LightLane creates a brightly-lit lane around and behind cyclists to improve safety at night
The first automobile crash in the United States is said to have occurred in 1896, in New York City, when a car crashed into - surprise, surprise - a bicyclist. Even today, despite the introduction of reflective gear, helmets and lights, cyclists are still very vulnerable, particularly at night. Enter LightLane – a clever concept that uses lasers to project a virtual bike lane on the ground behind and around the cyclist.
Conceived by Alex Tee and Evan Gant from design firm Altitude Inc., LightLane will mount under the seat and project up to 10 feet behind the rider, giving approaching drivers a clear visual guide to ensure they stay well clear of cyclists at night.
A prototype is in development and the designers hope to have a product ready for Interbike in October.
What if the light confuses car-drivers driving behind bicycles and makes them think they are driving over the bicycle lane. Such things can create more accidents than they prevent.
Walid Damouny12th August, 2009 @ 07:55 am PDT
Thats a good point, however this should only happen when the bicycle is turning corners. In either case it may just make the driver more cautious as the projected light makes the space occupied by the cyclist seem larger and creates a space that the driver should be reluctant to enter. Tests would obviously be needed to establish whether or not confusion can happen.
DH27th October, 2009 @ 11:01 am PDT
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Excellent idea, make the bike much more visible and show where it is going, should be very popular.
DH28th June, 2009 @ 03:01 pm PDT