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bwilliams

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 31, 2011
Messages
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Location
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I was riding my bike when I heard a high pitched sound behind me. Had to turn around to see what was coming. It was a leaf!! What's with that sound? Is it a safety feature to make an otherwise quiet car make a sound? Of course, my hubby did not hear it, but then ...

Getting my leaf in November and can't wait!
 
bwilliams said:
I was riding my bike when I heard a high pitched sound behind me. Had to turn around to see what was coming. It was a leaf!! What's with that sound? Is it a safety feature to make an otherwise quiet car make a sound? Of course, my hubby did not hear it, but then
Click to expand...
Yes it is called VSP - Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians. You can turn it off, but you have to do it each time you start the car.
 
bwilliams said:
I was riding my bike when I heard a high pitched sound behind me. Had to turn around to see what was coming. It was a leaf!! What's with that sound? Is it a safety feature to make an otherwise quiet car make a sound? Of course, my hubby did not hear it, but then ...
Getting my leaf in November and can't wait!
Click to expand...

B, I'm surprised you could hear it! If I remember correctly, usually females can hear the higher sounds better and males the lower ones better. Before we (people on this forum) received our LEAFs, a lot of us thought it was going to be much louder and annoying, like in traffic jams, and wanted Nissan to add a switch, which they did. But I drive most of the time with my windows down, and when I'm driving through a parking lot, I can't even hear it! I've asked several people as I passed by them if they could hear it, and they said no. The only time I hear it is when I'm pulling into my garage and it's a really futuristic/zen-like sound so I always leave it on.
You will LOVE your LEAF! :mrgreen:
 
GeekEV said:
Stoaty said:
Yes it is called VSP - Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians. You can turn it off, but you have to do it each time you start the car.
Click to expand...
Unless you do this. :D
Click to expand...

LOL, I'm sure she or her hubby is going to want to do that to their new LEAF. That would be okay to do though IF the sound was a problem, but like I said, I can't even hear it with my windows down and I have excellent hearing!
 
It sounded like a high pitched sound to me, so I guess that's why I DID hear it and my hubby did not. I might be more sensitive to sound because I am a cyclist and I was on my bike. I think I've learned to "see" with my ears. Survival on a bike!

It did sound like George Jetson was coming up from behind :!:

LEAFfan said:
B, I'm surprised you could hear it! If I remember correctly, usually females can hear the higher sounds better and males the lower ones better. Before we (people on this forum) received our LEAFs, a lot of us thought it was going to be much louder and annoying, like in traffic jams, and wanted Nissan to add a switch, which they did. But I drive most of the time with my windows down, and when I'm driving through a parking lot, I can't even hear it! I've asked several people as I passed by them if they could hear it, and they said no. The only time I hear it is when I'm pulling into my garage and it's a really futuristic/zen-like sound so I always leave it on.
You will LOVE your LEAF! :mrgreen:
Click to expand...
 
It is part of my normal start-up procedure, along with acknowledging the Carwings nag screen and resetting the dash displays. After 7 months, it is virtually automatic for me now and I don't give any of them a second thought; it is part of my normal preflight...

Stoaty said:
Yes it is called VSP - Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians. You can turn it off, but you have to do it each time you start the car.
Click to expand...
 
I believe the VSP became a U.S. regulatory requirement while the LEAF was being developed. You can mod it if you like but IMHO VSP does benefit safety.
 
TRONZ said:
I believe the VSP became a U.S. regulatory requirement while the LEAF was being developed. You can mod it if you like but IMHO VSP does benefit safety.
Click to expand...

Not yet... it was proposed.

...in the wake of the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010, which established a standard that requires EVs and hybrids to make some kind of sound to alert pedestrians, but as of yet there are no regulated levels of volume or uniformity in those sounds.

According to the New York Times, The NHTSA plans to survey the impact of any proposed noises on community environments, analyze this feedback, and begin to create regulations by July of 2012. The rule establishing the standards is expected to be published by January of 2014.
 
