Reverse beepers

sevenhills

Reverse beepers should be a legal requirement for all large commercial vehicles.
I have just seen an Amazon delivery vehicle reserve, it was electric, so it was quiet.
Perhaps it had reverse cameras, but their field of view is very poor.
It reversed a reasonable distance, no hazard lights on, some large vehicles have them on whilst reversing.
I am sure there is a case for all electric vehicles to emit a sound. Health and safety recommends the use of reverse beepers, so Amazon could be sued big time if there was an accident.

MattMattMattUK

sevenhills said:

Reverse beepers should be a legal requirement for all large commercial vehicles.
I have just seen an Amazon delivery vehicle reserve, it was electric, so it was quiet.
Perhaps it had reverse cameras, but their field of view is very poor.
It reversed a reasonable distance, no hazard lights on, some large vehicles have them on whilst reversing.

Or people could take responsibility for not walking behind a reversing vehicle. There is already enough noise from vehicles without adding more bleeping. One of the side benefits of EVs is the reduction in noise, adding in bleeping would be deliberately abrasive.

sevenhills said:

Health and safety recommends the use of reverse beepers, so Amazon could be sued big time if there was an accident.

It recommends them for HGVs, not for vans. There is also H&S guidance against generating unnecessary noise and disruption. Amazon would not be "sued big time" it there was an accident, the incident would be dealt with under the relevant motoring laws and by their insurers.

There is already enough unnecessary noise in the environment, we do not need to add any more.

jackieblack

I’ve often wondered how people who are partially sighted or blind can cross roads safely if they can’t hear electric vehicles coming 

EssexExile

jackieblack said:

I’ve often wondered how people who are partially sighted or blind can cross roads safely if they can’t hear electric vehicles coming 

Most of the noise from a car travelling at any speed is from the tyres on the road. There are plenty of electric cars around here and I can hear them coming just as well as petrol cars. Some diesels of course can be heard in the next county.

[Deleted User]

MattMattMattUK said:

sevenhills said:

Reverse beepers should be a legal requirement for all large commercial vehicles.
I have just seen an Amazon delivery vehicle reserve, it was electric, so it was quiet.
Perhaps it had reverse cameras, but their field of view is very poor.
It reversed a reasonable distance, no hazard lights on, some large vehicles have them on whilst reversing.

Or people could take responsibility for not walking behind a reversing vehicle. There is already enough noise from vehicles without adding more bleeping. One of the side benefits of EVs is the reduction in noise, adding in bleeping would be deliberately abrasive.

sevenhills said:

Health and safety recommends the use of reverse beepers, so Amazon could be sued big time if there was an accident.

It recommends them for HGVs, not for vans. There is also H&S guidance against generating unnecessary noise and disruption. Amazon would not be "sued big time" it there was an accident, the incident would be dealt with under the relevant motoring laws and by their insurers.

There is already enough unnecessary noise in the environment, we do not need to add any more.

Have you ever seen an electric vehicle? At low speeds they are often practically inaudible, especially if there is other traffic. The mandatory pedestrian warning sound is generated at the front, so doesn't always help when reversing.

It's not a good idea to build a world where a momentary lapse results in death, no matter how important you think "personally responsibility" is. Human beings are imperfect.

Ergates

MattMattMattUK said:

sevenhills said:

Reverse beepers should be a legal requirement for all large commercial vehicles.
I have just seen an Amazon delivery vehicle reserve, it was electric, so it was quiet.
Perhaps it had reverse cameras, but their field of view is very poor.
It reversed a reasonable distance, no hazard lights on, some large vehicles have them on whilst reversing.

Or people could take responsibility for not walking behind a reversing vehicle. There is already enough noise from vehicles without adding more bleeping. One of the side benefits of EVs is the reduction in noise, adding in bleeping would be deliberately abrasive.

sevenhills said:

Health and safety recommends the use of reverse beepers, so Amazon could be sued big time if there was an accident.

It recommends them for HGVs, not for vans. There is also H&S guidance against generating unnecessary noise and disruption. Amazon would not be "sued big time" it there was an accident, the incident would be dealt with under the relevant motoring laws and by their insurers.

There is already enough unnecessary noise in the environment, we do not need to add any more.

The risk with large vehicles that have poor rear visibility whilst reversing isn't just people stepping out in front (behind) them, it's also to people standing there minding their own business not seeing the vehicle bearing down on them.  Hence warning noises.

