Product Design alevel project
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Posts: 3
Hi my names Freddy and I’m currently looking at whether to produce a bike indicator for my a-level project. I’m wondering if you can help me, as in targeting commuters. I’m looking at a bike indicator either enhanced features. Could you please answer these questions as it would be an enormous help,
Thanks in advance Freddy.
What problems do you face as a current cyclist, which is the most significant and why?
Do you believe indicating is an issue that needs to be addressed, if so, why, in terms of the problems. How do you believe they can be eradicated?
Do you face any issues with bike lights that could be improved?
Do you believe an electric bike light is better than a battery powered bike light? What makes you think this?
Do you find cycling as a struggle for a commuter? What makes you believe this?
How much do you believe as a commuter, you should pay for a bike indicator? How much for an advanced cyclist? How much for a beginner?
Do you find getting through stand –still traffic is a problem? Is this because of, confidence or genuine unsafety? How much does this disrupt your timings of cycling to work or is it mainly cycle paths?
Thanks in advance Freddy.
What problems do you face as a current cyclist, which is the most significant and why?
Do you believe indicating is an issue that needs to be addressed, if so, why, in terms of the problems. How do you believe they can be eradicated?
Do you face any issues with bike lights that could be improved?
Do you believe an electric bike light is better than a battery powered bike light? What makes you think this?
Do you find cycling as a struggle for a commuter? What makes you believe this?
How much do you believe as a commuter, you should pay for a bike indicator? How much for an advanced cyclist? How much for a beginner?
Do you find getting through stand –still traffic is a problem? Is this because of, confidence or genuine unsafety? How much does this disrupt your timings of cycling to work or is it mainly cycle paths?
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Moronic drivers. Too many cars on the roads. Red traffic lights.
Do you believe indicating is an issue that needs to be addressed, if so, why, in terms of the problems. How do you believe they can be eradicated?
No. I do not have an issue sticking my arm out and that is a lot more visible than a little light. I don't think I've had any near misses with drivers due to a lack of indicating... in general they haven't even looked properly so they would not have spotted an indicator. I've had plenty of drivers fail to spot my motorcycle indicators though...
Do you face any issues with bike lights that could be improved?
Nothing major. Battery life could be improved sometimes. Many cyclists could learn to dip their 100000lumen portable suns. Price could be lower.
Do you believe an electric bike light is better than a battery powered bike light? What makes you think this?
A battery powered bike light is still electric. I'm not quite sure what the difference is? I'm assuming we don't carry a generator along to power it?
Do you find cycling as a struggle for a commuter? What makes you believe this?
Not really. It's less of a struggle than sitting in a car. It would be nice if it could be a permanent tailwind.
How much do you believe as a commuter, you should pay for a bike indicator? How much for an advanced cyclist? How much for a beginner?
£0. I don't want one. Should an advanced cyclist pay more? What's the definitions for advanced vs beginner cyclists?
Do you find getting through stand –still traffic is a problem? Is this because of, confidence or genuine unsafety? How much does this disrupt your timings of cycling to work or is it mainly cycle paths?
On narrow roads - yes. In general it's not much of an issue as long as you take it easy. Generally the standstill traffic is in the same place every day so it doesn't make much difference to timings. Mostly road. Cycle shared use pavements used when there is standstill traffic and the option exists.
While I understand your hope and aspirations, and that this a learning project, please do the above.
No amount of lights will help you be seen, if a driver isn't looking, or aware of their width.
The top ten causes of crashes in the UK in 2017, according to https://www.regtransfers.co.uk/content/ ... n-britain/ , which uses the police's assessment of a collision Contributing Factors, as recorded on the STATS19 form:
1.Driver failed to look properly – 42,189 accidents reported
2.Driver failed to judge other person’s path or speed – 21,211 accidents reported
3.Driver was careless, reckless or in a hurry – 17,845 accidents reported
4.Driver had poor turn or maneuver – 15,560 accidents reported
5.Loss of control – 12,151 accidents reported
6.Pedestrian failed to look properly – 8,687 accidents reported
7.Slippery road surface – 7,327 accidents reported
8.Driver was travelling too fast for conditions – 6,468 accidents reported
9.Driver was following too close – 6,040 accidents reported
10.Driver was exceeding speed limit – 5,102 accidents reported
Bike 1 (Broken) - Bike 2(Borked) - Bike 3(broken spokes) - Bike 4( Needs Work) - Bike 5 (in bits) - Bike 6* ...
What A-level is it for?
- For indicators on a bike to be useful, they'd have to have very widespread takeup, or drivers aren't going to look for them. My gut feel is that you'd probably have to have indicators on 50% of the country's actively-ridden bikes before drivers started noticing them.
