Electric Cars - Can you hear them??

berliner

Never seen one or heard one yet. Do they sound like the old Milk Floats? Can you hear them coming?? A lot of pedestrians think nothing stepping out into the road without looking if they don't hear anything. I ride on the defensive assuming they will. I must admit my line depends on what I hear coming from behind. I do like a bit of noise.
Given there's going to loads of funds for them are the roads going to be more dangerous??

nicklouse

interesting question.

I am currently working on something to do with one of these, I will have to ask about "awareness" noise.

cougie

If they dont fit them to make a starship noise - they've missed a trick.

Similarly I dont understand why you cant get something to make your 1.1 Fiesta sound like a TVR.

ct4oc

they are fitted with a device to produce a warning tone when in motion. 8)

Chiggy

ct4oc wrote:

they are fitted with a device to produce a warning tone when in motion. 8)

That is the proposed legislation.

"Download your 'car tone' now!" Top Fuel Dragster £10.00

Chiggy

ct4oc wrote:

they are fitted with a device to produce a warning tone when in motion. 8)

It called a Bowers and Wilkins Stereo.

paulus69

The next craze will be to download the crazy frog for when your pulling off at traffic lights.

Bmmmm bmmm bmmmm bmmm

re-cycles

cougie wrote:

If they dont fit them to make a starship noise - they've missed a trick.

Similarly I dont understand why you cant get something to make your 1.1 Fiesta sound like a TVR.

All your dreams have come true! Check out the Vroombox! http://www.vroombox.com/vroombox/

Chiggy

re-cycles wrote:

cougie wrote:

If they dont fit them to make a starship noise - they've missed a trick.

Similarly I dont understand why you cant get something to make your 1.1 Fiesta sound like a TVR.

All your dreams have come true! Check out the Vroombox! http://www.vroombox.com/vroombox/

What happens when I buy an Opel Ampera?

The Rookie

Currently Electric cars make little more than a soft hum, I've driven a Toyota Pius and can confirm that in electric only mode you have to be careful in car parks as people step out based on the fact there is little or no noise.

It is proposed that EV's are fitted with a noise generator for safety (further hurting range and increasing CO2 of course!) although this is not yet law.

My Company is soon to start production of EV's as an aside, although I haven't worked on them, prefering real engines.

Simon

Clever Pun

talking about gwhizz cars right? overtaken a couple

I don't see how not hearing one is an issue as it you're changing your road position you shoulder check, right?

jeremyrundle

Perhaps a few flat pedestrians with mp3 shattered will be just what it needs for them to "look" first.

hfidgen

Have to say it's a bit disconcerting being overtaken by a silent hulk of metal. I always do a shoulder check when moving out, but with the wind noise in my ears it's impossible to hear them!

As a pedestrian I've also almost come a cropper to a Prius - walking down a "quiet" road then practically get my legs taken out by some tw*t who didn't think to use his horn or frankly just wait. Perhaps he found it funny... who knows :roll:

gaz545

I can hear them. They give of a faint whuuuuuring sound at low speeds, at higher speeds you can hear the noise from the tyres, as they use some special eco tyre.

Can you hear a bicycle? Or should i say a bicycle with a clean chainset.

JonEdwards

I've been spooked by those Lexus RX400 hybrid SUV things coming past me at speed with the engine off and no warning on a narrowish road. Big tank of a vehicle, no noise - just blew past.

I'm not worried about being overtaken by a G-wiss, as actually it's usually me overtaking them.

cougie

re-cycles wrote:

cougie wrote:

If they dont fit them to make a starship noise - they've missed a trick.

Similarly I dont understand why you cant get something to make your 1.1 Fiesta sound like a TVR.

All your dreams have come true! Check out the Vroombox! http://www.vroombox.com/vroombox/

LOL ! Damn - there goes My Dragons Den invention !

mroli

I read something about the Nissan Leaf coming with a variety of sounds...

EKE_38BPM

I was riding in traffic once and did a shoulder check to see what was around and a Prius was next to me. The front of the car was about level with my rear axle and I didn't know it was there until I looked.

The driver wasn't doing anything wrong. It had left me enough space, it was doing the right speed for the traffic we were in etc, but I just didn't know it was there.

I must admit I found it a little scary. At least milk floats made the sound of rattling bottles!

Nachimir

TNT have started using electric box trucks, and they are *spookily* quiet for something so large.

berliner

I think cyclists always aware of what the car/pedestrian might do. Pedestrians in particular will start to cross if they don't hear anything without looking.
Drivers changing to these silent vehicles wont be predicting this.