Car_54

sevenhills said:

Reverse beepers should be a legal requirement for all large commercial vehicles.
I have just seen an Amazon delivery vehicle reserve, it was electric, so it was quiet.
Perhaps it had reverse cameras, but their field of view is very poor.
It reversed a reasonable distance, no hazard lights on, some large vehicles have them on whilst reversing.

Illegally.

JustAnotherSaver

Ergates said:

MattMattMattUK said:

sevenhills said:

Reverse beepers should be a legal requirement for all large commercial vehicles.
I have just seen an Amazon delivery vehicle reserve, it was electric, so it was quiet.
Perhaps it had reverse cameras, but their field of view is very poor.
It reversed a reasonable distance, no hazard lights on, some large vehicles have them on whilst reversing.

Or people could take responsibility for not walking behind a reversing vehicle. There is already enough noise from vehicles without adding more bleeping. One of the side benefits of EVs is the reduction in noise, adding in bleeping would be deliberately abrasive.

sevenhills said:

Health and safety recommends the use of reverse beepers, so Amazon could be sued big time if there was an accident.

It recommends them for HGVs, not for vans. There is also H&S guidance against generating unnecessary noise and disruption. Amazon would not be "sued big time" it there was an accident, the incident would be dealt with under the relevant motoring laws and by their insurers.

There is already enough unnecessary noise in the environment, we do not need to add any more.

The risk with large vehicles that have poor rear visibility whilst reversing isn't just people stepping out in front (behind) them, it's also to people standing there minding their own business not seeing the vehicle bearing down on them.  Hence warning noises.

And then there's the youfff, with their airpods in, looking at the floor (sorry, their phones), oblivious to the world.

MattMattMattUK

[Deleted User] said:

MattMattMattUK said:

sevenhills said:

Reverse beepers should be a legal requirement for all large commercial vehicles.
I have just seen an Amazon delivery vehicle reserve, it was electric, so it was quiet.
Perhaps it had reverse cameras, but their field of view is very poor.
It reversed a reasonable distance, no hazard lights on, some large vehicles have them on whilst reversing.

Or people could take responsibility for not walking behind a reversing vehicle. There is already enough noise from vehicles without adding more bleeping. One of the side benefits of EVs is the reduction in noise, adding in bleeping would be deliberately abrasive.

sevenhills said:

Health and safety recommends the use of reverse beepers, so Amazon could be sued big time if there was an accident.

It recommends them for HGVs, not for vans. There is also H&S guidance against generating unnecessary noise and disruption. Amazon would not be "sued big time" it there was an accident, the incident would be dealt with under the relevant motoring laws and by their insurers.

There is already enough unnecessary noise in the environment, we do not need to add any more.

Have you ever seen an electric vehicle? At low speeds they are often practically inaudible, especially if there is other traffic. The mandatory pedestrian warning sound is generated at the front, so doesn't always help when reversing.

Yes I have seen and heard electric vehicles, even for the ones without noise makers fitted there is still an noticeable noise from them, it just does not carry as much as engine noise does.

[Deleted User] said:

It's not a good idea to build a world where a momentary lapse results in death, no matter how important you think "personally responsibility" is. Human beings are imperfect.

That already exists, step in front or behind a large vehicle and death will result, people step in the path of vehicles with alarming regularity, the fact that they might generate a bit less noise pollution in the future is not going to change that. 

sheramber

But is that noise audible amid the back ground noise there already.

Other vehicle noise - a diesel lorry nearby- may drown out the noise of the electric vehicle.  I watched a woman walk along in front of an electric vehicle at an outdoor fete. the background noise meant she didn't hear the EV.

Try walking down a single  track road where it is difficult to hear an ordinary car coming behind you, never mind an EV.  I have experienced that.

Bigphil1474

Reversing beepers tend to be required in work yards where pedestrians are working. On the public road, the driver is responsible for ensuring they don't drive into pedestrians. If they can't see behind them to reverse, then they need to travel with a trained banksmen.
Reversing beepers are designed to warn pedestrians that a vehicle is reversing, not clear their path . Obviously no good if someone is deaf, so drivers shouldn't rely on them in public areas. They are also no defence for the driver if someone gets splatted. Having said that, Amazon drivers are apparently legally exempt from most road rules, so doesn't matter to them.