I had posted awhile back about supporting a bike advocacy group or something because of my frustration with dangerous drivers out there.
That whole issue has been being worked on in the back of my mind for a while now and I have an idea that I’d like to get some feedback on.
First off I thought about the idea of there being bike friendly routes. Obviously many of us choose our routes by considering how safe they are. Meaning how much room is there to the side of the road. What is the speed limit for the cars travelling? How are the sight lines for these drivers?
I was thinking that it would be good to put up signs along these more popular routes indicating that is a bike friendly route. This way cyclists might focus their rides on these areas that have been determined to be a good biking road and now because of new signing Motorists are now aware that they are likely to encounter bike traffic.
That idea right there isn’t anything too special. The “Bike Friendly” Signs will have an impact for a short while but eventually would just be passed by without even being considered. So I started to think about how to improve on this.
I then thought about adding lights to the sign. Again if the lights were on all the time, or at fixed times of day, the sign would lose it’s attention. Here is what I came up with to improve this.
Cyclists that ride in areas where these lighted signs exist can buy a wireless transmitter that attaches to their bike. When they get into range of these lighted signs with receivers, they automatically activate the lights on the sign to start flashing.
Then the sign could read a couple of different ways. You could use the School Zone approach and write “35mph” speed limit when flashing”. Or “Cyclists ahead use caution when passing”
Obviously the lights would eventually time out at a predetermined time interval.
Questions? Suggestions? What do you think?
4 comments:
You know, that really does sound like a great idea!
I like the idea. I guess we would have to ante up the cash to pay for the 'device' that we would carry? Certainly a small price to pay for safety.
I would venture to guess that we also need a huge MF flashing light of our own on our helmets. Sometimes I think people just sort of zone out when they drive.
My Sunday incident was on a bike route, with signs, and wide shoulder, and a well known path for cyclists and yet this bonehead was too busy chatting on his cell to notice any of the above. I think he wouldn't notice a light even if it were God himself coming to take us to the promised land.
There is a guy that bikes in my neighborhood that has one of those headlights you can see for a mile in full sun! I'm always in my car in traffic when I see him. I want to know what brand this light is. I'm guessing there is a tail light as well but I haven't seen it.
I'm familiar with the road you were on. Our Foley recording stage is in Northvale NJ.
There is no doubt that there will always be a percentage of people that are just terrible or angry drivers.
Or terribly oblivious...
I have a Cateye that is pretty bright.
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