4 ms·
Yes, and silent bike interactions happen all the time. But a silent bike interaction is like this: 'Cyclist behind some pedestrians, other slow cyclists' 'Cyc
by 0xcoffee 7y ago
Yes, and silent bike interactions happen all the time. But a silent bike interaction is like this:
'Cyclist behind some pedestrians, other slow cyclists'
'Cyclist either rings bell or says 'excuse me''
In a car situation, the car would have to honk its horn which is much more interrupting to people trying to sleep then small 'vmmm' which is only hearable in a small radius around the car.
Peds and cyclists often share spaces, and cyclists and cars also often share spaces. The issue is how can a faster silent vehicle safely and socially share a space with slower more vulnerable vehicles.
We have daily accidents with peds walking into a bike path unpredictably and causing conflict. (Not necessarily a crash but annoyance by cyclist having to do evasive maneuver). However if an crash happens its not usually do bad, while even a low speed collision with a car will damage your bike and the car and cost $$$.
So I wouldn't look at the bike as an example of a silent vehicle working well in a city environment. We have many accidents they are just also very minor accidents.
For the people who will point out that this could also be solved with better infrastructure, I agree. Most of the accidents happen at places where e.g. peds get a green light to cross the road and then continue to cross the cycle path on the other side because in their mind they are protected by the green light, but actually now cyclists have right of way. Sometimes we put zebra crossings across bike paths but then everyone is confused because the cyclists don't stop anyway and it just causes more conflict because still the rules are being broken but just by the other party now.
tl;dr rules are confusing and people don't follow them anyway. A city environment is super dynamic, and often infrastructure cannot be changed. Adding 'vmmm's makes those interactions much easier, and its really doesn't cause the noise pollution people keep talking about.
- improbable22 7y agoYes to all this. I also wonder whether cars ought to have something less loud than the horn, for communicating with people who aren't encased in metal. Like trams (many places) have a little bell.
- nihonde 7y agoI notice that the bike messengers in the city now have “horns” that are more like an electric beep that is not as loud as a car. Also, the police cars have rumblers that you feel more than hear. When I’m in NYC, I always wish there was a counter for horn-presses that eventually triggers an automatic fine if you use your horn too much.
- nitrogen 7y agoI've heard from a friend that his relative in India absolutely won't drive with a broken horn, because that is how you let people know where you are. I'm curious how much of the honking in NYC is, say, "on your left" vs "up yours" compared to other cities/countries.
- nihonde 7y agoI’d say it’s mostly a form of complaining that traffic isn’t moving, even when the people in front are also stuck. It’s truly pointless noise-making.
- kaybe 7y agoThe tram bell is one of the more horrifying sounds you can hear on the road though. Basically, get out of the way or get hit, since it can neither evade nor stop fast.
- Doxin 7y agoNote that the sound trams in Amsterdam make for example only sound like a little bell from a good distance. Close up those things are exceedingly loud (and for good reason).
- stcredzero 7y ago'Cyclist either rings bell or says 'excuse me'' In a car situation, the car would have to honk its horn which is much more interrupting to people trying to sleep then small 'vmmm' which is only hearable in a small radius around the car. Give the electric car a little bell? (Former electric car driver here.)
- Scott_Sanderson 7y agoSo jealous of Dutch streets. People can be so civilized with bike/ped interactions. Put people behind glass and steel of cars, and it seems like they only shout "fuck you" at each other.
- rayiner 7y agoIt’s the Dutch. Bicyclists (and those scooter riders) are huge assholes to pedestrians here in DC.
- Tade0 7y agoIn a car situation, the car would have to honk its horn which is much more interrupting to people trying to sleep then small 'vmmm' which is only hearable in a small radius around the car. I drive a hybrid and at least once I simply opened the window and said "excuse me" - people were surprised, but also happy to not hear the horn.