The Fuss Regarding Silent Hybrid Cars
By Abas Kamal Bin Sulaiman
Noise reduction is a good thing. Cars have always been noisy, contributing to noise pollution. Cars also require significant gas expenses.
New Hybrid electrical cars are silent. It is because their electrical engines are designed to work differently to that of a normal car’s engine. There is minimal internal combustion & emissions created by it that there is virtually no noise coming from the hybrid car’s engine.
Some people particularly the blind, complain that a hybrid car is dangerous because it is silent. It had become an issue to the extent that the N.F.B. (National Federation of the Blind) is calling for hybrid car manufacturers to make their cars produce a more noticeable sound preferably like traditional car engines. The reason is so that blind people can hear the hybrid cars coming their way.
An ear drum blasting, 100 decibel sub woofer, gas guzzling hot rod had received no complaints from the N.F.B. even though it has the ability to mask the noise of an incoming 8 ton truck or perhaps even that of a Jumbo jet.
However, the above “threat” is probably less likely to happen to many a blind person as compared to the probability of a silent hybrid car driver, in a car that sounds as stealthy as a cat, drive too close to pedestrians & then accidentally running over an unsuspecting blind person.
The above scenario is probably why the threat from the revolutionary, economical, cost efficient, noiseless, 50 miles per gallon & environment friendly silent hybrid car remains the prominent concern of the N.F.B.
“We confirmed the comparative noise levels of hybrid and gas-powered cars, using a Toyota Prius — one of the more popular models. Toyota officials say they are studying the issue; they also note that on the opposite side of the issue are advocates of reduced noise pollution.”, reported Robert Siegel, a radio journalist while talking to Dr. Fredric Schroeder, first vice president of the National Federation of the Blind.
The Toyota officials were also reported to advise drivers and pedestrians to exercise increased caution while driving their silent hybrid vehicles. Anyway, it seems that the benefits of a silent hybrid car far outweighs the apparent setbacks its silent engine design.
There should be a technology like tags which have sensors to detect any nearby moving vehicles that can be especially useful for the blind people. Also, special classes can be a good idea to educate blind people about the devices & special precautions taken to further address the issue of presumably dangerous silent cars.
Until then, silent hybrid car drivers can learn to utilize the polite horn when they encounter blind people. Silent hybrid car owners should know how to differentiate blind people from other pedestrians to give the blind people special attention. Educated silent hybrid car drivers can do more to avoid unwanted vehicular accidents involving blind people.
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