I'm guessing that the LEAF was doing more than 15 mph, so VSP would not have been on any more.

The noise heard would then be inverter/motor whine which is very high pitched in comparison to the VSP sound. It's very easy to hear outside of the car.
 
I'm kinda puzzled why some people are so set on always shutting it off, either manually or automatically. I've heard it numerous times both outside the Leaf and while inside one. It's not that loud.

Is it really "worth it" to turn it off vs. the chance that it might prevent a (sighted or not) person from being hit? The noisemaker is not a guarantee that it will prevent a pedestrian accident, but to me, still, there's some chance it will.

If I do get a Leaf, I almost certainly will always leave it on.

A few months ago, I startled someone standing in the middle of a parking lot (for no good reason) w/my Prius. I didn't intend to scare him but as I got really close, he was VERY startled to see a car so close to him/passing him.
 
drees said:
I'm guessing that the LEAF was doing more than 15 mph, so VSP would not have been on any more.

The noise heard would then be inverter/motor whine which is very high pitched in comparison to the VSP sound. It's very easy to hear outside of the car.
Click to expand...

That must've been it. It was well over 15 MPH and was certainly a high pitched sound.

Oh, and it was in Encinitas. Do you have a blue leaf? :D
 
cwerdna said:
I'm kinda puzzled why some people are so set on always shutting it off, either manually or automatically. I've heard it numerous times both outside the Leaf and while inside one. It's not that loud.

Is it really "worth it" to turn it off vs. the chance that it might prevent a (sighted or not) person from being hit? The noisemaker is not a guarantee that it will prevent a pedestrian accident, but to me, still, there's some chance it will.

If I do get a Leaf, I almost certainly will always leave it on.

A few months ago, I startled someone standing in the middle of a parking lot (for no good reason) w/my Prius. I didn't intend to scare him but as I got really close, he was VERY startled to see a car so close to him/passing him.
Click to expand...

I second this. I have scared, completely unintentionally, a few pedestrians with my prius in the 6 years driving it. And I drive very conservatively with strict "pedestrian has the right-of-way" driving.
 
bwilliams said:
That must've been it. It was well over 15 MPH and was certainly a high pitched sound.

Oh, and it was in Encinitas. Do you have a blue leaf? :D
Click to expand...
Nope, mine's silver. There's a good number of them roaming Encinitas, though. :)
 
bwilliams said:
I was riding my bike when I heard a high pitched sound behind me. Had to turn around to see what was coming. It was a leaf!! What's with that sound? Is it a safety feature to make an otherwise quiet car make a sound? Of course, my hubby did not hear it, but then ...

Getting my leaf in November and can't wait!
Click to expand...


Here are a couple video articles from the 9/15/11 front page article in Wall Street Journal with the sounds, and an interview with a blind consultant who worked with Nissan.

http://www.emailthis.clickability.com/et/emailThis?clickMap=viewThis&etMailToID=980581133" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.emailthis.clickability.com/et/emailThis?clickMap=viewThis&etMailToID=1650932227" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here is Thursday's 'A-Hed' front page WSJ article.

http://www.emailthis.clickability.com/et/emailThis?clickMap=viewThis&etMailToID=89380075" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
drees said:
bwilliams said:
That must've been it. It was well over 15 MPH and was certainly a high pitched sound.

Oh, and it was in Encinitas. Do you have a blue leaf? :D
Click to expand...
Nope, mine's silver. There's a good number of them roaming Encinitas, though. :)
Click to expand...

I was riding down the coast in Encinitas when I came across a Mini-e parked near Nytro Sports. Made a quick turn around to find the owner - found him - and he talked to me about the car. He's had it for 2 years - a test guy and I'm guessing big whig in Encinitas? I'm so excited about that car and can't wait for it to be released!! Do you know anything about the 2 Mini-E's in Encinitas? He said there are 2 and connected to the city somehow ...
 

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