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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D'>If, as the studies show a car is 37% more likely to hit a pedestrian without noise makers then the auto companies will put the noise makers on without the government having to do much about it.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D'>Backup Cameras were not the result of regs but of consumer demand. The car companies have a good reason to push safety. Dead people don't buy cars.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D'>Dead people also have live relatives who sue. They can, of course, afford to buy lots of cars after the suit pays off though.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> Nd-talk [mailto:nd-talk-bounces@nfbnet.org] <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Sherry Shirek via Nd-talk<br><b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Wednesday, June 28, 2017 5:18 PM<br><b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> 'North Dakota Talk Discussion List' <nd-talk@nfbnet.org><br><b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Cc:</span></b> Sherry Shirek <sherrybeth7@gmail.com><br><b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> [Nd-talk] FW: [announce] Article: Electric-car noise rules to be canceled under Trump deregulation plan?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=4 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-weight:bold'>Electric-car noise rules to be canceled under Trump deregulation plan?</span></font></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Article link: <a href="https://mandrillapp.com/track/click/30489975/ktvl.com?p=eyJzIjoiUndtYjVBUUN0YTd0d0treGY1bGNjMHd0YkM4IiwidiI6MSwicCI6IntcInVcIjozMDQ4OTk3NSxcInZcIjoxLFwidXJsXCI6XCJodHRwOlxcXC9cXFwva3R2bC5jb21cXFwvbmV3c1xcXC9hdXRvLW1hdHRlcnNcXFwvZWxlY3RyaWMtY2FyLW5vaXNlLXJ1bGVzLXRvLWJlLWNhbmNlbGVkLXVuZGVyLXRydW1wLWRlcmVndWxhdGlvbi1wbGFuXCIsXCJpZFwiOlwiZjUzZTBiY2E1ZTM0NGY5YTgzZmM4ZDQ2NDVjODJiMTBcIixcInVybF9pZHNcIjpbXCI4NzgwZTU4MWFmOGQyZDczMGI4ZDUzYTNjN2IyMzE5YWY4MzliZjg5XCJdfSJ9">http://ktvl.com/news/auto-matters/electric-car-noise-rules-to-be-canceled-under-trump-deregulation-plan</a> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Modern electric cars have been on U.S. roads for seven years or so, and owners love their smooth, quiet, close to noise-free operation.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>That silence has been a bone of contention for even longer, however, since hybrids operating purely on battery power are similarly quiet.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>For years, the U.S. Department of Transportation was charged with drafting rules to make hybrids and electric noisier at low speeds; they finally emerged last year.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The push for such rules was largely due to lobbying by the National Federation for the Blind, which maintains that such cars pose a direct threat to blind and vision-impaired pedestrians—who can't see them coming.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Congress directed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to issue these "quiet car" rules in 2010, but they were released only in November 2016.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Now, <a href="https://mandrillapp.com/track/click/30489975/www.bloomberg.com?p=eyJzIjoiZU1mMllpZmc4TzF2d1NCZi16Y0NSNUhYR2R3IiwidiI6MSwicCI6IntcInVcIjozMDQ4OTk3NSxcInZcIjoxLFwidXJsXCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL3d3dy5ibG9vbWJlcmcuY29tXFxcL25ld3NcXFwvYXJ0aWNsZXNcXFwvMjAxNy0wNi0xOVxcXC90cnVtcC1zLWRlcmVndWxhdGlvbi10YWtlcy1haW0tYXQtbm9pc2UtbWFuZGF0ZS1mb3ItaHlicmlkLWNhcnNcIixcImlkXCI6XCJmNTNlMGJjYTVlMzQ0ZjlhODNmYzhkNDY0NWM4MmIxMFwiLFwidXJsX2lkc1wiOltcImUwYjdlYzQxYTJlNzJkMzQ3ZjY3MjFlMDZiY2FlZWYzNGU5Mzg3OGFcIl19In0" target="_blank">according to Bloomberg,</a> the NHTSA has told Congress in its 2018 budget that it's looking at six potential areas for deregulation—and the "quiet car" noisemaking rules are one of them.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>In its effort to eliminate government regulations—and undo much of the legacy of the Obama Administration—the Trump government directed all agencies to review rules and identify those that may be unnecessary, cost businesses money to implement or impede "job creation."<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>It's not clear, according to Bloomberg, whether NHTSA would eliminate the noisier-car rules entirely or simply modify them. One safety advocate suggested that the agency couldn't by itself eliminate rules that Congress had required.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>As issued last year, the rules require all new hybrid and electric cars with four wheels and a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 10,000 pounds of less to make an audible noise when traveling forward or in reverse at speeds up to 19 mph.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Noisemaking isn't required at speeds of 20 mph or higher because wind and tire noise generate a sufficient audible warning to pedestrians, the NHTSA said in a press release.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Automakers have until September 1, 2019, to add the devices to their hybrids and electric cars—but half of new hybrids and electric cars must be in compliance one year before the final deadline, NHTSA said.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The rules became final last December, and were scheduled to take effect in February, but were delayed until this September by incoming Trump officials.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Once a substantial number of vehicles equipped with noisemakers are on the road, NHTSA said it believes the new rules will help prevent 2,400 pedestrian injuries a year.