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The rise of the Electric Vehicle – Cyclists new danger?

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  • October 16, 2018 at 11:47 am #29051
    AfterPeak

    Yes it sounds like a Daily Mail headline although it should probably be the other way around if it was a DM article but there is a hidden or should I say silent issue here. 

     

    Personally I am very happy with the reduction of polluting cars and motorbikes with the popularity of electric vehicles but I really think they should be fitted, as standard, with some sort of noise to alert people, cyclists and other road users they are there. Too many times now I have been scared the hell out of when a electric bike or car comes whizzing passed without a warning. It is bad enough when you can hear a car or bike revving in the distance getting closer but at least you know it is about to happen and can adjust you position/style.

    Anyway just a thought I think is worth talking about before someone gets injured. Not a fan of noise pollution either really but I am sure there could be a balance.  

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  • October 17, 2018 at 7:52 am #929265
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    Hirsute
    risoto wrote:
    The problem with electrical bikes is that passing cars expect the bike to go at a slower, normal, speed for a bike. Bikers riding electrical bikes have by far the highest death and injury incidence. They are dangerous.

    I almost killed a lady last year. I had overtaken her but when I had to make a left  turn, in my car, half a mile later she was next to me whizzing by at 20 miles an hour while I had to slow down as I approached the shopping center. Luckily I am very careful when making turns so I could stop the car.

    Ebikes are limited to 15mph in the UK.

    Which country are you refering to for your post?

    20 mph speedo is hardly fast for a normal bike.

    October 17, 2018 at 2:29 am #929263
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    srchar
    risoto wrote:
    The problem with electrical bikes is that passing cars expect the bike to go at a slower, normal, speed for a bike. Bikers riding electrical bikes have by far the highest death and injury incidence. They are dangerous.

    I almost killed a lady last year. I had overtaken her but when I had to make a left  turn, in my car, half a mile later she was next to me whizzing by at 20 miles an hour while I had to slow down as I approached the shopping center. Luckily I am very careful when making turns so I could stop the car.

    Nothing to do with eBikes. Road bikes can average 20mph quite easily; it’s hardly “whizzing”. You sure that overtake was sensible?

    October 17, 2018 at 12:36 am #929261
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    imajez

    ChrisB200SX wrote:

    ChrisB200SX wrote:
    I drive an electric car now. There is no reason it should have to make artificial noise in the same way I don’t have to make artificial noise on my bike or when I’m running, or even walking.
    That’s because hitting someone or something with a car wil probably kill them. There are huge numbers of people [and animals] killed by vehicles as it is now. If they are quieter this probelm will only increase as sometimes you hear engine before you see them. Expect cat’s 9 lives to be taken out a lot faster.
    I’ve seen so many dead critters on my last few rides. Including a deer on last one. Then there are the people who walk their dogs on country lanes.

    October 16, 2018 at 10:06 pm #929259
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    ChrisB200SX

    I drive an electric car now.

    I drive an electric car now. There is no reason it should have to make artificial noise in the same way I don’t have to make artificial noise on my bike or when I’m running, or even walking.

    October 16, 2018 at 9:15 pm #929257
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    risoto

    The problem with electrical

    The problem with electrical bikes is that passing cars expect the bike to go at a slower, normal, speed for a bike. Bikers riding electrical bikes have by far the highest death and injury incidence. They are dangerous.

    I almost killed a lady last year. I had overtaken her but when I had to make a left  turn, in my car, half a mile later she was next to me whizzing by at 20 miles an hour while I had to slow down as I approached the shopping center. Luckily I am very careful when making turns so I could stop the car.

    October 16, 2018 at 8:42 pm #929255
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    Anonymous

    I’d happily drive an electric

    I’d happily drive an electric if just played awesome engine noises if you wanted it to. BRM V16! Renault do something like that already so you can pretend you’re driving an Alpine or whatever. 

    October 16, 2018 at 8:20 pm #929253
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    ktache

    Teslas are proper noisy. 

    Teslas are proper noisy. 

    Seem to be drive by former BMW and Audi owners too.

    October 16, 2018 at 7:55 pm #929251
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    AfterPeak

    hawkinspeter]

    hawkinspeter wrote:
    [quote=cyclisto]

    I’d much rather have cleaner air and electric vehicles as the noise issue is easy to mitigate.

     

     

    Agreed. But with a small bit of thought we can have both.

     

    It’s not just the cars. The electric mopeds are absolutely silent in my experience. 

    October 16, 2018 at 7:29 pm #929249
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    Hirsute

    BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

    BehindTheBikesheds wrote:
    as well as where all the electricty is going to come from.

    Wind

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45873785

    We have massive amounts of wind and tidal power in the UK that could be utilised with the political will.

    October 16, 2018 at 6:37 pm #929247
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    Anonymous

    Electric cars are not in

    Electric cars are not in themselves that much better than an ICE vehicle, you can hear the noise from the tyres even at low speed.

    The big problem with EVs is that they will take more space with charging points on streets and will still clog up the roads and it will only get worse. On street pollution may well go down but that won’t change the killing and maiming, nor will it help with health of those only ever getting about without any effort.

    EVs are a toxic non solution to our mobility problems that will cost massively more than people are being told as well as where all the electricty is going to come from.

    https://www.driving.co.uk/news/electric-cars-will-clog-roads-next-three-decades-says-study/

    October 16, 2018 at 6:27 pm #929245
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    hawkinspeter

    cyclisto wrote:

    cyclisto wrote:
    The greatest threat for cyclists is imo vehicle’s emissions and not the vehicle itself. Full electric cars will just terminate thia problem. On the other hand, hearing is really useful to cyclists, I would feel really unsafe to ride with earphones. So yes a mild sound would be necessary, but even without it, battery only cars can greatly reduce the biggest threat we face daily

    Coincidentally, I just happened upon this article from 2017 that explores the possible link between Alzheimer’s and dirty air: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/01/brain-pollution-evidence-builds-dirty-air-causes-alzheimer-s-dementia

    I’d much rather have cleaner air and electric vehicles as the noise issue is easy to mitigate.

     

    October 16, 2018 at 6:20 pm #929243
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    hawkinspeter

    It’s definitely something to

    It’s definitely something to be aware of so there’s less of a surprise when suddenly being overtaken when you weren’t aware that there was anyone behind you (also applies to other cyclists overtaking you).

    In some ways, it highlights the issues that deaf cyclists face and the ultimate answer is to check behind more frequently (I’m a fan of using a tiny mirror for a brief look to see what’s approaching).

    October 16, 2018 at 5:23 pm #929241
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    cyclisto

    The greatest threat for
    The greatest threat for cyclists is imo vehicle’s emissions and not the vehicle itself. Full electric cars will just terminate thia problem.

    On the other hand, hearing is really useful to cyclists, I would feel really unsafe to ride with earphones. So yes a mild sound would be necessary, but even without it, battery only cars can greatly reduce the biggest threat we face daily

    October 16, 2018 at 4:45 pm #929239
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    Dnnnnnn

    Bloody Brussels bureaucracy
    Bloody Brussels bureaucracy!
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26857743

    October 16, 2018 at 4:13 pm #929237
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    fenix

    Can’t say I’ve ever been

    Can’t say I’ve ever been surprised by an electric car – as has been said – its the road noise more than the engine noise.

     

    I was surprised by the shadow of a double decker bus looming over me before I’d heard it. 

    I think it was a combination of low sun, a hill and a headwind drowning out its engine. 

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