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Tourer
Posts: 599
New Mexico | Feds propose minimum sound standards for hybrid, electric vehicles
WASHINGTON -- Federal regulators say it may be time for hybrid and electric vehicles to pump up the volume.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said today that it is proposing minimum sound standards for hybrid and electric vehicles as a way to make pedestrians more aware of them as they approach.
http://www.freep.com/article/20130107/BUSINESS01/130107035/Feds-pro...
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So, if cars are too quiet and therefore not safe.
And if making the cars louder will save lives.
Then of course, making a motorcycle louder will save lives.
Then it stands to reason - LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES!!
Edited by Boots 2013-02-09 10:39 AM
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Cruiser
Posts: 50
hudson, IL United States | It's true. I have a hybrid truck and I have to honk, or drop it in manuel trans mode to get the motor to turn on for people to move over. I just don't know how to make an electric drive louder. |
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Tourer
Posts: 500
| Boots...Your missing the point I think..Loud pipes do not save lives..That is pure BS.....A little sound to make people aware that a vehicle is around is the message that makes sense...Not some "raunchy" loud obnoxious noise that some think is cool.......JMHO |
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Visionary
Posts: 1365
Central Maryland | opas ride - 2013-02-09 1:13 PM
Boots...Your missing the point I think..Loud pipes do not save lives..That is pure BS.....A little sound to make people aware that a vehicle is around is the message that makes sense...Not some "raunchy" loud obnoxious noise that some think is cool.......JMHO
Wrong.. you old fart. Loud pipes DO attract attention and save lives. It has saved my life on a couple of occasions; when idiots try to merge into me. A quick rap on the throttle, and they wake the fuck up and pull back into their lane. |
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Tourer
Posts: 500
| Willtill .....You are certainly entitled to your opinion about loud pipes, but I doubt a rap on the throttle only satisfied your ego...and in no way saved your life...Show me any hard data anyone has that clearly proves loud, obnoxious pipes on bikes save lives and I will read it....I am not against nice sounding pipes at all and have some on my Vision, but they sound mellow and nice, not something I use to boost my ego.....with loud noise...I understand pipes are a personal choice and I respect that..but loud "rattty" sounding pipes used by many to impress others is not for me....Regards, and I know that I am an old "fart" but we will all, hopefully, get there some day....would'nt it be better to change lanes yourself or make another move instead of making a lot of noise to possibly "scare" someone into a really foolish move???
Edited by opas ride 2013-02-09 9:41 PM
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Tourer
Posts: 523
seattle, wa | As the saying goes...."If loud pipes saved lives, then school buses would have them." |
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Cruiser
Posts: 126
Meadow, Texas | The only thing I can agree with on loud pipes saving lives is due to the noise alerting deer to run away from the noise. But then again, I might have just been lucky during those times. But that was with another bike - still have stock on my VV. |
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Tourer
Posts: 599
New Mexico | opas ride - 2013-02-09 11:13 AM
Boots...Your missing the point I think..Loud pipes do not save lives..That is pure BS.....A little sound to make people aware that a vehicle is around is the message that makes sense...Not some "raunchy" loud obnoxious noise that some think is cool.......JMHO
So you agree then that sound is a key safety element on the road. That more sound "...is the message that makes sense..." You would agree more sound absolutely does save lives. Logically it HAS to.
It appears your concern is not loud pipes, but pipes that are TOO loud. Ahhh, my friend, now that we have a line we can move forward. The constitution says loud pipes shall not be infringed.... Oh wait, that's another discussion. 
I would submit that we agree loud pipes save lives, we just disagree on the db level.
I'm a reasonable man. How about this standard: If the driver inside the car has to remove their hands from the wheel to plug their ears, perhaps that might be considered too loud. Maybe.
rwilly - 2013-02-09 9:20 PM
As the saying goes...."If loud pipes saved lives, then school buses would have them."
As the saying goes.... "If seat belts saved lives, then school buses would have them.
If motorcycles were huge, yellow, full of screaming kids, and protected by laws that were enforced we wouldn't need loud pipes either.
Edited by Boots 2013-02-10 6:29 AM
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Tourer
Posts: 390
| I have noticed that most of the stories say the same thing....Car started to merge into my lane untill I pulled in the clutch and rapped the engine.... So they did not hear your loud pipes untill you made an effort to make them louder. I use my horn in this situation. I have had loud pipes and they wore me out after a while. Like my music better these days.
Ride what ever makes you comfortable and feel safer. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 33
South Carolina | Ever been in your car and went to move into the left lane but were surprised a bike was there? Ever had a bike go flying by on your left that you never heard, only saw?
