Comments on: Dumbest Product of the Week- 20th Edition, LightLane

By: yochanan ben avrohom

yochanan ben avrohom — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 20:57:26 +0000

REMEMBER FOLKS the side walk isn’t a bike lane keep your f””’ bikes off the side walk

By: Dumbest Product of the Week- 21st Edition, Axiom Streamliner Carbon Rack | Austin Bike Blog

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 14:05:58 +0000

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By: Robert Anderson

Robert Anderson — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 03:50:00 +0000

I also have an article on this over at practicalcyclist.blogspot.net . My findings:

1. Not as good as an agreed-upon bikelane
2. Doesn’t work in daytime, therefore must be compared to nightlights as a safety device. (Night lighting: better, probably cheaper)
3. Lightlane seems more oriented to overtaking motorists than approaching motorists, which (accident stats tell us) is where most car-bike collisions occur; and
4. Doesn’t exist (Photoshop job). If the yo-yos who posted this rendering had gone to the effort to prototype this instead of just PS’ing it, they would have dumped it in the crapper early on. What happens when the cyclist dumps and shines a laser in the eyes of the motorist?

Oh, and Doug, I noticed the no light thing too. This reminds me of the Trek bicycle ad with the cyclo-commuter at dusk with no lighting.

By: Doug

Doug — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:23:39 +0000

… of course, how would the user of such a device handle all the UPS and Fedex trucks parking behind him?

And note how he doesn’t seem to have a light on the back of his bike? (He might have a reflector, but without a light shining on it, we can’t see it — fail.)

By: elliott

elliott — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:18:15 +0000

Yeah, it seems people are always trying to make things more complicated which usually means more expensive. Simple low cost solutions aren’t sexy, but they sure get my admiration.

By: Mark H.

Mark H. — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:21:18 +0000

it is weird that this and other elaborate lighting systems get such attention. i mean they are stunning, and do capture the imagination, but i really get excited about a lighting system that just works, and you never have to think about it. such systems are rare, and not as affordable as i’d like.

By: elliott

elliott — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:53:32 +0000

Doug,
I try to focus on real, commercially available products in general but we’ve covered some prototype items in the past. Just because it’s a prototype, doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun, eh?

By: Doug

Doug — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:28:42 +0000

Haven’t all your `dumbest products’ actually been available for purchase?

I don’t think this thing is available yet. It wouldn’t surprise me if they haven’t even made a workable prototype yet.

By: Black_Pearl

Black_Pearl — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 23:03:29 +0000

This way everyone will have bike lane segregation, separate but equal, where ever they go.

Maybe it will give the sense of security to all the people who are afraid to ride where there are no bike lanes! What Joy! A lazer gives about as much protection as a painted line does, this should receive federal stimulus money!