what would be the greatest invention for keeping roadies safe?

[Cellar]

Honest question: How will this help? What's the cyclist to do in case of a warning that a car is coming from behind? Chances are most cyclist will mentally switch off to the warning as most of the alarms / warnings will purely be for cars "just coming from behind".

 

Exactly what I thought. Especially if you're riding in a busy area, it's going to be "warning" you constantly.

[Iwan Kemp]

Bike computer with a rear facing camera.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv0wgSPb_v0

 

 

http://bicycledesign...st-impressions/

 

Won't keep you safe or alive, though.

[Cellar]

Won't keep you safe or alive, though.

 

Why? It's like a rearview mirror. You can see what's coming from behind, and move out of it's way?

[Iwan Kemp]

Why? It's like a rearview mirror. You can see what's coming from behind, and move out of it's way?

You will have to look at it constantly. And if you're already riding where you are suppose to in the first place where's left for you to go?

 

Add to that the potentially massive difference is speeds and chances are you're still a sitting duck.

 

Our biggest hope will be in-car systems. They can now pick up speed, heat and direction and will be able to warn the motorist of potential danger.

[Iwan Kemp]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qrQ7936sCc

 

Edited May 4, 2014 by Iwan Kemp

[Iwan Kemp]

And at night...

 

[T-Bob]

I like the idea but not too sure if it's going to do that much but I guess anything to help, helps.

 

I always thought that most accidents seemed to be side or front based (cars zipping past then turning in, squeezing out the rider, cars stopping, t-boning etc).

 

Seen there have been some horrific accidents back in Sydney over the last few weeks, most involving busses and trucks. Also bogans chucking beer bottles at riders as well. Maybe a 360 degree camera, alarm system and steel mesh cage is the way to go if you're hitting the black top.

[Witkop]

Well written legislation, that is mercilessly enforced. Hit a cyclist go to jail, do not pass begin, go directly to jail. Once the court has sorted out the issue, you can then pay the fine and go home, no bail for offenders.

[Vetseun]

I think a good start would be for roadies to obey road rules. Red traffic lights mean stop, riding in single file where applicable. Etc.

[Dicky DQ]

Why go to the expense of a rear camera. just get a rear-view mirror. It still works in all cars. O Ja not cool enough.

 

no matter what you have if you are not permanently watching it it is of little value.

Edited May 4, 2014 by Dick

[Seepglad]

 

 

Honest question: How will this help? What's the cyclist to do in case of a warning that a car is coming from behind? Chances are most cyclist will mentally switch off to the warning as most of the alarms / warnings will purely be for cars "just coming from behind".

 

I like the idea of an in-car warning system. Like Volvo or Merc have.

when I do (seldomly) ride sections of road, I ride far-left, and at any point nip off onto dirt, then look behind, get back on when ready.

Bit of a process, but I see the #backtrack device giving me a headsup based on speed and proximity of eyes-unseen approaching vehicle.

 

When the prototype and website goes live, we'll see how the inventors addressed the problem of that flow of cars just coming from behind.

 

Roadshows in various cities will give consumers a chance to also add ideas and input

[Seepglad]

I like the idea but not too sure if it's going to do that much but I guess anything to help, helps.

 

I always thought that most accidents seemed to be side or front based (cars zipping past then turning in, squeezing out the rider, cars stopping, t-boning etc).

in the Western Cape, it seems as if most hits are.from behind, and fatal. The last one was on Polkadraai, driver had 'nowhere to go' and riders could possibly have benefited from a rearview mirror, like tourists and yesteryear bikes employ

 

Edited May 4, 2014 by latrinus emmer

[T-Bob]

in the Western Cape, it seems as if most hits are.from behind, and fatal. The last one was on Polkadraai, driver had 'nowhere to go' and riders could possibly have benefited from a rearview mirror, like tourists and yesteryear bikes employ

 

Always sad to hear... hope in that kind of situation riders have enough time to react and somewhere to go to avoid such tragedy.

Edited May 4, 2014 by hellocolour

[Witkop]

Another issue is cyclist density. The one reason cyclist are hit is because their presence on the road is still a rarity and anomaly for drivers. Although this may sound strange but less cyclists means more accidents per capita. In many cases the motorist did not "see" the cyclist, which means that the cyclist was not where the driver had thought it should be in his subconscious. This is because motorists tend to under estimate the speed of cyclists as well as experience their behaviour as unpredictable. This is in turn is caused by their lack of sufficient exposure to cyclists using the road.

 

To reduce cycle accidents there should be more cyclists on the road (almost like subconscious programming for motorists) To achieve this certain roads should be identified as cyclist preferred so that the critical mass can be achieved on that section of road. Once frequent road users have become used to cyclists on "their" commute road, then another route is identified and cyclist migrate there......

[Seepglad]

so the bottom line is how to make ourselves safer, via our own actions and choices, while (still) riding our bikes on roads?

[Seepglad]

 

Always sad to hear... hope in that kind of situation riders have enough time to react and somewhere to go to avoid such tragedy.

mmm, sadly, they had no time to act