Killer Hybrids

MANIFESTO

Just when you think you're doing a good thing for the planet by owning a Civic hybrid, you're hit with this piece of news:

Gas-electric hybrids, propelled by electric motors at low speeds, are well-known for their quiet ride and great mileage. But their silence isn't always golden.

Some researchers and safety groups say that quiet operation — "hybrid creep" — can pose risks for unsuspecting pedestrians and the blind, who use sound cues.

Advocates for the blind have sought the addition of artificial noises in hybrids for several years, concerned that the expected sales growth of hybrids could lead to more pedestrian fatalities and injuries. Hybrids account for about 2 percent of new car sales each year but auto companies are expected to boost production in advance of tougher fuel efficiency standards this decade.

Helps reduce air and noise pollution, but doing so apparently poses a problem. An object lesson that no matter how good a product may seem, it'll always somehow have shortcomings.