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[BazaJT]

It would seem these are now being targeted by safety campaigners for their lack of noise at low speeds[20mph was a figure I saw quoted]which pedestrians/cyclists have difficulty hearing especially when they're wearing headphones.The partially sighted/blind are also at risk here.So they're saying all new electric cars/hybrids must emit some kind of noise at low speeds and that such a device has to be retro fitted to all such vehicles already in use by 2021.Who's going to foot the bill for the retro fit?Will manufacturers be forced to do this for free or will they wash their hands of it and say the owners must pay?

[Bigron]

I've heard that ridiculous complaint before. We want less noise in our environment, not more.
Cyclists make very little noise and are a much bigger threat, especially when they ride, illegally, on the pavement. The blind won't here them, except for when the guide dogs yelps!

Ron.

[Nick W]

I've heard that ridiculous complaint before. We want less noise in our environment, not more.
Cyclists make very little noise and are a much bigger threat, especially when they ride, illegally, on the pavement. The blind won't here them, except for when the guide dogs yelps!

Ron.

Noise is a waste emission from I/C engines. It's also one of the easier ones to reduce. Whilst electric/hybrid cars have all sorts of problems, their reduced noise levels should be promoted.


Anyone run over by a quiet vehicle because they relied solely on their hearing is another offering to Darwinism. Who else remembers being taught to cross the road with the Stop, look and listen slogan?

[Bigron]

Agreed again, Nick, with the proviso that the blind cannot look. Their guide dogs won't let them cross, though, if it isn't safe to do so. My neighbour is blind, and what gives him and the dog most grief are the cyclists on the pavement, as I said earlier. That particular issue is also easy to solve if plod took the menace seriously.

Ron.

[Nick W]

Agreed again, Nick, with the proviso that the blind cannot look. Their guide dogs won't let them cross, though, if it isn't safe to do so. My neighbour is blind, and what gives him and the dog most grief are the cyclists on the pavement, as I said earlier. That particular issue is also easy to solve if plod took the menace seriously.

Ron.

I don't intend to be unempathetic, but a quick look at some figures shows that there are about 360,000 blind or partially sighted(NHS number) in the UK population of 65million. That's about 0.5%, which is statistically insignificant. I strongly suspect that most of them have bigger issues than whether they can hear a vehicle coming. Those that aren't a complete waste of skin will have ways of dealing with what is a real problem to them. The rest of us have more relevant and/or important issues to concentrate on.

[Bigron]

Those figures don't reflect life as it is for those affected. My blind neighbour has just retired from a job in the City (London, of course) when he travelled every day from Witham to Southend, including one change of train at Shenfield and I never heard him complain. - except about the aforementioned cyclist who, as a rule, showed no respect or consideration for his condition.
Compassion costs nothing, Nick.

Ron.

[Nick W]

Those figures don't reflect life as it is for those affected. My blind neighbour has just retired from a job in the City (London, of course) when he travelled every day from Witham to Southend, including one change of train at Shenfield and I never heard him complain. - except about the aforementioned cyclist who, as a rule, showed no respect or consideration for his condition.
Compassion costs nothing, Nick.

You're right, and I deliberated over writing unempathetic. But those figures mean that we should concentrate on specific cases, rather than a fudged 'solution' that is bad for everybody. An elected government is supposed to be a disinterested body that will make decisions in the majority's best interests.

I can't think of a better way of expressing any of this, so I'm going to quit digging.

[Bigron]

I understand, Nick, and perhaps I am too close to a specific aspect due to the fortitude with which my neighbour coped with his handicap; I've got a lot of time for him. He also has a handicapped wife, severe weight and mobility problems to the extent that last year she was in hospital for 4 months as they attempted, with intensive physiotherapy, to get her to stand up He visited her every weekday during that time. I took him and his dog on each occasion - he had no other way to get there on such a regular basis. With my Omega's drink problem, it wasn't cheap! Of course I didn't charge him, he has problems enough as it is and I am sure that I would not be able to cope with half of them..

Ron.

[Keith ABS]

 Back to the origional subject, I was unloading at the local tip.
A Prius had drawn up to the back of my car, silently, and I nearly fell over the bonnet as I had not heard it and he was that close as well. Could not close my tailgate he was that close.
Words spoken to the pompas ar$e

Keith ABS

[Bigron]

Keith, it wasn't how quiet the Prius was, but how bloody close he came to you.
I imagine your words of wisdom sent him running to Marks & Spencer's, though! 

Ron.

[Kevin Wood]

Back to the origional subject, I was unloading at the local tip.
A Prius had drawn up to the back of my car, silently, and I nearly fell over the bonnet as I had not heard it and he was that close as well. Could not close my tailgate he was that close.
Words spoken to the pompas ar$e

Keith ABS

What a coincidence!

[Viral_Jim]

Having been out a time or two in one of my team’s i3, “sneaking up” behind d!ckhead pedestrians who walk down the middle of the roads in car parks and blasting the horn is most satisfying 

[Sir Tigger KC]

Having been out a time or two in one of my team’s i3, “sneaking up” behind d!ckhead pedestrians who walk down the middle of the roads in car parks and blasting the horn is most satisfying 

 

[Andy B]

The Metrolink in & around Manchester used to be silent in slow speed city mode. After a few incidents with pedestrians that had been injured due to not hearing the trams, the trams now make a noise.

[TheBoy]

The Metrolink in & around Manchester used to be silent in slow speed city mode. After a few incidents with pedestrians that had been injured due to not hearing the trams, the trams now make a noise.

I feel we shouldn't have to legislate in order to accommodate stupid people.  In fact, quite the opposite, in order to improve the gene pool.


Living where I do, in a quiet, sleepy town, I've got used to peace and quiet, and I think we should artificially increase noise levels unnecessarily.