- How are the indicators going to be activated? Unless they turn off automatically, as they do in a car, you're going to get lots of cyclists riding along in a straight line with one of their indicators flashing. Above a certain threshold this will lead to drivers ignoring all indicators, because they have no way of telling which ones are activated on purpose.
- What problem does this device solve? If people are frustrated by a genuine problem, and then a device comes along to solve that problem, they're likely to go out and buy it (if the quality and price are right). If it's a solution looking for a problem, it's going to be a much harder sell. My advice for anyone developing a product like this would be to spend some time defining the problem, in as much detail as possible, before you start looking at how to solve it.
As a reasonably experienced cyclist (30 miles a day through London for 10 years), this doesn't solve any of my problems; I don't feel I have any issues communicating my intentions to road users who are actually looking at me.
TGOTTB, I did think this that as a new cyclist I find the experience of looking right to check if okay to cross into the other lane tends the bike to move right. Then looking again to see if clear with an arm out to signal right turn is quite difficult. I feel this task should be easier, if a new cyclist.
And actually thinking more about indicators... will it decrease the likelihood of a cyclist to actually shoulder check before moving out? I've seen a lot barely even glance but those who indicate well tend to have a good look behind. I'll even shoulder check a left turn when I'm hugging the kerb because i've had idiots come up the inside before.
The answer is to practice cycling, not to make it easier to move without looking.
By all means have a flashing light to show where you intend to move, but if you're using it as a substitute for checking it's safe to move then you're doing it wrong.
We complain about cars that left hook people and use the excuse "I was indicating". Cyclists that just sling an arm out and then weave across the road, oblivious to what's going on around them, is the equivalent.
/rant
CAAD12 Disc
Condor Tempo
40% of people will indicate and go without shoulder checking / looking
40% who people who shoulder check and go, without indicating, thinking the look is enough
20% of people who shoulder check, indicate and then go.
Felt Z6 2012
Red Arthur Caygill steel frame
Tall....
www.seewildlife.co.uk
- Finding secure bike parking
Do you believe indicating is an issue that needs to be addressed, if so, why, in terms of the problems. How do you believe they can be eradicated?
- No
Do you face any issues with bike lights that could be improved?
- Remembering to charge them, theft
Do you believe an electric bike light is better than a battery powered bike light? What makes you think this?
- Battery powered lights are electric. Dynamo lights would be nice especially as they are harder to steal
Do you find cycling as a struggle for a commuter? What makes you believe this?
- No
How much do you believe as a commuter, you should pay for a bike indicator? How much for an advanced cyclist? How much for a beginner?
- £0 (don't need them)
Do you find getting through stand –still traffic is a problem? Is this because of, confidence or genuine unsafety?
- Yes when roads are narrow and vehicles are wide
How much does this disrupt your timings of cycling to work or is it mainly cycle paths?
- Cycling is a very predictable way of getting to work - my commute always seems to take about the same time
I don't think Indicator lights on a bike would be ignored - almost the opposite I feel - I think they'll be noticed - because they're different.
The difficulties you'll have include placement & clarity - the width of a bike isn't enough to make intentions clear and distinguishable by just a blinking light.
There are a number of solutions I've seen - including rucksack, helmet and glove/arm placed lights - the former being some kind of flashing arrow.
Of course, you need to have some sort of trigger & cancellation mechanism - plus possibly a user indicator so the rider knows the device is on.
Do I feel an indicator is a solution to a problem though - No I don't. Riding one handed is a skill that is usually learnt early on - most kids I see tend not to have any hands on the handlebars at all. Sure, it takes a bit of practice, but it's not that hard.
Maybe put that in to a biking context. Motorcyclists have main headlight on because people (car drivers) dont register them and it is a safety issue.
From that I'd distil that the design should not be about indicating intentions but drawing attention to the cyclist and making the cars aware first and the direction of travel second. High intensity, high flash rate easy to charge suited for an average commute - you can research that.
There should be a bypass circuit to trigger a 40 coulomb storage charge - like a photon torpedo and fry the cnt forker tw@ who disrespects you, or less specifically just for fun on any random passer by or cat.
Car painting in Pune
They are dangerous because (a) a bike's not wide enough for them to provide clear signals (b) motorists aren't expecting them (c) it encourages cyclists not to use the internationally recognised sign of sticking your arm out sideways.
Anyone that cannot safely do a shoulder check should not be on the road.
I am not sure. You have no chance.
For example, if you are punched in the face by a cyclist turning right it means you are passing too close and/or passing as you approach a right turn. You shouldn't do this in a car and it is no different on a bike.
Conversely if you are the one punching other cyclists, you need to learn that the mirror signal manoeuvre philosophy also applies to you. Prepare to turn by looking then signalling then moving.
If you turn when you look, learn not to for your own longevity. If you are running out of time before you turn, start sooner.