[New-hampshire-students] Fw: Legislative Alert - Model Quiet Car Legislation for States

Tue Dec 4 21:08:08 CST 2007

Blank
----- Original Message ----- 
From: McCarthy, Jim 
To: undisclosed-recipients: 
Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2007 5:21 PM
Subject: Legislative Alert - Model Quiet Car Legislation for States

Fellow Federationists:

            I write to let you know that a model bill has been developed to address the quiet car issue in our states and I am sending it along with this message.  Affiliates should consider seeking legislative members to introduce this model bill in each state.  This model bill is only one component of our strategy to bring attention to the challenges blind people will face if quiet vehicles become the norm on this nation's streets.

            Please study the model bill so you can share its points with others.  Here are its key points:

                        -- The bill offers findings regarding how blind people travel and the likely results of automobiles that are hybrid, electric, or other possible quiet technologies;

                        -- It establishes a minimum sound level standard that all cars sold in a state passing the bill must meet in order to be sold and licensed in that state;

                        -- It requires the agencies that govern emissions and pedestrian safety to jointly develop the regulations that implement the minimum noise level standard;

                                    -- It defines the meaning of vehicle to determine which kinds of transportation are covered; and

                                    -- Finally, it requires state safety inspections (to the same extent that safety inspections are required on cars in the state) of the apparatus that will be used to provide the minimum level of sound for the vehicle.  This means that if a state requires annual inspections of lights, brakes, and other safety components, the same is required for the sound-emitting components.  If no safety inspections were required, this bill would not require them of the sound-emitting components.

            This model legislation is very important to support one of our major national priorities so you are encouraged to seek support to get it passed.  However, many states have already determined their legislative activities for this year, or some may work on a two-year legislative cycle.  Therefore, you are encouraged to seek support of this legislation to the extent that doing so is consistent with your state objectives.

Passing this bill will take profound effort, as I expect the auto industry and perhaps other forces, to oppose it.  We certainly should expect strong opposition and develop our arguments well.  However, on the positive side, this bill provides a golden opportunity to explain how blind people travel and why quiet cars pose such a threat to our traveling safely.  I will be monitoring our progress on this bill, so as bills are introduced in your states, please let me know.  I will also want to know as they pass through the key points on their way to becoming law.  Let us begin the work of passing this important legislation.

Cordially,

Jim McCarthy

Government Programs Specialist

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND

Model Quiet Car Legislation

Section 1.  This Act shall be known as the "Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2008."

Section 2.  Definitions.  

(a) "Vehicle" means anything licensed for transporting people or goods on public roadways including but not limited to a car, van, light truck, cargo truck, or bus.  

Section 3.  Findings and Purpose.  

(a) The General Assembly of this state finds that:  

(1) Vehicles designed to provide the desirable benefits of reducing harmful pollutants and operating with greater fuel efficiency include gasoline-electric hybrid and electric-only vehicles, and in the foreseeable future may include hydrogen fuel cell and other engine designs that rely on fuels and technologies other than the gasoline-powered internal combustion engine.  

(2) All of the vehicle engine designs specified in (1) above, as well as other designs not specified herein, operate or are likely to operate with virtually no sound being produced by the vehicle.  

(3) The total number of hybrid vehicles sold per year in this state is growing dramatically, and although the present number of hybrid vehicles constitutes a small overall percentage of vehicles, if this rate of growth persists, the number of hybrid vehicles will soon equal or exceed the number of internal combustion engine vehicles in this state.  

(4) Because blind pedestrians cannot locate and evaluate traffic using their vision, they must listen to traffic to discern its speed, direction, and other attributes in order to travel safely and independently; and other people, including pedestrians who are not blind, bicyclists, runners, and small children, benefit from multi-sensory information available from vehicle traffic, including the sound of vehicle engines.  

(5) When operating on their electric engines, hybrid vehicles sold in this state cannot be heard by blind people and others, rendering such vehicles extremely dangerous when driving on the street, emerging from driveways, moving through parking lots, and in other situations where pedestrians and vehicles come into proximity with each other.  

(6) Failure of this state to take immediate action assuring that blind pedestrians can hear hybrid and other silent vehicles in all phases of their operation will lead to pedestrian injuries and fatalities.  

(7) The results described in (6) above are preventable through vehicle designs which take into account the multi-sensory nature of traffic detection and avoidance and require that vehicles emit a minimum level of sound designed to alert all pedestrians, especially blind pedestrians, to the presence of said vehicles.  

