Reid My Mind

Sounds like people are beginning to pay attention to the dangers presented by quiet cars. Hopefully it won’t take a tragic accident to get the issue resolved.

From the L.A. Times article:

Concerns are growing that quiet-running hybrids such as the Prius pose a hazard to pedestrians, especially the 1.3 million Americans who are legally blind.

The article goes on to mention a study done to determine the distance at which a person can hear a hybrid car.

"Our preliminary findings could mean that there is an added danger with hybrid cars, particularly at intersections and parking lots," said Lawrence Rosenblum, a psychology professor doing the study.

That’s what kills me, studies to prove something already known. Well, I guess it’s still moving in the right direction.

Read the article here…

New York City, the trend setter for fashion and business and world culture may be setting a potentially devastating trend for the blind community.

“If you happen to get on a new hybrid bus that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is testing on 42nd Street this week, you may be tempted to shush

your fellow passengers, as though the bus were a library.

It’s that quiet.”

According to the NY Times, the MTA – the city’s transit authority is currently testing hybrid/electric powered buses.

While this is great for the city and the environment in general it really sucks for the blind community. Not just those living in NYC, but the many visitors and even those like me – former residents.

Does the automotive industry need a death to occur before a modification is made to the existing vehicles that alert pedestrians with visual impairments?

Read more here.

[Cross posted to http://www.mccbonline.org/]