Indicators for bikes

[Shaun]

It's been done before, but I was looking for something to tweet and came across these:

http://www.bicygnalsonline.com/indicators.php

What do you think?

Cheers,
Shaun

 

[col]

Not sure what you mean by tweet, but they look interesting, I like the idea of those. But maybe wider to easily differentiate the side maybe?

 

[Piemaster]

Not convinced really. Don't think there is a substitute for a life-saver, making eye contact with drivers and a big arm signal.
Them being close together may not help with the differentiation of which way you are turning, but motorcycles seem to manage.
You would presumably want to use them all the time which would mean taking them off the bike everytime you leave it, not just in darkness as with regular lights.

However, I can see there could be circumstances when they would be useful, when both hands are really needed on the barsfor stability/setting off but signaling is also needed (I'm thinking of a local double-mini roundabout here)

 

[cyberknight]

Not convinced really. Don't think there is a substitute for a life-saver, making eye contact with drivers and a big arm signal.
Them being close together may not help with the differentiation of which way you are turning, but motorcycles seem to manage.

I agree a motor bike will have a solid rear light as well and the indicators are brighter , these lights to me look to much like just another bike flasher that will get lost in the light from lightpost, car lights etc.

Looks nice but i would not trust it.

 

[ufkacbln]

I agree a motor bike will have a solid rear light as well and the indicators are brighter , these lights to me look to much like just another bike flasher that will get lost in the light from lightpost, car lights etc.

Looks nice but i would not trust it.

Exactly what happens - I follow a cyclist occasionally on my commute and it took me some time to realise what they were. Certainly not effective, and as above do not form the physical barrier that your arm does.

 

[ColinJ]

Not sure what you mean by tweet...

Blimey, someone who actually hasn't heard of Twitter!

(It doesn't look like Shaun has exactly been melting his internet connection with the frequency of his 'tweeting' though!)

 

[MontyVeda]

terrible idea... most, if not all motorists will be expecting a hand signal and not a little amber flashy thing near your butt.

IMO, they should be illegal.

 

[Holdsworth]

Saw those on a stand at Top Gear Live today at the NEC, of all places

To me they look a bit gimmicky and I am not sure how bright they are, and how they'd hold up on the road in real world situations.

 

[Davidc]

I've wondered if arm fixing rows of lights with a tilt switch would be useful at night, but thought better of it. I just wear a couple of slap-wraps on my wrists to make signals show up better in the dark.

 

[Jezston]

terrible idea... most, if not all motorists will be expecting a hand signal and not a little amber flashy thing near your butt.

IMO, they should be illegal.

That's a little extreme I think - motorists expect it from motorbikes so if done right could be very useful. There are times i find myself wanting to indicate but can't because of needing to use the hand to brake, and even when indicating I'm not sure how visible my hand is at night.

 

[Ste T.]

"There are times i find myself wanting to indicate but can't because of needing to use the hand to brake"

I agree. I indicate when entering a small r.a.b. but then want both hands on the bars when I am leaning in to a turn and tend to rely on my road positioning to let them know where I am going. Perhaps they could be flip up arms on the forks and seat stays, like the ones on the old 1930s cars :¬)

 

[marinyork]

I'm not convinced, although this attempt is certainly better than some others I've seen. Not exactly what I'd call 'easy carrying' which is a problem, the larger you make them (and hence more useful) the more ridiculous they become.

 

[darth vadar]

With stuff like this are we not in danger of mentamorphasising (check spelling!!) into a motorbike.

How long before somebody suggests developing a metal box around the cyclist and calling it, erm, a car.

Surely, bicycles are a different mode of transport completely?

Apart from a helmet (oops!), leave well alone in my view.