Electric stealth vehicles

[Diver300]

Using the bike rack, it tends to slam the brakes on when I am reversing, making a loud crunching noise. Only very reluctantly will it let me reverse with the bike rack on.

My car doesn't like me  trying to shove bits of bushes out of the way.

Many cars will disable rear parking sensors if they detect a the current taken by trailer lights.

[Flite]

I crept up on a cat sitting in the middle of the road.  Almost had to stop before it heard me and then it took its time getting out of the way, giving me a reproachful look.

Our previous cat, when old, was totally deaf.
Discovered when I realised that her very loud meowing resembled my husbands inability to know how loudly he was speaking.
His volume control has improved. The cat lived to 24 before dying peacefully.

[ElyDave]

I came up behind two horsists today on my way home, had to wait for a passing place in the lane go gou round them, so was creeping at 5mph.  One of the horses started going a bit wild as I approached to pass them.  I wonder if, much like the rcumbent, EVs are not familiar to them and get interpreted as hostile (imagine a big red monster creeping up on you almost silently, just the sound of its breathing).

[Cudzoziemiec]

I wonder how the horses would have reacted if your EV had had Wow's favoured "two coconuts" noise generator?

[Kim]

I came up behind two horsists today on my way home, had to wait for a passing place in the lane go gou round them, so was creeping at 5mph.  One of the horses started going a bit wild as I approached to pass them.  I wonder if, much like the rcumbent, EVs are not familiar to them and get interpreted as hostile (imagine a big red monster creeping up on you almost silently, just the sound of its breathing).

I expect horses can hear the switching noise at least as well as I can.  That's definitely unusual enough to freak out a horse.

[Diver300]

Horses can hear higher frequencies than humans*, so it’s likely that electric cars sound quite loud to them. Of course, the (ultra)sound will vary between car types, power level, speed and probably battery state-of-charge.

*Many years ago, horse race tampering was attempted using piezo tweeters disguised as a pair of binoculars and operated at ultrasonic frequencies. 

[giropaul]

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-noise-systems-to-stop-silent-electric-cars-and-improve-safety

[DuncanM]

That was an EU rule, which is why it says 20km/h. My 2017 car makes noise up to about 19mph. You'd be amazed at the number of people who will walk down the middle of the road in front of it, while the noise is annoying me sat in the driving seat!

[Kim]

It's also pissing away the opportunity to make the urban environment a bit quieter, for no real safety benefit.

I fully expect it to be a requirement for e-scooters when they eventually get legalised.  And then maybe e-bikes, and since e-bikes can't do anything a non-electric cycle can't do, maybe all cycles?

[DuncanM]

Mandatory spokey dokeys for all road users. And bells on the shoes of pedestrians. Coming soon to a manifesto near you!

[Kim]

And bells on the shoes of pedestrians. Coming soon to a manifesto near you!

I note that in the Dies The Fire series, King Charles III made thatched roofs and Morris dancing compulsory...