I wonder if the cause is that pedestrians don’t hear the EV.
Is the EV wearing camouflage as well?
Too many pedestrians don’t even look when they start crossing. They just go.
Yes,my work is on a side street, and I often cross it. I notice whether cars are coming primarily by sound. If I don’t hear a car, sometime I won’t bother to look for one.
“pedestrians don’t hear the EV”
That’s exactly what it is......an inherent built in safety flaw that no one has ever addressed.
Serving in my church’s parking ministry is a bit more Hazzardous than it used to be for that very reason.
We live in a good-sized neighbothood and a lot of people walk for exercise. It blows my mind to see many wearing ear buds or even a headset...walking with their backs to the traffic. Darwin is their “crossing guard”.
I think you are right. A lot of pedestrians aren’t watching, and a lot of them are so focused on their smartphones that they don’t even glance up. It is obvious to me that we should ban all cellular phones as a traffic safety matter.
I’m sure the Silence of the EVs is a factor.
Also, since the advent of EVs, I have noticed way more animals dead by the side of the road than before. EV’s kill Bambi, birds, ‘possums, squirrels, dogs, cats because they don’t hear them coming. But I do see a lot more vultures feasting on the yield of green Democrat policies.
EV’s kill.
You can’t hear them coming normally much less when looking at your phone and blaring music through ear buds.
But I believe your point is the primary one ...
You have a good point. Many people walk mindlessly staring down at their device while texting or whatever they are doing with them. They are not watching where they are going. If they hear a vehicle, they probably stop.
EV’s are pretty much silent. Those mindless wonders don’t hear them and get whacked.
They sound like golf carts. I can see why people not familiar with the sound would hear them coming up from a blind spot.
That does make sense. Also, I wonder how many EV cars were on auto-pilot which didn't detect the pedestrian in time.
Exactly. Apparently our Bolt it’s made to admit some kind of sound in order to warn pedestrians. However it doesn’t sound anything like an engine and it is somewhat Pleasant, so I’m sure pedestrians have no clue what it means.
Exactly.
That and the owners are usually driving with their chins up and eyes half closed, preening in their evident virtue.