Mandating that cars make noise?

I’ve previously posted here about the National Federation of the Blind picketing outside a Maryland Dept. of the Environment meeting last fall that was looking at adopting California emissions standards by 2011. The protesters were upset that hybrids were too quiet for blind people to hear them.

A hearing was held in Annapolis today to discuss Senate Bill 276, which would establish a task force to look at requiring manufacturers of hybrids or alternative fuel cars to manufacture them so that they make noise. Senator Norman Stone (D-Baltimore County) is the sponsor of this bill while Senators co-sponsoring it include: Colburn, Conway, Dyson, Haines, Klausmeier, Kramer, McFadden, Munson, Peters, and Raskin.

Delegate James Malone (D-Baltimore/Howard Counties) is sponsoring the corresponding House bill. Co-sponsors for that bill include Delegates Ali, Aumann, Barve, Beidle, Boteler, Bromwell, Bronrott, Carr, V. Clagett, Doory, Eckardt, Elliott, Elmore, Frank, Gaines, George, Gilchrist, Glenn, Guzzone, Haddaway, Hammen, Healey, Heller, Impallaria, Ivey, Jennings, Kach, Krysiak, Love, McHale, Miller, Mizeur, Montgomery, Norman, Riley, Shank, Shewell, Smigiel, Sossi, Stukes, Stull, Tarrant, F. Turner, and Vaughn. A hearing on that bill will take place on March 11.

WBAL.com

About two dozen blind people took their complaints about hybrid cars to Annapolis today.

The members of the National Federation of the Blind appeared before the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee which held a hearing on legislation to form a state task force to recommend changes to hybrid cars.

Unlike gasoline powered vehicles, hybrid cars are quiet, creating a hazard for blind pedestrians like Tom Bickford of Rockville, who uses a white cane when he walks across a street.

“You can’t hear them (the hybrid cars),” Bickford told WBAL News.

“We need to be able to have the car make a sound.”

Under the bill sponsored by Baltimore County State Senator Norman Stone, a task force would make recommendation for standards that would require hybrid and other alternative fuel vehicles make some type of noise.

If approved, the task force would have until the end of the year to submit recommendations to the legislature.

Related blogging:
Michelle Malkin