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Both the American Council of the Blind and the National Federation of the Blind, which lobbied heavily for adoption of the rules, praised the rules when they were issued.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Critics suggest, however, that the hazards of quiet cars to pedestrians (which might include sighted people focusing on their mobile devices rather than watching their surroundings) haven't been supported by data as yet.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Modern electric cars have been on U.S. roads for seven years or so, and owners love their smooth, quiet, close to noise-free operation.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>That silence has been a bone of contention for even longer, however, since hybrids operating purely on battery power are similarly quiet.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>For years, the U.S. Department of Transportation was charged with drafting rules to make hybrids and electric noisier at low speeds; they finally emerged last year.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The push for such rules was largely due to lobbying by the National Federation for the Blind, which maintains that such cars pose a direct threat to blind and vision-impaired pedestrians—who can't see them coming.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Congress directed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to issue these "quiet car" rules in 2010, but they were released only in November 2016.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Now, <a href="https://mandrillapp.com/track/click/30489975/www.bloomberg.com?p=eyJzIjoiZU1mMllpZmc4TzF2d1NCZi16Y0NSNUhYR2R3IiwidiI6MSwicCI6IntcInVcIjozMDQ4OTk3NSxcInZcIjoxLFwidXJsXCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL3d3dy5ibG9vbWJlcmcuY29tXFxcL25ld3NcXFwvYXJ0aWNsZXNcXFwvMjAxNy0wNi0xOVxcXC90cnVtcC1zLWRlcmVndWxhdGlvbi10YWtlcy1haW0tYXQtbm9pc2UtbWFuZGF0ZS1mb3ItaHlicmlkLWNhcnNcIixcImlkXCI6XCJmNTNlMGJjYTVlMzQ0ZjlhODNmYzhkNDY0NWM4MmIxMFwiLFwidXJsX2lkc1wiOltcImUwYjdlYzQxYTJlNzJkMzQ3ZjY3MjFlMDZiY2FlZWYzNGU5Mzg3OGFcIl19In0" target="_blank">according to Bloomberg,</a> the NHTSA has told Congress in its 2018 budget that it's looking at six potential areas for deregulation—and the "quiet car" noisemaking rules are one of them.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>In its effort to eliminate government regulations—and undo much of the legacy of the Obama Administration—the Trump government directed all agencies to review rules and identify those that may be unnecessary, cost businesses money to implement or impede "job creation."<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>It's not clear, according to Bloomberg, whether NHTSA would eliminate the noisier-car rules entirely or simply modify them. One safety advocate suggested that the agency couldn't by itself eliminate rules that Congress had required.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>As issued last year, the rules require all new hybrid and electric cars with four wheels and a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 10,000 pounds of less to make an audible noise when traveling forward or in reverse at speeds up to 19 mph.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Noisemaking isn't required at speeds of 20 mph or higher because wind and tire noise generate a sufficient audible warning to pedestrians, the NHTSA said in a press release.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Automakers have until September 1, 2019, to add the devices to their hybrids and electric cars—but half of new hybrids and electric cars must be in compliance one year before the final deadline, NHTSA said.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The rules became final last December, and were scheduled to take effect in February, but were delayed until this September by incoming Trump officials.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Once a substantial number of vehicles equipped with noisemakers are on the road, NHTSA said it believes the new rules will help prevent 2,400 pedestrian injuries a year.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Both the American Council of the Blind and the National Federation of the Blind, which lobbied heavily for adoption of the rules, praised the rules when they were issued.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Critics suggest, however, that the hazards of quiet cars to pedestrians (which might include sighted people focusing on their mobile devices rather than watching their surroundings) haven't been supported by data as yet.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The incidence of collisions between vehicles and pedestrians is much lower in the U.S. than in other countries because fewer people live in crowded urban environments—and many such incidents aren't reported because no serious injuries result.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>That's one reason that the rules took so long to develop.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Safety advocates are likely to push back against any weakening of NHTSA rules, though another targeted rule may generate more publicity: that's the one requiring rear-view cameras to prevent drivers, especially those in taller utility vehicles, from backing over children.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in'><img border=0 width=1 height=1 id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D2F034.DCCFB090" alt="Image removed by sender."></span></font><font size=2><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p></div></body></html>