Even in 3 lanes of moving traffic you can hear a Harley - the rumble let's you know one's around even if you don't see it.
After I got my Vision I felt very uncomfortable about the low exhaust sound and changed to glasspacks.
Sight is only one sense - sound adds another. We need all the help we can in getting the cages aware we're around.
Each to their own but I'm a believer. |
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Tourer
Posts: 499
Chattanooga, TN | +1 |
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Visionary
Posts: 1632
Jasper, MO | I was a believer in the "Loud pipes save lives" argument until the day I was riding my Sport Cruiser, which has an extremely loud D&D shorty on it, with three of my friends. Two of them were mounted on Goldwings and one was on a FJR1300, all of them quiet. I was following them. We were riding on a two lane backroad. As we were meeting two cars coming the other way, a full grown St. Bernard dog jumped out of the ditch after letting the other three quiet bikes go by and right out in front of me and my loud as Hell pipes. The dog was looking the other way, after the other bikes and at the cars. I had no where to go since there were cars oncoming and a BIG dog in my lane. I hit him broadside.
I don't buy the "loud pipes" argument anymore. Attention to your surroundings (by all drivers) and luck of the draw have a lot more to do with it. Unfortunately, drivers today have their attention everywhere but on their driving. Many of them just plain don't care about anybody else, especially those on bikes and or in big trucks, and cut both off on a regular basis.
People are much worse about cutting off big trucks than they are about cutting off bikes. Don't tell me they can't see or hear an 80,000 pound truck.
Ronnie
Edited by rdbudd 2013-02-10 1:04 PM
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Tourer
Posts: 500
| Again to those that posted, I enjoy nice sounding pipes on cars and motorcycles and have had them on my Mustangs and bikes since forever...Yes I am opposed to loud "obnoxious noise" that many bikers think is cool and that is their right....If some would slow the "ego" down and use common sense in most situations all might better.....I will never accept the argument that "loud pipes save lives" as I said above that statement is pure BS......I rest my case..... |
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Visionary
Posts: 1365
Central Maryland | Biermark "get's it"
Opas_ride... I agree... loud "Obnoxious" pipes are taboo.... bit loud pipes (my mantra all along) are what I have, and always have... advocated for a motorcyclists. They "work". |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 8
West Palm Beach FL | a little humor.... sorry if you have seen it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1A3b_MRimbk |
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Tourer
Posts: 401
| Electric cars are a big problem for blind (or visually impaired) people since they depend on the noise of cars to determine if it is safe to cross the street or not. Even cars that shut off when stopped can present a problem.
I have a solution:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhF4gu87rn0
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Cruiser
Posts: 215
W'ford Tx | We should outlaw bicycles on the road too, or make them put playing cards in their spokes. I own a Toyota Prius and YES people will wander in front of the darn thing in a parking lot, even with the muffler screaming "I'm Gay" coming out of it (there I hit the jokes myself, it gets 58mpg make fun of me all you want, I'll get my revenge at the gas pump) The matter of fact is people are to dang lazy to look before crossing the street, wandering out to the middle of the lane or merging. As a whole people are becoming more and more lazy which results in stupidity and we have the problems we have now. It's as simple as paying attention and looking. Hard concept for some to grasp but I feel no pity when someone is stupid enough to walk out in front of my hybrid before looking what's behind them. Seems to me like nature is taking it's coarse...... |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1066
Peru, IN | The Prius isn't gay. Bi-curious, maybe. Somewhere between Freddie Mercury and that Irish guy that does the tap dancing. :D |
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Visionary
Posts: 1632
Jasper, MO | goat813 - 2013-02-11 6:57 PM
I own a Toyota Prius and YES people will wander in front of the darn thing in a parking lot, even with the muffler screaming "I'm Gay" coming out of it (there I hit the jokes myself, it gets 58mpg make fun of me all you want, I'll get my revenge at the gas pump)
You're not "Paying Your Fair Share" . The Democrats aim to fix that http://gas2.org/2013/02/12/congress-considering-a-pay-per-mile-road... They are specifically targeting those who drive EVs or hybrids, using the logic that simply raising the gas tax would let those "energy efficient " drivers get an unfair advantage/pay less for transportation. Can't have that now, can we?
By the way, I agree with the rest of your post. Too many people today are simply self-absorbed and not paying attention.
Ronnie
Edited by rdbudd 2013-02-12 12:04 PM
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Louder Cars (& Pipes) Save Lives