Something I had not thought of

Silent running: For the environmentally minded, hybrid cars are an obvious boon -- great gas mileage, low emissions. For the blind pedestrian, though, there's a big downside: The cars, when in electric mode, make almost no noise, so it's difficult to be aware of them. While hard numbers on accidents involving the cars and the blind are hard to come by, some groups have swung into action. As the Wall Street Journal writes, "The National Federation of the Blind, an advocacy group, says all hybrid vehicles should emit a sound while turned on and is calling on the auto industry to make changes." Several schools for guide dogs reportedly will soon start to include hybrid car training with their animals. ("Blind Pedestrians Say Quiet Hybrids Pose Safety Threat," Wall Street Journal)