Safety Health and the Environment (SHE)
SHE Shines !
As
the sun comes out around the world lights are taken off bikes! In the Summer months it is a common misconception that lights on bikes are not needed as
much and often cyclists go out without any artificial lighting at all.
Unfortunately, all too often this is the time when lighting is most needed; Consider the difference a
single cloud passing in front of the sun can make to the light ! a bright
sunny day turns into a half light in an instant and from the side, approaching
an intersection, a cyclist becomes much harder to see. Think about when you cycle from bright sunshine into a shadow or under a bridge,
your eyes take a moment to adjust and you do not see as well, this is the same for all road users and you need to make sure you
are lit up to be seen. In addition, do you know exactly when
the light will fade naturally in the evening ? as the Solstice approaches daily
variations in what time dusk arrives can be as much as 5 or 10 minutes, over the
course of a week you can see variations of upto 1 hour, even though this happens
every year and has happened for centuries it always seems to take cyclists by surprise.
During the Summer months lighting is as critical on your bike as during the
Winter.
What
is needed is a "Fit and Forget" solution, that is fitted once, is always on,
never runs out of batteries or needs expensive/environmentally damaging
replacements and looks like a pedal so that it does not get stolen when the bike
is unattended. It is true that Pedalite 360 degree visibility pedal lights,
Anklelites/Armlites and Baglites are
not easily seen in bright sunshine from close up, however, that is when the cyclist
usually can be seen clearly,
but when a cloud comes over, the sun starts to fade or a large shadow from a
building or bridge covers the cyclist, the pedal lights are there, always on,
always ready, always ensuring the cyclist is seen. Tip: Try viewing the
Anklelite or Baglite from 50 or 100 metres away in the light or shadow - the
lens is designed to make them appear brighter the further away you get in both
the daylight, shadow and darkness !
SHE is Inconsistent
In
some countries it is the law that when a motorbike is moving it must have its
lights on regardless of the time of day or if it is light or dark. Most
new motorbikes are configured to switch the lights on by default when the
ignition is turned on. This is because the "active" safety of lights helps
motorbikes be seen especially when they travel through shadows, clouds change
the light or they go under bridges and through tunnels. So... why is this
not the law for cyclists ? A cyclist is the same shape at a motorcyclist,
a cyclist travels through the same shadows, clouds change the same light and
they go under the same bridges and through tunnels. It is just because the
lights on bicycles are traditionally powered by batteries and it would cost a
lot of money to run battery lights all the time. Is that a good reason to
compromise safety ? Cyclists should use lights the same as motorcyclists and Pedalite's battery free lighting products eliminate the cost factor.
Don't cyclists deserve the same levels of safety as motorcyclists ?
SHE is the One We Love the Most
Cycling has always been one of the most popular and enjoyable childhood
activities and its popularity today continues to grow fast. While the safety messages about wearing a helmet and using front and rear
lights on a bicycle appear to now be understood and observed by the majority of
cyclists, most fail to be aware that 3 out of every 4 cycling accidents on the
roads happen at or near a road junction where bicycles need to be seen from the
side! These accidents do not discriminate between children, fathers or
mothers, they are just accidents! Just stop for one second and ask
yourself what side lighting do you have on your bike ? Remember, a
reflector requires someone else to shine a light onto it to work.
SHE is Unique
Lights are not just for the Winter! In the summer a dark rain cloud
coming overhead can change the light to render a cyclist virtually invisible !
Do you get off your bike to turn your lights on when this happens ?
Pedalite 360 degree visibility pedal lights,
Anklelites and Baglites are unique and patented they provide always on, side
lighting that does not stop when you stop pedalling (as you do at road
junctions) or when your batteries runs out (because there are not any batteries).
SHE
is Irreplaceablele
Once we have destroyed the environment it is gone. Batteries in
bicycle lights are not just expensive (Pedalite 360 degree visibility pedal
lights can often pay for themselves in savings in batteries in one season) but
they contribute to the 22,000+ Tonnes of batteries that are tipped into UK
landfill sites every year
SHE is For Life
Research has shown that cycling for just 30 minutes 3-4 times a week can
reduce your risk of heart disease and obesity by 50%.1 Giving you a
level of fitness equivalent to someone ten years younger.2
Coronary heart disease is the biggest killer of adults in the UK3
and nearly one in four adults in the UK are now obese.4 If current
obesity trends continue, the UK will catch up with the USA by 2010.5
Together, coronary heart disease and obesity cost the UK economy more than £12.5
billion a year in treatment and loss of productivity.6,7
The national conscience is being awoken to the benefits of cycling on
health and fitness (see table in notes to editors). A study of more than 30,000
people in Copenhagen showed that those who did not cycle to work experienced a
39% higher mortality rate than those who did.8 The whole spectrum of
cyclists from the lycra wearing, shaven legged pro’s, through mountain bikers,
bmx’ers, leisure riders and commuters will all see the health benefits of
cycling. However, most benefit is seen in previously sedentary people who take
up cycling or regular physical activity. These people will achieve the greatest
proportional benefits to their health.
One
barrier to taking up cycling is the perception that cycling on the roads is
dangerous. Whilst 15,000 cyclists are still involved or killed in reported road
accidents each year in the UK,, the number of children involved in
these accidents has halved in the last decade.9 A report from the
British Medical Association found that when you consider the risks and benefits
of cycling on health, the evidence favours the promotion of cycling, albeit with
a considerable emphasis on improving safety.10 The author of this
research Mayer Hillman, conducted further investigations himself and concluded
that the benefits of cycling outweighed the risks by a factor of 20:1, implying
that it is more risky to be inactive!11
References –
1. British Heart
Foundation, (Morris)
2. National Forum
for Coronary Heart Disease Foundation, (Sharp)
3. Department of
Environment Transport and the Regions (1998) Integrated Transport White Paper A
New Deal for Transport. Better for Everyone, London. The Stationery Office
4. Department of
Health (2004). Health Survey for England, London. Department of Health
5. Department of
Health (2004). At least five a week. Evidence on the impact of physical activity
and its relationship to health. A report from the Chief Medical Officer, London.
Department of Health
6. National Audit
Office (2001) Tackling obesity in England, London: Stationery Office
7. Britton A,
McPherson, K (2000) Monitoring the Progress of the 2010 Target for Coronary
Heart Disease Mortality: Estimated Consequences on CHD Incidence and Mortality
from Changing Prevalence of Risk Factors. London National Heart Forum
8. Hendriksen, I.
(1996). The effect of commuter cycling on physical performance and on Coronary
Heart Disease Risk Factors, Amsterdam. Free University.
9. RoSPA –
Cycling Accidents – Facts & Figures – October 2007
www.RoSPA.com (Last accessed 13 January
2008)
10. British Medical
Association (1992), Cycling Towards Health and Safety, London, BMA
11. Hillman, M, (1992)
Cycling and the promotion of health, PTRC 20th Summer Annual Meeting,
Proceedings of Seminar B. pp 25-36