Electric cars - silence is deadly?

The number of hybrid and electric cars on our streets is gradually growing. Charging points are popping up on streets here and there. Local air pollution will be decreased - good. CO2 emissions will probably not be reduced until fossil fuels are removed from the national power generation mix - bad.

I've encountered electrics and hybrids much more frequently whilst cycling over the last few months and have been struck by how quiet, and therefore potentially dangerous, they are. When cycling we rely so much on sound - the changing sound of an engine when alongside or tailing a car or more often the noise from a vehicle from behind telling you how fast its approaching, what type of vehicle it is and generally(!) what type of driver is behind the wheel. Quite a few petrol cars are quiet but nowhere near as silent as electrics/hybrids. While there's a transition period between petrol and electric there may be a greater danger because the sound of petrols will drown out any sound produced by electrics. Electrics/hybrids from what I have seen accelerate more rapidly than standard petrol engine cars too.

Has anyone else encountered problems because of silent cars? This concern has been mentioned in the context of blind and partially sighted people - I heard a news report a few months ago that the European Union were investigating whether to 'add noises' to electric engines as a solution - but not for cyclists.

I find Large engined modern diesels are very quiet as well and give me a surprise when one passes me.

It won't be cyclists that encounter this problem. I would predict that there will be more deaths on the road for pedestrians. Every day I experience pedestrians stepping out on the street without looking for oncoming traffic relying on their ears and obviously not hearing a bike.

With more or less silent cars we are all going to have to be on our guards.

The Telegraph

It's in the news all over today, heard it on the radio on the way to work and Ray D'Arcy (Irish presenter) suggested we have microphones on the steering wheel with speakers outside so you can make engine noises whilst driving :) Vroom Vroom, hee hee

Ed?

Car bells.

My reaction is the same for electrical cars is the same for anything else I don't like / understand.

Beat it with a stick.

Damn it, DAMN IT! I thought i was being original and fricking Telegraph all of sudden decide to stop being a scrapbook of Waitrose receipts and make room for an 'environmental' story.sigh

Fundamentally the switch to electric powered vehicles is a highly visible fudge. To tackle the issues related to local and global environmental degradation, social breakdown and human happiness the structure of our society needs to be rebuilt around local councils or soviets which would trade and cooperate loosely but sustainably with each other under a larger umbrella union of soviet republics.

Lets see if the Telegraph print that.

The EU hasn't done its sums. Something like 80 per cent of the noise of cars comes from the tyres, not the engine or exhaust
Actually Jeremy Clarkson is kinda right on this but just doesn't get the point. I live next to a motorway and believe me all you really hear is the tyres, I can even tell when it is wet outside because the noise is different. You only ever hear performance exhausts and engines.

However at normal city speeds you can hear the engine more than the tyre noise I'd say. I hope they use different noises for different vehicles so you know when a non black cab comes up behind you ready to clip you with its wing mirrors.

surely it would make sense for pedestrians to not step out into ROADs without looking.. radical thinking but it might just work

Electric cars are just as quiet as other cyclists and i don't crash into them, sounds like a fashion thing to me, getting a custom engine noise for your bent little car.. i'd make mine sound like a fighter jet or Great western steam train. either would be great fun!

If you got yourself squashed by a car, I don't think "I didn't hear it" would really constitute a reasonable defence

Disc wheels make a bit of noise, perhaps we should fit all electric cars with disc wheels.

surely it would make sense for pedestrians to not step out into ROADs without looking.. radical thinking but it might just work

I can't decide if looking left before stepping on the road then looking right is worse than not looking at all.

. i'd make mine sound like a fighter jet or Great western steam train. either would be great fun!

I make mine go Coooeeeee!

I can't decide if looking left before stepping on the road then looking right is worse than not looking at all.

i carry a small mirror and use that to help me look to the left and right at the same time. its kept me safe on this planet and my hair looking good for years now..

I make mine go Coooeeeee!

im my head that sounds like a pigeon.. a giant motorised pigoen! you would seriously fuck up blind people with that, not to mention the dogs

I'd have a rocket for the open roads and Crazy Frog for around built up areas, that would be mad crazy internet LOL viral quality

I kinda want this now

I'd have a rocket for the open roads and Crazy Frog for around built up areas, that would be mad crazy internet LOL viral quality

This will help you hear it as I hear it.

This subject is coming up on Radio 4 you are yours now. (electric cars not drag queens.)

I'd have a rocket for the open roads and Crazy Frog for around built up areas, that would be mad crazy internet LOL viral quality

I would get Tynans T-shirt logo, narrated by Tom Baker.

"This bike has brakeless get-out fucking way you mother fucker"

This subject is coming up on Radio 4 you are yours now. (electric cars not drag queens.)

On now.

I noticed the danger from a silent electric car for the first time today.

I noticed the danger from a silent electric car for the first time today.

Did you fall of your bike whilst laughing at a G Wizz?

Or tried to skitch one and it ground to a halt?

This will help you hear it as I hear it.

This subject is coming up on Radio 4 you are yours now. (electric cars not drag queens.)

Get it. you could have a horn that wolf whistles and "steady there big boooy" when you reverse!

I'd have "Informer" by Snow.

And perhaps the "biddlybiddlybong" bit from "Pass the Dutchie" on continuous loop at the weekends.

It won't be cyclists that encounter this problem. I would predict that there will be more deaths on the road for pedestrians. Every day I experience pedestrians stepping out on the street without looking for oncoming traffic relying on their ears and obviously not hearing a bike.

With more or less silent cars we are all going to have to be on our guards.

A ped stepping in front of a G Whiz is unlikely to even notice they've been hit.