New Law -Hybrid cars must make a noise.

[toshtosh]

Whilst owning a couple of Toyota Hybrids I rarely had the feeling that some form of noise generator was needed, possibly due to their very low EV ranges.

Now we have the PHV which is invariably in EV state at all low speeds, especially car parks and "estates", it seems an essential feature. I would however prefer a manually operated system or one that uses the forward radar when it detects a hazard at low speed. The thought of it operating every time I drive through the holiday park where we have a static caravan is worrying, even at low decibels.

Cheers

Tony B

[Catlover]

I wouldnt worry too much Tony. A petrol car will make a noise all the time driving through the caravan park, and a diesel car even more noise. And the new regulations, the noise only kick in below 12mph, whats the speed limit on the caravan park, more to the point, what speed does traffic normally drive through the caravan park. I live on a residential park home site with a 5mph limit - that is difficult to keep to - easier in my Prius - but even I go at 10mph but you get visitors and delivery vehicles going round that would Lewis Hamilton at the back of the pack. They make some racket, especially the trucks.

[lovec1990]

16 minutes ago, Catlover said:

I wouldnt worry too much Tony. A petrol car will make a noise all the time driving through the caravan park, and a diesel car even more noise. And the new regulations, the noise only kick in below 12mph, whats the speed limit on the caravan park, more to the point, what speed does traffic normally drive through the caravan park. I live on a residential park home site with a 5mph limit - that is difficult to keep to - easier in my Prius - but even I go at 10mph but you get visitors and delivery vehicles going round that would Lewis Hamilton at the back of the pack. They make some racket, especially the trucks.

yeah, but modern petrol cars do not make much noise if driver drives slowly even i can suprise people with my old 2002 yaris 1.0. Artificial sounds of Hybrids and EVs are anoying and will couse people to be annoyed with them as case off caravan park people there are quite tolerant of cars driving by if they drive slowly, but this artifical sound is anoying as hell

[Mick F]

On 7/2/2019 at 6:39 AM, Mick F said:

We had a 2001 Renault Clio 1.6 16v and the engine was almost silent at walking pace.  Many was the time pedestrians were surprised to see a car right behind them.  This issue isn't new at all, and it isn't the advent of EVs that have brought it.

I'm a keen cyclist.  Riding gently in towns, pedestrians are absolutely shocked that a rider is there.  It seems to me that pedestrians listen rather than look.

Could it be that the problem has been brought about by the rise of the diesel car?

What happened with the "audible warning of approach" ................. a bicycle bell or a friendly toot on the horn?

Will pedestrians eventually learn to LOOK?

Mick.

 

[Mick F]

7 hours ago, lovec1990 said:

yeah, but modern petrol cars do not make much noise if driver drives slowly even i can suprise people with my old 2002 yaris 1.0. Artificial sounds of Hybrids and EVs are anoying and will couse people to be annoyed with them as case off caravan park people there are quite tolerant of cars driving by if they drive slowly, but this artifical sound is anoying as hell

Yes.

Spot on.

[FROSTYBALLS]

15 minutes ago, Mick F said:

Will pedestrians eventually learn to LOOK?

Bit difficult if one is blind or partially sighted I would imagine. It isn't always obvious to others that a person is partially sighted !

These are two of the groups the legislation is designed to protect.  

I would have thought that drivers could be more considerate of the difficulties these people face in everyday life, and put up with their vehicle emitting warning sounds when travelling at low speeds through areas where their vehicles may be a potential hazard that some people may not be able to see.

[wass]

On 7/6/2019 at 6:56 PM, FROSTYBALLS said:

No the legislation applies to four wheeled vehicles.

Prams perhaps!

[FROSTYBALLS]

6 minutes ago, wass said:

Prams perhaps!

No, not classed as a vehicle.

[wass]

2 minutes ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

No, not classed as a vehicle.

Sorry , I was being just as idiotic as the new legislation from europe!

[Mick F]

Cars and pedal cycles are classed as vehicles.  They are also carriages.  Two definitions and both of them are legal terms.  Dunno how the new regulations are written but they will be in "legal language" and I wouldn't mind betting that "carriage" and "vehicle" are both used.

A pram is actually a carriage by definition, but not within the legal definition for the Road Traffic Act .................. sadly.

Mick.

[kithmo]

I want one of these: Train horn the woman on the phone at 1:09 in the video being the most relevant. 😄 

[Ancient Nerd]

46 minutes ago, kithmo said:

I want one of these: Train horn the woman on the phone at 1:09 in the video being the most relevant. 😄 

Perhaps linked to the pedestrian identification camera of the autonomous braking system?

 

[PeteB]

1 hour ago, kithmo said:

I want one of these: Train horn the woman on the phone at 1:09 in the video being the most relevant. 😄 

I'd like one that I can select when appropriate that sounds like very loudly shrieking tyres!

[kithmo]

23 hours ago, PeteB said:

I'd like one that I can select when appropriate that sounds like very loudly shrieking tyres!

👍 Or a big V8 engine when you rev it 😄

[johalareewi]

Was this legislation driven by visually impared people?  What about other quiet vehicles?  What about the law on vehicles making artificial noises at unsociable hours?  This has all the makings of something that hasn't been thought through. 😞 That said, i want the Flying Scotsman noise.

[FROSTYBALLS]

The charity Guide Dogs amongst others have been lobbying the UK Government for quite some time for this legislation, and no doubt, other bodies within the EU have been doing similar lobbying with their own Governments.

As regards noise during unsocial hours, presumably this legislation overrules any conflicting current legislation.

[Mick F]

..................... but what about all the other "silent" vehicles?

We've had silent petrol vehicles at walking pace+ for years and years, so why single out only EVs now?  This is what I don't understand.  The noises I've heard that EVs are going to be equipped with are FAR louder than a good quality petrol car driven gently.  Make petrol cars make a noise too perhaps?

All the dogs we've had over the last 40odd years have heard stuff which is inaudible to us humans.  Guide dogs are brilliant at this and trained for it too.

I suppose it's better late than never, but it doesn't help the present situation much at all and won't do for decades and decades yet.

Mick.

[FROSTYBALLS]

What about them?

Not all partially sighted people have guide dogs.

The legislation is what it is.

[Catlover]

I cant believe so many seem to be against this latest regulation.

If one of your loved ones had been seriously injured or killed by a very quiet vehicle then I reckon you would be out campaigning for some action. Well, you got the action before you suffered an injury or death to a loved one.

I bought my Prius because it polluted the atmosphere less then my other cars, plus it does very good mpg. I didnt buy it particularly for its quietness, though it is.

[Duffryn]

Cars already have a manually operated noisemaker if someone looks like stepping in your path - it's called a horn!

[rgvsean]

1 hour ago, Catlover said:

I cant believe so many seem to be against this latest regulation.

If one of your loved ones had been seriously injured or killed by a very quiet vehicle then I reckon you would be out campaigning for some action. Well, you got the action before you suffered an injury or death to a loved one.

I bought my Prius because it polluted the atmosphere less then my other cars, plus it does very good mpg. I didnt buy it particularly for its quietness, though it is.

No, I'd campaign for people to grow some common sense and look before crossing the road.

Are there any stats on all the deaf people getting run over?

You bought your Prius and contributed 200,000 miles worth of pollution to produce it and had a 9 year old dig cobalt out of a mine in Africa. Just saying.

[FROSTYBALLS]

34 minutes ago, rgvsean said:

No, I'd campaign for people to grow some common sense and look before crossing the road.

Which is obviously easier said than done for blind or partially sighted people, and not all blind people have a guide dog.

Thread locked.