This has been a concern of mine since some friends of my parents got their Prius. On our windy country lanes, it would be so easy to hit someone walking to their mailbox across the street if that person can't hear you coming around a blind corner.

I think there's an up side to this: Quiet cars mean the noise reduction in cities like LA would be tremendous. And we here in the country would get our solitude back after the idiots in charge of growth planning put the freeway through. :-(

But obviously, the danger is real. Doesn't seem like there's any reason not to make hybrids sound just like a regular car--albeit one of the newer, quieter ones. Just add a recording that starts up when you turn the key in the ignition.

La"stick a hula dancer on the dash and you're set"Zorra