Last weekend NC State held its 13th annual Electric Vehicle Challenge for North Carolina high schoolers and middle schoolers. Hopefully one of these tech savvy teens is working on solving a problem identified by Dave Klipfel of San Diego in this letter to the editor of the May 19 issue of Auto Week. I call it the law of unintended consequences which, more often than not, signals more government regulation. You know the argument: If just one life can be saved…..
While Mr. Klipfel’s point is humorous, I think he may be right about what’s to come:
“After reading your “green issue,” I wonder how many of your readers have had the electric-vehicle experience? I don’t mean driving one, I mean having a 4000-pound vehicle sneak up three feet behind you in dead silence. It’s downright scary! Here is a prediction: The pedestrian accident rate is about to go way up. Here’s another: Within five years, in the name of consumer safety, our government will require noisemakers on all electric vehicles.”
