Home > Bike Types > Commuter

Blaze Attaches a Freakin’ Laser to Your Handlebar, Projects Your Own Bike Lane

Written by Tyler Benedict
Blaze laser generated bike lane projected from bicycle handlebars onto road
8 Comments
Support us! Bikerumor may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More

Blaze laser generated bike lane projected from bicycle handlebars onto road

We’ve seen some lasers that create your own bike lanes before, and the latest comes from a University of Brighton student Emily Brooke.

Called Blaze, the small battery-powered laser projects a sharrow-like image on the road in front of the cyclist. In an interview with BikeRadar, she said it’s visible even in bright daylight and should improve awareness of the cyclist:

“I wanted to tackle the issue of safety of cyclists on city streets by increasing the visibility, footprint, and ultimately the awareness of the bicycle,” she said. “Eighty per cent of cycle accidents occur when bicycles travel straight ahead and a vehicle manoeuvres into them. The most common contributory factor is ‘failed to look properly’ on the part of a vehicle driver. The evidence shows the bike simply is not seen on city streets.

“Even when lit up like a Christmas tree a bicycle in a bus’s blind-spot is still invisible. With BLAZE, you see the bike before the cyclist and I believe this could really make a difference in the key scenarios threatening cyclists’ lives on the roads.”

 
Tyler Benedict
11,280 articles

Tyler Benedict is the Founder of Bikerumor.com, where he’s been writing about the latest bikes, components, and cycling technology for almost two decades. Prior to that, Tyler launched and built multiple sports nutrition brands and consumer goods companies, mostly as an excuse to travel and ride in new places.

Based in North Carolina, Tyler also loves the Vanlife & family adventure travel and is always on the lookout for the next shiny new part and off-grid adventure.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

8 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
nick boris
nick boris
13 years ago

um, http://lightlanebike/ anyone?
kind of wish at lease one of them would get on kickstarter and actually get made.

0
Reply
Mexican
Mexican
13 years ago

I would think that this creates a distraction to drivers, making them think “Hey, what’s that laser thingy on the ground?” then turn into the cyclist riding in their blind spot.

0
Reply
Stan
Stan
13 years ago

I don’t think anyone would ever see it unless it is at night. When I’m changing lanes, I look at rearview, sideview, then blind spot. When I look out the window, I look out at eye level, not at what is on the road.

IMO, having bright blinkies would work a lot better.

0
Reply
Robin
Robin
13 years ago

I’d like to see some information that these lights:
1. Are actually seen by drivers
2. Are actually associated in, a driver’s mind, with a cyclist actually being beside or behind them

0
Reply
Martijn
Martijn
13 years ago

I agree with stan bright blinking lights can easly be seen by day and are also at eye level I dont see the use of something on the ground

0
Reply
Marc
Marc
13 years ago

It’s easy to put this product down, but if its cheap, small and easy to use then it could be a useful addition to the other precautions we use when riding in traffic. Why not come up with ideas that could improve the product rather than reasons why you don’t agree with it. I think it would be great if you could customise the picture, yes it could be distracting but also kind of cool.

0
Reply
Robin
Robin
13 years ago

1. People are conditioned to know that a spread of light on the ground next to them is from another vehicle behind or beside them. People are not conditioned to know that a pretty picture projected onto the ground beside them or in front of them to the side is from a bicycle behind or beside them.

2. There is certainly reason to question the efficacy of this product during daylight and on road surfaces.

3. There is certainly reason to question the safety of the product in terms of drivers, passersby, and riders, perhaps especially for the rider. It is known that a significant number of green laser pointers are unsafe because they leak 1064nm (infrared) light (green laser light is generated by generating infrared light at normally 1064nm and then frequency doubling that by passing it through a non-linear crystal to produce green, normally 532nm light). The power in the infrared light is greater than the power in the green light, and any leakage can possibly be damaging to human eyes over the short and/or long term.

4. The company should do tests to be sure their product works and is safe. That is not the job of the company’s perceived market.

0
Reply
Robin
Robin
13 years ago

Another consideration is the safety for drivers, riders, and pedestrians traveling in the opposite direction who see the light as a result of the beam’s relatively small grazing angle. Most folks don’t understand how distracting (in the best possible case) or how dangerous (in the worst case) it is to have coherent light enter your eye.

0
Reply

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.