US Senate passes ridiculous electric car noise-maker law
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In what has to be the stupidest-decision-of-the-month the 'Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010' backed by Democratic Senator John Kerry has been passed unanimously by the US Senate and is on its way to the House of Representatives where it will undoubtedly become law in the US. Unless you're unaware of this ridiculous bill it requires electric cars (and certain hybrids) to have noise making devices which when the vehicle is below 'cross-over speed' (the speed at which tire noise makes the vehicle noticeable) will emit a noticeable alert sound (the bill calls-out blind people but also mentions 'other pedestrians'). What's ridiculous about this? Simply the fact that the majority of modern internal combustion engine compact cars and medium-size sedans are just as quiet at pedestrian speeds. We're basically saying we'd rather have noisy roads and parking garages than quiet ones. It does smack of good-old FUD and makes you wonder who's really behind such pointless interventions into vehicular development.
UPDATE 18/Dec: And as we expected the House of Representatives has approved this bill which means that all electric and hybrid-electric cars on US roads will be required to automatically make an artificial noise and low speeds so as to alert pedestrians. Interesting (and not inconsiderably disturbing) this bill got through after advocacy from two groups: the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers. It's a sad, sad day and I hope that Europe and Asia see sense and don't follow suit, this bill constantly talks about protecting the 'right to safe and independent travel for the blind' but doesn't make any allowance for EXISTING quiet internal combustion engine cars (the bill is rather more to do with protecting the auto manufacturers and big oil from the impending threat that electric cars are to them). Consumers? Residents? The majority? You don't get a say.