by Kimberley D. Mok, Montreal, Canada
on 06. 9.09
Cars & Transportation (bikes)
Bicycling at night can be a dicey proposition. This is especially true if you’re equipped with the standard-fare reflectors that may or may not reflect properly, depending on the angle of the car headlights hitting you. Bike lights don’t always do the job, since they aim only front and back, and having your bike wrapped up in retro-reflective vinyl like the Bright Bike may not necessarily appeal to you. So here’s another illumined idea we learned about from EcoFriend: industrial designer Leonardo Manavella's self-powered laser that is not only very visible but responds to traffic around it. Known simply as the “Laser,” it shoots an elliptical beam around your bicycle that makes it seem bigger than it really is – to about the size of a car.
The Laser consists of four adaptable pieces that can be attached with auto adhesive tape: a plastic case, a laser light, a distance sensor and a spherical head to adjust the light, three horns and a battery that is recharged via a dynamo located in the bike wheels.
The laser draws an ellipse of light that is sensitive to anything crossing the perimeter. If a car comes too close, the light becomes red and all the horns will go off – until the car moves away.
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