Dodgensince74

just wondering if any one has tried these? I know we are always looking for a safer way to change lanes or make a turn and was curiuos if it really helped.

https://www.signobike.net/

dramiscram

It can't be bad but you just need one drunken bastard or someone on is cell phone to get hit anyway. If it can give you any confidence or peace of mind then why not!
I personally commute on rural road and see very few cars so no real need for me.

dynodonn 

The turn signals would probably be useful in slow moving urban traffic situations where one might want to keep both hands on the bike. Personally, I prefer using Glo Gloves to make my signals, and I've had good results in attracting motorists attention when using them, plus there are no batteries to go dead.

genec

"can be seen over 200 feet away"

So for a motorist moving at about 45MPH, they might notice it 3 seconds before they get to you. (moving at 66 feet per second)

And I don't know about your area, but around here, motorists tend to ignore turn signals on cars, much less bikes.

irwin7638

Not only are turn signals ignored they are rarely used. By my own, informal study, less than 50% of the drivers I counted at one intersection used their signals at all. That being said, this looks like a decent concept for a commuter product. I might try it, but I think colorful waving hands seem to work well also.

Marc

Worknomore

Fred-factor off the chart! And I am pretty freded out with my blinkies & helmet mirror. I prefer to point.

kmv2

If they can't see/understand your hands they won't know/see wtf that is either.

alaskanb3arcub

What worries me about this product is 1) the EL lighitng. While cool looking, it doesn't project like LEDs do and 2) it appears you have to take your hands OFF your handle bars(NOT an option for me due to balance issues) and hit a, quite possibly, small button on the battery pack(which is not pictured), potentially causing problems.

I use Bicygnals(posted links to a 2(so far) part review I did) because 1) LEDs project light, a HECK of a lot more than EL does and 2) I don't have to take my hands off my handle bars to indicate my intended direction.

Worknomore

Dang! Thanks for pointing (no pun intended) that out.

Rubato

I'm convinced that body language is a powerful tool, conscious or not. I use it regularly with my signals; a strong, definate, finger on the end of my arm, pointed precisely at the spot where I'm going to merge, sends a message. It looks interesting and flashing arrows might be good for people not as demanding as I try to be when I ride.

Flying Merkel

Cute gimmick. Waste of money. Bike signals are a product that gets re-invented & forgot every few years.

digitalmouse

I think signals can be effective if visible enough to be useful.

I've had pretty good success with Bicygnals on my recumbent cycle-taxi in Copenhagen. Many people have remarked that they appreciated the fact I used turn signals. On a normal bike you can reach out with a thumb to activate a left- or right- turn. On my 'bent the front light is mounted near the feet, so I can just tap it with my toes.

dynodonn 

In slow moving urban traffic, they could be useful, but on faster moving US streets, arterials, I wouldn't consider it since US motorists might confuse it as some form of rear blinkie and may not recognize it as a turn signal until it was too late.

ItsJustMe

Not anything like bright enough. I'm kind of thinking about doing my own turn signals. If I do, there will be at least 20 ultrabright LEDs in each side.

EL is a bad choice for this for a number of reasons. Not nearly bright enough (EL is severely limited in how bright it can get and can never be bright enough for this application) is not directional so you can't aim the stuff, and is not durable.

jputnam

I've found drivers more responsive to hand signals since I made them much brighter, but this does assume the drivers are bright enough to have their lights on.... Of course, more and more cars have automatic lighting, which does help.


Winter Bicycle Commuting Gloves by joshua_putnam, on Flickr

digitalmouse

Never had any trouble on faster moving European roads, outside the big cities. The Yellow LEDs are pretty bright even in daytime at a reasonable distance, about as bright as a scooter or motorcycle turn signal system.

If a driver can't make out that it's a turn signal, they probably should not be driving.

350htrr

Yea, for a lot of USA and Canadian drivers those lights need to be sequentially blinking in the direction you want to turn, just on and off and amber is not really good enough... I like it, may just get one, especially if you can make the blink sequential.

alaskanb3arcub

The turn signals do not flash in sequence, but it should be REALLY easy to tell which direction is being indicated(in 2 of the 3 modes). You can either have signal ONLY, Constant solid center(+signals when activated), or a flashing center that turns solid when a signal is triggered.