Reverse beepers

Cross_Man

This thread reminds me of when I had COVID recently and stayed in one room while the rest of the house was "restricted access".  Whenever I needed to leave the room I was in, eg make a cuppa, bathroom, etc., I would walk around repeating in a robotic voice "CAUTION - BIOCHEMICAL HAZARD - CAUTION - BIOCHEMICAL HAZARD".  My wife found it rather annoying which was quite unfair of her as it was only done for her own protection.

sevenhills

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 

Reversing lights are easily missed during the day, I drive a minibus for the disabled, most drivers use their hazard lights when reversing. There are lights at the top of the minibus, which makes them more visible.
It's also standard to fit and use beepers, when they go faulty, getting them fixed would be a priority.

DB1904

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.

Do you not think part of the problem is them standing in the road oblivious to their surroundings?

Grey_Critic

The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 states

Use of audible warning instruments

99.—(1) Subject to the following paragraphs, no person shall sound, or cause or permit to be sounded, any horn, gong, bell or siren fitted to or carried on a vehicle which is—(a)stationary on a road, at any time, other than at times of danger due to another moving vehicle on or near the road; or (b)in motion on a restricted road, between 23.30 hours and 07.00 hours in the following morning.

(2) The provisions of paragraph (1)(a) do not apply in respect of the sounding of a reversing alarm when the vehicle to which it is fitted is about to move backwards and its engine is running.

(3) No person shall sound, or cause or permit to be sounded, on a road any reversing alarm fitted to a vehicle (a)unless the vehicle is a goods vehicle which has a maximum gross weight not less than 2000 kg, a bus, engineering plant, or a works truck;

Whilst the HSE advises

***Reversing alarms can be fitted:

• These should be kept in working order.
• Audible alarms should be loud and distinct enough that they do not become part of the background noise.
• where an audible alarm might not stand out from the background noise, flashing warning lights can be used.***

sevenhills

unless the vehicle is a goods vehicle which has a maximum gross weight not less than 2000 kg, a bus, engineering plant, or a works truck;

I drive a minibus, so I am ok.