Electric cars

[Graham Davis]

1 hour ago, mrsmelly said:

 

Blimey I had never heard of the " Zoe " so I just googled. Tiny little shopping run around at 30k.......................... 

Not that small, actually. we can get 4 adults in it quite easily.
And the Car Club are leasing it.

[haggis]

37 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

https://gowithfloat.com/2016/10/9-outdoor-navigation-apps-people-visual-impairments/

 

 

Thank you! I hadn't heard of these apps which may help those with poor eyesight find their way about. excellent!

 

Haggis

[Wanderer Vagabond]

3 hours ago, haggis said:

Sorry, nothing to do with boating but I know that several people on here have electric road vehicles and I thought this article from a lady who puppy walks guide dogs was worth repeating.

 

"Today my husband and I with our two guide dogs had another near miss with an electric car. We were crossing a side road and it came in off the main road and passed very close in front of us. If it’d been a petrol or diesel engine, or if it’d had a sound emitter fitted, we’d have heard it, but, apart from the sound of the tyres on the road, it was virtually silent.

I am a confident guide dog handler but I can honestly say that silent electric vehicles scare me. I fear that it will take serious injury to a blind person, or even worse, death, before any meaningful legislation is put into place. If it happens to me or someone that I care about, I’ll be in court and I won’t rest until we have justice.

So please, if you drive an electric vehicle, switch on your sound emitter. After all, you wouldn’t drive at night without your lights on, it’s the same thing.

Many people will like this post but please don’t. I ask anyone who would have hit the like button to please hit the share button instead and pass this far and wide. I fear for our lives and those of these two amazing dogs."

 

Not something I had thought of but very relevant for those with poor eyesight. and hearing

 

haggis

If I am reading this correctly, the OP concerns two sighted people complaining on behalf of the blind, do blind people really step out into the road when they think it's all clear because they can't hear anything coming? they may well be hit by a lot of pedal cycles if they do. I don't know how guide dogs are trained to assist the blind crossing roads, but I wouldn't think hearing plays a big part of it. This sounds a bit like the bell debate with cycles, if a pedal cycle comes past without ringing their bell they are criticised for not using it, if they ring their bell to come past it then becomes,"Bl**dy cyclists ringing their bells expecting you to get out of the way". I thought one of the benefits of electric cars was that towns wont be so noisy, people don't seem to appreciate just how much noise cars make but as we travel around we can often hear the roar of a motorway when it is over a mile away.

 

On a slightly different tack but relating to the blind, I'm not sure how they get on with a lot of pedestrian controlled traffic light crossings these days, I've noticed a lot of them no longer make the beeping sound when the green light for the pedestrian to cross comes on, how do they know the lights have changed?

[mrsmelly]

11 minutes ago, Graham Davis said:

Not that small, actually. we can get 4 adults in it quite easily.
And the Car Club are leasing it.

Renault advertise it as a " Compact " one of the other adverts I have just read call it " Sub compact " A limousine it aint. Unless the makers advert calling it a compact has changed from what every other makers use for compact cars. Its the same length as a vauxhall corsa, another tiny car or do you just like disputing everything I say? Ask vauxhall if they think their corsa is anything other than a very small car.

Just now, Wanderer Vagabond said:

If I am reading this correctly, the OP concerns two sighted people complaining on behalf of the blind, do blind people really step out into the road when they think it's all clear because they can't hear anything coming? they may well be hit by a lot of pedal cycles if they do. I don't know how guide dogs are trained to assist the blind crossing roads, but I wouldn't think hearing plays a big part of it. This sounds a bit like the bell debate with cycles, if a pedal cycle comes past without ringing their bell they are criticised for not using it, if they ring their bell to come past it then becomes,"Bl**dy cyclists ringing their bells expecting you to get out of the way". I thought one of the benefits of electric cars was that towns wont be so noisy, people don't seem to appreciate just how much noise cars make but as we travel around we can often hear the roar of a motorway when it is over a mile away.

 

On a slightly different tack but relating to the blind, I'm not sure how they get on with a lot of pedestrian controlled traffic light crossings these days, I've noticed a lot of them no longer make the beeping sound when the green light for the pedestrian to cross comes on, how do they know the lights have changed?

The amount of numpties that park on footpaths today must make it hell for blind/partialy sighted people.

[mrsmelly]

52 minutes ago, John Wareing said:

We have a Zoe, wonderful car. What it’s not is a tiny little shopping run around. It can take 4 adults in comfort, probably around Focus or Astra size.

Its corsa sized. A very small car and for 30k there are masses of new cars out there of all sizes. If it works for you thats fine but at present electric cars are a ridiculous price.

[peterboat]

I have 2 electric vehicles and 2 hybrids  it's sighted people I have the biggest problem with, as others have said nose in phone and not watching where they are going. I do watch out for white sticks and guide dogs with people. Both my electric vehicles are older and are noisier than modern ones especially the truck. Currently in Europe electric vehicles (all varieties) outsold diesel vehicles in the last quarter so things are changing 

[Wanderer Vagabond]

9 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

 

The amount of numpties that park on footpaths today must make it hell for blind/partialy sighted people.

I get what you are saying, but it isn't helped when, like the 'shared' footpath/cycle tracks, parking on the footpath is encouraged by local authorities like this between Saltisford and Warwick town centre. (they are marked parking spaces, half the width of pretty much all cars)

 

[mrsmelly]

Just now, Wanderer Vagabond said:

I get what you are saying, but it isn't helped when, like the 'shared' footpath/cycle tracks, parking on the footpath is encouraged by local authorities like this between Saltisford and Warwick town centre. (they are marked parking spaces, half the width of pretty much all cars)

 

Yes agreed. It used to be a deffo no no to park on footpaths but today in many places its legal. How do disabled get large wheelchairs passed such as those cars on your piccie without going onto the road 

[canals are us?]

