New Indicator System

[mjr]

Hi Charlie

Not sure if any indicator system is needed but if you could design a system that stops cars running us over that would be appreciated.

How about a device that stops the car motor and applies the brakes if the driver tries to overtake within 1m50 of a cycle, or attempts to swing across immediately after overtaking a cycle (aka left hooking) or drive through a cyclist (T-bone or right cross)? Sort of like that thing Volvo announced years ago, but actually handling the common collision types, rather than only a car driven into a bike from behind by a motorist who should have their licence revoked because they're either blind or criminally unobservant? And retrofittable to more cars?

Motorists would probably like it to have some sort of motion and directionality detection so that it can tell whether the car or cycle is overtaking/passing, so that their car doesn't keep stopping when cyclists in an adjacent two-way bike lane pass their traffic jam, but I'm not too fussed about that.

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

I'm adding to the chorus too. The Highway Code has a perfectly good indicator system. The problem is the other road user attitudes to the cyclists.

Unfortunately a lot of products come along that others would have cyclists use to ease their responsibility.

 

[DaveReading]

 

[Sharky]

One flaw in having a rear indicator, is that the rider cannot rely 100% on it. The batteries may have died, or the light may have slipped or fallen off, or vehicles behind just haven't seen it against the backdrop of all the other lights on surrounding vehicles/buildings. The cyclist has to assume for their own safety that it has not been seen and use normal hand signals.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

How about a device that stops the car motor and applies the brakes if the driver tries to overtake within 1m50 of a cycle, or attempts to swing across immediately after overtaking a cycle (aka left hooking) or drive through a cyclist (T-bone or right cross)? Sort of like that thing Volvo announced years ago, but actually handling the common collision types, rather than only a car driven into a bike from behind by a motorist who should have their licence revoked because they're either blind or criminally unobservant? And retrofittable to more cars?

Motorists would probably like it to have some sort of motion and directionality detection so that it can tell whether the car or cycle is overtaking/passing, so that their car doesn't keep stopping when cyclists in an adjacent two-way bike lane pass their traffic jam, but I'm not too fussed about that.

Just what I was thinking before scrolling down to your post.

 

[steveindenmark]

And thats the last we will see of the OP.

 

[alicat]

Thank you for posting, op. If you could invent a right indicator that stops drivers overtaking me when it is applied, I would be very grateful.

 

[Markymark]

Making bikes more like cars is a terrible idea. Making cars more like bikes would be awesome. Or maybe making bikes more like an iPhone.

 

[Bazzer]

One flaw in having a rear indicator, is that the rider cannot rely 100% on it. The batteries may have died, or the light may have slipped or fallen off, or vehicles behind just haven't seen it against the backdrop of all the other lights on surrounding vehicles/buildings. The cyclist has to assume for their own safety that it has not been seen and use normal hand signals.

Also a car does have visual and audible warnings inside the car, that indicators are on. So for safety's sake, any rear indicator fitted to a bike is likely to require something similar to prevent false signals, which brings into play wiring, unless it could be done via wireless. Then there is the need for a warning when the light isn't working. I am not sure what happens with modern led indicators, but old style tungsten bulbs had a built in resistance so the flashing became more frequent when a bulb had failed.

 

[Drago]

A fart smelling air freshener for spacesuits would get a warmer reception, I'm afraid.

 

[Dan B]

I hope to stay with the Mk I.

Indicators would be to close together on a bike.

This got me to thinking: you need the indicators to be on stalks that stick out to either side. Which might be a problem for filtering (unless you can engineer it so that they swing out of the way when not in use), but does have the advantage that you might be able also to put something on the end of the stalk to deter close overtakes.

I'm thinking of, say, a grass rake head, or a portable angle grinder.

 

[mjr]

Making bikes more like cars is a terrible idea. Making cars more like bikes would be awesome. Or maybe making bikes more like an iPhone.

Have you tried the Copenhagen cycle hire? Huge screens on those.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

I am currently in the process of designing a new bike signalling system

Have you tried googling "bicycle indicators"? There are dozens of varieties of these things on the market and they've been around for donkeys' years. I remember having an indicator belt way back in the early '70s.

Despite the wide availability of them you'll very rarely see one fitted to a bike because they are a useless gimmick. It doesn't matter that you can now make them wireless, operate them by Bluetooth blah blah, they are fundamentally pointless when the standardised system of arm signalling is so easy to use and understand.

And as others have said, bikes are already commonly fitted with flashing LED lights so adding more will not make it any easier for a driver to decipher the rider's intentions.

Sorry to add to the negativity but you really are wasting your time. Here's a handy, if incomplete, flowchart to help all prospective bicycle safety designers:

 

[classic33]

Thank you for posting, op. If you could invent a right indicator that stops drivers overtaking me when it is applied, I would be very grateful.

What about turning left?

 

[Sharky]

Mentioning hand signals - when I took my driving test, you still had to do hand signals. Anybody remember them?
I still occasionally use hand signals when I turn right into our drive or similar scenarios when I've indicated to pass a line of parked cars and then need to additionally turn right into a drive etc.