[Quietcars] Clarification: operator enabled or on all the time

[Robert Wilson]

Hi,

Recently, there has been some buzz in the hybrid community that the goal is to:

". . . There is no sound unless the driver wishes to make sound. Just like the
horn won't blow until you hit the middle of the steering wheel - the
pedestrian alert will not sound unless you pull the "flash to pass"
stalk." - posting in PriusChat, May 25, 9:35 PM.

However, I remember David Evans posting to this list, "It also has to be something that is on any time the key is on and the vehicle is ready to move." 11/1/2007 4:48 PM. Also the language of HR 734 and S 841 are explicit that "require that vehicles emit a minimum level of sound" with no mention of an operator control. My understanding is the noise generator would NOT have an operator control.

Am I correct, the noise generator would not have an operator control like a "flash to pass" option on the light control stick?

BACKGROUND: most cars have a light control stalk similar to the turn signal indicator. When passing traffic on the highway or other times when we need to attract the attention of other drivers, we can briefly pull the stalk and flash the lights. It is often used when passing trucks on the highway and has replaced a long forgotten practice of 'bleeping' the horn (for those who drove in the 1950s!) This light switch stalk is spring loaded to return to OFF. 

Adding a short bleep to this 'flash to pass' would significantly improve the safety of all drivers, both hybrid and non-hybrid by adding an automatic, audio alarm to the visual, light flash. But we do not see this intent in the current legislation nor any of the advocacy postings for putting audio alarms on hybrids. In fact, I remember some pretty skeptical statements, not just David Evans, that the vehicle operator should have no control of the audio alarm. That is why I'm asking the question.

Bob Wilson
 		 	   		  
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