matthearn.com

Matthew Yglesias discusses the problem of quiet hybrid engines sneaking up on pedestrians and cyclists.

But apparently there’s some concern that hybrids are dangerously quiet and could strike people unawares… Thinking about it, it’s definitely true that as a cyclist I wouldn’t be thrilled about the idea of lots of cars silently sneaking up past me from behind.

I don’t know that it’s as big a problem as you might think. My wife’s Honda Accord isn’t a hybrid; in fact, it’s got a big horse-y V6 in it. But it’s so well muffled, like most modern cars, that unless the fan is blowing (it often isn’t on cool days) you don’t hear it unless you’re right next to it. Most of the time when you hear a moving car, you aren’t hearing the engine at all, unless the driver’s a douche and has noisy mufflers; you’re hearing tire and wind noise. You can verify this the next time you’re on the interstate at 65mph or so; inside the car, do you hear the engine? Maybe a little. But I bet you hear a lot of the tires and wind. If your car is well insulated, you might not hear much of them, but if that’s so I bet you don’t hear the engine at all, unless you routinely drive in 2nd gear.

You probably don’t rely on the sound of other cars when you’re in your own car; why would you rely on it when cycling?