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

[michael townsend]

Bob good points.  

I understood that the noise emitting device on a hybrid, and for that
matter, this should be affixed to all quieter cars, could NOT be operator
defeated, but would be an integral part of the vehicle's possible design
from scratch or retrofitted to a vehicle.  If I'm wrong, please advise.

Mike T in NJ.  

Direction of sound and the number of speakers or sound emitting sources
hadn't yet been decided upon either, as far as I'm led to  believe.  ]
Please again advise, if I am incorrect.\
Thanks.

Mike T in NJ

 

-----Original Message-----
From: quietcars-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:quietcars-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Robert Wilson
Sent: Wednesday, May 26, 2010 1:23 AM
To: quietcars at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Quietcars] Clarification: operator enabled or on all the time


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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