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Much has been made recently of the numbers of cyclists knocked off their conveyances in crowded urban streets and injured or killed, mostly by the Gutter Press (sic).
But sadly, it isn't all good news.
Annoyed by having to clean up the mess, police have been advising motorists to allow cyclists
minimum 1.5m horizontal clearance.
This is not easy to judge accuracy.
The answer is to fit your vehicle with the BorgCo cyclist buffer. Simply hook the fabric base to the front and rear wheel arches, and to the top of the passenger side rear door, leading the umbilical in through a window.
When manoeuvring through crowded roads and approaching a cyclist, press the button on the control box and the buffer bladder rapidly inflates to a width of 1.6m.
If when passing the cyclist the contact alarm sounds, caused by increased pressure in the bladder activating the sensors, you are closer than 1.5m to the cyclist and probably need to leave a little more space next time.
For passing parked vehicles, touch the other control and the bladder immediately deflates back against the side of the car.
[link]
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//injured or killed, mostly by the Gutter Press// harsh but justified |
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They knew the risk they were taking... |
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//increased pressure in the bladder// well, some of
us are getting on a bit and find that we can't last
for a long car journey without a break... |
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It seems to me this Idea has the purpose of using its buffer
to hit cyclists. Why physical-contact instead of, say, LIDAR,
to measure the distance between car and cyclist? |
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// It seems to me this Idea has the purpose of using its buffer to hit cyclists. // |
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That's a horribly cynical and unworthy allegation to make. You should be ashamed of yourself. |
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This is purely a SAFETY device to prevent drivers accidentally getting their vehicles too close to cyclists. A non-contact system would mean a delay in response; this is instantaneous, and fail-safe. |
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It is cheap; it is cost effective; it prevents damage to the vehicle; and it limits and manages the consequences for the cyclist, because once they've been bumped in the back by a big inflatable cushion traveling at 50km/h, and they're lying on the roadway with their bike smashed to bits, how can things get any worse ? |
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Will this come in a cyclist-wearable version? Of course, absent an engine to rapidly infalte the baloon, we might be looking at some kind of collapsible frame. Perhaps with metal protrusions on the car side to make noise and act as the alarm? |
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I think the buffer bladder should be made of crushed velvet, so it is nice and soft. |
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// Will this come in a cyclist-wearable version? // |
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Naturally. For cyclists, because of mass and aerodynamics, it takes the form of a 3m diameter hula-hoop, braced to the frame with polypropylene cords. |
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That cyclist wearable version would be great for those races where they start out all wadded up in one big pack. They are practically on top of each other, sweat glistening, meaty thighs churning. Fine if you like that kind of thing but if not that hoop would allow you to keep a little personal space. |
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// sweat glistening, meaty thighs churning. Fine if you like that kind of thing // |
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