Car Makers Told To Make Silent Electric And Hybrid Vehicles Noisier

[johalareewi]

So says the daily Mail

http://www.dailymail...s-cyclists.html

update:

Looks like this could be against the law:

From the The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986

(10) In this regulation and in regulation 99—

(a)“horn” means an instrument, not being a bell, gong or siren, capable of giving audible and sufficient warning of the approach or position of the vehicle to which it is fitted;

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1986/1078/regulation/37/made

So an electric car noise maker designed to warn of the vehicles approach is a 'horn' by definition.

From the highway code

112

The horn. Use only while your vehicle is moving and you need to warn other road users of your presence. Never sound your horn aggressively. You MUST NOT use your horn

while stationary on the road

when driving in a built-up area between the hours of 11.30 pm and 7.00 am

except when another road user poses a danger.

Law CUR reg 99

https://www.gov.uk/general-rules-all-drivers-riders-103-to-158/other-stopping-procedures-107-to-112

[Ethanedwards]

God knows I do my best to make sure pedestrians can hear me go by, whilst in stealth mode.

I usually have Mick Jagger (Paint it Black - or similar) blasting out at volume level 40+ on the stereo.

What more do these pencil necked geeks want?

[Sooty]

More money down the drain then.

When will these idiots in "control" learn not to waste money on stupid ideas.

The vehicle horn is loud enough. So is tyre noise. Pedestrians et al should learn to look rather then have a phone glued to their ears and should be banned from wearing headphones with musac set at "very loud" when near roads.

[Opifex]

Well, it's the Daily Wail so it may never happen, though dafter things have been known.

[Cyker]

And car drivers should stop to let pedestrians pass at things like zebra crossings and not distract themselves with loud music :P

coulda shoulda woulda...

@johalareewi - I think there is some other thing that would cover that other than the 'horn' section; Many vehicles have reverse warning beepers and they're legal...!

[johalareewi]

@johalareewi - I think there is some other thing that would cover that other than the 'horn' section; Many vehicles have reverse warning beepers and they're legal...!

Reverse warning beepers have their own definition and rules. They are not legally defined as a horn.

The full text of Regulation 37 section 10 from The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986:

(10) In this regulation and in regulation 99—

(a) “horn” means an instrument, not being a bell, gong or siren, capable of giving audible and sufficient warning of the approach or position of the vehicle to which it is fitted;

(b ) references to a bell, gong or siren include references to any instrument or apparatus capable of emitting a sound similar to that emitted by a bell, gong or siren;

(c ) “reversing alarm” means a device fitted to a motor vehicle and designed to warn persons that the vehicle is reversing or is about to reverse; and

(d)“two-tone horn” means an instrument which, when operated, automatically produces a sound which alternates at regular intervals between two fixed notes.

FWIW the Nissan Leaf has a noise maker as standard but it has to be disabled for the UK market.

http://en.wikipedia....san_Leaf#Safety

Scroll down to the warning sounds section

[Parts-King]

This is old news, typical daily rag, dragging up ancient history

Toyota Japan issued a press statement years ago, they included a sound clip of the type of noise they are working on, it sounded like a sticking brake pad rubbing on a disc, a sort of shush shush noise

It was on Prius chat in 2010

http://priuschat.com/threads/updated-w-video-prius-get-a-noisemaker-option-sounds-like-a-spaceship.83854/

Kingo

[korat102]

They'll introduce this stupid idea then some pratt will start running across the road, get distracted by the strange noise, stop and get flattened by a bus. Next day they'll ban unusual noises.

[acetip]

Fix an empty tin can on a string to the rear of the car, (small) should help.

[Cyker]

They should have a second horn that goes "IT'S BEHIND YOU!" in a panto voice when you press it :D

Or just make a convertible HSD car with massive Speakers

Viva la noise pollution!

But the noise thing is a bit bunk; I've been idling through a carpark in my Yaris and had people not notice me until I'm practically next to them, and if they can't hear the idle dakka dakka of that thing then no amount of low-speed noise maker is going to help!

[Parts-King]

I make no apologies for posting this, every time somebody mentions a horn I get this out

http://youtu.be/r3QnZ9DrJR4

[Jamesbelfast]

Human beings have been used to approaching vehicles making noises for thousands of years so how we can we expect us to change overnight - in some ways the reaction to vehicle noise is engrained in our genes.

How about a small speaker making the sound of approaching hooves eh!!

[Cyker]

[Ethanedwards]

Human beings have been used to approaching vehicles making noises for thousands of years so how we can we expect us to change overnight - in some ways the reaction to vehicle noise is engrained in our genes.

How about a small speaker making the sound of approaching hooves eh!!

How about the sound of a small block chevy V8 at full chat?

If Fiat need a sound maybe some bloke called Luigi saying Heyya you getta outta de waya....

I'll get me coat.

[johalareewi]

I know it is the Daily Mail so could easily be a cut and paste job from somewhere else ages ago. On the other hand, it could be an attempt to butter us up so that when it comes along, we will be complacent (bit like the London Congestion Charge).

Things like this from the article do not help.

"The concern about the so-called 'silent killers'"

- What concern, who calls them that (apart from JC), who's been killed by a Prius?

"Research carried out last year found - when taking account of the total number of vehicles on the road - pedestrians were more likely to be run over by an electric vehicle than a standard car."

- What research and where? The UNECU (referenced by the Mail) looks like it relies on a Dutch survey which does not seem very scientific (although it is in Dutch). The English summary gives the impression it is a reflection of popular opinion. And it is from 2011.

It has been covered on Priuschat and debunked, but the legislation still got through in the USA.

I am waiting for the man with the flag to make a comeback (at minimum wage of course). Will solve the unemployment problem.

[Opifex]

I wonder if there is a business opportunity here selling noise-tones for cars like they do ring-tones for phones.

[Jamesbelfast]

A guy over here in Ireland tried to sell drivers interior wipers for drivers who drove around making engine sounds with their tongues and lips - Brmmmm Brmmmmm but it never caught on. But he made a fortune selling bibs and tissues to wipe their chins.

[Lorna2]

Sure they can't even hear petrol engines never mind electric ones. I was driving in the town today and 2 women pushing a pram each walked out in front of me across the road. Where's their sense? There was no excuse for them not noticing me. They must have had cotton wool in their ears and their eyes closed ;) Always people doing that in car parks too. Some pedestrians are too busy on their phones to pay any attention to where they're going.

[Cyker]

Exactly!

And that is an example of the worst kind; Pushing prams into the road without looking!? Stupid stupid stupid!

The observant ones will continue to not be run over and the stupid ones will still be stupid; A noise maker wont make a significant amount of difference short of one of Kingo's Death Horns

[Parts-King]

Ive never had my horn called a death horn before..........thank you very much

[Parts-King]

A guy over here in Ireland tried to sell drivers interior wipers for drivers who drove around making engine sounds with their tongues and lips - Brmmmm Brmmmmm but it never caught on. But he made a fortune selling bibs and tissues to wipe their chins.

You mean this guy? Bear with me, it takes 30 seconds to get going but it is worth it, there are a couple of choice words in it so keep the kids away while you view it :D: