For those considering de-badging their Hybrid

"Badges? We don't need no stinkin' badges!"

Actually it turns out that we do.

Recently, whilst doing a lettering swap on my liftgate to remove the ugly hybrid letters and replace them with those of the tahoe font, I seriously contemplated completely de-badging the back of the truck. I also thought about completely removing all the hybrid badging as I find it rather pretentious.

Then I realized why this should NEVER be done.

There are very specific protocols for leo/ems/fd to deal with hybrid vehicles in case of a serious acciident ... they need to know that what you are driving is a hybrid, both for your safety and theirs.

As it relates to our specific vehicles I was recently forwarded this: http://www.oaire.com/resources/Yukon Tahoe Escalade ERG.pdf
It is what is handed around the country to anyone who might be in a rescue situation involving one of our vehicles.

If it were a Prius (god forbid) it would be no issue for they are easily recognizable ... but there are not many of our trucks around in hybrid trim and without badging there's simply no way for anyone to know it's a hybrid.

Please take this under consideration when contemplating this mod.

Cheers!

Insightful info Serge! Thanks for sharing... Mine still has Hybrid on the rear. Just a neon green H and the rest colormatched

No.


There are plenty of other places throughout the vehicle they can gain the fact that it's a hybrid.(VIN, dash, engine, seat area/battery...)

Badges stay off on mine.

So if you're in an accident and seriously hurt you want EMS to run your VIN, check under the hood, or spot the little H on your cluster?

Do you know what can happen to you and/or them if one of those high voltage lines gets cut inadvertently?

High Voltage Cables - DO NOT CUT ZONES
DANGER: Do NOT cut the orange high voltage 300 volt cables. Cutting these cables can result in serious injury or death. No matter what disable method you have performed, always assume the high voltage cables and components contain high voltage.

It's like not telling people a fence is electrified cause it doesn't go with your look.

Do as you like to your life but I beg you not to be indifferent to the lives others.

soulsea said:

So if you're in an accident and seriously hurt you want EMS to run your VIN, check under the hood, or spot the little H on your cluster?

Do you know what can happen to you and/or them if one of those high voltage lines gets cut inadvertently?

High Voltage Cables - DO NOT CUT ZONES
DANGER: Do NOT cut the orange high voltage 300 volt cables. Cutting these cables can result in serious injury or death. No matter what disable method you have performed, always assume the high voltage cables and components contain high voltage.

It's like not telling people a fence is electrified cause it doesn't go with your look.

Do as you like to your life but I beg you not to be indifferent to the lives others.

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It's their job and/or responsibility to do what they need to do in a safe and efficient manor. If they ignore all the training they've had over the years and instantly jump to cutting into the battery then I don't think a tiny green H on the pillar in a wrecked vehicle at an accident scene would have changed much.

And it's not like the battery in these vehicles is the first dangerous thing that can hurt someone. Should we put stickers on the side of our vehicle stating we have 20gallons of highly combustible and potentially explosive fuel that they shouldn't take a torch to? Or that the glass if broken could cut them, or the tv in the vehicle can lead to obesity..

Should we have a constant horn sounding on our vehicle so blind people don't jump out in front of it?

At some point people need to take some responsibility for themselves.

"The fact is, several precautionary safety systems are in place that disallow high voltage from running through the chassis of your hybrid car. Both you and any emergency responders who are trying to rescue you should safely be able to touch your car, with no ill effects. Additionally, hybrid car manufacturers are coloring all high-voltage lines within your car's engine compartment orange, so they're easily identifiable."

It's like making all the coffee cups at McDonalds say the coffee could be hot and harmful because one person spilled it on themselves. Accidents happen so i'm not saying someone hasn't or won't be killed because of these batteries, but posting warnings/signs over every inch of a vehicle shouldn't be the way to handle the potential threat. I don't see the million or so Prisus's with HYBRID posted up and down every body panel...

well in the state of ny. other then the city all fd is volunteers. so most wont have years of training.

nytahoe said:

well in the state of ny. other then the city all fd is volunteers. so most wont have years of training.

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you still need to be certified to be a volunteer fighter. Not like ya just wake up one day and say "im gonna go volunteer, be back later!" lol...

only way to get certified and keep the certification is by training.

PUNISHER VETTE said:

It's their job and/or responsibility to do what they need to do in a safe and efficient manor. If they ignore all the training they've had over the years and instantly jump to cutting into the battery then I don't think a tiny green H on the pillar in a wrecked vehicle at an accident scene would have changed much.

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Indeed, and in order to do said job they need to be able to differentiate between a regular tahoe and a hybrid one. And as you are well aware it's not just a little green H, it's also big lettered hybrid badging on the fenders, liftgate, and yes the H on the C pillar, all ensuring that they have a chance to recognize the vehicle as they approach it and act according to their training.

It's like making all the coffee cups at McDonalds say the coffee could be hot and harmful because one person spilled it on themselves.

Click to expand...

This and all the other exaggerated examples you state are irrelevant. And since hyperbole seems to suit you, ... this isn't like someone burning themselves on McDs coffee, it's like McDs putting acid in their coffee cup, putting the lid on, and telling no one on the cup.

You can rationalize it any way you want to, but at the end of the day your actions are irresponsible, dangerous, and negligent ... one wonders why you bothered to purchased a hybrid if you don't have the most basic understanding of the additional responsibilities this choice entails.

Hopefully for all involved you'll never get in a bad accident and none of this will ever be relevant ... should it ever happen, and someone gets hurt because you thought you ride is m0ar dope this way, you can expect many legal fees in addition to your medical ones. Plus the knowledge of knowing that you could have easily prevented harm to another human being.

Carry on I guess ...

lil off-topic, but did you ever get the REAL story about the lady who spilled the McD's coffee? That was BEYOND hot, wether it was written on the cup or not. I cannot believe how bad it melted her inner thighs. Ugh!

she shoulda stayed in the kitchen o wait.... eh close enough lol