LED glove “could save bikers' lives”

[AllanB]

Yeah... funny. SD, do you hold your arm out to indicate when you're about to turn?

Never - so it would be a bloody waste of time for me. And I don't know of anyone being rear ended in the situation the glove man illustrates.

I've a issue with many LED turn signals - they are hard to see in bright sunlight rendering them worse than old-school bulbs.

I have seen a couple of bikes running additional white LED lights at the front - now these really stand out and IMO are a good idea.

Plus I am surprised after years of car-bike incidents that 'the-powers-that-be' have not made side running lights in some form compulsory for bikes. Maybe they won't make any difference.

[scumdog]

Yeah... funny. SD, do you hold your arm out to indicate when you're about to turn?

Not so much now but two Harleys back (and with my old Honda) I had to, the bikes had no indicators.

[Hanne]

I find that a combination of plastic flowers, leftover tinsel and copious amounts of pink ribbon tied to my handlebars and the sides of my fairings do a pretty good job of making me extra-spottable. Disco ball additions would be pretty neat I reckon, especially if coupled with a bubble-making machine and extra neons, a la the UK advert :P

[Paul in NZ]

I find that a combination of plastic flowers, leftover tinsel and copious amounts of pink ribbon tied to my handlebars and the sides of my fairings do a pretty good job of making me extra-spottable. Disco ball additions would be pretty neat I reckon, especially if coupled with a bubble-making machine and extra neons, a la the UK advert :P

A bubble making machine you say..... hmmmmmmmm I can just see me gliding up to the cafe on the trophy, chrome gleaming, paint sparkling and the exhaust emitting a healthy bubble....

[MSTRS:Me]

A burble making machine you say..... hmmmmmmmm I can just see me gliding up to the cafe on the trophy, chrome gleaming, paint sparkling and the exhaust emitting a healthy burble....

Fixed that for you...

[wysper]

Good for cyclists perhaps.
Not motorcyclists.

[george formby]

Had a yankee import GPX that had "hazard lights". Turn on the switch and all 4 indicators would start flashing. It was truly awesome for filtering through traffic.

Mine has hazards, never thought of using them like that though.

[sinned]

The glove idea has sparked another idea for those who wear and believe in hi vis vests.

Build into the vest a row of LEDs from the shoulder down the arm. Hi powered ones that flash like some cyclists wear on their helmets. Power them from the bike so no battery problems. The LEDs could be a selection of colours including blue and red and as the are not part of the vehicle would running them be contrary to any law or regulation?

[superman]

Mine has hazards, never thought of using them like that though.

If both indicators could go it would be great for filtering. I think my lights overheat though... they seem to struggle to blink after about 20 minutes of being turned on.

[Gone Burger]

So I don't think this invention is helpful in our environment.

I would disagree. Perheaps not to helpm been seen ON the road. But, a few weeks back I crashed my bike and went off the road. I fell down a ditch that was 3m lower than the road level. I broke my neck and back and could not move. For 5 hours I was there. As cars drove past, as did the ambulance and fire department with lights and sirens. I Could see them, no one could see me. Until finally someone in the firetruck saw the led light from my phone down in the long grass. And they found me.

So... I would buy some of these gloves in an instant.. I would have been found much sooner if I had something on my to catch attention. No, I don't plan to EVER crash again, but somethings are just a little beyond our control, and we have to take what happens occasionally.

I know if it wasn't for the screen on my phone, it was going to be a very long night, and I am unsure if I would have had the strength to make it.

YAY for firemen! hehe - my heros!

Give me a flashing LED glove any day.

[CookMySock]

What we REALLY need, is some MEGA BRIGHTstrobe LED indicators like the amber ones emergency vehicles use. They would need to have a "compatibility" mode where they have an ordinary flash rate and brightness for WOF purposes, and then they need to have a a couple of other modes, including a really offensive (not for general use) mode when you want to let people know you are there.

[oneofsix]

I would disagree. Perheaps not to helpm been seen ON the road. But, a few weeks back I crashed my bike and went off the road. I fell down a ditch that was 3m lower than the road level. I broke my neck and back and could not move. For 5 hours I was there. As cars drove past, as did the ambulance and fire department with lights and sirens. I Could see them, no one could see me. Until finally someone in the firetruck saw the led light from my phone down in the long grass. And they found me.

So... I would buy some of these gloves in an instant.. I would have been found much sooner if I had something on my to catch attention. No, I don't plan to EVER crash again, but somethings are just a little beyond our control, and we have to take what happens occasionally.

I know if it wasn't for the screen on my phone, it was going to be a very long night, and I am unsure if I would have had the strength to make it.

YAY for firemen! hehe - my heros!

Give me a flashing LED glove any day.

Think I might just put my aaa mag-light torch keyring on my bike keys.

[Neon]

Build into the vest a row of LEDs from the shoulder down the arm. Hi powered ones that flash like some cyclists wear on their helmets. Power them from the bike so no battery problems. The LEDs could be a selection of colours including blue and red and as the are not part of the vehicle would running them be contrary to any law or regulation?

These already exist: http://www.hi-glow.co.nz/

[Neon]

I've often thought blinking LED's would be very good at helping us being noticed. An on/off/on light catches the eye better than a static one, a couple of those little blue things on each indicator blinking alternately would, to my mind, be effective.
Cheap, small & full of potential but currently illegal I think.

Why is it that flashing forward facing LED lights are legal for bicycles?

[wysper]

Why is it that flashing forward facing LED lights are legal for bicycles?

I think it is the colour that would be illegal. Blue and red for example. Red should only be rear facing. Blue and red flashing to the front could be considered impersonating an officer of the law.