new silent cars dangerous for blind people

I am posting this on behalf of Kim, a blind friend.

In summary the problems is that people who are blind or with certain
disabilities are in danger of being hit by new energy efficient cars
which are silent. I hope this posting will raise awareness and
motivate those who can contribute to solving the problem to take
action. I will forward any reply postings to Kim.

Responses to Kim
Two auto companies have contacted us and said that they are aware of
the problem and are passing it on to their engineering departments. I
pointed out to them that blind people need to be involved in the
testing of whatever noise they choose to use in the hybrid cars.
Someone in a wheelchair wrote to say that she uses traffic noise a lot
as it is difficult for her to turn her head to see all traffic coming
from behind.
Someone said that hybrid cars approaching to pick them up were totally
silent and because they were blind they did not know their ride was
there. This could be a problem if there are hybrid taxis.
Someone pointed out that kids playing on or near the edge of the
street would not hear the hybrid cars and drivers must be vigilant for
them.
A sighted driver pulled into a parking space, got out of his car, and
was taking things out of the back seat. A hybrid car pulled in beside
him at this moment. He did not hear a thing and was scared by the
sudden presence of a vehicle.

Solutions suggested include:
Having a noise from the exhaust fan of the hybrid car.
Having the wheels or axels make a noise. Note this would not assist a
person who is blind to read traffic if a car is totally stationery at
an intersection.
Having some sort of noise maker installed into the hybrid car like a
beeping truck when it backs up.
Having a computer chip in the hybrid and in a dog's harness or white
cane so that they make a noise when they are near each other.
Having a device made that a person who is blind can hold and it will
tell them if there are vehicles in the vicinity. One problem with
this would be if it malfunctioned and also another problem is the way
you point the device and if it reads all traffic at all speeds. Also
this would not assist you with cars that pull in or out of driveways
or parking lots.
Putting a section in all manuals for hybrid cars to make sure to watch
for pedestrians who are blind or visually impaired. Public education
is always good however people tell me they don't read their car
manuals.
Make sure as a blind or visually impaired pedestrian that you are
always as visible as possible. Some people wear very bright vests
obtained from shops for cyclists. Guide dog harnesses can have
reflective tape on them. There are also lights like cycling lights
that you can wear if you are concerned about visibility.

Here is KIM's original e-mail:
This is about the an issue with quiet cars.
I have been blind since birth and travelled with a white cane from age
6 on.
For the past 13 plus years I have been partnered with three wonderful
guide dogs. I have always considered myself a competent and confident
traveller and thought that I could overcome any challenge in my
environment.
Recently, while walking on a very quiet residential street with a
sighted friend, we paused at the corner. There was no background
noise, no traffic noise, no loud music, etc. I told my dog forward.
She refused to go. My friend said, "There is a car on your right
coming through the intersection." I heard nothing. It was a quiet or
hybrid car.
I have since learned that these vehicles make absolutely no noise when
going
at low speeds or when idling waiting for a light to change.
Contrary to popular belief, our guide dogs do not read the traffic
lights for us. When I reach a lighted intersection, I listen for the
noises of traffic flow. If the traffic is flowing parallel to me, it
means my light is green. However, I often wait for a fresh light to
cross the street. If
the traffic is perpendicular to me (moving across in front of me) the
light is red and I wait for a green light.
If the intersection was full of quiet cars, I could not read traffic
and would not know when to give my dog the forward command.
But this is not the only issue.
When I stop at the corner of a stop street with no light, I listen to
make sure no traffic is approaching before giving my dog the forward
command. Again, if the intersection was filled with quiet vehicles I
would not know when it was safe to do this.
When I travel on a sidewalk-less road, I walk on the left hand side
with my dog on my left facing traffic. When cars approach us, I turn
us into the curb edge to make sure we are out of the line of fire!
Again, I would not know when traffic was approaching in this
situation.
When walking through parking lots, I would not know if quiet cars were
suddenly turning in front of me or coming from behind.
When walking down a sidewalk, I would not know if a quiet car was
pulling in to or out of a driveway.
Many of our big cities are now filled with wheelchair ramps at curbs.
This is generally a good thing but makes lining up with an
intersection trickier for someone who is blind. I use traffic noise to
make sure I am pointing in the correct direction for a street
crossing.
This is especially useful when coming to rounded curbs which make it
even more difficult to line up with intersections.
In the winter here in Canada with snow covered corners, lining up with
intersections is trickier.
When it is windy or raining hard or in winter when you need to wear a
hat, traffic noise is more muffled.
This issue really concerns me as I cherish being able to travel
independently.
I would just like these cars to make some kind of noise.
Please pass this on to anyone you like.

