ashrichards90

Hello,
I am Ashley Richards and currently in my final year of university in the UK studying product design.
My project is too create something to make somebody's journey more enjoyable so I have targeted making cyclists journeys safer; therefore making people feel more safe from road users such as cars.

It would be greatly appreciated if I could have some feedback about any ideas that I could develop to make a product that improves your safety when using your bikes on the road. (Clothing, adaptations on the bicycle etc.)

An example: By adapting cars so they somehow know there are people on bikes in the area (say 10-25 metres) away, the car then alerts the driver.

Many Thanks

Ashley Richards

ashrichards90

This is going to be vital research
Need some information from people who experience problems on a regular basis.

SBRDude

The greatest danger to cyclists is getting hit by vehicles. Any product that would heighten awareness among everyone involved (i.e., including cyclists) would be a great benefit, but the awareness must reside in the mind of the people and not in a black box in some device, because that often leads to a sense of security that then diminishes awareness.

I-Like-To-Bike

You might do better to seek answers from experienced cyclists who do NOT experience problems on a regular basis. There are a few posters here who seem proud of the fact that they have a constant problem with hostile "cagers" and "ninjas" and unaware pedestrians and other alleged malefactors whenever they go out in public. People who experience problems on a regular basis are the last people I would seek advice from on how to prevent/avoid cycling problems.

SBRDude

Excellent point!

Roody

That's a good question, Ashley. My first thought is improved built-in lighting on bikes, which makes them safer at night time. The built-in lighting I've seen is pretty dim because it doesn't use the newer technology such as LED lights.

As for gear, all that comes to mind is better hi-visibility stuff. If somebody could invent reflective material that works at more angles, that would be lovely. Most existing reflectors work only when the light source is pretty much head-on.

Another thought is that a lot of injuries are caused by falls rather than crashes. More stable bike design (without sacrificing so much on speed and handling) might prevent some injuries.

gmt13

Adding a $15/gallon tax at the fuel pump may help. But then I'd have to deal with all of the crazy new cyclists.

OK - how 'bout a device that blocks cellular or wireless signals when an automobile's engine is running. Eliminating that distraction is bound to help.

-G

ashrichards90

Thanks for all of your help.
Much appreciated.


Ash

sauerwald

Much more important than something that makes cyclists FEEL safer, is something that actually makes cyclists safer.
One suggestion would be a speed governor in motor vehicles which is tied to GPS, and makes it impossible to drive at a speed faster than the legal speed limit. Enforcing the law would make all road users safer.

Looigi

I question your basic premise. Safer isn't necessarily more enjoyable. Many people find travel without the encumbrance of helmets, seat-belts, or other safety apparel more enjoyable.

squirtdad

Ashley......we get alot of these requests....especially in commuting and utility forums. Some people get cranky about "doing your work for you" but research is part of good design.

It might help if you let us know what your interests in design are.....if you are interested in a particular area it might help.

alos is this a money, practicality and reality be darned assigment or is the goal to design some thing that could actually be manufactured? again may make difference on reponse

Also a really good research method for you would be to go out an ride yourself....and see what bugs you.

Another challenge for you is that bikes have been around for a while and there have been a lot of solutions to problems....look at the existing solutions also.

and of course keep the principles of KISS (keep it simple silly) and Form follows function in mind

that said a couple of ideas:

Lights that are bright, look good, and hard to steal. Many people use high power flashlights with a simple attacment, that are great value, but easy to steal. https://www.shiningbeam.com/servlet/StoreFront

how about combined hi-vis and active light garments, that can also look like regular clothes when off the bike?

Johnny Rebel

Cyclists really just need more dedicated bike lanes and bike-friendly shoulders on roads. We need our own little sliver of the road, is all. We are certainly not lacking in the gadgets, gizmos and doodads department.

jputnam

A small, dynohub-powered cell phone jammer with a directional antenna, so that motorists lose signal half a mile before passing the cyclist?

B. Carfree

I heard that some cops are using a device that emits an em pulse that disables most cars. Maybe such a device with a proximity sensor for bikes so that any motorist who gets too close finds his/her car disabled. It would cause havoc with bike computers too, but I would gladly do without my data in return for this.

KD5NRH

As if people aren't bad enough with cruise control, you want to give them a box that lets them just mash the pedal to the floor and go to sleep?

Besides, you're talking about either trashing or retrofitting every vehicle currently in existence, including all the older ones that don't have any electronics to tie into. Where is the money going to come from?

Roody

Typically, new safety technology is mandated for NEW cars, but old cars continue to operate without it. For example, they didn't cube all the old cars when airbags were first required.

I think it's pretty obvious that some form of automated traffic control is going to happen, unless the motorists are just too "freedom loving" to accept it.

sggoodri

The only area that I think needs much improvement is lighting and retroreflectivity, particularly ways to attach or integrate these elements onto the bicycle such that they are not so easy to break off accidentally, remove, or lose, and to make them brighter.

The rear reflectors provided on new bikes in the US are a joke; they are tiny (only a thumb-sized area faces rearward) and are mounted on flimsy plastic clamps. 20 years ago they were several times bigger and brighter, and were mounted securely with metal brackets. Rear lamps are mounted with plastic clamps and brackets that snap off if you hit a good pothole on a cold day. Rear racks are hard to mount lights and reflectors on without some engineering. Headlamps quick release off handlebars; you must take them with you to discourage theft but they require adjustment when putting them back on each time.

Helmets and clothing either don't have any retroreflectivity or they are so ugly people don't want to wear them.

Leebo

We have great front and rear lights, there are some side lights and spoke lights, but I think side visibility needs to be greatly improved.

sggoodri

Except that lawfully operating bicyclists are almost never hit from the side.

Doohickie

wut?

chipcom 

I want my bike to fly...literally.

KD5NRH

Aviation has been learning for years that automated systems get people killed, largely because the pilots get too dependent on them and don't react quickly enough when there's a situation that requires real human interaction. This is in situations where they have to whole sky available to them, and they still manage to hit a tiny target (relative to the size of the rest of the sky) like another airplane or a big obvious one like the ground whenever something goes wrong.
Put that stuff in cars, licensing tests will get even easier, and people will get even lazier and less attentive behind the wheel. Then, a bug splatters on a sensor, and the "driver" never even wakes up while the car plows through a crowd.

Dan The Man

How about glasses that somehow don't fog up in the rain.

ashrichards90

Thanks for all the help.

You have provided me with great feedback, its only a minor project for my final year of university but I have already got in touch with somebody in the UK that deals with technology in vehicles and they are going to see if there could be any link between the short range communication between the bicycle and the car/driver.

I do agree with the idea's about making certain parts of the bicycle more reflective. That sounds like it could work.

I have also been provided with a lot of information on the UK forum about making the reflective clothing more attractive when not on the bicycle.

Keep the idea's coming though.

Many Thanks

Ashley Richards

himespau 

High end rear directional signals. I had some cheap ones, but I think bright turn signals would be great at night. Right now I have reflective arrows on the backs of my hands on each of my cycling gloves for signalling especially at night, but a light system (and not the currently available $20 chinese piece of junk that is all that's around) would be a nice help.