Needless to say, car vs. bicycle collisions don’t end up very well for the guy riding the bike. Crawford Hollingsworth is trying to fix this with Brainy Bike Lights. Note only are these lights The same color and orientation as a motor vehicle (white up front, red on back), they feature the international symbol for a bicycle in the lights. These lights work well enough that they can be seen by drivers clearly over 65ft/20. This gives extra stopping and reaction time. In short, Brainy Bike Lights are meant to save lives. For the latest range of electric bikes from Wisper click here.
The Brainy Bike Lights are powered by standard AA batteries and give you 50 hours on the front light and 200 hours on the back. They can be installed on and taken off the bicycle without tools, and can be stored in a small, easily portable case. The Brainy Bike Lights are on sale now for £50 now £45 per pair at www.brainybikelights.com
Found … the solution to safer urban cycling
Behavioural science cracks problem of cyclist blind spots for drivers
University of Oxford research indicates radical new bike symbol lights could significantly increase cyclist ‘standout’ in urban light clutter and speed up driver reaction times.
Testing and research conducted by the University of Oxford suggest new bike symbol lights could create significantly better cyclist standout than anything currently available because they enable quicker and more accurate identification of cyclists by drivers. This major safety breakthrough has been achieved by behavioural change consultant (and cyclist) Crawford Hollingworth. Recognising that most urban cycling accidents are caused by cars or taxis hitting cyclists from behind, he has invented a very different type of bike light using the international symbol of a cyclist on a bike. Called Brainy Bike Lights, they consist of a pair of front (white) and rear (red) lights. They create fast cyclist recognition and clear stand out because the brain detects and interprets the bike symbols more quickly. Combined with clever LED edge lighting both symbol lights project a sharp diffuse light and symbol clarity from all angles at up to 20 metres distance in daylight or darkness. They will be launched on 7 April 2014 and will be sold direct from www.brainybikelights.com at £50 per pair.
Existing academic research clearly demonstrates the power of symbols in communication. It proves they can be quickly and accurately identified even at a distance and work effectively even in adverse conditions. As warning signs they are particularly effective and universally understood. Original research on the bike symbol lights, to explore their effectiveness against standard bike lights, further confirmed these findings. Professor Charles Spence at the Experimental Psychology Lab at the University of Oxford (where the tests were carried out) says; “This bike symbol light could make a major contribution to cyclist road safety.” The test results demonstrated the superiority of Brainy Bike Lights over traditional bike lights in terms of facilitating a driver’s response in detecting and discriminating the presence of a cyclist behind or ahead of them. He adds, “Our brains interpret symbols very rapidly, within .001 of a second of seeing something our brains have made a decision about what it is and how to respond.” In fact the research demonstrated that since drivers will be able to identify cyclists on the road more quickly, they would also be able stop significantly more quickly – should they need to.
Acutely aware of the need to reduce cyclist deaths, injuries and near misses*, Crawford Hollingworth who also co-founded behavioural change research consultancy The Behavioural Architects, explains; “Cognitive functions of tired drivers are strained – especially in rush hour when many drive on autopilot. I spend a lot of time riding to meetings on Boris bikes so I’m hyper aware of the risks facing cyclists in the city. Using insights from behavioural and cognitive psychology about how the brain works, I found the quickest way to increase driver awareness and recognition of a cyclist was to use a bike symbol with a person on it. It is easy to identify the red or white bike symbol as belonging to a cyclist, tapping into what is called system one thinking which is fast and intuitive. The light will give drivers some vital extra milliseconds in which to brake, or take evasive action, or stop significantly more quickly. The bike symbol is also a short cut to all things bike related in drivers’ minds, subconsciously priming them that there is an unprotected and vulnerable human being on the road.”
*Most urban cycling accidents are caused by cars or taxis hitting cyclists from behind – 25% of cyclist fatalities happen this way; ROSPA figures show that in the UK 19,000 cyclists are injured p.a. in reported road accidents, including 3,000 seriously injured or killed. These figures don’t include the countless unreported ‘near misses’. Direct Line’s research into what drivers see on the road revealed that drivers fail to see one in five cyclists even when they are in clear view of their vehicles. And research by the AA shows that 91% of drivers admit it’s hard to see cyclists when driving and more than half are surprised when a cyclist appears from ‘nowhere’.
What makes Brainy Bike Lights brainy? The facts:
- Better standout for cyclists than standard bike lights in urban light clutter
- Quicker, more accurate identification of cyclists by drivers
- Trigger relevant associations in drivers; including cyclist vulnerability/cyclist recognition
- Speed up reaction time
- Drivers gain extra 1.34m of stopping time
- Project sharp diffuse LED edge lighting – the symbol lights can be seen sharply in focus at up to 20 metres – even at acute angles
- Operate a program of settings including static, intense static, flashing and intense flashing with a battery life of up to 50+ hours on the front light flash program and up to 200+ hours on the rear light flash program (and batteries are included)
- Easy clip on/clip off bike mechanism (no screws, no allen keys)
- Lights fit together in a compact case for easy portability
