Indicating backpack

[The Family Cyclist]

Last night on way home from work before dark saw a guy on a bike with loads of hi viz and what I initially took to be an arrow flashing on rucksack to encourage wide passes

However he then went round the roundabout in front of me with no indication so suspect he actually had some control on the bar to activate the arrow

This made me think two things. One being that I wouldn't trust it, I'm obviously a cyclist and didn't at first realise what it meant. It wasn't as clear as if had just been a flashing Amber light on the relevant side of the bike or a mark one arm

The other thing was his actions. He clearly put a lot of trust in it as didn't check behind and then went right (third exit) on thr roundabout having started in the left lane of two

[Kim]

Indicators for bicycles get invented on a regular basis.  Some of them even work.  But as you say, there's the fundamental problem of other road users recognising them as such, and the less like motorcycle indicators they are, the worse that's likely to be.

The obvious problem with a flashing rucksack is that it's only visible from behind, while in most junction scenarios indication is more important to people in front and to the side of you.

[quixoticgeek]

I thought the purpose of such devices was so that they could be given to cyclists by friends and family who want to give them a present but all they know is they are a cyclist.

They get used once or twice, then dumped in the parts box with the other gimmics. If they get used at all?

J

[Ian H]

LEDs have made it easy to produce all kinds of useless flashing gizmos, proving that there's a downside to every invention.

[The Family Cyclist]

I thought the purpose of such devices was so that they could be given to cyclists by friends and family who want to give them a present but all they know is they are a cyclist.

They get used once or twice, then dumped in the parts box with the other gimmics. If they get used at all?

J

Probably very true