bikeseattle.org

In this day and age, hybrid/electric cars are becoming more prevalent for commuters (and rightly so). However it appears as though there’s an interesting side effect for cyclists (and pedestrians for that matter).

Let me setup the scene.

I was riding along the Burke the other morning, crossing on 40th Ave NE (near Metropolitan Market). As I approached the crossing, I looked left and right and saw/heard no cars approaching. I slowed down to something a little faster than a cheater trackstand, and looked left and right once more before entering the intersection.

I have a habit of doing another sanity check when I’m in the intersection, more so that if something is indeed coming, I’ll at least be aware of it then.

Guess what was on my left? A Toyota Prius, about 40ft. away. Going slow enough that the motor was off (but fast enough to not want to encounter on a bike).

It wasn’t a close call by any means, but it definitely made me ponder that relying too heavily on the audible sounds of a motor vehicle may not be as good of a safe passage indicator as it was in the pre-hybrid days.

Anyway, I figure I should post in case anyone else hasn’t made this connection yet. Especially if you’re in an environment with lots of hybrid/electric cars.