# Motor vehicles that beep when they reverse: a dying breed?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motor-vehicles-that-beep-when-they-reverse-a-dying-breed/209624>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 26, 2003, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motor-vehicles-that-beep-when-they-reverse-a-dying-breed/209624 "2003-10-26T05:40:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motor-vehicles-that-beep-when-they-reverse-a-dying-breed/209624/1 "2003-10-26T05:40:12Z")

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These days there don’t seem to be as many trucks, buses and other vehicles that beep when they drive in reverse. (A GREAT invention, IMO.) Is it my imagination or is it a fact?

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**Author:** ![Yumblie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/76d3ee/32.png) [@Yumblie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yumblie)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motor-vehicles-that-beep-when-they-reverse-a-dying-breed/209624/2 "2003-10-26T05:56:04Z")

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I’m pretty sure they still do. The shuttle bus in my college that dropped me off at my room a few hours ago beeped as it backed up, so there’s some evidence for you!

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**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motor-vehicles-that-beep-when-they-reverse-a-dying-breed/209624/3 "2003-10-26T14:02:22Z")

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I think it’s your imagination. They’re still out there in great numbers.

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**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motor-vehicles-that-beep-when-they-reverse-a-dying-breed/209624/4 "2003-10-26T14:14:49Z")

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My light truck beeps, the person I bought it from had his brother put it in. Doesn’t do much for me since I can’t hear it.

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**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motor-vehicles-that-beep-when-they-reverse-a-dying-breed/209624/5 "2003-10-26T14:21:41Z")

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On construction and manufacturing sites, OSHA regulations require backup beepers. Out on the roads, however, I believe it depends on state highway codes.

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**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motor-vehicles-that-beep-when-they-reverse-a-dying-breed/209624/6 "2003-10-26T14:55:10Z")

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Second to **Early Out**. All pieces of construction equipment are required to have working backup alarms. It doesn’t help a whole lot when ten of them are going off at once, though!

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**Author:** ![Morelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Morelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morelin)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motor-vehicles-that-beep-when-they-reverse-a-dying-breed/209624/7 "2003-10-26T16:44:38Z")

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fire engines and ambulances have reverse beeping sounds.