Well, now I'm certain that the VSP is useless!

[Nubo]

Some people complain it's too loud. Others complain it's too faint.

Which is probably a fair indication that it's just about right.

I often have pedestrians notice it, especially in tight quarters such as a parking lot or garage. Not 100% of the time but then again that's not my expectation.

The effect of the backup chime is even more interesting. It's hard to not notice it. But I get people all the time who seem to make a point of crossing my path while I'm backing up. They seem to think the chime is pretentious, and go out of their way to let me know I'm not the boss of them. :|

 

[johnrhansen]

In the ghetto, we just roll down the window and crank up the stereo.

 

[JPWhite]

The effect of the backup chime is even more interesting. It's hard to not notice it. But I get people all the time who seem to make a point of crossing my path while I'm backing up.

I've also noticed that it is ignored more often than not. If the guy next to me is loading their car up with groceries and either they or the cart are in the way, I put it into reverse hoping they will react to the noise. Nope, its like it doesn't exist.

My theory is that folks associate the noise with a truck that is backing up not a car, the LEAF probably sounds like a distant truck backing into the loading bay, no issue to them!

 

[BrockWI]

I also think the VSP is just about right, although when reading this it reminded me of this

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

conclusion; the whole point of this thread is wrong. it is not VSP that needs work, it Mankind. my first suggestion is to go back to your first grade instructions from your mother and look both ways before crossing the street.

The purpose of VSP is to assist blind people who have learned to cross streets safely by listening for the sound of the car. Whether it works or not is open to debate. However, in that case "look both ways" doesn't quite solve the problem.

not quite. talking crosswalk signals is actually doing that job. the VSP is used for crossing parking lots which leads me to think

** parking lot speeds are very low

** a blind person is not the likely person to be running or darting out into traffic

** many cars are nearly silent at parking lot speeds

** the level of ambient noise in a parking lot is frequently well beyond the VSP

that maybe (back to my point) we as human beings should simply not run blind people over

 

[JPWhite]

conclusion; the whole point of this thread is wrong. it is not VSP that needs work, it Mankind. my first suggestion is to go back to your first grade instructions from your mother and look both ways before crossing the street.

The purpose of VSP is to assist blind people who have learned to cross streets safely by listening for the sound of the car. Whether it works or not is open to debate. However, in that case "look both ways" doesn't quite solve the problem.

not quite. talking crosswalk signals is actually doing that job. the VSP is used for crossing parking lots which leads me to think

** parking lot speeds are very low

** a blind person is not the likely person to be running or darting out into traffic

** many cars are nearly silent at parking lot speeds

** the level of ambient noise in a parking lot is frequently well beyond the VSP

that maybe (back to my point) we as human beings should simply not run blind people over

All very logical and true, however we have to deal with irrational politicians who have latched onto the growing menace of silent EV's thanks to generalized techno panic. Trying to score brownie points they push legislation that will reduce "Parking lot injuries and deaths". Who would vote *against* that? Even if you knew the legislation was useless does the general public? If not then It'd look bad to vote against it even if made logical sense to do so.

Money would be better spent on automated collision avoidance systems that could include pedestrians in parking lots as well as the car in front in stop/go traffic.

 

[Nubo]

Personally I don't understand the desire to prowl through a parking lot like a jungle cat. Sure drivers and pedestrians should all be conscientious, attentive and have IQs above 160. The real world doesn't always conform to this ideal. There are multiple vehicles in motion; lighting may be poor, people are contending with carts, packages and children. And they're tired. I have no problem with my car emitting a reasonable sound. It might not help in all situations. But it will help in some. I've seen it work.

As far as its benefit for the blind, I don't presume to know better than the blind as to what is helpful for them.

As far as government intrusion into private affairs it seems we have lots bigger fish to fry than to worry about a well-intentioned warble meant to prevent injury.

 

[johnrhansen]

Why should it matter to the driver of the car? With the widows up, you can't hear the sound anyway. If it makes things just a bit safer, then I'm all for it.

