Hybrid cars to dangerous for the blind

[Rascus]

Well at least that's what the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) says.

There's always one who will complain.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - An association of blind Americans has warned that cars with hybrid engines using electricy and fuel are dangerously too quiet for pedestrians.


The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) said hybrid cars pose a risk to the blind, children, the elderly, cyclists and distracted pedestrians.

The group said it conducted tests with blind people.

"We had the car drive by in different situations, to see wether or not people could hear it and use the sound of the car to safely cross the street, and they could not. The car was just silent," NFB spokesman John Pare told AFP.

Pare said NFB does not want to add to noise pollution, but hybrid cars should not be less noisy than other cars.

Chris Danielsen, a 36-year-old NFB member, said up to 30 people took part in tests on a side street and in an alleyway with a Toyota Prius and a Honda Civic.

"We all stood on the side of the street and the idea was to raise your hand as you heard the car approach," Danielsen said.

"We generally couldn't sense that it was there right in front of us, which of course, if we had been standing in the road, would have been running right over us," he said.

"By the time anybody detected it, if we had actually been standing in the road, it would have taken out three or four people."

Barbara Pries, a member of NFB's pedestrian security committee, said no blind person has been killed by a hybrid car but some have reported having near accidents.

"It's just a matter of time before people are going to get injured and killed," she said.

Nearly 4,900 pedestrians were killed in road accidents in the United Stats in 2005, according the government figures.

NFB said it contacted Toyota, Honda and Ford in vain to ask that a noise or signal could be added to their hybrids.

Toyota representatives said there were no current plans to change its hybrid but that it was looking into improving pedestrian safety.

"We are aware of this issue and studying a way to improve pedestrian safety. It's important that the solution doesn't add to noise pollution but is good for pedestrians," said Toyota spokeswoman Martha Voss.

But another Toyota spokesman, Xavier Dominici, said the trend was toward quieter cars and that people should start getting used to them.

"There is a lot of ambient noise and the trends toward quiet powertrains in all vehicle has raised the need for additional caution to be exercised by pedestrians and drivers as well," he said.

"Part of it is also acclimating your ear to that noise. Frankly the sound of an automobile is changing as more quiet powertrains and hybrid vehicles come to dominate the market," he said.

[leemajaz]

should'nt they have dogs anyway?

[Rascus]

Good point. But not all of them do. Most use the walking stick and i believe almost all crosswalks have to be compliant with the blind and give a beeping noise to warn them not to cross.

[Ershank]

The blind don't need to be crossing streets alone. If it's the city, there will be other people, or your dog. If its some small street out in the burbs, it'll be quiet enough anyway. Or beep....

I don't think the blind should have any priority in a noise pollution vs. environmentally friendly/efficient things alot of people could use argument.

[Sibling]

Alright lets take into account driver safety then... Don't you think a hybrid car will end up with more dogs, cats, deer coming through the windshield than something that actully makes noise?

[Ershank]

Last I checked, noise was the cause of deer stopping in the middle of the road waiting to get hit. Cats through the windshield?

I'd like to see statistics suggesting hybrids are more dangerous.

[DEMIAN1970]

Maybe they should equip those cars with those whistles on the front bumper that only blind people can hear, like a dog whistle for the blind.

[kevin_stevens]

Originally Posted by Ershank

Last I checked, noise was the cause of deer stopping in the middle of the road waiting to get hit. Cats through the windshield?

I'd like to see statistics suggesting hybrids are more dangerous.

Absolutely. Those deer/cat hybrids are the worst. Ugly, and cranky with it, too!

KeS

[malvolio]

the world does not revolve around disabled people. life's a bitch and then you die.

[scatterbrained]

well, I say if you see a blind person, honk, if they give you the bird tell them it's for their safety. Personally I think I'm gonna put a ferry horn on my car just for the blind you know, to be safe.
Many modern cars are so quiet anyway you can't really tell they are running.

[jonzzr600]

byb law youre suppose to yeild to anyone with a white cane with a red tip doesnt anybody know this

[malvolio]

when i drive i have my eyes on the road. i don't comb the sidewalks for pedestrians carrying canes with red tips.

if it's a crosswalk we're talking about, well by law you're supposed to yield to all pedestrians, whether blind, deaf, tripedal, or rainbow colored.

[bush]

Originally Posted by malvolio

when i drive i have my eyes on the road. i don't comb the sidewalks for pedestrians carrying canes with red tips.

Scan scan scan!

[hybrid]

cant we make blind guy whistles like we do with the deer whistles on cars?

[malvolio]

Originally Posted by bush

Scan scan scan!

bush on the other hand spots the red tips when they're still 12 seconds of travel away!