Silent cars

[rov1200]

The Japanese have realised that battery powered cars emit no noise at lower speeds. Pedestrians with diminished hearing rely on the noise of the engine for their safety and have protested. Its now under discussion in Japan whether to add a noise to this silent engine.

Before the market in Electric vehicles takes off in Britain should we nip it in the bud and insist they are fitted with a noise device?

[rov1200]

A link might help:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090703/sc_afp/ja panautohybridsafety

[Cockney_si]

This argument is flawed in that most modern cars are almost silent running anyway and it's usually only tire noise you can hear.

I've been riding a push bike as I'm between cars at the moment and most pedestrians that see me coming still choose to cross the road in front of me when it's clear I'm going at full speed and this forces me to stop hard.

[rov1200]

If they do come up with a generated noise it should be on the lines of a low pitched one. Something like a tractor maybe?