(b) The purpose of this legislation is to establish a minimum sound level standard for all phases of vehicle operation, which is to be applicable to every new vehicle sold in this state and licensed for use on its public streets and roadways when sold and registered after a specified date.  

Section 4.  

(a) Within one year of enactment of this Act, the agency or agencies in this state having jurisdiction over vehicle emissions and vehicle/pedestrian safety shall promulgate regulations establishing a minimum sound standard applicable to vehicles sold in and licensed to travel the public roads of this state.  

(b) The standard promulgated shall have all of the following characteristics:  

(1) In all phases of operation, including times when the vehicle is at a full stop, vehicles shall emit an omni-directional sound with similar spectral characteristics to those of a modern internal combustion engine.  

(2) The sound shall vary in a way that is consistent with the sound of vehicles with combustion engines indicating that the vehicle is idling, maintaining a constant speed, accelerating, or decelerating.  

(3) The regulations need not prescribe the apparatus, technology, or method to be used by vehicle manufacturers to achieve the required minimum sound level.  

(c) When determining a minimum sound level, the state agency or agencies  crafting regulations pursuant to this Act shall:  

(1) review all available research regarding the effect of traffic sounds on pedestrian safety; and  

(2) consult consumer groups representing individuals who are blind, other pedestrians, cyclists, and advocates for the safety of children.  

Section 5.  No later than two years after the minimum sound standard required by this legislation has been promulgated, all new vehicles sold in this state and licensed for use on the public roads must be in compliance with the standard.  

Section 6.  Beginning one year after the date that new vehicles must comply with the minimum sound standard, vehicle safety inspections required in this state shall include inspection of the sound-emitting components to insure that they are functioning properly in order to provide maximum safety to pedestrians in this state.  Vehicles that fail to meet the minimum sound standard shall not be certified to travel on the roads of this state.

Section 7.  This Act shall take effect immediately upon its enactment.  

Rev. November 27, 2007

-------------- next part --------------
Blank
BODY { MARGIN-TOP: 25px; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 25px; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica } P.msoNormal { MARGIN-TOP: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0px; COLOR: #ffffcc; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica, "Times New Roman" } LI.msoNormal { MARGIN-TOP: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0px; COLOR: #ffffcc; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica, "Times New Roman" }

----- Original Message -----
From:
mailto:JMcCarthy at NFB.ORG McCarthy, Jim
To:
mailto:undisclosed-recipients: undisclosed-recipients:
Sent:
Tuesday, December 04, 2007 5:21 PM
Subject:
Legislative Alert - Model Quiet Car Legislation for States
Fellow Federationists:

I write to let you know that a model bill has been developed to address the quiet car issue in our states and I am sending it along with this message.

Affiliates should consider seeking legislative members to introduce this model bill in each state.

This model bill is only one component of our strategy to bring attention to the challenges blind people will face if quiet vehicles become the norm on this nation’s streets.

Please study the model bill so you can share its points with others.

Here are its key points:

-- The bill offers findings regarding how blind people travel and the likely results of automobiles that are hybrid, electric, or other possible quiet technologies;

-- It establishes a minimum sound level standard that all cars sold in a state passing the bill must meet in order to be sold and licensed in that state;

-- It requires the agencies that govern emissions and pedestrian safety to jointly develop the regulations that implement the minimum noise level standard;

-- It defines the meaning of vehicle to determine which kinds of transportation are covered; and

-- Finally, it requires state safety inspections (to the same extent that safety inspections are required on cars in the state) of the apparatus that will be used to provide the minimum level of sound for the vehicle.

This means that if a state requires annual inspections of lights, brakes, and other safety components, the same is required for the sound-emitting components.

If no safety inspections were required, this bill would not require them of the sound-emitting components.

This model legislation is very important to support one of our major national priorities so you are encouraged to seek support to get it passed.

However, many states have already determined their legislative activities for this year, or some may work on a two-year legislative cycle.

Therefore, you are encouraged to seek support of this legislation to the extent that doing so is consistent with your state objectives.

Passing this bill will take profound effort, as I expect the auto industry and perhaps other forces, to oppose it.

We certainly should expect strong opposition and develop our arguments well.

However, on the positive side, this bill provides a golden opportunity to explain how blind people travel and why quiet cars pose such a threat to our traveling safely.

I will be monitoring our progress on this bill, so as bills are introduced in your states, please let me know.

I will also want to know as they pass through the key points on their way to becoming law.

Let us begin the work of passing this important legislation.

Cordially,

Jim McCarthy
Government Programs Specialist
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND

Model Quiet Car Legislation

Section 1.

This Act shall be known as the “Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2008.”

