Alternate Route

Oct 3, 2007 - Dangerous Crossing

Some may have thought I was being a bit paranoid when I thought that Toyota Prius drivers were out to get me last time I was in Santa Monica.

Well it turns out that I'm not the only one who thinks that the very quiet nature of the Prius and other hybrids while operating in electric mode can create an unexpected situation at times.

According to the story, Blind People: Hybrid Cars Pose Hazard, blind people say because hybrids make virtually no noise at slower speeds when they run solely on electric power, they pose a hazard to those who rely on their ears to determine whether it's safe to cross the street or walk through a parking lot.

My experience was much the same. You don't get the same "audio signal" that you normally expect to hear when  faced with traffic and a wayward hybrid can sneak up and surprise you.

National Federation of the Blind President Marc Maurer said he received an e-mail from an environmentalist who suggested that the members of his group should be the first to drown when sea levels rise from global warming.

Now there's someone who's truly blind.

Stop, look, and listen
But what if there isn't sound?
Dangerous crossing

3:37 am | Categories: car safety, hybrids, pedestrians Permalink | Alert Administrator

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