Of course, that meant we had to produce our own promo video. I did the shoot yesterday using the Flip, edited in iMovie, and then had the final version up on YouTube within an hour. I am so impressed with that little Flip camera. Here’s the results:

If you haven’t seen their site before, let this be an introduction. Startup Cafe is my No. 1 source for timely, interesting and essential news about new companies in Edinburgh (even when they’re not talking about me!).

I gave my final pitch in the SIE New Ideas Competition, but was beaten in the product design category by my highly talented, accomplished colleague from Glasgow, who went on to win the competition. His product is a remarkable new bicycle lock that can secure a bicycle to almost any surface.

Post-competition, my work on my own product has slowed, but I was able to make a cameo appearance on an American radio show, The BusinessMakers.

I also completed my thesis and gave my final presentation for my Masters. Five exams are still to come, but that will mark the end of the degree. Between my presentation and exams, I attended this year’s MIT Global Startup Workshop in Reykjavik, and spent 10 thrilling days in Iceland. I have also just returned from my first trip to Chicago, where I had been participating in a conference on Winston Churchill.

Both conferences, and trips, were exceptional. More on all of these topics shortly!

The effect was awesome.

I rode the bike up and down the street while Phil and Alan (our third musketeer) took notes on how far the sound traveled, how directional it was, and how many passers-by took notice. The good news: my bike was audible from a great distance and the sound itself was brilliant. Bright, informative and—dare I say?—pleasant. It fit right in to the sound landscape of the street.

The great news: we learned a lot about the potential final form of the product today. Even though this was an extremely low-tech exercise, we saw what definitely worked, and where we’re going to have to go back to the drawing board. Onwards and upwards to Device 2.0!

There’s stiff competition. Two of my colleagues will also be pitching, and I know them to be excellent speakers, thinkers and people. Still, I’m playing to win. I think you have to.

So far, just going through the application process for this competition has forced me to get down and dirty with bicycle safety facts and figures and the business of business. I’ve waded through reams of statistics and testimonials. I’ve picked up the phone and called my competitors, potential distributors, end customers, and other stakeholders. And I’ve pitched the basics (not the patentable secrets!) to anyone who will listen.

As always, I’m worried that this is just a pipe dream. If it’s such a great idea, why hasn’t anyone else done it already? That’s the fear. On the other hand, I know that new things are invented every day. Maybe someone DID already think of this idea, but they didn’t have the time, technology or resources to pursue it.

For now, I still do. So beware, national finals: I’m coming for you!

Mostly, I just wanted to characterise the road conditions during rush hour. Perhaps unsurprisingly, that’s when most cyclists are injured–during morning and evening commutes. I didn’t get outside until just before 9:00, but traffic was still reasonably heavy and there were cyclists everywhere.

There were all sorts of bikes on the road, and not everyone was wearing a helmet, but most of the people who looked like serious commuters were fully equipped with safety gear. It was surprisingly tough to catch cyclists in the frame. They’re quick, and were frequently hidden behind or between cars. Here’s a few of the shots.

A traffic lineup on Lothian Road. Loads of double-decker buses come through this 5-way intersection. They frequently share that lane with cyclists.

A cyclist wearing a helmet, reflectors and high-visibility jacket crosses an intersection.

A commuter cyclist waits his turn at a traffic light.

The bike signal indicating the beginning of a bike lane.

A bicycle chained to a rail on the Meadows.

A cyclist waits for a lorrie to pass.

• 91% of respondents reported wearing a helmet.
• 91% said they use lights.
• 32% reported using reflective gear.
• 51% reported having at least one accident or near miss while riding on city roads.
• 27% explicitly referenced multiple incidents or close calls.

The respondents were also clearly impassioned by the subject of road safety, and were generous with their free responses. Here is a selection of representative comments:

“Have actually clipped a pedestrian who stepped out in front of me from behind a parked car. Couldn’t swerve because I would have gone straight into oncoming traffic.”