 

[JPWhite]

Why should it matter to the driver of the car? With the widows up, you can't hear the sound anyway. If it makes things just a bit safer, then I'm all for it.

If you owned a 2011 and could turn the sound off at will, you'd soon realize that you CAN hear it with the windows up, its not intrusive, but when it goes away you DO notice.

The only reasons I see for turning it off are

1. Late at night backing out of you garage, so as not to disturb anyone or make your dog bark and wake the household.
2. To show off.

 

[JPWhite]

it seems we have lots bigger fish to fry than to worry about a well-intentioned warble meant to prevent injury.

We all know where good intentions lead......

Once it is regulated, car manufacturers won't have much flexibility on how to implement the feature. I.E. it will kill innovation or advancements in this area. It will also drive the cost of cars up that don't currently include it. Like the millions of Prius's being sold.
If something comes along that makes VSP redundant (like collision avoidance), legislation will keep it alive adding that extra cost needlessly and minimizing safety.

 

[DesertDenizen]

I always just park at the far end of the parking lot. Less chance of fender benders or unmindful walkers. Plus I get in a little exercise.

 

[Compdoc777]

As far as people hearing he VSP. I don't think they care. I have morons in parking lots with my reverse lights on and the beeping come up and walk right behind my car as I am backing up. They could have gone around moved to the side or even walked on, but no these idiots walk right behind my car. I can see them clearly in the backup camera. I like the fact that the car is silent though. I can accelerate like a crazy man and nobody is the wiser. Also, the lack of sound makes people think the car is much faster than it really is as I accelerate away from the lights.

 

[kubel]

I've had people walk out in front of my V8 sedan with a leaky exhaust and worn timing chain tensioners. Some people just have no situational awareness whatsoever.

 

[DesertDenizen]

I've had people walk out in front of my V8 sedan with a leaky exhaust and worn timing chain tensioners. Some people just have no situational awareness whatsoever.

+1. Getting into the mindfulness literature is one of the best things I have done.

 

[mwalsh]

Let's not forget the narcissistic. They too roam free, caring little (if at all) for anything that isn't important to them.

 

[Nubo]

As far as people hearing he VSP. I don't think they care. I have morons in parking lots with my reverse lights on and the beeping come up and walk right behind my car as I am backing up. They could have gone around moved to the side or even walked on, but no these idiots walk right behind my car.

I get them too. In fact I think some of them do it out of spite. As if my backup beep is "trying to be the boss of them", and they want to make a point. You can't fix stupid.

But I've also had a number of instances where people have been aimlessly jogging about, and the beep brought them out of their reverie and made things safer. I've even had a few waves of thanks and/or relief. Good enough for me.

 

[desiv]

Still want somebody to hack it so it make the "Jetsons" sound.

+1 I want that sound too lol

OK, weird thought..
Any way to add that functionality to Leaf Spy? As it's monitoring the CAN already, can't it see speed and trigger the playing of a sound sample if the speed is below XXmph?
That way, you could just disable the existing VSP and wire your phone to a small speaker somewhere???



desiv

 

[TickTock]

OK, weird thought..
Any way to add that functionality to Leaf Spy? As it's monitoring the CAN already, can't it see speed and trigger the playing of a sound sample if the speed is below XXmph?
That way, you could just disable the existing VSP and wire your phone to a small speaker somewhere???



desiv

Not so weird. The request has come up at least a dozen times already with various flavors. The two most popular/common requests are the Jetson sounds and the Harley sound(would probably need to upgrade the speaker and amplifier for the Harley :lol: ). It really wouldn't be that hard - you can even monitor the throttle and speed to adjust the sound for realism. It's just noone has wanted it bad enough to actually do it.

 

[dhanson865]

Still want somebody to hack it so it make the "Jetsons" sound.

+1 I want that sound too lol

OK, weird thought..
Any way to add that functionality to Leaf Spy? As it's monitoring the CAN already, can't it see speed and trigger the playing of a sound sample if the speed is below XXmph?
That way, you could just disable the existing VSP and wire your phone to a small speaker somewhere???



desiv

Wire? Don't you know any cool device now uses bluetooth or wifi?