CWA

 

An interesting post for sci.med.vision...

Anyway I was kind of startled when my friend first departed in his Prius
(sp?). It was spooky to "hear" him depart in relative silence. I don't
think sighted people mind this, in fact it's kind of desirable. But for
blind people, I can see that it could be a hazard. I'd suggest the
possibility of some kind of electronic emitter that could be linked to
something like a cell phone set on vibrate, and it could vibrate
differently for approaching, nearby , more distant, stationary vehicles,
etc. Maybe a better approach would be to build a sensor that detects the
electromagnetic field that those big electric motors must emit, and at
least signal some kind of warning to the wearer. At least that approach
wouldn't necessarily require modifications to all the vehicles.

Maybe our resident engineering expert will weigh in on this subject...

w.stacy, o.d.

 

It would be equally so for the hearing impaired as well. You get
one of those suckers coming up from behind a deaf individual and
that person is road kill if he doesn't look behind him. Maybe
Otis could use his engineering skills/energy in a positive light to
help
the hearing impaired as well as the visually impaired for these
types of cars.

frank

 

He won't.....

Doesn't work on the box camera theory nor will explain why the chicken
crossed the road.

Allen

 

I'm sighted, but I'm not sure that the severely visually
impaired use their hearing in any way comparable to us
sighted people.

The hybrids may not make the traditional engine roar,
but they still make some noise. The tires will always
be noisy, and electric motors make their own noises,
particularly as they wind up.

To assist them, I'd suggest a small electronic device similar
to those used to measure room sizes, but with tactile or audio
(doppler) reporting. A slightly more sophisticated device
could be built with multiple sensors and binaural feedback.

-- Robert (who hesitates to mention he is also an engr)

 

I live in central Florida, so people are outside more often. The
solution we have around here is best demonstrated by the car stereo
add-ons some people have.

The sound is so loud you can feel it and hear it. Please note
that I can tell where these things are at even when I take my
hearing aids out and turn up the stereo in my car. They must use
noice canceling technology inside the car, since the driver seems
to be oblivious to the fact that other people hear them. Local
law enforcement has a problem since the speakers are pointed
into the driver compartment.

<seriously>
I do use hearing aids and usually they are helpful. However,
there are times that the normal sound orienting that I get
doesn't correlate to where the sound comes from. We also
have several people who take lunch in their car with the
engine on for the A/C. So its is sometimes a surprise to
find a car that could move, but you're not sure if it will.
I rely on sight as well as hearing to avoid such problems.

Yes, the Prius and other alternate power vehicles have
some interesting characteristics. We'll get used to them
eventually -- as will the drivers of said vehicles.
</seriously>

David

 

I'd be tempted to wear one of those miniature rear view mirrors that
cyclists use. I saw a guy driving a sportscar with one on. I imagine
they offer a wider field than standard auto mirrors.

w.stacy, o.d.

 

WTF are blind and deaf people doing in the road anyway? Shouldn't they
be out of the roadway, just like all the other able-bodied people?

I know there was discussion of using the handicapped as light poles,
holders for directional signs traffic meters, but these are all
right-of-way uses. Perhaps we can flatten them and use them as manhole
covers.

 

Hey jerk- there are people called "pedestrians", you know, people who
actually walk and have to share intersections with slobs like you.
Or do you think all deaf and blind people should be confined indoors??
Go back to your cave.

frank

 

I think you misspelled "cage", unless we're not actually talking about
different mammalian genus, as opposed to a separate species of homo, in
which case "cave" might actually be appropriate...