Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids - Jalopnik Comments

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

Sketch242 — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:45:22 EDT

@allenjnl:

Our new stove has a warning light on it labelled "surface hot".

Sketch242

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

hardwareguy — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:44:03 EDT

Has any blind person been hit by a hybrid car in silent running mode?

hardwareguy

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

GTBruiser — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:13:21 EDT

Blind people should consider themselves fortunate they cannot see a Prius, let alone hear the ghastly things.

GTBruiser

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

allenjnl — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 22:38:22 EDT

What's next, stoves that yell,"Watch out, I'm hot as hell!"?

allenjnl

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

allenjnl — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 22:35:39 EDT

There's this new invention, maybe you guys have heard of it. They call it a "horn". You push somewhere roughly in the middle of the steering wheel and this really loud noise comes from the car. Scares the shit out of blind people (I hear). Deaf people have eyes, so this isn't needed. Blind and deaf people walking around alone belong to Darwin's group of folks likely to be suddenly removed from the gene pool. Maybe someone can send Washington a note about these "horn" thingies...

allenjnl

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

Maninjapan — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 22:31:01 EDT

Well, as a sighted guy living in Japan, I did manage to step out in front of a Prius in a parking garage once. I'm not sure who was more freaked out, me or the driver.

But my question is: Shouldn't blind people be crossing with the light in designated crossing areas? Wouldn't that fix the problem? Because we've seen years of bureaucrats racheting down the exhaust rumble/intake roar of our cars, and the idea that we're now going to add artificial noise seems ridiculous.

Maninjapan

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

hootjigga — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:23:53 EDT

@FreeMan: Warn the people of their smugness.

hootjigga

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

pitchpitch Type-Я — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:46:38 EDT

This reminds me of:

Jalopnik posted it a while back:
[jalopnik.com]

pitchpitch Type-Я

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

LandofMinos, That pissed and muted look — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:07:37 EDT

the road
their school
bloody decaff

LandofMinos, That pissed and muted look

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

LandofMinos, That pissed and muted look — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:05:08 EDT

We had a bloke named Ron who used help the blind kids cross their road in front of the school. So all the best to Bill, we should thank him for his valiant effort in saving blind people from hybrids.

LandofMinos, That pissed and muted look

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

adamaoc — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 18:31:38 EDT

government government government!
just get out of the way and let companies build cars we want...

ampnetmedia.com/webnews
--lots of research on this issue

adamaoc

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

BeerDearthair — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:46:52 EDT

And another law... because deaf people can't hear whether a car is stopped and idling or shut off... or honking their horn for that matter... all cars must henceforth be required to have blinking marker lights (similar to aircraft) that indicate that the vehicle is coming in for a landing... uh.. wait, no.

Oh, and when you honk your horn, a blinking light show to rival Las Vegas. Yun-dun-duddle-uddle-un-dun-da-da... It's all about the safety.

BeerDearthair

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

nosirrahg — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:41:04 EDT

@Sharpie: My brother is a huge Airwolf fan...he'd probably prefer to drive around with the theme song blaring out to warn folks.

Actually, maybe the blind could be issued a transponder, and all cars could have a receiver that would indicate when a blind person was within range, and then if could honk the horn, rev the engine...maybe play the theme from "Jaws".

nosirrahg

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

nosirrahg — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:38:08 EDT

"Flubber" would be fun too.

nosirrahg

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

elwood — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:12:59 EDT

@mytdawg: Things like that are allowed to be hilarious provided no one gets hurt. And what kind of person are you, that you don't think farts are funny.

elwood

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

mytdawg — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 16:01:26 EDT

@elwood: I really don't get off on other people's misfortune (except maybe my ex) but it was such an overwhelming visual experience. The seconds leading up to it, the collision, the indignation - it was just so perfect. And yet, I don't think farts are funny so...

mytdawg

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

TheTooth — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:47:13 EDT

@TheTooth: And if I had at least the reading comprehension skills of a 4 year old, I'd have seen that Andy hadn't actually replied, but FreeMan was replying to Andy. LOL

Who needs edit buttons?

TheTooth

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

TheTooth — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:46:06 EDT

@TheTooth: Doh, Andy beat me to the response. Good show, Andy.

TheTooth

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

TheTooth — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:45:28 EDT

@jdepould: Well, Andy hasn't.

TheTooth

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

FЯeeMan — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:27:51 EDT

@andy: actually, the first thing I did was turn that sound off on my camera. Not because I'm a voyeur, but because it's, like, really irritating.

There's a reason professional photographers, especially of the wedding variety, didn't use SLRs back in the film days. That mirror flipping up and down (which is what the electronic 'click' is supposed to duplicate) really annoyed crying mothers.

