Firstly, thanks for your detailed introduction; it's rare that a researcher provides adequate context, although it would be good to know if you have any cycling experience. There's implied no criticism here; it's just about knowing how much explanation needs to be given in responses.
As for my background - a commuter of approx 30 years (though now retired) on a mix of urban, suburban and rural roads.
My aim is to create a product that will reduce the occurrence of cyclist accidents in the urban commuter environment. I am hoping to gain some direct insight into the issues that commuter cyclists feel are most important.
You may gain some 'insights' here, especially given the years of experience many members bring to bear, however, you'll doubtless appreciate this is little more than anecdata and as such, not a strong foundation on which to build a product design. To 'reduce the occurrence of cyclist accidents in the urban commuter environment', you first need to establish the causes and, as others have already stated, some of those causes may be outside the cyclist's bubble.
- What are the biggest safety issues you feel you face as a commuter cyclist?
- Attitude of other road users - from inattentive to, in some cases, aggressive and dangerous.
- Poorly designed road infrastructure where cyclists' needs have not been appropriately addressed or accommodated.
- Poor quality and badly maintained roads.
- The weather! Especially, though not solely in winter. Fog and rain affecting visibility of other road users who fail to adjust their behaviour appropriately. Ice is of course a real concern.
- Have you/Do you use any safety products and if so, do you have any favorites (or least favorites) and why?
I wear clothing which has some degree of hi viz, though you'll find views elsewhere on the forum which disagree with the effectiveness of this type of gear.
I wear a helmet; another highly contentious topic.
I use bike lights, though not in daylight when the visibility is good. Again you'll find some folks who prefer to use lights at all times.
I wear protective eyewear; darkened lenses for bright days and clear for other times.
I wear gloves, obviously in winter, but fingerless mitts in summer.
I use good quality tyres, even on my commuter hack.
I have used a mirror in the past, but rarely do so these days.
- If you don't use safety products then why not? Too expensive? Annoying? Etc.
Just some thoughts on the topic of mirrors. When commuting, I was fortunate to use more than one bike; each would have needed its own mirror. The same mirror mounting system wouldn't work across all the bikes.
I could, as some do, opt for a helmet or specs mounted mirror, but I worry about the risk of injury from something stuck out near my face, in the event of an accident. I have no data on the likelihood of that, but for me, it's a concern.
In the end I've opted to rely on my unaided senses - looking and listening.
- Have you any ideas for features that you would find useful for commuter bike safety?
I've not thought deeply about this, so take it with a pinch of salt. I wonder about a warning device on the bike which activates automatically when a vehicle is approaching from the rear i.e. to warn the approaching vehicle, not the cyclist? Flashing lights, similar in principle to those in cars activated automatically by heavy braking? It would need to be 'intelligent', not coming on whilst a stream of vehicles is passing, as is the often the case on the urban commute.
Just an idea. Wonder what others think?
The features I am currently considering implementing in my design are;
- A rearview mirror-esque system that allows you to see what is happening behind you without having to look over your shoulder (considering implementing into a helmet or maybe handlebar-mounted system)
'without having to look over your shoulder' We shouldn't seek to avoid this but supplement it maybe?
'helmet' Not everyone wears one, so that reduces your market. Also think about the safety issues created by mounting something to a protective device.
'handlebar-mounted system' How about a rear view camera projecting to a screen (smartphone) centrally mounted on the handlebars? Perhaps as an adjunct to a nav system and/or video recording capability?
Would I use one? Not for a minute - introduces complexity where a simpler, non-tech solution exists. But some might appreciate such a device.
-
As a follow on function from the above idea; there could be a vibration/light/sound alert that would draw riders attention
Or perhaps the approaching vehicle driver's attention? They are arguably in a better position to take mitigating action.
- An indicator system that can either be controlled via bar-mounted buttons/dedicated grips with incorporated buttons/or synced with a navigation system that automatically turns indicators on when coming to junction
I agree with my fellow members here. I don't think there's a case to be made for indicators on a bike. The technology underpinning such a device has been around for many years, as have niche versions of such products … but how many bikes do you see with them fitted?
So, should the priority be to design a device for the cyclist to use, or might a more fruitful avenue be to look at devices which can be deployed elsewhere.
Just riffing:
An in-vehicle warning system which alerts the driver when approaching cyclists.
An in-vehicle close-pass prevention device which prevents cars passing cyclists too closely.
A road sign which illuminates as cars approach to warn drivers of the likelihood of encountering cyclists (like those which come on when cars approach and warn them of their speed).
