In the past week, more than 60 frequent cyclists participated in my survey about commuter safety. Here’s a summary of their responses. (If you ride a bike and would like to add your own input, you can still access the survey here.)

• 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.

This week has been all about momentum. With my first business pitch in two weeks, I’ve been steadily developing the case for my new bicycle safety device.

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.

After several minutes of concentrated thought and effort, I have invented a new product (at least in my head). The judges in the University of Edinburgh’s Business Idea Competition thought it might have legs, so I am now committed to pitching the project to a panel of judges in early February. The competition will be stiff, and there’s a whopping £250 on the line.

“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

Most well-regarded events share a few key traits, many of which have little to do with the main focus. The majority of the griping heard at conventions revolves around the quality of the lunch and the timeliness of the coffee. These are legitimate complaints. More importantly, such mishaps affect attendees’ willingness and ability to stay engaged, network and otherwise enjoy the day.

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.