When the government mandates the feature, then it becomes by nature a part of the discussion! Ok, Now back OT!!
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Request for Enhancement: Pedestrian Horn
- Thread starter rcc
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- Driving Dynamics Model S
When the government mandates the feature, then it becomes by nature a part of the discussion! Ok, Now back OT!!
I certainly do not want any government involvement in this. In fact, I do not see this as a safety issue at all. In my experience it is just a middle thing between honking the horn and leaning out of the window and saying "Excuse me!" - required in those awkward situations where I am driving so slow in my residential area that I make no sound at all. Just a way of kindly asking a bunch of oblivious kids engrossed in their play, or that dad just letting go of his daughters bike, if they would let me pass...
SCW-Greg
Active Member
Exactly.
For my fellow Norsk brethren (I'm half Norsk myself), I'm excited for your deliveries now!
Share pics!
Volker.Berlin
Member
What could be mandated is a external connection to the already existing high beam FLASH switch that owners can use for whatever warning device (audio or additional light) that they choose to install on the car. Since headlights are typically NOT fused, the logical interface would be a ~10A relay socket mounted conveniently on a fuse block. Then owner could use the FLASH lever to operate whatever device she chooses without overloading the headlight circuits.
This would be a *good* mandate since it would:
1. Use the FLASH function which is an existing autonomic response, yet is separate from 'emergency' response of pressing horn button.
2. Offer consumer a simple & safe connection point that will not damage vehicle systems or void any warranties.
3. Not require any specific type of device, or any device at all.
4. Hardly cost manufacturer anything since all vehicle fuseblocks would begin to incorporate this function. Another Feature to add to the Sales Brochure.
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This would be a *good* mandate since it would:
1. Use the FLASH function which is an existing autonomic response, yet is separate from 'emergency' response of pressing horn button.
2. Offer consumer a simple & safe connection point that will not damage vehicle systems or void any warranties.
3. Not require any specific type of device, or any device at all.
4. Hardly cost manufacturer anything since all vehicle fuseblocks would begin to incorporate this function. Another Feature to add to the Sales Brochure.
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I live at the bottom of a 1+ mile downhill run. No sidewalks and there are often pedestrians. It's a fairly quiet neighborhood. My Prius's ICE shuts off during the coast home and the car is quite quiet as I am typically going 20-25 mph (posted 20 mph). I usually just pace the walkers until they realize I'm there but I do get some startled looks. One woman did bitch me out for "reckless driving" (earned her permanent "honk at" status). The bottom line here is my Prius is quiet enough in electric mode to not get easily noticed. I really don't want to use my horn (even the feeble Prius horn). The Tesla will be even quieter (or at least quieter more often).
Also, there is a proposed National Highway Traffic Safety Administration rule for minimum noise requirements for EVs and Hybrids. (sorry if this is well known here)
I was at a farm up in Petaluma getting some meat. While we were getting the baby buckled back in, a conversation knot formed behind the car. Even when I had it in reverse, they didn't look to see the reverse lights. My wife had to knock on the back window to get them to move out of the way.
It turns out that the farm owners had a Model S reservation that they deferred to an X reservation, so I had a bit of Tesla time with them, but that's a different topic
Someone should rig up a kid's bike bell with a servo to a button on the dash.
It turns out that the farm owners had a Model S reservation that they deferred to an X reservation, so I had a bit of Tesla time with them, but that's a different topic
Someone should rig up a kid's bike bell with a servo to a button on the dash.
I guarantee you that blind pedestrians can hear the Model S tires at 1 or 2 mph, as long as there are no other loud sounds which might drown it out. Don't believe me? Blindfold yourself and stand 10 feet back from your driveway. Have a family member move your car slowly past you. You will hear the tires.
It turns out that on many new cars, the engines are so quiet that slow rolling tires emit more noise than the engine. Although frankly, I'd be happy to let this be decided by our blind citizens.
It turns out that on many new cars, the engines are so quiet that slow rolling tires emit more noise than the engine. Although frankly, I'd be happy to let this be decided by our blind citizens.
Arnold Panz
Model Sig 304, VIN 542
I could have used this feature yesterday. Driving out of my development yesterday afternoon, I got stuck behind a Dad and his two young kids all riding bicycles. They were aimlessly drifting in the middle of the street -- at one point the little girl (probably about 7 yrs old) went through a cul-de-sac and came flying back onto the main street. All the while, I'm behind them, driving slowly, and they're oblivious to me. Truthfully, I think even an ICE at that slow speed they might not have heard, but I would have loved a pedestrian horn. My wife and kids wanted me to blast the horn, but these are our neighbors (we only have 100 or so houses in our development) and I didn't want to scare them half to death with the regular horn.
For those wondering, I consider this Dad to be ridiculous to allow his kids to ride their bikes the way they were, but that's one of the benefits of our neighborhood is that they can ride around like that and because we have so many kids, everyone drives slowly through (and we have lots of speed bumps to help those that want to speed).
For those wondering, I consider this Dad to be ridiculous to allow his kids to ride their bikes the way they were, but that's one of the benefits of our neighborhood is that they can ride around like that and because we have so many kids, everyone drives slowly through (and we have lots of speed bumps to help those that want to speed).
There have been at least half a dozen times where I would swear that pedestrians went out of their way to walk in front of me (or across my path), but they were completely oblivious to my presence.
Do I want the Feds to mandate some kind of klaxon to scare the bejeebers out of some little old lady? No.
Do I want the option to generate some kind of sound - preferably user-defined, say, a honktone for such an occasion? Yes, as long as it doesn't cost me an arm and a leg.
If I had my 'druthers, I'd have a honktone that sounds like coins falling on the pavement. NOBODY ignores *that* sound. You'd be amazed how quiet that particular sound can be and still be effective.
-- Ardie
Do I want the Feds to mandate some kind of klaxon to scare the bejeebers out of some little old lady? No.
Do I want the option to generate some kind of sound - preferably user-defined, say, a honktone for such an occasion? Yes, as long as it doesn't cost me an arm and a leg.
If I had my 'druthers, I'd have a honktone that sounds like coins falling on the pavement. NOBODY ignores *that* sound. You'd be amazed how quiet that particular sound can be and still be effective.
-- Ardie
Arnold Panz
Model Sig 304, VIN 542
Love it!
I agree completely -- there should be no reason to mandate this via regulation. It's a benefit to me as a Tesla owner to have the option of a pedestrian sound warning, so it's something that should be provided for safety purposes like many other features on the Tesla.
Maybe for the Model X......
steve841
Active Member
A few weeks ago we got Red Sox tickets that included parking. We drove down Lansdowne Street on a beautiful April Sunday afternoon to get there. Cops had to stop pedestrians at the crosswalk so we could enter the street, but once in we were stuck following and trying to pass crowds of ticket holders - not the best place to drive an EV. I tried to hit the horn lightly but it's not easy. And when we got to one of the gates where people were lined up to enter we had to wait for a couple cops to come part the crowd for us. Some kind of softer pedestrian horn would have come in handy - even a road runner style "meep, meep".
I had someone jump *backwards* -- he was walking backwards -- in front of me in a crosswalk. I had the right-of-way and he was crossing against the light. Luckily I was able to stop on a dime. (He actually apologized and the people on the sidewalk started yelling at him.) It was loud enough that I don't think even a horn would have helped him pay attention... since he was literally walking backwards into the middle of the street, I'm not sure anything would have helped him pay attention...
hans
P631
Please don't put these words together after the windshield drama some folks have had.
steve841
Active Member
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