[Missouri-l] Hybrid Cars' Musings

[Peter Altschul]

Hi, Scott:

 

Re your second point.

 

I spent most of my life in new York City and Washington DC, and believe that
your horn-honking law is a bad idea for two reasons.  First, there is so
much horn-honking and general noise around that it would be easy to ignore
another horn honk as just another irritant.  Secondly, I am not as confident
in the good will of sighted drivers as you appear to be; true, most are
good-hearted, but there are enough miscreants out there that I'm not sure
the law would work (ever mingled as a pedestrian with NYC cabdrivers?).  And
enforcing the law would be a problem.

 

I am intrigued with your first suggestion, however.

 

Best, Peter 

 

 

 

Best, Peter 

 

 

From: missouri-l-bounces at moblind.org [mailto:missouri-l-bounces at moblind.org]
On Behalf Of kcagape at aol.com
Sent: Sunday, January 17, 2010 8:33 AM
To: Missouri-L at moblind.org
Cc: the_aaron at charter.net
Subject: [Missouri-l] Hybrid Cars' Musings

 

I have been thinking about the issue some of you have that hybrid cars
create no noise, and are so quiet, you are not aware they are coming.  There
a couple of things I am curious about, and please set me straight because
isn't the purpose of a hybrid to be quiet in the first place?

 

When I worked for the Army as a civilian, I recall they were in the process
of making a device that could be worn to hear the "signature" or the sound
of an approaching vehicle.  Of what I understood, the device was not
cumbersome.  Perhaps this device has been perfected and be worn by the
general (blind and low vision) public to alert when a vehicle is coming when
it can't be seen?

 

Here is another concept.  Since many visually impaired people use canes or
service animals, make it the law to have drivers honk at the pedestrian who
is visually impaired because the cane or service animal will serve as an
"identifier," and the driver will know they are approaching someone with a
visual impairment.  I understand this might startle the service animal, but
would you rather be safe than hit or killed?  By honking, this would
eliminate having constant noise device on a hybrid.  Drivers I observe are
extremely conscientious about pedestrians who are blind or have low vision,
or any other pedestrian who might be in harm's way.  It is part of the
driving experience to watch where you are driving, not just the other
drivers, but other potential hazards, including people.  

 

I suspect some of us in the so-called blind community don't give sighted
people credit in terms of how they - those who are not visually impaired -
relate to us, and vice versa.  I am not "selling out" to the so-called
sighted world, because I am cognizant of both sides of this argument since I
have quite a bit of eyesight, yet I am still considered to be legally blind.


 

I am not suggesting I am against hybrids that make some noise because I
don't care one way or the other since this issue doesn't impact me, although
I do know several people who are blind or have low vision, and am concerned
about their safety.

 

Scott

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