October 22, 2017 | Bicycle Accidents
In urban centers and beyond, biking to work is becoming ever more popular with commuters, but this trend also raises safety concerns. Having more bikes on the road can obviously lead to more bike accidents. As such, tech companies are innovating safety mechanisms to help keep cyclists safe when they hit the road.
Take a Left at the Corner
Yes, bicyclists have methods for indicating lane changes and turns, but not all riders use them, which is probably because even fewer drivers on the road understand them. Bike gloves that have flashing signals for left and right turns (on the left and right gloves, respectively) may come to the rescue. As a bicyclist, you no longer need to contort your left arm to signal a turn–a signal that the drivers around you may or may not understand. These turn-indicator biking gloves, called Zackees, have blinking LED turn signals built right in.
Zackees incorporate left and right turn signals that you can easily turn on and off by pushing your index finger and thumb together (on either your left or right hand). Conveniently, Zackees use rechargeable coin-cell batteries that can even be thrown in the washing machine. Most importantly, Zackees allow bikers to safely and unequivocally share their navigational intentions with other drivers on the road.
Light It Up
Innovations for bike safety don’t stop with hand blinkers. Technology is also changing the bikes themselves. Enter the Lumen, a breakthrough retro-reflective city bike (the world’s first commercially available model). In daylight, the Lumen is a somewhat iridescent charcoal gray. By night, however, the Lumen’s frame and rims emit a strong glow when hit by a direct light source. The bike incorporates integrated illumination that needs no batteries and has no on or off switch.
The Lumen employs retro-reflection, which returns any light that strikes it directly back to its source–rather than the more common reflection methods of bouncing, scattering, or diffusing light. By directly focusing reflected light back at the light’s source, the Lumen’s reflective power increases greatly. The paint used on the Lumen is saturated with microscopic spheres that–by boomeranging light back to its source–create a cat-eye effect, which allows for viewing for up to 1,000 feet.
Biking has a lot to offer–it’s a great way to stay active, to cut your commute times, and to be environmentally responsible–but it’s important to stay safe out there. Tech companies are getting in on the act and are helping cyclists do just that.
If You’ve Been Injured in a Bike Accident, Contact the Fountain Law Firm Today
At the Fountain Law Firm, P.C., we have successfully helped many victims of bike accidents obtain the compensation they deserve for the injuries and related losses they’ve sustained. To ensure that you receive all the compensation you’re entitled to, it is important to have an experienced bike accident attorney handle your case. Attorney Merry Fountain is here to help, and she will meet you in her office or in your home–whatever’s most convenient for you. For a free consultation, call Merry Fountain anytime at 1-888-242-HURT (4878).