“Too many incidents to count. Most common is pedestrians stepping out on to the road without looking, right in front of you, and cars pulling out of junctions without noticing you. Parked cars opening doors right in front of you is fairly common as well.”

“I have been hit by three cars when riding. In every case it was the fault of the driver, who didn’t see me when they pulled out of a junction or from parked. All these incidents happened in daylight.”

“Never had a proper accident, but many near misses due to drivers not seeing me until the last second.”

Quick and dirty analysis: Many respondents were confident in their ability to anticipate and avoid most accidents, but still considered commuter riding to be dangerous. Despite widespread use of safety equipment, participants still thought drivers and pedestrians were frequently unaware of their presence. As a result, many respondents had experienced accidents of varying severity, which frequently resulted in damage or injury.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the survey so far. Your thoughtful responses are a tremendous help as I continue to develop my new product. Special thanks to the Edinburgh University Cycling Club for their emphatic participation. There’s a clear opportunity to make commuting safer for all road users. I’m going to give it my best shot.

Progress so far:

1. Coined a new name. “Whirlybird” was never going to cut it. A first pass search reveals no competition with the same moniker.

2. Collected feedback from more than 60 regular cyclists about road dangers. They love to talk about near-death experiences. Absolutely the easiest survey I’ve ever administered.

3. Spoke to researchers at the University about physical requirements for the product, and the practicality of the idea. They flagged several areas for further research, but also gave me some real scientific meat for the pitch.

4. Researched road casualty statistics. Lots of recent articles have highlighted cyclist injury and death rates, but the most alarming figures come straight from the National Statistics Office.

5. Spoke to a representative from the National Guide Dogs Association for the Blind. Who knew they were concerned with bicycle safety issues? They’re publishing research on this subject in the next few weeks. Put a note in your diaries! This one’s going to be a page-turner.

6. Brought on another team member to focus on tech. We had a meeting this morning over bad instant coffee.

Next steps: Buy a new filter for the cafetiere. Build a specific story for the pitch. Solidify market figures. Finish physics degree.

“Amazing!” you’re thinking. “If only I could help!”

Good news: you can. The following link will take you to a survey I built to do preliminary market research: click here to take survey. If you are any kind of cyclist, please take five minutes to answer the survey. Your participation is invaluable. Literally.

If you’re not a cyclist, but happen to be a product designer, I have a proposition for you. It involves designing a new product that may eliminate all hate in the world by 2015. (At the very least, it will prevent several unnecessary accidents.)

If you’re neither a cyclist nor a product designer, but you still want to help, I also have a job for you. But you might have to give me a few more hints about your skills.

Many thanks!

Your pal 4 ever,

Hilary

Planning for the upcoming Edinburgh Sockcamp is underway, and I don’t want to lose sight of the small stuff amidst the noise of selecting a venue, inviting speakers and building the workshops. So here’s a brain dump of niggly things that I want to keep front and center.

Must haves:

1. Coffee and tea on arrival. Start the day fresh.

2. Name badges. There are too many names to remember.

3. Ice-breaker to introduce all the attendees. Lay the groundwork for more efficient networking, and get energy levels up.

4. Paper and pens for people to take notes. Lots of people will forget to bring their own. Plus, you now have the ability to launch a spontaneous paper airplane competition.

5. A speaker. Let’s not forget the big picture: that’s why we’re here.

Nice to have:

1. Printed agenda for all tables/attendees. You don’t have to stick to it, but at least people will know when they can expect lunch.

2. Feedback forms.

3. Printed lists of all attendees and their businesses (and their email addresses?). Again, to support networking.

Don’t have:

1. Apologies. It’s best not to have anything to apologise for, but if a PowerPoint is screwed up, or the technology’s not working, try to skip the “sorry’s” and get straight to a workaround.

2. No prepared questions. (I know, it’s a double negative.) Have something to say to your speakers when they arrive, and something to ask after they’ve finished speaking.

3. Egregious changes to the schedule. Kindly enforce time limits for breaks, speakers and workshops. Everyone will be glad.