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Backtracker: Radar sixth sense for cyclists
21–30 of 47 posts
Re: Backtracker: Radar sixth sense for cyclists
#22I've heard that a solid light is better because a drunk driver will be attracted to the blinking light, and naturally turn that way, hitting you instead of passing you. And since this blinks faster as they approach, it seems that it would have this effect even more.
Re: Backtracker: Radar sixth sense for cyclists
#23Technology is good, the human interface sucks. How about a Google Glass-esque helmet indicator?
I tried a Skully Helmets prototype a while back and they had an in-helmet display. Also the capability to show you a wide degree of vision squeezed together so you could monitor around you:
http://www.skullysystems.com/
Re: Backtracker: Radar sixth sense for cyclists
#24[deleted]
Re: Backtracker: Radar sixth sense for cyclists
#25Interesting how the verb "back" has taken on the meaning "pre-order."
Re: Backtracker: Radar sixth sense for cyclists
#26I think this product would be well served by alerting the user about car distance through some channel other than visual. When biking all visual attention should be focused forward, and the extra information sensed by this device could be delivered through some form of haptic feedback.
True, one option is to integrate haptic feedback into a sensor in the shoe. But even then, what action would one take based on this feedback. Should I stop, pedal faster or switch a lane. Just the radar feedback of 'something is about to hit you from behind' is probably not enough.
Re: Backtracker: Radar sixth sense for cyclists
#27I don't get how this works. The only dangerous situations that you can't prevent right now are a car coming from around a blind corner or a car that wants to turn while you go straight. In the former case you'd need to look around the corner, something I can't imagine how it would do. In the latter case it would need to magically know when a car, which might or might not have been close to you for the last mile, sudd…
This isn't for city riding. It is for riding on country roads. If you've ever done any road cycling outside of city centres, it can get very risky as the cars are going so much faster and there isn't the same road shoulder. Your ears are not enough. Personally I hate cycling on country roads because of this so I would definitely use this radar. I agree with an earlier comment about non-visual feedback. An audio queue…
Most of the country roads I cycle along (even the ones shown in the video) have enough curves that by the time this device detects a car you would be able to hear it.
Even then I'm not really sure what the point of this device is. If a car comes speeding up behind you what you are supposed to do? Pull over and stop? Drive on the edge and get covered in mud?
Re: Backtracker: Radar sixth sense for cyclists
#28There's so little focus on the front component, that I still have no idea if it could be worthwhile to me. Seems like there's lights that show how far behind you the nearest car is? But that's a total guess - what I could gather from a few glimpses at the design; and this is the main selling point. Almost the entire video talks about the rear censor/blinking light. I could care less about the light, those cost $5 and…
The second and third video show more details. http://vimeo.com/99653723 http://vimeo.com/99038775
> http://vimeo.com/99038775
Finally the video with some info.
But does it log the info? Is the log available and verifiable?
If the car still hits you, could you make a persuasive argument about the information you had available to you? Could you argue the vehicles speed, and that you thought the vehicle threatening?
You're given some info that may affect your riding behaviour. It seems to me this info needs to be available when the day comes that someone using this is in court trying to obtain damages from a driver that has hit them.
If the info is not available or verifiable (inc' source code for the radar), then I personally think it's better to not have this device and spend the money on brighter lights to begin with.
Re: Backtracker: Radar sixth sense for cyclists
#29Earlier quoted context omitted.
The second and third video show more details. http://vimeo.com/99653723 http://vimeo.com/99038775
> http://vimeo.com/99038775 Finally the video with some info. But does it log the info? Is the log available and verifiable? If the car still hits you, could you make a persuasive argument about the information you had available to you? Could you argue the vehicles speed, and that you thought the vehicle threatening? You're given some info that may affect your riding behaviour. It seems to me this info needs to be av…
I doubt that data would be useful in court without a lot of other supporting evidence. To sue the imbecile who ran you over despite this device, you'd be far better buying an additional actioncam instead - that would likely show license plate and the driver's face.
But you do have a point that some research on the effectiveness of this device - compared to brighter lights or other cheaper measures - would make it a lot more desirable.
Re: Backtracker: Radar sixth sense for cyclists
#30I don't get how this works. The only dangerous situations that you can't prevent right now are a car coming from around a blind corner or a car that wants to turn while you go straight. In the former case you'd need to look around the corner, something I can't imagine how it would do. In the latter case it would need to magically know when a car, which might or might not have been close to you for the last mile, sudd…
This isn't for city riding. It is for riding on country roads. If you've ever done any road cycling outside of city centres, it can get very risky as the cars are going so much faster and there isn't the same road shoulder. Your ears are not enough. Personally I hate cycling on country roads because of this so I would definitely use this radar. I agree with an earlier comment about non-visual feedback. An audio queue…
most of the country roads i ride have one car for an hour riding with the speed of around 40 km/h.