WhyNot?

Cyclist safety clothing

Category: Product
Responses: 6 (3 in support, 1 neutral, 2 in opposition)
Number of views: 400
Tracking: Track this idea
Community Rating:Average AverageYour Rating:

A large percentage of traffic injuries falls to bicyclists and motorcyclists. Head injuries are a major cause of problems and helmets are the most suggested solution but there is little protection for the rest of the body. Leather clothing probably protects to a small degree but its flexibility permits blows from smashing into hard cornered or pointed objects after being unseated in a collision can cause severe injury.

An analogue to the automobile air bag is possible with some sort of inflatable clothing but the problem is the trigger to start the inflation. This is done with inertia sensing devices in a car but this seems not possible with a bicycle or a motorcycle. One solution would be a cable attached to the cycle and clipped to the trigger so if a cyclist is thrown the cable pulls the trigger and the clothing inflates. To prevent embarrassing inflation by forgetful riders a slow partial pull would activate an alarm before the trigger is activated.

Another possibility would be clothing with protective hard nylon or similar tough plastic plates inserted in the clothing in the manner of a bulletproof vest but would cover not only the torso but also extremities. This would be lightweight but still tough enough to distribute collision forces over a large enough body area to forestall serious injury.

sand, Sep 05 2006

What do you think of this idea or comment?
(You can change your vote at any time)

agree I agree no opinion No opinion disagree I disagree

Users who liked this idea also liked:

Other ideas in category (Product):

"Cheese Tones" (3 votes) Average
'Wish Price' for Wishlist ... (3 votes) Average
Automatic Screwdriver (4 votes) Average
Cordless tool charging case (4 votes) Average
Key machine w/laser marking (2 votes) Average
Gps for luggage (1 votes) Average
GPS and Digital Photos (135 votes) Very strong
Delay on microwave beep (3 votes) Average
Easy Remote (4 votes) Average
Motorized bicycle (8 votes) Average
Ladder with extension cord (13 votes) Very strong
Electronic scissors-printer (2 votes) Average
Non-liquid products for flyers (1 votes) Average
Bubble Wrap – Pop and Smell (4 votes) Average
Computerized Music Stand (2 votes) Average
Pet Waste Vacuum (2 votes) Average
Travel with Booze (2 votes) Average
Dish washing glove (2 votes) Average
Scratch ā€˜n’ Sniff Bookmark (1 votes) Average
'Ahead' flashlight (2 votes) Average
Key light (2 votes) Average
Peanut Butter & Jelly Knife (3 votes) Weak
8 Ball Jeans (2 votes) Average
Hedge trimmers with vacuum (2 votes) Average
drygoods floats for floods (2 votes) Average
Voice Simulator (4 votes) Weak
Parade Vaccuum for Candy (4 votes) Weak
For a lazy person (2 votes) Average
General Use EZ-Pass (44 votes) Very strong
Anti-Jet Lag (9 votes) Average
Safe Beach Umbrella (6 votes) Strong
LCD TV/Touchscreen (5 votes) Average
THIS IS AMAZING! (6 votes) Average
True Sanding Glove (13 votes) Strong
Solar clothing (3 votes) Average
Sun screen bug repellent (6 votes) Average
New bottle cork (2 votes) Average
Disposable Bug Repellent Wipes (3 votes) Average
Bad Breath Monitor (12 votes) Very strong
Miniature Wind Mill (2 votes) Average
Automatic Shirt Iron (5 votes) Average
Beer Pong Kit (9 votes) Strong
Exp indicator - disp contacts (9 votes) Strong
The all purpose hanger (4 votes) Average
Inflatable Winter Jacket (7 votes) Average
Hair dryer (3 votes) Average
Elastic gift bag (5 votes) Average
Buy Only One (3 votes) Average
Easier cleaning of cig. butts (8 votes) Average
Camouflage Bikes (9 votes) Strong
Name locks (9 votes) Average
e-book reader (5 votes) Strong
Movie Popcorn Holder (2 votes) Average
Programmable Irobot (2 votes) Average
Electric switch ON and OFF (2 votes) Average
Eyeglass Wings (1 votes) Average
iPod Hook Up to TV (2 votes) Average
Housekepr robot (3 votes) Average
No More Stinking Frig (1 votes) Average
Games For iPods (1 votes) Average
Podcasts Automatic Update (1 votes) Average
Pillow Speakers (2 votes) Average
Cyclist safety clothing (6 votes) Average
Longer Bubble Wand (1 votes) Average
Square Cans (14 votes) Weak
Digicam orientation sensor (2 votes) Average
Holiday Fun Frames (1 votes) Average
Battery Meter on Battery (3 votes) Average
Water Bottle Attatchment (7 votes) Strong
New Ziploc bags for airports (1 votes) Average
cigarette lighter cell charger (1 votes) Average
The House Contraceptive (5 votes) Strong
Product Packaging (3 votes) Average
Wind protection (1 votes) Average
Geriatric mobility (1 votes) Average
bookmark at the back of books (2 votes) Average
Projection blackboard (3 votes) Average
Cheetos Bib! (3 votes) Average
One Key (3 votes) Average
Gift Wrap Ziplocs (3 votes) Average
Shaped Firelogs (3 votes) Average
Public locking bike rack (4 votes) Average
Bicycle shopping cart (3 votes) Average
Plasma-Display Drumset Bass (2 votes) Average
Comments from other members:

