Motorcyclists often advocate the use of “loud pipes” so other vehicles — such as large trucks — will at least hear them, if they can’t see them. Does a similar — albeit reversed — concept apply to cars and pedestrians? According to a report by the San Jose Mercury News, there are growing concerns over hybrid cars, which, at times, are completely silent. But unlike motorcyclists, the concern is not for the driver’s safety — it’s for the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists, who might cross the path of a hybrid car without first making sure the way is clear. In Jenny Sant’Anna case, an elderly man enjoying a morning walk didn’t hear her coming as she backed into the street. She lunged for the brake, stopping just short of hitting him. Meanwhile, Tom Battle of Los Altos recalled his own near-hit as he walked to his car in a parking lot. “I had to jump out of the way of a hybrid, which suddenly, and completely silently, moved toward me,” he said. “The car was a brand new Prius, which I remember because it was still very shiny.

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