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<DIV>Dear Peter,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I have been to New York City, and lived in Los Angeles, and perhaps there
can be some sort of audible signal a driver may use to indicate their
presence. I realize New York City can be extremely noisy - many honkers,
but I saw cars pull to the side of a street when drivers heard a siren, so why
can't there be some sort of universal sound car makers can agree on?
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>My first point, I thought, would stir more controversy. People who
are blind or have low vision tell me, they would be inconvenienced by wearing a
device such it is hard enough, they say, walking with a cane or using a service
animal. I respectfully disagree. I am not the most tech-savvy person
in the universe, but there have been so many innovations in this field, why not
invent a micro chip be placed in a hybrid car and when it nears a pedestrian
wearing a similar micro chip, it would make a sound to warn the wearer of
an approaching vehicle? Not only would it beep, but as the car travels
away, the sound would decrease, sort of like the Doppler Effect (or Shift) -
That is, as objects get closer to a stationary source, the volume increases, but
the farther away they are from that stationary source, sound decreases.
Besides, of all my travels, I haven't too many hybrids on the roads, but, again,
this part of Missouri (Kansas City) and Kansas seem not too green.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Scott</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>In a message dated 1/17/2010 10:50:18 A.M. Central Standard Time,
paltschul@centurytel.net writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial>
<DIV class=Section1>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=navy size=2 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Hi,
Scott:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=navy size=2 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=navy size=2 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Re your second
point…<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=navy size=2 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=navy size=2 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I spent most of my
life in <st1:City w:st="on">new York City</st1:City> and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Washington</st1:City> <st1:State w:st="on">DC</st1:State></st1:place>, and believe that your horn-honking law
is a bad idea for two reasons. First, there is so much horn-honking and
general noise around that it would be easy to ignore another horn honk as just
another irritant. Secondly, I am not as confident in the good will of
sighted drivers as you appear to be; true, most are good-hearted, but there
are enough miscreants out there that I’m not sure the law would work (ever
mingled as a pedestrian with NYC cabdrivers?). And enforcing the law
would be a problem.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=navy size=2 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=navy size=2 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I am intrigued with
your first suggestion, however.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=navy size=2 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=navy size=2 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Best, Peter
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=navy size=2 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=navy size=2 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=navy size=2 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Best, Peter <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">From:</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">
missouri-l-bounces@moblind.org [mailto:missouri-l-bounces@moblind.org]
<B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">On Behalf Of
</SPAN></B>kcagape@aol.com<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Sunday, January 17, 2010 8:33
AM<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B>
Missouri-L@moblind.org<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Cc:</SPAN></B>
the_aaron@charter.net<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> [Missouri-l] Hybrid Cars'
Musings</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black size=2 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I have been thinking
about the issue some of you have that hybrid cars create no noise, and are so
quiet, you are not aware they are coming. There a couple of things I
am curious about, and please set me straight because isn't the purpose of
a hybrid to be quiet in the first place?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black size=2 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black size=2 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">When I worked for
the Army as a civilian, I recall they were in the process of making a device
that could be worn to hear the "signature" or the sound of an
approaching vehicle. Of what I understood, the device was not
cumbersome. Perhaps this device has been perfected and be worn
by the general (blind and low vision) public to alert when a vehicle is
coming when it can't be seen?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black size=2 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black size=2 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Here is another
concept. Since many visually impaired people use canes or service
animals, make it the law to have drivers honk at the pedestrian who is
visually impaired because the cane or service animal will serve as an
"identifier," and the driver will know they are approaching someone with a
visual impairment. I understand this might startle the service animal,
but would you rather be safe than hit or killed? By honking, this would
eliminate having constant noise device on a hybrid. Drivers I
observe are extremely conscientious about pedestrians who are blind or have
low vision, or any other pedestrian who might be in harm's way. It is
part of the driving experience to watch where you are driving, not just the
other drivers, but other potential hazards, including people.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black size=2 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black size=2 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I suspect some of us
in the so-called blind community don't give sighted people credit
in terms of how they - those who are not visually impaired - relate
to us, and vice versa. I am not "selling out" to the so-called
sighted world, because I am cognizant of both sides of this
argument since I have quite a bit of eyesight, yet I am still
considered to be legally blind. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black size=2 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black size=2 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I am not suggesting
I am against hybrids that make some noise because I don't care one way or the
other since this issue doesn't impact me, although I do know several people
who are blind or have low vision, and am concerned about their
safety.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black size=2 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black size=2 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Scott<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV></DIV><BR><BR>To
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