Should cars be quiet?

[Mahlerei]

As someone who is visually impaired the notion of noiseless cars fills me with dread. I rely more than most on being able to hear the oncoming traffic befor I cross the road.

The real noise comes from car hi-fi systems on steroids; massive sub-woofers and the like turn the vehicles into travelling discos; they're especially annoying at this time of year, when people drive around with windows and sun roofs open.

[Nick Armstrong]

The real danger is the constant one that pedestrians pose to themselves. More and more, they spill on to the road, insisting on crossing away from the lights that have been installed for their safety, without checking for any oncoming traffic and while texting or chatting at the same time.

Second that SHB.

As an urban cyclist who obeys the traffic signals etc, it's unbelievable how many numbskulls (esp those gazing at their iPhone or Blackberry screens or tapping texts and chats and emails ) totter out onto the road without looking. If they are looking, they seem to expect to be given priority anywhere they choose to cross and seem to object to my bellowed warnings. I boomed the word "MORON!" as I avoided one some weeks ago, and then had an opportunity to debate the issue with the individual when I stopped at the adjacent lights... "Don't you call me a moron" was her opening gambit. My reply ran along the lines of: "if you don't think it's moronic to walk out into the traffic on Oxford Street at rush hour without looking, then you're even more of a moron than I took you for". I think the conversation switched to Anglo-Saxon after than, but as the lights changed and I pedalled off, I didn't hear clearly...

[Panjandrum]

As someone who is visually impaired the notion of noiseless cars fills me with dread. I rely more than most on being able to hear the oncoming traffic befor I cross the road.

The real noise comes from car hi-fi systems on steroids; massive sub-woofers and the like turn the vehicles into travelling discos; they're especially annoying at this time of year, when people drive around with windows and sun roofs open.

No sarcasm intended, Mahlerei, but what do you do in the case of quieter road users such as cyclists? Do you rely them to shout a warning or ring a bell? While road users should make their approach known to pedestrians not many cyclists give either of these warnings.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Second that SHB.

As an urban cyclist who obeys the traffic signals etc, it's unbelievable how many numbskulls (esp those gazing at their iPhone or Blackberry screens or tapping texts and chats and emails ) totter out onto the road without looking. If they are looking, they seem to expect to be given priority anywhere they choose to cross and seem to object to my bellowed warnings. I boomed the word "MORON!" as I avoided one some weeks ago, and then had an opportunity to debate the issue with the individual when I stopped at the adjacent lights... "Don't you call me a moron" was her opening gambit. My reply ran along the lines of: "if you don't think it's moronic to walk out into the traffic on Oxford Street at rush hour without looking, then you're even more of a moron than I took you for". I think the conversation switched to Anglo-Saxon after than, but as the lights changed and I pedalled off, I didn't hear clearly...

This sounds very similar to the conversation I had (as a pedestrian) with a cyclist who nearly ran into me as he cycled (illegally and irresponsibly) on the pavement (also with phone in hand). This particular moron had a vocabulary of just two words.

[Mahlerei]

No sarcasm intended, Mahlerei, but what do you do in the case of quieter road users such as cyclists? Do you rely them to shout a warning or ring a bell? While road users should make their approach known to pedestrians not many cyclists give either of these warnings.

Well, cyclists are usually moving much more slowly and there aren't very many around here. Cars, on the other hand, are plentiful and they come speeding down the road. With visual impairment it's all about risks and strategies, and it's nerve-wracking enough getting about without having the additional anxiety of half-a-ton of metal speeding silently towards you. As someone has already mentioned, some kind of directional sound would do the trick. Fummily enough the only time I've been hit by a bike was on a pavement near our local shops when someone came shooting round the corner. Nothing broken but I was very angry indeed. Cyclists aren't all angels, you know :)

Incidentally, it's a legal requirement that bikes be fitted with a bell at point of sale, but I bet most are removed or never used once the bike's out of the shop.

[David Underdown]

It's usually been held that the cyclist's voice provides sufficient "audible warning of approach" if there isn't a bell fitted. If someone is actually looking like they are going to cross the road, but doesn't seem to have seen me cycling towards them, I will sound my bell (and this is easier to recognise than it may sound). The problem comes when a pedestrian steps into the road without looking round at all - often they see that cars are stopped, but don't look for any other traffic, even when there's a clearly marked cycle lane

[Nick Armstrong]

This sounds very similar to the conversation I had (as a pedestrian) with a cyclist who nearly ran into me as he cycled (illegally and irresponsibly) on the pavement (also with phone in hand). This particular moron had a vocabulary of just two words.

Just goes to show that there are plonkers everywhere, on 4 wheels, 2 wheels and on foot.