FЯeeMan

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

ezero — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:27:02 EDT

That´s so stupid, remembers me the UK Red Flag Law in the infancy of cars: every motor vehicle must be led by a man on foot waving a red flag.
How about a new law: a man on foot with rhumba shakers.

ezero

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

Bad Juju — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:26:27 EDT

@tek_nic: No, thank you.. now I have to clean off my keyboard.

Bad Juju

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

SSX — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:23:01 EDT

My car is pretty loud (302 V8 with side exit exhaust and only glasspacks) and I was at Arby's the other day when I saw a blind guy coming up the sidewalk. I was just idleing waiting for my food but I'm sure with all of the echoing the blind guy was a bit confused. He took two steps into the driveway about 20 feet in front of me and then took an enormous leap backwards assuming I was about to plow him over. Blind guys jumping backwards apparently don't have the greatest coordination since he fell right on his butt. I didn't think it was appropriate to laugh at...but I just couldn't help it. He quickly got back up and went on his merry way.

SSX

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

jdepould — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:16:30 EDT

@andy: Because voyeurs won't be able to figure out how to turn it off?

jdepould

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

elwood — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:16:06 EDT

@mytdawg: Not gonna lie, funniest story I've heard all day.

elwood

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

NovaloadMissesPolar — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:07:14 EDT

Actually, I think sighted people are more at risk because we are overconfident. I almost walked into a hybrid in a crowded parking lot because it was invisible amongst the larger, taller cars and it was defnitely silent.
For a second I thought it was unoccupied and rolling from a parking place out of gear--luckily I'm not a do-gooder, so I didn't startle the driver by flinging myself at his door to try to stop it. But I still felt like a moron. Damn new fangled silent horseless carriages.

NovaloadMissesPolar

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

NovaloadMissesPolar — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:02:51 EDT

@Mad_Science: OK, I smirked and had inner laughs with these comments until I got to yours, and then I snorted out loud in the office.

NovaloadMissesPolar

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

andy — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:49:29 EDT

@mytdawg: Actually, I believe the shutter sound is to prevent people from taking pictures without other people knowing it - some sort of anti-voyeur law somewhere that's been forced on to all of us.

andy

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

tek_nic — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:49:28 EDT

I'd like to hear Microsoft Bob's voice repeat the word "driving" over and over for the sound.

And when you rev the engine up, he says it faster.

Yes, thank you.

tek_nic

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

Sharpie — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:38:45 EDT

@nosirrahg: Dude! LMAO that would be so great.
The howling sound of airwolf or kitt would be sweet too.

Sharpie

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

AndyDuncan — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:35:18 EDT

They should force them to make the high pitched sputtering sound from The Jetsons: http://youtube.com/watch?v=DFbuulDiM_U But in reality, you know this is going to end up as some kind of lame-ass ringtone feature. Where everyone gets to specify the sound their car makes. Mine will roar like a dragon.

AndyDuncan

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

mytdawg — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:22:32 EDT

@mytdawg: Funny because nobody got hurt... Yeah, that's what I meant. But boy were they surprised.

mytdawg

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

beercheck — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:13:39 EDT

We've done this before.

[jalopnik.com]

beercheck

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

Mad_Science — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:10:54 EDT

@badco/LoJ: "...they bludgeon the design community with their strong-arm tactics"

Luckily their aim isn't all that good.

Mad_Science

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

mytdawg — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:09:54 EDT

You know how digital cameras make that shutter sound even though you and me know it's just to let stupid people know they took a picture? They should do something like that for hybrids.

And while we're on the subject of blind people. I'm sitting at an intersection one day minding my own business and watching people cross in front of me. Coming from each direction is a blind person with a cane (for a total of 2, you can see where this is going).

Apparently each one was a little too far to the right with the old cane there and they ran headlong into each other right in front of me. And they were pissed. "Can't you see I'm blind!" I almost peed my pants. Damn that was funny.

mytdawg

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

NICKNICK — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:04:43 EDT

most modern cars are nearly silent anyway except for cooling fan roar.

just make hybrids keep the cooling fan on all the time whether the gas engine is running or not.

or, stop making retarded laws.

NICKNICK

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

Buckster — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:00:33 EDT

Al Gore Hates Blind People

Buckster

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

Krookideyez — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:58:36 EDT

Damn you Al Gore, a quiet vehicle...who would possibly want that? I enjoy being awaken at 4am by the mustang cobra up the street!

Krookideyez

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

boosted-lego-wagon — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:58:10 EDT

At the scene of a hit-and-run:

"Looks like it was one of them high-brids done the crime, Jim."

"How kin yew tell?"

