London Electric Buses to trial new sound

[msknight]

Here we go. As if the Borris Bus wasn't enough, new electric buses are to trial a new sound on one route to let people know that they are coming - https://www.wired.co.uk/article/london-electric-bus-sound

 

Unfortunately the SoundCloud reference to the tune in the article is dead for me, but it's going to be more than just a fake, "engine rev." It's a subject which is drawing a chunk of debate as we've got the chance now to change things. The Verge reported it to be, "positively psychedelic," https://www.theverge.com/tldr/2019/12/20/21031524/london-electric-buses-artificial-fake-noise-safety-sound Unfortunately, that sound cloud link didn't work either.

 

Personally, I think they should play the theme tune to, "On The Buses," on a continuous loop -

 

[Tech_Dreamer]

Imagine having to make fake engine noises through loud speakers inorder to let people know that you're coming.

 

                                                                                              This post was made by the Diesel Engine Gang.

[mr moose]

My father in law was a around today in a hybrid.   It fucking startled me when he backed out without a sound and I had experienced it before.  Years of experiencing moving vehicles with specific sounds wires us  to be comfortable with a certain expectation/predictability (a key component of survival),  but to then suddenly to not have sounds is as dangerous as having loud headphones on walking around the streets.

 

I want to hear the sound now.

[mr moose]

9 minutes ago, yaboistar said:

Imagine having to compress your fuel to the point it explodes.

 

                                                                        This post was made by the Steam Engine Gang.

Imagine having to use such an inefficient fuel source that creates so much pollution.

 

This post was made by the nuclear engine association.

 

EDIT:P.S I am aware nuclear needs steam to create electricity.

 

[Tech_Dreamer]

6 minutes ago, mr moose said:

Imagine having to use such an inefficient fuel source that creates so much pollution.

 

This post was made by the nuclear engine association.

 

 

 

Imagine having to use a motor powered engine to move a vehicle instead of using your feets to collectively push the vehicle forward

 

                                                                                                                           This Post was made by the Flintstones Gang

 

 

[paddy-stone]

They could make it seem like the bus is going faster by playing the Benny Hill theme song

 

 

[Nicnac]

1 hour ago, yaboistar said:

Imagine having to compress your fuel to the point it explodes.

 

                                                                        This post was made by the Steam Engine Gang.

More like fuel cell gang 

[ARikozuM]

And here in the USA we have very few buses...

[Tech_Dreamer]

10 minutes ago, VegetableStu said:

 

Usually people die after they get hit & run over by the bus, Not Before.

[porina]

I wonder if when "most" people have electric vehicles, if the noise they make will be customisable. It could become quite a mess on the roads with noise pollution instead...

[msknight]

1 minute ago, porina said:

I wonder if when "most" people have electric vehicles, if the noise they make will be customisable. It could become quite a mess on the roads with noise pollution instead...

Please... hell no. Someone will load their car with that damn frog.  Briiiing dinga dinga dinga dinggggg....

[porina]

Just now, msknight said:

Please... hell no. Someone will load their car with that damn frog.  Briiiing dinga dinga dinga dinggggg....

Sorry, I had that in mind when I wrote that... I'd do it.

[msknight]

Just now, msknight said:

Please... hell no. Someone will load their car with that damn frog.  Briiiing dinga dinga dinga dinggggg....

...and they'll probably load it into the electric version of the Fiat 500 just to add insult to injury.

[msknight]

Just now, porina said:

Sorry, I had that in mind when I wrote that... I'd do it.

So you're the one responsible !!!  (lol)

[msknight]

Just now, VegetableStu said:

is that thing still a thing today?! o_o

I believe it is the sole reason that Russia has prepared to cut itself off from the internet at large and re-write wikipedia.

[kaiju_wars]

34 minutes ago, msknight said:

Please... hell no. Someone will load their car with that damn frog.  Briiiing dinga dinga dinga dinggggg....

I'd have mine be the horn version of the US National Anthem like in GTA V.

[Taf the Ghost]

2 hours ago, mr moose said:

My father in law was a around today in a hybrid.   It fucking startled me when he backed out without a sound and I had experienced it before.  Years of experiencing moving vehicles with specific sounds wires us  to be comfortable with a certain expectation/predictability (a key component of survival),  but to then suddenly to not have sounds is as dangerous as having loud headphones on walking around the streets.

 

I want to hear the sound now.

All motion makes sound. It's a critical part of the way people feel their position in environments by the sounds around them. EVs cause problems because they're mixed in with other vehicle noises in the background so you can't isolate their sound (via the tires, mostly). It's not an issue away from denser populated areas, but, for most, it's a real issue that far too many skip over.

 

More specifically for Electric Drive-based vehicles, the sound needs to be easily effected by the doppler effect, so you can't actually adjust for the changing position. Some of the early hums were really badly chosen. 

[kaiju_wars]

1 minute ago, VegetableStu said:

overblown recorder music

 

yeah this exercise in "what is the worst possible sound that will get on every one's nerves" makes me think this has to be regulated by the auto industry or traffic/transport department ._.

It more than likely will end up being regulated by nations' various Departments of Transportation.  

[DildorTheDecent]

I hope it is a series of screams tbh.

[greenhorn]

"Fake sounds" are nothing new in cars. The indicator sound is "fake" most of the time, it imitates the one made by the mechanical relays which were originally used. I heard that consumers were irritated when they didn't hear the indicator sound, some of them thought something was broken.

EVs can be very quiet, especially in noisy environments (I would call it low signal to noise ratio rather than just low sound volume), which can lead to people noticing them too late. That's why (as far as I know) )the EU will require new EVs to emit artificial sounds when cruising at less than 20 kph (for higher speeds the normal noise emissions are deemed to be sufficiently noticeable).

[Bombastinator]

6 hours ago, msknight said:

Here we go. As if the Borris Bus wasn't enough, new electric buses are to trial a new sound on one route to let people know that they are coming - https://www.wired.co.uk/article/london-electric-bus-sound

 

Unfortunately the SoundCloud reference to the tune in the article is dead for me, but it's going to be more than just a fake, "engine rev." It's a subject which is drawing a chunk of debate as we've got the chance now to change things. The Verge reported it to be, "positively psychedelic," https://www.theverge.com/tldr/2019/12/20/21031524/london-electric-buses-artificial-fake-noise-safety-sound Unfortunately, that sound cloud link didn't work either.

 

Personally, I think they should play the theme tune to, "On The Buses," on a continuous loop -

 

Its true it could be anything.   The people who are going to have to listen to it all day are the bus drivers.  Bus driver suicide isn’t needed any more than pedestrians walking in front of busses.  Maybe short circuit that point of complaint by making their union pick what is broadcast.  Maybe they’ll agree with you.

[Trik'Stari]

Did no one pay attention in school?

 

Look, before you walk.

[ThePointblank]

There is only one true theme: the Devil's Gallop:

 

And the best thing of all? It's properly British (written by a British composer, and used by the BBC for a radio program). 

[NumLock21]

Just constantly play "the wheels on the bus" song through the loud speaker and people will know the bus is coming.

[Fnige]

4 hours ago, DildorTheDecent said:

I hope it is a series of screams tbh.

or someone mocking the revs going up or whatever, but in the silliest way possible