Is Noise a Double Edged Sword?

Clearly excessive noise (90db+) is damaging. Noise can also be annoying and a distraction. But noise can also convey important information.

As an engineer in a punch press facility, I constantly urge the operators to listen to their machines. A sudden change in the sound of the machine, indicates that there is a change in the process. I tell them to stop the machine and investigate. This one simple thing has saved countless $s in tool damage, machine damage and rejected products.

"Hybrid cars that make no noise can be dangerous to the blind..."

True, if they are parked on the sidewalk with the motor off.

Most blind people hear better than you or I and even with an electric car there is always motor and tire noise. Simply put, these cars do make noise.

Maybe the real problem is the noisy cars/trucks (particularly those with aftermarket exhausts) masking out the quiet ones?

I heard somewhere that Harley Davidson manufactures their bikes with that characteristic exhaust sound, to make them detectable for drivers on your side and prevent being pushed out of the highway during lane shifts.

Yahlasit

That is correct, and to generally be a pain in the ear for all non Harley owners. ;^D
- a Harley owner

The real problem is that there's always a subjective nature to the use of the term noise. As this blog on the noise generated at Englishtown NJ shows, what is an annoying sound for one is an exciting sound for another.

Should be illegal.. without a doubt.