (or the lack of it) will appear equally silly in the future.
And yes, I drive a hybrid, and I have startled pedestrians when pulling out of parking garages in downtown Seattle. My take on this: it's the responsibility of both the driver AND the pedestrian. Both parties should be aware enough of their surroundings to make these incidents the avoidable occurrences they are. And a reminder: hybrids only rely on electric-only power at very low speeds (25 mph or so). At that low rate of speed you shouldn't be caught by surprise very often, or you should reevaluate your ability to focus on your driving. - LeFrenzy, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5Do hybrid owners have no stereos or something?
I always play my techno loud. I'll do the same thing whenever I get a hybrid, so dance your way out before I run you over. - bacon_skoda, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3so those giant exaust people put on are actually safety devices for pedestrians...
riiiiight - MoonDogAFO, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I actually own a Prius, and I have surprised a number of pedestrians - both young and old - because the damn thing is so quiet and they aren't paying attention. The look on their faces is quite funny actually, because it goes from pissed off to embarrassed.
Some of the onus needs to be on these people. I can only do so much, and if someone steps off a curb because they are talking on their cell or fiddling with their iPod - too bad for them. - Massif, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I can't wait until all cars are whisper quiet. Then maybe I won't have to crank up the volume on my mp3 player.
- Eccles, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Coincidentally, Miss Deaf Texas died (yesterday?) from being hit by a train.
- vxbrown, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3This is about the stupidest.... The Tires hitting the pavement is what makes 95% of the noise you hear when a car is in motion. You dont hear the engines on cars unless it is a performance engine. The majority of car engines are silent. Cant tell you how many times I have stood right next to a running car without realizing it was running.
- cheztir, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3This all makes me glad I'm getting a Prius. Teach those annoying kids down my street a lesson about riding their bikes in the middle of the street. Also, anybody know where to find a type of steel bar protection for the Prius, similiar to that of what is on some F-150s?
- agarc, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Well, pedestrians should watch where they're walking. They should look both ways. BUT, the driver should especially be paying attention. SLOW DOWN in parking lots. GET OFF THE PHONE while maneuvering a driveway/parking lot/city street. Don't backup out of your driveway too fast, and WATCH WHAT YOU'RE DOING!
It's unbelievable (well, not really) how fast people drive in parking lots. It's so dangerous; regardless of whether it's a Japanese hybrid or a Ford F350.
So before bringing attention to the Hybrid and how "dangerously quiet" they are, people should learn to slow down in pedestrian areas and watch what they're doing. - maskedm564, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2“Pedestrians have the right of way”. That’s all well and dandy. But the problem is that people take way to much advantage of that right. Walking out in front of a moving car is just plain stupid no matter how much of a right a way you have!
You can’t just go on the assumption that the car will stop! The right should be re-written to say like “It’s the responsibility of both pedestrian and driver to keep each other safe”. If you see a moving car, don’t walk! If you’re driving and see a walking pedestrian, don’t keep going! That way everybody is happy! - Dycacian, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Beep Beep Beep Beep.
Works for golf carts. - rderveloy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2One more reason to always look both ways crossing the street. I guess people forget the things their parents teach them.
Besides, you should still hear noise from the tires rolling on the pavement at speed. - malliemcg, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I fail to see the issue here.
Awareness is the key here both for drivers and pedestrians. Besides now days most people seem to have headphones on and dont hear even diesel engined cars. Good riddance to them I say!
M - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Don't be so sure. Hydrogen combustion cars will still be plenty loud. http://digg.com/technology/BMW_to_sell_hydrogen-burning_car_in_two_years
- Tobey, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Oh my god, they killed Jason!
You bastards! - bluefire0728, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2A lot of the blame definitely rests with pedestrians. They never look when crossing streets or parking lots. Hell, that even describes me sometimes, especially on a busy campus like at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. A lot of kids automatically assume you will stop for them as they cross the street.
But also there are a lot of cars that don't stop fully at stop signs/intersections/cross walks... or don't even stop at all.
People, in general, need to learn to LOOK before moving. -
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