Chiggy

Nachimir wrote:

TNT have started using electric box trucks, and they are *spookily* quiet for something so large.

In 1911, Joseph Lucas Ltd of Birmingham, England had a fleet of electric trucks to transport goods from their factories to warehouses.

The only other traffic were cyclists and horse drawn carts. Some of the electric truck drivers tied a rattle on the L/H front wheel. The rattle was a tin can with pebbles in it.

Next January, it will be 100 years since this 'audible warning' predicament was solved.

I suppose the government will pay thousands of pounds to some committee to think of a solution to this "NEW PROBLEM"....

fnegroni

When I wear headphones while cycling, I don't find it any worse then when I am not.

I once got overtaken by an electric bus. It spooked me for a split second, but I kept my line, he kept his, nothing happened.

Hearing is the last of my senses I am going to trust. I might use it, but never trust it.

Kieran_Burns

The thing is: the increased use of silent vehicles should help cyclists in the long run.

People are used to noisy traffic to rely on their hearing to check for vehicles, as that becomes less reliable (and people get bounced off by the odd Prius) they will (should!) learn to look more often.

Clank

Chiggy wrote:

I suppose the government will pay thousands of pounds to some committee to think of a solution to this "NEW PROBLEM"....

Umm, yup, seems they already have done!

http://www.gizmag.com/test-driving-nois ... re/121120/

shouldbeinbed

fnegroni wrote:

When I wear headphones while cycling, I don't find it any worse then when I am not.

I once got overtaken by an electric bus. It spooked me for a split second, but I kept my line, he kept his, nothing happened.

Hearing is the last of my senses I am going to trust. I might use it, but never trust it.

you into sniffing, licking and groping cars then?

have you considered a hearing test if your hearing really is so bad you can't differentiate the outside world through plugged in noise and not.

Its like saying you can see just as well riding in the dark wearing sunglasses as not.

squired

I would be disappointed if electric cars were given a fake noise to alert people. Firstly, it just encourages them to not look properly, which is also bad for cyclists. Secondly, quiet electric cars would massively improve quality of life for people who live near to busy roads, of which I am sure there are many across the country.

MrChuck

squired wrote:

I would be disappointed if electric cars were given a fake noise to alert people. Firstly, it just encourages them to not look properly, which is also bad for cyclists. Secondly, quiet electric cars would massively improve quality of life for people who live near to busy roads, of which I am sure there are many across the country.

+1
I don't want to see anybody get hurt but I'd rather people learned that you need to look before stepping into the road than an opportunity to reduce some of the impact of cars was missed.

fnegroni

shouldbeinbed wrote:

fnegroni wrote:

When I wear headphones while cycling, I don't find it any worse then when I am not.

I once got overtaken by an electric bus. It spooked me for a split second, but I kept my line, he kept his, nothing happened.

Hearing is the last of my senses I am going to trust. I might use it, but never trust it.

you into sniffing, licking and groping cars then?

have you considered a hearing test if your hearing really is so bad you can't differentiate the outside world through plugged in noise and not.

Its like saying you can see just as well riding in the dark wearing sunglasses as not.

So what if I am deaf? The last time I checked, being able to hear sounds was not a legal requirement for cycling.

Seriously though, I can tell the difference, but I am saying that I don't perceive riding wearing headphones as any worse than riding not wearing them. I don't therefore notice it to be any worse for all riding purposes.

In my statement I also made it clear I was not generalising for anyone but myself.

fnegroni

squired wrote:

I would be disappointed if electric cars were given a fake noise to alert people. Firstly, it just encourages them to not look properly, which is also bad for cyclists. Secondly, quiet electric cars would massively improve quality of life for people who live near to busy roads, of which I am sure there are many across the country.

The Nissan LEAF emits a tone at speeds up to 15mph.

Simon the Pieman

I spoke to a chap who had an electric scooter at the lights when he drew up alongside. I did not hear him approach. I am not too bothered about not hearing him as we should look around when making moves.

However, I find that you can tell a lot from the engine noise of cars behind you as to whether or not you have an idiot up your backside or not. Would you be able to hear the revving of the electric engine or not?

Also, we must think of blind peds as they should be given a fighting chance to be able to cross the road.

nwallace

I've found a car along side me by surprise before.
I was doing 30 mph down a hill in the country side.

Couldn't hear the 3.2L Diseasel over the wind noise...