Indicators

[neptune]

This is subject that as far as I recall has never been mentioned. My question is, would e bikes, and indeed pushbikes, benefit from having indicators fitted? Back in the 1960s when "our gang" saw our first Honda motorcycle, and realised it was fitted with indicators, we rolled on the floor laughing. And yet the time came when riding a retro bike without indicators, one felt vulnerable, and almost naked.

The thing that brought this to mind, was the fact that I sometimes wear a cycle cape, which makes hand signals difficult, or impossible. So lets hear your views; would indicators be an asset or a liability?

 

[halfer]

Back in the 2000s, when our gang saw our first cycle cape, we rolled on the floor laughing.

 

[D8ve]

Back in the seventies when I had my first cycling cape it was wet!

 

[mike killay]

I remember those days, when the much vaunted 'British Engineering' took a huge knock from the Japanese.
Jap motorcycles has WATERPROOF switches!!
Obviously it rains in Japan unlike the UK where our pathetic electrics could not cope with the damp.
As the Americans used to say, British motorcycle headlights had three position switches, 'Dim, flicker and off'.
Our horn buttons, entirely unprotected from rain had two positions, 'gurgle and silent'.
I welcomed the Japanese intervention and soon had a Honda, although in those days they were made for adult males no taller than 5'3"
Yes, indicators would be a great advantage.

 

[neptune]

OK I like a joke as much , or more than the next guy. You think cycle capes are funny? Trust me, there are people who use umbrellas on a bike, but I won`t name names. Whilst I find a cycle cape has its uses at times, I know there are people who despise them.

But how about some responses to my serious question about indicators?

Edited to add; crossed in the post with mike killay`s post. Remember the Americanism " Joseph Lucas, Prince of Darkness"?

 

[Deleted member 4366]

We discussed them back in 2010. had some fitted to my bike, which were great at night, but not so good in the day. I bought some more powerful LEDs, but never fitted them. There's loads of different ones now: Maybe even Winkku got their act together.

 

[neptune]

My own thoughts. Inadequate indicators would be worse than useless. They need to be as bright as car ones. They need to be fitted a reasonable distance from the center line of the bike. Another problem might be that it will take some time for motorists to become accustomed to them. More than once I have had car drivers overtake me on the right, when I have been in the middle of the road giving a clear hand signal to turn right.

 

[halfer]

Somewhat related, I had the thought only the other day that a stop light would be a nice idea. It's just two rear lights, or perhaps one unit with two lamps internally (one normally on, and one brighter one wired to brake levers). It'd be simple for motorists to get used to.

The problems with the indicators are mounting them a reasonable distance apart, motorists getting used to them on bicycles, and whether there are any legal implications of not giving hand signals on a bicycle.

 

[JohnCade]

There are stop lights on Kalkhoffs. They sense when you slow down and the daylight running rear light gets brighter.

I think drivers would soon get used to bike indicators. A Honda 90 if they still make them, isn't any wider than most e bikes. If I still lived in a big city I think I'd check some out.

 

[john h]

indicators, most car drivers about here dont use there s, they prefair to use the read my mind system,( you know the thing , move over to the right as if going right then turn left, move of from parked even had one pull over to my side then on to pavement, into car park , just to reverse back out in front of me, i dont think they would take any notice of one on a bike saddely

 

[OldBob1]

I have used some for about 6 months now and find them a great asset if I am turning right.
They are wireless type (same make as the bike) and seem to work well, but need to keep a check of the battery's and control unit no good if you have gloves on.
Most drivers have given me the tumbles up so may be worth working at it.

 

[KirstinS]

I have had shop bought and also built my own

They work BUT they just don't seem as effective as hand signals

My guess is that car drivers expect hand signals from cyclists. Lights on cycles are for being seen/ seeing by

I did biuld some LEDs into some winter gloves to get best of both worlds but I couldn't manage a good way of switching on and off

And they were rather bulky due to batteries

 

[JohnCade]

I have had shop bought and also built my own

They work BUT they just don't seem as effective as hand signals

My guess is that car drivers expect hand signals from cyclists. Lights on cycles are for being seen/ seeing by
And they were rather bulky due to batteries

I think that's probably right. But expectations change over time. I can remember when indicators first appeared on motor bikes and other drivers who expected hand signals didn't know what to make of them.

Same when flashers replaced semaphore signals on cars. They soon got used to them though and they would again if a lot of cycles had them.

 

[neptune]

I remember those semaphore car indicators. Most were unreliable, and you often had to thump the door pillar after switching them on, to get them to come out. Switching them off often caused half rather than full retraction. The next stage was the Woolworth`s indicator kit. This consisted of only two indicator lamps, which were fitted to the roof edges, and looked like a rabbit`s ears, They were supposedly visible from both the front and the rear.

Remember those awful screenwipers on the Ford Popular, that were operated by vacuum from the carburettor? When climbing a hill, they would slow to a crawl or even stop. When you took your foot off the gas, they would work so fast that the blade was sometimes flung from its arm, and you had to walk back to try and find it on a wet dark road. Then there was the six volt starter battery, that only worked in summer. Winter meant getting the starting handle out...

KIirststinS mentions indicators on gloves. I saw a DIY set up back in the sixties. The switching was done by two metal contacts on the index finger and thumb of the glove. These were intermittently touched together to provide the flashing. Using modern flashing LEDS, it would just be a case of keeping the contacts pressed together. Another idea would be to use some form of gravity switch, which would operate whenever the hand was held thumb uppermost.

 

[D C]

Remember those awful screenwipers on the Ford Popular, that were operated by vacuum from the carburettor? When climbing a hill, they would slow to a crawl or even stop. When you took your foot off the gas, they would work so fast that the blade was sometimes flung from its arm, and you had to walk back to try and find it on a wet dark road. Then there was the six volt starter battery, that only worked in summer. Winter meant getting the starting handle out...

That brings back memories of my first ever car 50 years back, even had to use the starting handle in summer on mine.
I learned to drive on a Land Rover, crash box and semaphores and had to use hand signals to pass driving test.
I'd better stop before this turns into a car forum.
Maybe fluorescent backed gloves would be as good as anything but only for those who are confident to cycle with one hand on the bars and mind the ruts in the road whilst doing that.
Dave.