Not had anyone yet walk in-front of my Auris Hybrid, but I do look out for all hazards.

 

James.

[roland elsdon]

1 hour ago, Jerra said:

Interesting.  I have fairly frequently seen our local man with the guide dog in one hand and the phone in the other to his ear.

Audible turn by turn sat nav. Dogs are unable to follow them.

My blind friend uses his phone in just this way. Siri is your friend if you are partially sighted or blind.

[peterboat]

33 minutes ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

I get what you are saying, but it isn't helped when, like the 'shared' footpath/cycle tracks, parking on the footpath is encouraged by local authorities like this between Saltisford and Warwick town centre. (they are marked parking spaces, half the width of pretty much all cars)

 

 

31 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Yes agreed. It used to be a deffo no no to park on footpaths but today in many places its legal. How do disabled get large wheelchairs passed such as those cars on your piccie without going onto the road 

I think that their are ongoing discussions about banning parking on pavements! If it happens it will help to get rid of vehicles and that is no mistake.  On Jaynes road near the top as it meets the main road it's chaos sometimes, the sad thing is most have unused drives and garages! I think that the ban is needed quickly or do we become like Japan where you cant have a car without a parking space? 

[Ex Brummie]

49 minutes ago, peterboat said:

 

or do we become like Japan where you cant have a car without a parking space? 

Like you can't have a boat without a mooring?

[jonathanA]

2 hours ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

On a slightly different tack but relating to the blind, I'm not sure how they get on with a lot of pedestrian controlled traffic light crossings these days, I've noticed a lot of them no longer make the beeping sound when the green light for the pedestrian to cross comes on, how do they know the lights have changed?

They have little thing that vibrates or moves when the green man is on,  that the blind/ deaf feel for when waiting. Usually just under the box with the push button on.

[peterboat]

25 minutes ago, Ex Brummie said:

Like you can't have a boat without a mooring?

Sort of different boats are homes cars I can assure you arnt always transport for real. As an ex garage owner I serviced an MOTd plenty of cars that were toys with work vehicles blocking the roads and pavements, whilst the toy lived in a central heated garage 

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, Ex Brummie said:

Like you can't have a boat without a mooring?

 

That may well be coming !

[nb Innisfree]

Continuous driving. 

[mrsmelly]

10 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

That may well be coming !

I am convinced that it will. too many pricks think ccing means you have to move every 14 days.

[ditchcrawler]

5 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Play that highly popular tune "Fump fump fump" on your radio.  At full volume.

 

It must be popular because nearly all the boy racers seem to have it on continuous loop ...

How about a sound chip doing a Bolinder.

 

[Wanderer Vagabond]

2 hours ago, jonathanA said:

They have little thing that vibrates or moves when the green man is on,  that the blind/ deaf feel for when waiting. Usually just under the box with the push button on.

I did wonder, I imagine that was probably as a result of people living near such crossings complaining about the noise they made, which is probably what will happen if people with electric cars become obliged to have 'engine noise' fitted, there will then be complaints about the noise they make.

 

In the current climate I think the 'vibrating thingy' is probably a step backwards since in now means that the blind (surely the deaf can see the colour of the lights/oncoming cars, etc.) now have to handle an area handled by numerous other people to establish whether the lights have changed so increasing their risks of infection.

[LadyG]

I am neither deaf nor blind, but I use my ears to monitor road activity behind me when cycling, a silent vehicle is not a good idea, end of.

[peterboat]

4 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I am neither deaf nor blind, but I use my ears to monitor road activity behind me when cycling, a silent vehicle is not a good idea, end of.

New electric cars will make a noise but I think it's at slow speeds only if I remember what I read 

[Wanderer Vagabond]

8 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I am neither deaf nor blind, but I use my ears to monitor road activity behind me when cycling, a silent vehicle is not a good idea, end of.

So should deaf people be banned from cycling? Should cycling in high winds be banned?

 

I use most senses (except taste) when cycling, but the principal sense is sight, all the others are just subsidiary. Just because I haven't heard something coming up behind me doesn't mean I am going to do anything without looking first.

[billh]

2 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

How about a sound chip doing a Bolinder.

 

If and when I have to have an electric car,my sounder chip  ,if I had a choice, would be programmed with  the sound of  an English Electric 16SVT diesel running max 750 rpm . 4 turbos spooling up  as I pull  away from the lights, awesome?

[LadyG]

14 minutes ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

So should deaf people be banned from cycling? Should cycling in high winds be banned?

 

I use most senses (except taste) when cycling, but the principal sense is sight, all the others are just subsidiary. Just because I haven't heard something coming up behind me doesn't mean I am going to do anything without looking first.

We are not all perfect. I've managed a million or more miles without incident, but age has kicked in, so it's more difficult to look behind, anyways, I will adjust speed and position before manoeuvering, it is the car driver who has no awareness who poses most danger to cyclists, and I cannot distinguish sensible from insensible at a glance.

[MHS]

9 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

A TVR is not a noise problem, they sound awesome.........................you dont drive a bloody diesel do you 

 

I may well be the only person on the forum to have driven a TVR Cerbera 4.5L for 6 years and more recently owned a Outlander PHEV, also for 6 years. 
 

I’ve worked with the blind & partially sighted for years and there’s absolutely no way they wouldn’t hear the TVR coming. (From miles away) The PHEV has a noise generator that operates at lower speed. At higher speeds, tyre noise is predominantly the loudest sound in any normal car. 
 

Is there not a minimum standard for noise generators fitted to electric cars? I would have assumed that to be the case.

9 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

A TVR is not a noise problem, they sound awesome.........................you dont drive a bloody diesel do you 

Edited November 1, 2020 by MHS