"None of them carbon footprints."

boosted-lego-wagon

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

thatguy01 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:46:29 EDT

@mwood10: Technically, blind people cross where and when they're allowed by law. Which, you know, is probably a comfort to them if they get run over anyway.

thatguy01

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

thatguy01 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:43:46 EDT

Off topic, sort of, I saw a commercial with Don Garlits endorsing Magnaflow mufflers.

I'd be stunned if Gar can hear *anything* at this point.

thatguy01

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

JONNRG — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:43:20 EDT

"What!? Blind people can't see that I'm driving a Prius? C'mon, I bought it so everyone knows that I am reducing my carbon footprint. There should be a law..."

JONNRG

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

mwood10 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:39:47 EDT

Does this law also cover bicycles?

Do blind people really try and cross the street unaided based purely on whether they can hear a car? Has anyone asked blind people if they want this law?

mwood10

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

thatguy01 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:39:31 EDT

@nosirrahg: I want mine to make the Flintstone xylophone sound.

thatguy01

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

badco/LoJ — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:38:59 EDT

@RoninianHoon: It's called screen reader software. JAWS is a popular one.

Gawker has most certainly made the site accessible to screen readers. They're opening themselves up to a nasty lawsuit from the AFB if they don't.

The AFB represents a good cause (who wants to hate on blind people?), but they bludgeon the design community with their strong-arm tactics. I'm personally afraid of being sued the AFB.

badco/LoJ

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

Neener — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:35:58 EDT

@camp6ell: I'm not blind but when I close my eyes and imagine crossing a street, all I can think about is that damn dead dog in the comic strip.

Neener

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

DonSchenck — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:35:22 EDT

@nosirrahg: That would seriously be cool.

DonSchenck

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

manic2 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:34:16 EDT

Don't they also make laws to make regular cars quieter?

The only friends the blind have are fat guys on Harleys and kids on sports bikes.

manic2

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

Tomsk — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:34:11 EDT

The blind are BFFs with my car. Of course, it would stand to reason that loud vehicles (gas and diesel) tend to have higher emissions.

Does this mean CARB secretly hates blind people?

Tomsk

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

Buckster — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:34:11 EDT

What about a law to protect us folks that can see from Donks.

Buckster

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

thatguy01 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:31:50 EDT

I'm for it, as long as we can require all car alarms to be silent, except for a vibrating pager surgically implanted in the owner's buttcheek.

thatguy01

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

jpech — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:31:07 EDT

How about just pass a law that says if you're driving a hybrid/electric car you can't run over blind people.

Fines double for running over blind people.

jpech

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

PeteRR — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:30:11 EDT

I vote for calliope music like they use at county fairs and circuses.

PeteRR

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

RoninianHoon — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:28:40 EDT

@camp6ell: The electronic voice program that would read all the comments aloud? I want!

RoninianHoon

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

muleshoe — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:28:13 EDT

@camp6ell: If I could see the screen I would comment

muleshoe

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

RoninianHoon — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:27:48 EDT

Ribbed tires for... pleasure

RoninianHoon

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

Murph5000 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:27:24 EDT

I'm still waiting for a bill to protect Jalopniks from hybrids...just sayin'

Murph5000

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

Indiana Bento and the lost Temple of Citroens — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:26:44 EDT

I don't see this being an issue in Hollywood as a Hybrid out here usually reeks of either patchouli or pretentiousness

[msnbcmedia.msn.com]

Indiana Bento and the lost Temple of Citroens

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

camp6ell — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:26:41 EDT

do we have any blind commenters than can give us real-world feedback?

camp6ell

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

graverobber- Two BEER minimum — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:21:19 EDT

Oh sure, but they'll do nothing about protecting me from getting whacked in the shins with a red-tipped cane by Blindy McBlind-blind when he's strutting down the sidewalk.

graverobber- Two BEER minimum

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

Ash78 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:20:46 EDT

So now every possible thing that might cause harm to the blind has to emit some sort of sound? What about guns? They emit a sound, but don't give you much time to duck. Especially the rifles.

Sounds to me like they're just picking on hybrids. There are a lot of really quiet gas-engine cars, too.

Ash78

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

Buckster — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:20:18 EDT

How about a playing card in the wheel spokes.

Buckster

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

Unevolved 8.04 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:19:01 EDT

Or the sound of a 454 with straight pipes.

[www.pix8.net]

Unevolved 8.04

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

FЯeeMan — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:18:57 EDT

I vote for having them emit an ear-piercing shriek at all times. This will notify all citizenry that a superior being is nearing and allow us to all make appropriate gestures of awe and amazement.

On a side note, could the IT chipmunks be bribed to default the 'preview comment' checkbox to selected? It used to work thata way before they added the option...

FЯeeMan

Bill Introduced To Protect The Blind From Hybrids

nosirrahg — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:16:17 EDT

They should all make the sound of the Jetson's vehicle.

nosirrahg