Disable Backup Beeping?

[Murse-In-Airy]

And as I’ve stated numerous times, there’s the backup assist with automatic braking too. I couldn’t back into my own garage a couple months ago because one of the kids left a bucket CLOSE to where I park. It’s not fool proof. And I’m not relying solely on my car preventing me from backing over people. But of all the safety built into this car, the noise is the least useful and still not proven to make a difference.

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[JamieGeek]

Surely that's a thing called a bell, you know where it's the cyclists responsibility to ring it when trying to run people down in pedestrian only areas. Oh wait... nobody seems to fit bells to the bicycles any more. Probably not seen as "cool".

My e-bike came with a bell. Its a tiny one but it sounds exactly like what you think a bike bell sounds like.

Of course the 2nd question is: Do I use it? Only when I tell people "listen to this bell!"

 

[OWG]

Rear sound box shows in the Munro April hoist review @ 5:05

 

[generaltso]

Rear sound box shows in the Munro April hoist review @ 5:05

It’s there, but it doesn’t seem to do anything.

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

It’s there, but it doesn’t seem to do anything.

Anything— AT ALL.

 

[mkhuffman]

Anything— AT ALL.

When I installed my tow hitch, I noticed there is no rear speaker on my car. I guess only Job 1 cars have it.

 

[generaltso]

When I installed my tow hitch, I noticed there is no rear speaker on my car. I guess only Job 1 cars have it.

Interesting. Maybe Ford figured out that installing a speaker that doesn’t do anything probably isn’t worth whatever it costs.

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

Interesting. Maybe Ford figured out that installing a speaker that doesn’t do anything probably isn’t worth whatever it costs.

Thinking of moving both my speakers to the back. Nothing would make my car more like me than having two useless things dangling together down there.

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

No fake noise is going to get me off the hook.

This is true. The reverse beeping isn’t designed to get you off the hook in the event you accidentally hit someone though; the beeping is designed to prevent such an accident by warning individuals, who may or may not be oblivious, that a vehicle is about to back up.

 

[MachTee]

I think there is merit to your point, but I think it is unlikely to matter. In reality, there are quite a few ICE cars that are very quiet. In a parking lot, which is where the danger is, a ICE Honda Accord is as silent as a BEV as it coasts around.

The liability will come from the fact that I hit someone and did not properly observe what is around me while driving in a parking lot. I am not going to hit anyone, but if I do, I doubt the fact that my car makes a fake noise will make any difference at all. No fake noise is going to get me off the hook.

No, of course not. I'm no lawyer, but I imagine it's not too difficult to argue that the accident could've been avoided if the pedestrian alert system was not tampered with. Remember a lady successfully sued for spilling coffee on herself.

 

[generaltso]

Remember a lady successfully sued for spilling coffee on herself.

Yeah, but it was hot.

 

[MachTee]

Yeah, but it was hot.

The person who got run over by an EV which had its pedestrian warning disable couldn't hear the car backing up.

Not trying to be the party pooper, but you just can't be too careful these days, especially when talking about tampering with a mandated motor vehicle safety system.

 

[generaltso]

you just can't be too careful these days

Yes, you really can.

 

[Maquis]

Yes, you really can.

Did you know that some people don’t tear the tags off their new mattress?

 

[phidauex]

No, of course not. I'm no lawyer, but I imagine it's not too difficult to argue that the accident could've been avoided if the pedestrian alert system was not tampered with. Remember a lady successfully sued for spilling coffee on herself.

Whoever is operating the car has complete responsibility for what they hit. The beeper is a nice add-on, but if you are backing up and hit someone then it is on you either way.

As for the coffee thing, not to derail to much, but that story is much different than it is usually told. The woman wasn't suing for big money, she wanted help with medical bills. McDonalds knew their coffee was too hot (above restaurant industry standards), and had been paying out tiny sums to tons of people who'd been badly burned. The judge was the one who hit McDonalds with the huge judgement because he felt that they would never change their behavior unless they saw a real penalty.

It was McDonald's PR (and many other large companies PR firms) who re-spun the story into "the US is full of litigious people who will sue you into oblivion for the slightest mistake".

How does that relate to the beeper? I don't know, but I'd recommend just worrying about being safe and not hurting a stranger or a loved one, and not so much about legal liability.

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