Government Is Considering Artificial Noise Generators

[johalareewi]

Hybrids could be made noisier.

Article in DM today...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2038944/Pump-volume-drivers-told-soundless-car-engines-pose-danger-cyclists-pedestrians.html

[capnbirdseye]

More Eurotripe to be forced on us, mind you it was the daily fail reporting it.

Perhaps they think hybrids hover off the ground & make no tyre noise?

[Jan&tone]

More Eurotripe to be forced on us, mind you it was the daily fail reporting it.

Perhaps they think hybrids hover off the ground & make no tyre noise?

In a noisy carpark at 5mph, the Prius and Auris HSD are absolutely silent.

I had the gen2 for 2 years and my Gen3 for a year and I have yet to decide whether to give a little toot and cause a heart attack (not easy with the rather nice hooter we have on the Prius) or just sit behind the little old lady and wait for her to hobble to her car :)

I wouldn't poo-poo a noise maker as long as it was on a switchand not compulsory.

HOWEVER.... I do object to being forced to have an artificial noise maker by US (not EU this time) idiots who haven't learnt the green cross code!

Owning a Prius for, now three years, has taught me again to look before stepping out into the road instead of just listening like most of us do!

[Chris Dance]

If folk did not wander around with ear pieces in listening to RAP or (crap) perhaps they would be more aware on what is going on around them. The sooner we get out of the EU the better as far as I am concerned.

[Doesn'tExist]

Oh dear what a lot of rubbish. I was taught by my parents not to walk on the road and look before I crossed.

And what about other cars, our old murano was just as silent as was my v12 BMW.

[capnbirdseye]

If you move down the link page to the comments someone has put -

Quote: Why not just take a couple of baffles out of the silencer? They'll hear you coming then!

This technique has been used by motorcyclists for years, so we know it works! : end Quote

LOL, that works really well on electric vehicles

Forget electric silent cars, it's cycles hurtling through public parks & shopping centres that are a big menace, if you suddenly step sidewards you could end up getting severely injured as they hurtle into you, saw this happen recently & it wasn't a youngster with the bike either, a 25 year old man, the victim ended up in an ambulance

[Peter Sale]

I have found mobility scooters an even bigger menace than cycles !.

If the hybrids are going to have noise generators then I suggest that these scooters are speed limited in pedestrian areas and have noise generators fitted.

Mind you, this wouldn't prevent the best I ever saw while teaching my son to drive - picture two lanes of traffic trying to pass parked cars on both sides of the road ... and a mobility scooter down the centre of the road blissfully ignorant of any danger !!

[princeotter]

I have found mobility scooters an even bigger menace than cycles !.

If the hybrids are going to have noise generators then I suggest that these scooters are speed limited in pedestrian areas and have noise generators fitted.

Mind you, this wouldn't prevent the best I ever saw while teaching my son to drive - picture two lanes of traffic trying to pass parked cars on both sides of the road ... and a mobility scooter down the centre of the road blissfully ignorant of any danger !!

Totally agree about mobility scooters. Around here they are a bl**dy menace - should have to have compulsory insurance as well. Best one I saw though was in a shopping centre where the old woman had got the brake jammed by her walking stick and was heading over and down the staircase if we hadn't leaped and grabbed the back of it just in the nick of time (took 3 of us to hold it back) ...and did she thank us (well what do you think !!)

[Jamesbelfast]

More Eurotripe to be forced on us, mind you it was the daily fail reporting it.

Perhaps they think hybrids hover off the ground & make no tyre noise?

In a noisy carpark at 5mph, the Prius and Auris HSD are absolutely silent.

I nominate these cars would make ideal milk floats - then we could create loads of jobs.

Yes folks tail-gunners for milk floats that's what I recommend.

Or just strip a few teeth out of the gearbox that should make them whine loud enough.

[Opifex]

Oh dear what a lot of rubbish. I was taught by my parents not to walk on the road and look before I crossed.

In most country areas the only place you can walk is in the road.

I was caught out many years ago when a rear-engined bus crept up behind us in a busy semi-pedestrianised shopping area. I haven't heard of any noise generators being fitted to them.

Forget electric silent cars, it's cycles hurtling through public parks & shopping centres that are a big menace

I have found mobility scooters an even bigger menace than cycles !.

......and I bet none of them are insured.

[Jamesbelfast]

Lollipop sticks and a clothes peg on the spokes may help. B)

[korat102]

I foresee an aftermarket supply of noise generators and muting systems.

I'll take the Concorde sound please...

[Doesn'tExist]

Optiflex you just highlighted another good point, when walking on the road I was also taught to walk on the side facing oncoming traffic. I mean you can't judge whether a vehicle behind you has seen you, but if it is comin towards you you at least have a chance to jump out of the way.

As they say the problem with common sense is it isn't common.

[capnbirdseye]

The world has gone crazy,particularly the EU part,surely It's down to individuals walking around car parks etc. to make sure the way is clear & not just blindly walk everywhere as seems the norm these days, I was taught this by my parents as a child, I do the same when walking in a crowded shopping centre & glimpse over my shoulder before suddenly changing direction. People today seem to have no idea that other people share the same space as them, they walk into a shop & stop dead just inside the door to have a conversation so the people behind have to stop also,those same people will walk side by side on a narrow footpath & force oncoming pedestrians into the road or glare at you if you if you force them to move aside :ffs:

Health & Safety is very important, I think we should make sure we are all safe & go back to the early days of powered transport & have someone walk in front of every vehicle carrying a red flag at 4mph, & we should also have to wear a hard hat along with our seat belt whilst driving just to make extra sure

[korat102]

Health & Safety is very important, I think we should make sure we are all safe & go back to the early days of powered transport & have someone walk in front of every vehicle carrying a red flag at 4mph, & we should also have to wear a hard hat along with our seat belt whilst driving just to make extra sure

Yikes! Don't give them any ideas

[Thrawn60]

Ohh... don't get me started, Thailand is the country of "I do see anything" like capnbirdseye writes, enters the shopping mall and stop to talk, here it's reach the top/bottom of the escalator and stop, to look around where you are, check your phone in case you received an SMS while traveling for 20 sec on the escalator, or just stand there to wait for your relative that is 10 people further down the escalator.... This drives me NUTS...

Anyway to comment the post hehe, I was almost hit by a Prius today, I was parked at the restaurant to get some lunch, and talking to my colleagues as we walked to the entrance, and suddenly a pearl white bonnet was right there next to me.... I should say that the restaurant and parking is right next to a 5 lane express way, but still :) I have been in the situation where people can't hear me, mostly in Bangkok with 24 hours of noise all the time, it's better in Hua Hin where it's more quiet.

Any way I think that the sound generator is a nice option and if you can custom the sound.... Thailand will become the Korean pop hell hehe but I wouldn't mind the Star trek or Darth vader noise, breathing heavily while uttering "You don't know the power of the dark side" or for that matter the noise of a old steam locomotive, that should open a few eyes.