Add your comment

This is a very good idea. There are few problems to overcome. First being weight and the second is overall appearance of the garment (who cares if you save someone's life). Another issue would be how the device is inflated. I supposed you could have some sort of canister connected to the riders back or maybe some sort of bladder type apperatus inside the garment. Regardless of the issues this idea is worth thinking about further.

bkeene12, Sep 05 2006

Looks is everything. Look how long it took for cyclists to adopt helmets (and many people still do not wear them). Another large problem is heat dispersion. Right now cycling clothing is really light and breathable. Having blow up bladders you would have to consider how much more heat they would hold in.

ltwalt, Sep 05 2006

Aha - another case of the victim paying for the problem, in terms of money, inconvenience and discomfort.
Accidents between cyclists, or between cyclists and stationary objects, rarely result in major injury. But in accidents between cyclist and motor vehicles the cyclist always comes off worst. The problem is motor vehicles, and that's where the solution is needed.

One solution is to ban seat belts for motor vehicle drivers (passengers can wear them), and for the compulsary fitting of long metal spikes in the middle of stearing wheels. Then I can ride my bike in safety. :-)!

Another slightly more politically acceptable solution is more bike paths and bike lanes.

ChrisF, Sep 05 2006

Spiked steering wheel or no, an encounter between a car and a bike is unlikely to damage the automobile or driver to any major extent. But a motorcycle driver can be damaged severely in encountering a static obstacle and I doubr motorcyclists would prefer to be restricted to bicycle paths.

sand, Sep 05 2006

Definately DO NOT want motorbikes on cycle paths. The purpose of cycle paths is to segregate human-powered vehicles from motorised vehicles and protect the former from the latter.
Your idea is probably OK for motorbike riders, who currently usually wear leathers and have to wear a helmet by law, but is not suitable for bicycles.

ChrisF, Sep 06 2006

I suppose requiring bike riders to actually look for obstacles, impediments, & automobiles would be too much to ask. . .

I'm guessing the reason people look both ways at railraod tracks is because they know the train is a lot bigger than they are. No amount of seat belt or air bag is gonna do you much good if you cross there when the train does.

Similarly, people on bikes need to look for and avoid the bigger things they encounter while riding. No amount of airbag is going to be much good in a car-bike collision. The forces are too extreme.

Hyenuf, Sep 06 2006

Good ideas but I think someone may be there. Google Motorcycle airbags. I would think someone already is manufacturing protective clothing (with inserts) - ever watch motorcycle racing - these guys must have something similar...and if not, it's a million dollar idea.

rdy4trvl, Sep 08 2006