Horses and electric cars
Discussion
Since 2019 it has been mandatory in the UK and Euope for all new electric cars to provide an audible alert at slow (think it is below 18 or 19 mph) speed. Sad thing is there are people on SpeakEV who want to be able to turn it off, which alas does sum up too many of the old school EV drivers). Personally I think it is very very sensible - in theory it's to alert those with limited/reduced visual abilities, but in reality most people who'll be saved/warned are people reading/looking at their phones rather than where they are going.
Never had an issue bombing around the lanes in Devon in my Tesla. Tyre/road noise beyond 20mph makes it almost as loud as an ICE car so horses are well aware.
If I’ve approached from behind, the rider knows I’m there and obviously their actions let the nag know that something is around it.
If I’ve approached from behind, the rider knows I’m there and obviously their actions let the nag know that something is around it.
andy43 said:
Supermarket carparks are far worse - I've had people jump two feet in the air when you creep up behind them.
My favourite pastime. 
dapprman said:
Since 2019 it has been mandatory in the UK and Euope for all new electric cars to provide an audible alert at slow (think it is below 18 or 19 mph) speed. Sad thing is there are people on SpeakEV who want to be able to turn it off, which alas does sum up too many of the old school EV drivers). Personally I think it is very very sensible - in theory it's to alert those with limited/reduced visual abilities, but in reality most people who'll be saved/warned are people reading/looking at their phones rather than where they are going.
This is a misunderstanding of that rule. The 2019 change only applied to new models - i.e. anything on-sale as a model before this date doesn't need it retrofitted into the design. All Teslas delivered to date in the UK don't have the pedestrian warning system as fitted in the US as it was thought to be in contravention of other laws regarding no external speakers. I say this as a Model 3 owner who has the wiring, but no speaker for the system. The model Y will be the first new model Tesla have introduced since the change, and will have the noise generator.Will become compulsory from July 2021 on all cars sold I believe.
Order66 said:
dapprman said:
Since 2019 it has been mandatory in the UK and Euope for all new electric cars to provide an audible alert at slow (think it is below 18 or 19 mph) speed. Sad thing is there are people on SpeakEV who want to be able to turn it off, which alas does sum up too many of the old school EV drivers). Personally I think it is very very sensible - in theory it's to alert those with limited/reduced visual abilities, but in reality most people who'll be saved/warned are people reading/looking at their phones rather than where they are going.
This is a misunderstanding of that rule. The 2019 change only applied to new models - i.e. anything on-sale as a model before this date doesn't need it retrofitted into the design. All Teslas delivered to date in the UK don't have the pedestrian warning system as fitted in the US as it was thought to be in contravention of other laws regarding no external speakers. I say this as a Model 3 owner who has the wiring, but no speaker for the system. The model Y will be the first new model Tesla have introduced since the change, and will have the noise generator.Will become compulsory from July 2021 on all cars sold I believe.
This makes sense as this would introduce a cost in cars currently being produced.My 2019 Model S doesn't have the system either.
In my car, creeping up on people on their phone and watch them jump is great
Phunk said:
My parents live next to an equestrian centre, my dad drives a Lexus Hybrid and my mum drives a Nissan Leaf, they've never had an issue.
Same, drive past horses most days on single track country road, not had an issue driving EVs for past 2 years. Thats with an i3 without any additional noise maker, and a Leaf with the audible whine.Daaaveee said:
Phunk said:
My parents live next to an equestrian centre, my dad drives a Lexus Hybrid and my mum drives a Nissan Leaf, they've never had an issue.
Same, drive past horses most days on single track country road, not had an issue driving EVs for past 2 years. Thats with an i3 without any additional noise maker, and a Leaf with the audible whine.I do everything I can to accommodate horses on the road,but the fact is they are skittish animals and nothing is certain. My car has a second courtesy horn but I'd never use that on a horse. So usually I just drop a window and turn the music up slowly.
Just the other day I was cycling down a hill in the lanes, fully aware that a car could come round the corner. Alas it was a horse so I came to a quick stop, still 20m short of the horse. That was still enough to spook the horse and rider attempt to berate me. Sod that.
Just the other day I was cycling down a hill in the lanes, fully aware that a car could come round the corner. Alas it was a horse so I came to a quick stop, still 20m short of the horse. That was still enough to spook the horse and rider attempt to berate me. Sod that.
dapprman said:
Since 2019 it has been mandatory in the UK and Euope for all new electric cars to provide an audible alert at slow (think it is below 18 or 19 mph) speed. Sad thing is there are people on SpeakEV who want to be able to turn it off, which alas does sum up too many of the old school EV drivers). Personally I think it is very very sensible - in theory it's to alert those with limited/reduced visual abilities, but in reality most people who'll be saved/warned are people reading/looking at their phones rather than where they are going.
Not so. I have a new i3 - well Oct 20 - and no such noise / device.Discombobulate said:
dapprman said:
Since 2019 it has been mandatory in the UK and Euope for all new electric cars to provide an audible alert at slow (think it is below 18 or 19 mph) speed. Sad thing is there are people on SpeakEV who want to be able to turn it off, which alas does sum up too many of the old school EV drivers). Personally I think it is very very sensible - in theory it's to alert those with limited/reduced visual abilities, but in reality most people who'll be saved/warned are people reading/looking at their phones rather than where they are going.
Not so. I have a new i3 - well Oct 20 - and no such noise / device.It seems somewhat perverse to me that electric cars have to be fitted with a noise generator to make them more like IC cars (in other words, worse) which generate lots of noise pollution. Surely we will simply adapt to a quieter environment over time by using our eyes as the proportion of electric cars grows. Or, perhaps there will be a date in, say, 2035, when the noise generators all get switched off so that we can have the benefit of peace and quiet.
I can see, however, that it would be useful to have a noise generator that can be manually switched on for a few moments as you approach a horse, or someone walking in the road. A bit like a cyclist's bell rather than a horn.
I can see, however, that it would be useful to have a noise generator that can be manually switched on for a few moments as you approach a horse, or someone walking in the road. A bit like a cyclist's bell rather than a horn.
Throttle Body said:
It seems somewhat perverse to me that electric cars have to be fitted with a noise generator to make them more like IC cars (in other words, worse) which generate lots of noise pollution. Surely we will simply adapt to a quieter environment over time by using our eyes as the proportion of electric cars grows. Or, perhaps there will be a date in, say, 2035, when the noise generators all get switched off so that we can have the benefit of peace and quiet.
Yeah, let's all use our eyes. Confine the blind to their homes.Whilst we are at it, can we also have silent fire alarms as they can be a tad irritating.
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