Section 2.

Definitions.

(a) “Vehicle” means anything licensed for transporting people or goods on public roadways including but not limited to a car, van, light truck, cargo truck, or bus.

Section 3.

Findings and Purpose.

(a) The General Assembly of this state finds that:

(1)

Vehicles designed to provide the desirable benefits of reducing harmful pollutants and operating with greater fuel efficiency include gasoline-electric hybrid and electric-only vehicles, and in the foreseeable future may include hydrogen fuel cell and other engine designs that rely on fuels and technologies other than the gasoline-powered internal combustion engine.

(2)
All of the vehicle engine designs specified in (1) above, as well as other designs not specified herein, operate or are likely to operate with virtually no sound being produced by the vehicle.

(3)
The total number of hybrid vehicles sold per year in this state is growing dramatically, and although the present number of hybrid vehicles constitutes a small overall percentage of vehicles, if this rate of growth persists, the number of hybrid vehicles will soon equal or exceed the number of internal combustion engine vehicles in this state.

(4)
Because blind pedestrians cannot locate and evaluate traffic using their vision, they must listen to traffic to discern its speed, direction, and other attributes in order to travel safely and independently; and other people, including pedestrians who are not blind, bicyclists, runners, and small children, benefit from multi-sensory information available from vehicle traffic, including the sound of vehicle engines.

(5)
When operating on their electric engines, hybrid vehicles sold in this state cannot be heard by blind people and others, rendering such vehicles extremely dangerous when driving on the street, emerging from driveways, moving through parking lots, and in other situations where pedestrians and vehicles come into proximity with each other.

(6)
Failure of this state to take immediate action assuring that blind pedestrians can hear hybrid and other silent vehicles in all phases of their operation will lead to pedestrian injuries and fatalities.

(7)
The results described in (6) above are preventable through vehicle designs which take into account the multi-sensory nature of traffic detection and avoidance and require that vehicles emit a minimum level of sound designed to alert all pedestrians, especially blind pedestrians, to the presence of said vehicles.

(b) The purpose of this legislation is to establish a minimum sound level standard for all phases of vehicle operation, which is to be applicable to every new vehicle sold in this state and licensed for use on its public streets and roadways when sold and registered after a specified date.

Section 4.

(a) Within one year of enactment of this Act, the agency or agencies in this state having jurisdiction over vehicle emissions and vehicle/pedestrian safety shall promulgate regulations establishing a minimum sound standard applicable to vehicles sold in and licensed to travel the public roads of this state.

(b) The standard promulgated shall have all of the following characteristics:

(1)
In all phases of operation, including times when the vehicle is at a full stop, vehicles shall emit an omni-directional sound with similar spectral characteristics to those of a modern internal combustion engine.

(2)
The sound shall vary in a way that is consistent with the sound of vehicles with combustion engines indicating that the vehicle is idling, maintaining a constant speed, accelerating, or decelerating.

(3)
The regulations need not prescribe the apparatus, technology, or method to be used by vehicle manufacturers to achieve the required minimum sound level.

(c) When determining a minimum sound level, the state agency or agencies

crafting regulations pursuant to this Act shall:

(1)
review all available research regarding the effect of traffic sounds on pedestrian safety; and

(2)

consult consumer groups representing individuals who are blind, other pedestrians, cyclists, and advocates for the safety of children.

Section 5.

No later than two years after the minimum sound standard required by this legislation has been promulgated, all new vehicles sold in this state and licensed for use on the public roads must be in compliance with the standard.

Section 6.

Beginning one year after the date that new vehicles must comply with the minimum sound standard, vehicle safety inspections required in this state shall include inspection of the sound-emitting components to insure that they are functioning properly in order to provide maximum safety to pedestrians in this state.

Vehicles that fail to meet the minimum sound standard shall not be certified to travel on the roads of this state.

Section 7.

This Act shall take effect immediately upon its enactment.

Rev. November 27, 2007

-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: image/gif
Size: 145 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://www.nfbnet.org/pipermail/new-hampshire-students/attachments/20071204/9fe010b3/attachment.gif 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Legislative Alert-Quiet Car Bill 12-4-07 .doc
Type: application/msword
Size: 25600 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://www.nfbnet.org/pipermail/new-hampshire-students/attachments/20071204/9fe010b3/attachment.doc 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Model Quiet Cars Legislation Final 11-27-07.doc
Type: application/msword
Size: 32256 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://www.nfbnet.org/pipermail/new-hampshire-students/attachments/20071204/9fe010b3/attachment-0001.doc 