I find it interesting how many people who don't ride their bike except as a toy in the park, or at all, feel fully qualified to judge the merit of such things.
Hell, I'm a pretty die-hard commuting cyclist, and I don't feel qualified to judge a lot of stuff like this... just give me smooth pavement.
The prototype video shows some profoundly stupid riding. It's a sad statement on our culture that someone could ride so incompetently for a promotional video and not have a clue.
I've found that motorists give me more space at night than during the day (and they give me plenty during the day). At night, they change lanes sooner, or on 2-lane roads, wait for a much better gap, pass slower and move farther left. They can't judge distance as well, so they compensate by being more cautious. (It's this same phenomenon that causes motorists to pass closer and faster to cyclists on the other side of a line)
I use a bright blinky tail light. Sometimes I have retro-reflective on myself or my luggage, sometimes I have an additional single-led blinky on my helmet. I've had motorists compliment me for my visibility with just the tail-light.
As with during the day, visibility from the front is most important. People invest all kinds of energy in being lit up from the back, but 95% of crashes still happen in front.
The laser thing is a talisman. But hey, if people want to carry their own false sense of security and we can leave the roads alone, I'm all for it.
7 comments:
I find it interesting how many people who don't ride their bike except as a toy in the park, or at all, feel fully qualified to judge the merit of such things.
Hell, I'm a pretty die-hard commuting cyclist, and I don't feel qualified to judge a lot of stuff like this... just give me smooth pavement.
The prototype video shows some profoundly stupid riding. It's a sad statement on our culture that someone could ride so incompetently for a promotional video and not have a clue.
The promo also shows the "test-pilot" overtaking a competent cyclist at one point, who is riding about 3' further into the lane than the laser-jockey.
All the photos are at night.
... all the photos are at night and the lightlane is basically the only light that the cyclist is carrying. And it's not very much light.
I approve of the please-don't-kill-me zone that the lightlane puts out, but I wonder if anyone would actually see it?
I've found that motorists give me more space at night than during the day (and they give me plenty during the day). At night, they change lanes sooner, or on 2-lane roads, wait for a much better gap, pass slower and move farther left. They can't judge distance as well, so they compensate by being more cautious. (It's this same phenomenon that causes motorists to pass closer and faster to cyclists on the other side of a line)
I use a bright blinky tail light. Sometimes I have retro-reflective on myself or my luggage, sometimes I have an additional single-led blinky on my helmet. I've had motorists compliment me for my visibility with just the tail-light.
As with during the day, visibility from the front is most important. People invest all kinds of energy in being lit up from the back, but 95% of crashes still happen in front.
The laser thing is a talisman. But hey, if people want to carry their own false sense of security and we can leave the roads alone, I'm all for it.
Cool, it reminded me of the target designator on a HUD display. They probably won't use that imagery in their PR.
Won't make the road any smoother, though.
Bottom line - future candidate for a "stupid bike product of the year."
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