Re: Surviveable bicycle, is it possible?
- From: "Greens" <prbj@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2007 20:14:13 -0400
"ross_w" <rwonderley@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1188426858.739952.181420@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On Aug 29, 3:13 pm, "Greens" <p...@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
"Tim McNamara" <tim...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:timmcn-2A6088.23190828082007@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
In article <0uydnUJCmPYTRUnbnZ2dnUVZWhedn...@xxxxxxxxxxxx>,
"Greens" <p...@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
First, let me explain what this is. A surviveable bike is a bike that
could get hit by a car at let's say 40 mph and it's rider would
survive with few injuries.
You might think this is impossible at first, but there might be a way
to make it possible or at least get close to that 40 mph impact. I
would think the most important thing is that the cage surrounding the
cyclist survives without too much deformation. 2, the cage must
either have a thick foam lining or air bags to protect the rider's
back front and sides, maybe even above and below him.
A car hiting a bike from the rear is going to send a stiff caged
bicycle flying a long way. G forces will be high on impact. The bike
will then hit something else at considerable speed. It might be nice
to have an airbag that stays inflated until the bike finally comes to
rest and the rider or rescue removes him. Either that or it'll take
multiple air bags which of course add more weight and expense. Care
must be taken to ensure the cyclist isn't suffocated by the airbag.
Probably all the airbags, front, rear, top, bottom and sides should
be deployed at impact to prevent injury. The area below the cyclist
might be a problem in the tertiatry impact. I think most of the first
and second impact will be absorbed by the other airbags.
A far better idea would be to prevent the force application to the
cyclist- IOW, keep the cars from running into him/her. That can be
achieved in significant measure by teaching drivers how to drive
competently and cyclists how to cycle competently, and making sure that
road design accommodates cyclists.
No doubt this would be a tricky project. Cyclists don't have a lot of
horsepower to pull heavy cages around. The finished bicycle might
require that the bicycle be modified to hybrid human peddle and
electric motor power.
So you de-green the bicycle in dubious pursuit of "safety."
Well, what do you think?
I think you need to get some perspective.
I've always been fascinated by making things surviveable like those
barrels going over Niagra Falls. Eventually they succeeded in
building something to survive the falls, but of course those were
propelled by current. Weight wasn't much of a consideration.
Hmmm. This may explain it.
Bicycles are fun machines. They're not very practical unless you use them
to
commute. There's hardly anyplace to put a quart of milk on the way home.
The
electric cycles now, the extracycle can carry some things. The more you
carry the more you need an electric motor assist unless you're happy
going
very slow. The bike becomes more practical. Riding it would just be
something everyone did and it may be a little less green, but a 500 pound
cycle all loaded up is a lot greener than a 3000 pound motor vehicle.
Electric power is cleaner than gasoline power and much cheaper. I'm no
expert, but I've been looking athttp://phoenixmotorcars.comand their
battery the "nanosafe".http://altair.com
You've never been to China or the Netherlands have you? In Shanghai
and Beijing, most people use bicycles for everyday transport. Not your
$5,000 21 speed ones either, these are mostly $60 steel frame single
speeders. I was there a few years ago and it opened my eyes to the
possibilities. Some better off people have bikes with electric assist,
and some have scooters or motorcycles but few larger than 125cc.
Tradesmen and couriers get around on pedal tricycles with tray backs.
I've seen people there carting everything from livestock to upright
pianos on these things.
The difference is that Shanghai is set up with bicycles in mind, and
in the streets on any given weekday, there are thousands of them being
used as every day transport from doing the shopping to picking up the
government approved single child from the local school.
I actually saw very few fat people in Shanghai, but a lot of people
with very muscular legs.
Bikes can be much more than toys or fun machines.
I was thinking of the USA. I know about Amsterdam the bike city of the world
and I heard about China. Looks great. Very healthy and probably safer
cycling, but people here are used to their cars and SUV's. I don't see how a
contractor on a bicycle can compete over here.
In China they also cook indoors with unventilated charcoal. Women in China
suffer from lung disease more than women in the US do even if they smoke.
It's rare for a chinese woman to smoke. The streets are full of coal smoke
from all the cooking and the new powerplants with the primitive high
emissions furnaces. I'd rather be in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In Amsterdam
you're six times less likely to be killed by a car because the laws are in
your favor. It's always the motorist's fault over there.
.
- Follow-Ups:
- Re: Surviveable bicycle, is it possible?
- From: Paul Myron Hobson
- Re: Surviveable bicycle, is it possible?
- References:
- Surviveable bicycle, is it possible?
- From: Greens
- Re: Surviveable bicycle, is it possible?
- From: Tim McNamara
- Re: Surviveable bicycle, is it possible?
- From: Greens
- Re: Surviveable bicycle, is it possible?
- From: ross_w
- Surviveable bicycle, is it possible?
- Prev by Date: Re: The need for high tech traffic detectors
- Next by Date: Re: The need for high tech traffic detectors
- Previous by thread: Re: Surviveable bicycle, is it possible?
- Next by thread: Re: Surviveable bicycle, is it possible?
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages
|
Loading
