Cyclists can adorn themselves from head to toe in flashing lights, but it’s still possible that pedestrians and drivers won’t see them until it’s too late. It’s a problem the Blaze Laserlight hopes to solve by projecting an early warning signal 16 to 20 feet ahead of a cyclist, so that others on the road will know they’re coming in advance — and have time to react.
The waterproof Blaze light projects a hard-to-misinterpret symbol of a cyclist riding a bike using a bright green laser beam that catches the eye no matter the time of day or the weather. It easily attaches to a bracket permanently mounted to your bike’s handlebars so it won’t go missing, and a magnetic switch that’s only activated when the Blaze is connected to your bike prevents it from accidentally turning on and wasting the battery.
Speaking of which — on a full charge from a standard USB port, the Blaze will run for up to 13 hours in its most efficient mode, which involves both its laser and LED headlight flashing. But both can be switched to ‘always on’ mode, which of course greatly reduces its battery life.
The Blaze started life as a Kickstarter project, but after a successful crowdfunding campaign it’s expected to ship sometime this March for $US200. Compared to the simple flashing LEDs you can get at your local bike shop, the Blaze is most definitely an expensive accessory for your bike. But that cost will most certainly be justified the first time a driver notices your bright green warning light and refrains from dangerously cutting you off. [Blaze via The Red Ferret Journal]