Bicycle Safety Survey

[Neuqua Engineering PLTW]

Hello everyone!

We are a team of engineering students at Neuqua Valley High School working on a bicycle safety device.
Our Engineering Design & Development teacher, is guiding the class through the design process where students are required to address a relevant problem and design, build, and test a viable solution. We are posting here as we would like to hear your experiences and opinions on bicycle safety. The survey will take no more 5 minutes and will provide us with valuable information.

Survey: tinyurl.com/bicyclesafetyengineering

Thank you for your time and feedback!

 

[ianrauk]

Hello everyone!

We are a team of engineering students at Neuqua Valley High School working on a bicycle safety device.
Our Engineering Design & Development teacher, is guiding the class through the design process where students are required to address a relevant problem and design, build, and test a viable solution. We are posting here as we would like to hear your experiences and opinions on bicycle safety. The survey will take no more 5 minutes and will provide us with valuable information.

Survey: tinyurl.com/bicyclesafetyengineering

Thank you for your time and feedback!

How much would you expect to pay for a bicycle safety device?

How about an option for 'nothing'.

 

[raleighnut]

I don't drive a motorised vehicle unless you count the electric assist motor in the front wheel of my trike.

 

[winjim]

I think you need to think about what constitutes safety, and what is merely the illusion of safety. Bear in mind that the illusion of safety could actually create more danger.

Here is a Bright Cycling Duolaser rear light.

I hate it. I think it actually makes cycling more dangerous. The implication seems to be that the lines denote some sort of minimum passing distance, but a car passing just putside those lines is much too close, so it could encourage close passes. There is more to a "bike lane" than just some lights shining on the ground.

As for turn and brake signals, their meaning is undefined on a bicycle and could lead to confusion. An arrow could mean "I am about to turn" or it could mean "please pass me on this side" as with some maintenance vehicles. And I'm not sure that the answer to the problem of cycling safety (assuming that you have done some research and determined that there is a problem) lies in making bikes more like cars.

Light up wheels are a bit of fun I guess.

Good luck with your project, I just hope you manage to find a real problem to which there can be a real technical solution.

 

[Drago]

I've spent very little on 'safety' related items for cycling over the years, mainly lights at that, and not come a cropper since I tried to break the land speed record on a Raleigh Chopper when I was 8. That being the case I'd be reluctant to change that, preferring only to buy decent lighting and then work at my roadcraft and riding, which costs nothing.

 

[winjim]

I've spent very little on 'safety' related items for cycling over the years, mainly lights at that, and not come a cropper since I tried to break the land speed record on a Raleigh Chopper when I was 8. That being the case I'd be reluctant to change that, preferring only to buy decent lighting and then work at my roadcraft and riding, which costs nothing.

That was exactly what I meant when I ticked "other" in the survey.

 

[Drago]

Indeed Win, and In was disappointed there was not a box to elaborate further on what 'other' meant to us.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Defensive cycling cost nothing and is probanly the single biggest factor in improving road cyclist's safety.
I would also start from the position that in Europe, cycling is a pretty safe activity already.

 

[Drago]

And any genuine effort at cycle safety should be holistic, and seek to address issues of danger posed by other road users as well as the dangers riders can create for themselves. The majority of cycling road fatalities are the fault of someone other than the rider. Wearing a bonce potty or a shiny florry will not provide me with any 'safety' if Herr Sturmbanfuhrer Audi desires to drive his Q7 across my cranium one day.

Such things make people take the eye off the ball when it comes to safety, not improve it.

 

[mickle]

Separate and segregated facilities for cars. Keep the feckers away from us so we can go about our business in peace.

 

[Neuqua Engineering PLTW]

I think you need to think about what constitutes safety, and what is merely the illusion of safety. Bear in mind that the illusion of safety could actually create more danger.

Here is a Bright Cycling Duolaser rear light.

I hate it. I think it actually makes cycling more dangerous. The implication seems to be that the lines denote some sort of minimum passing distance, but a car passing just putside those lines is much too close, so it could encourage close passes. There is more to a "bike lane" than just some lights shining on the ground.

As for turn and brake signals, their meaning is undefined on a bicycle and could lead to confusion. An arrow could mean "I am about to turn" or it could mean "please pass me on this side" as with some maintenance vehicles. And I'm not sure that the answer to the problem of cycling safety (assuming that you have done some research and determined that there is a problem) lies in making bikes more like cars.

Light up wheels are a bit of fun I guess.

Good luck with your project, I just hope you manage to find a real problem to which there can be a real technical solution.

Thank you so much for your insight! My group mates and I greatly appreciate it! We have done research to prove that this is an actual problem. Now our job is to decide which product would best help with the safety of cyclists. Your cycling expertise has undoubtedly brought up points that I will share with my group tomorrow. Thanks again!

 

[Neuqua Engineering PLTW]

Indeed Win, and In was disappointed there was not a box to elaborate further on what 'other' meant to us.

Thank you for your explanation of the choice you selected. I apologize for there not being a box for you to comment that in.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Some interesting wording there. Is "a lighted bike safety device" the thing that is also known as "a bike lamp"?

 

[Drago]

Oh. I thought it meant a bike that was on fire.

 

[summerdays]

The problem is that it doesn't break down how much I'd spend on different things.... lights I have bought quite a few over the years and are probably the item I spend the most on together with waterproof clothing. But I always like to see them in use first, and get comments from those who have them.