http://www.kare11.com/news/ts_article.aspx?storyid=510106 Boy hit by hybrid car; mom says he didn't hear it coming It was something that had never occurred to Jane Flannigan, until she got the call Sunday that her eight-year-old son had been hit by a car while biking with a friend. Owen Erickson was not badly hurt, though he did end up on the hood of the car. But when the car's driver moved his Toyota Prius from the street to the curb, Flannigan noticed something. "I saw the car, but I could not hear anything," she recalled about the hybrid vehicle which was operating on battery power at the time. "It is totally silent." That's when it dawned on Flannigan, Owen never heard the Prius before he cut in front of it. "Bikers, runners, anybody out on the street, I think it's a huge safety issue," she said. She's not the only one. Last month legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representative that could eventually require hybrids to emit a minimum amount of noise. It's a priority piece of legislation for the National Federation of the Blind, which believes Hybrids pose a real threat to those who rely on noise from cars to keep themselves safe. "These quiet cars that are very difficult to hear in the normal flow of everyday outdoor activity play a safety hazard," says Jennifer Dunnam, president of the NFB's Minnesota affiliate. "Blind people depend on their hearing to know what the traffic is doing." Toyota has not taken a position on the legislation, but is aware of the concerns behind it. "We do have to step back and take a look," said John Hanson, Toyota's national manager of environmental, safety and quality communications. The Prius ranks third among Toyota models in sales, behind Camry and Corolla, according the Hanson. Flannigan doesn't blame the driver of the Prius for running into her son, since Owen biked out in front of his car but she does cut her son some slack. "We're conditioned to hear car noises," she says. "This is a big safety issue." By Boyd Huppert, KARE 11 News I've heard concerns raised about this before but it's the first time I've seen it happen.
Next thing you know cyclists will have to put playing cards in their spokes. How many innocent children and blind people have been run down by those silent death machines?
Ace of Base is a band, don't you know anything? http://www.sav-a-life.com/Deeralert_intro.htm?gclid=CLew1OjflJMCFSh7IgodGUE1Uw Maybe they could play some MJ tracks as they are rolling down the street. That would scare the kiddies away.
They are quiet though. I was at the Menards lumber yard pulling some boards out of the stack when a prius drove behind me, I couldn't hear it at all. I almost stepped in front of it while I was pulling some boards out, but I saw it out of the corner of my eye in time. I think even if the prius had a radiator fan running while on battery only, that would be enough noise to notice it.
i've driven a civic hybrid before and it was so quiet you wouldn't realize that it would actually turn off at stoplights completely. weird
This isn't necessarily a hybrid issue. The guy was probably moving the car at about 3 mph when pulling off to the side, which would normally put it in battery-only mode. But at the 25 mph or so he was probably driving when the kid pulled in front of him, was it running on battery or motor? Many cars these days, cruising at 25-30 mph, are very quiet with most noise coming from air flow and the tires, not the motor and exhaust.
I vote for new legislation retrofitting mandatory devices that emit the signature Whistle Tip sound on all hybrids.
"Love is a lyer, but I'm a tryer, Give it another go You have another, yes I have seen her, I wonder who she is Does she kiss you the way That I used to kiss you I bet she wonders Who I am"
:laugh: That would be AWESOME! I should tell my friend who has a prius to set it up so the jetson-mobile noise plays constantly outside the car when driving. -Steve
I think everyone that typed out Ace of Base lyrics should get hit with a hybrid car. I swear to god, if I get "I saw the sign" stuck in my head from this thread, I'm going to rent a hybrid and mow your asses down in the street.
If you get ace of base stuck in your head, just think of that chumbawumba song, that should clear things up.
Not the same era, but Mr. Roboto is good for the same thing....SECRET SECRET, I GOT A SECRET... Only way to get that out is with a bullet.
The Caps Lockness Monster. "Oh my gosh you guys, I finally won something." Dance! Baby slide on that pole Dance! Show me who you workin' for Now stop! And bend over girl, and use ya titties like a broom And sweep it, just sweep it There's a roach on the floor and some dust and some corn Now sweep it, just sweep it I got some people comin over so you better bend over and Sweep it, just Sweep it And DANCE!
yeah ive had this problem too.. me and friend were biking last year and i was in middle of street(residential street) and my friends yells at me to get out of the way.. i look back and theres a prius there going slowly without ANY noise.. even after i moved and it accelerated away
Come on people now, people now gotta drive a hybrid people now come on people be people now anyway The kid biked in front of the car. Kids DO this. I had it happen to me too - and the mom gave the same reaction "oh, he's always playing in the parking lot, this isn't the first time he's been hit by a car" THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME?!?!?!?! Makes me wonder if it's the same stupid kid. That just irritated the living hell out of me. The kid WAITED until i was close, and then biked in front of my car. I was going less than 10mph (parking lot, remember) but it could have been much worse. So I guess my point is, it doesn't matter what the car is, if the kids want to - they will run at it and get hit much like deer.
^^^I second this motion. Every hybrid that is a silent runner must be fitted with a noisemaker courtesy of BUBB RUBB. WOOOWOOO! "The whistles go WHOOO!"
My parents taught me to look both ways before I crossed the street. There are few cars moving at slow speeds people can really hear coming anyway, espcially on why bicycling or doing something like this. What if it had been another bicycle? The noise should have nothing to do with it and whoever would be at fault normally should be at fault here. So what, the car is quiet, you're not blind. (The blind may have a legitmate gripe here, but some stupid kid on his bike doesn't)
This ^^ Haven't any of you tried to "stealth approach" your old car by killing the engine and coasting in? Tires make most of the noise at lower speeds but at speeds of 20mph+ you can usually hear that and the air being displaced. It's a bit more noticeable in the car than outside of it but the blind will almost certainly notice the noise. Granted they aren't all like Daredevil :laugh: I second the notion that this is just one more stupid American that needs common sense to be legislated so they can't abuse it as a way to sue somebody.
Head tilted up towards the mic and multiple moles pasted to my face .... .... You know I'm born to lose, and gambling's for fools, But that's the way I like it baby, I don't wanna live for ever, And don't forget the joker! ...
There is no reason why the kid needed to be out in the street. He didnt even look before he went on the road. It is his falt.
