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Evaluation of pedal cycle spacers
forces and whole body centre of gravity associated with knee-kicking activity and some of the body postures assumed during the carpet installation task.
reducing current levels of visual inspection tasks and information processing.
Laboratory, Crowthorne, Berkshire, Report No SR-820, 1984, 8 p p
Devices, commonly called 'spacers' (attached to the bicycle to discourage 16.4.16 (90173) drivers from passing too close to the cyclist when overtaking) have been Galer, M.D. evaluated. Commercially available The application of ergonomics in the 16.4.14 (90166) spacers usually consist of a plastic rod design of automotive displays. Displays Brotherhood, J.R. with either a flag or disc attached at Technology and Applications, 1984, Nutrition and sports performance. the end. The overall length is about 5.4,224-228. Sports Medicine, 1984, 1 . 5 , 3 5 0 0.4 m. Spacers are usually mounted 389. Ergonomics can play an important horizontally on the rear offside of the role in the design and evaulation of novel During the past 20 years there have bicycle so they project toward overbeen great developments in the scientific display concepts. The rapid growth in taking traffic. They are widely used in the application of new technology has understanding of the role of nutrition Scandinavia but have only recently posed as many queries for the designer in health and physical performance. gained acceptance in the UK. By Epidemiological and physiological studies and engineer as it has provided design employing a specially developed ultrahave provided evidence that certain forms opportunities. Car dashboard displays sonic ranging technique that allowed are an example of such an area of growth. of dietary behaviour may be linked the easy measurement and recording of Ergonomists have addressed the queries with an increased risk of developing large numbers of gaps left by drivers arising from the interface between the disorders such as high blood pressure, overtaking a test cyclist it was possible coronary artery disease and some cancers. display and the user and can work with to quantify precisely the effects of This has resulted in dietary reccommend- the designers and engineers towards spacers of various types on drivers' ations that are intended to reduce the solutions. overtaking behaviour. Measurements incidence of these disorders in the were taken on a variety of roads during community. The science of nutrition the day and night. Results show that 16.4.17 (90175) in relation to sports performance has the percentage of overtaking vehicles Watts, G.R. progressed from empirical studies passing less than 0"8 m from a test Evaluation of conspicuity aids for investigating the effects of dietary cyclist was approximately halved when pedal cyclists. Transport and Road manipulations, such as restriction and using a spacer of 0.5 m in length. A Research Laboratory, Crowthorne, supplementation, to the direct spacer 0'35 m long was only about half Berkshire, Report No LR-1103, 1984, investigation of the physiological basis as effective. The effects of the 0"5 m 11 pp. of the specific nutritional demands of long spacer were shown to be very hard physical exercise. This review is. Accident studies indicate that the similar to that of a fluorescent yellow based on the premise that it is 'what poor conspicuity of the cyclist is an jacket for discouraging close overtaking. comes out' rather than 'what goes in', important factor in accident causation. which provides the clues to ideal The visibility of various conspicuity aids 16.4.19 (90177) nutrition for athletic performance. was evaluated during daytime using a Watts, G.R. Various aspects of the physical demands peripheral vision detection task. The Pedal cycle lamps and reflectors - some of athletic exercise are viewed as stresses aids were also tested on public roads by visibility tests and surveys. Transport that induce specific biochemical, and measuring the gaps left by vehicles overand Road Research Laboratory, hence nutritional, strains in the athlete. taking a test cyclist. An ultrasonic Crowthorne, Berkshire, Report No ranging device was used for this purpose LR-1108, 1984, 19 pp. which automatically recorded passing distances. Visibility tests were carried Observations were carried out in four out at night to find a conspicuous retrotowns to determine the extent to which reflective treatment for a cycling jacket. cyclists comply with the lighting The results were used in making a 16.4.15 (90172) regulations and to gather information jacket which was tested on public roads Fowkes, M. on lamp reliability and the use of using the gap measuring technique. It is Presenting information to the driver. conspicuous clothing. It was found that concluded that for improving daytime Displays Technology and Applications, only about three-quarters of cyclists conspicuity a jacket is preferable to 1984, 5 . 4 , 2 1 5 - 2 2 3 . observed after lighting-up time had a other clothing items tested. F o r visible light front and rear and 9% had The presentation of information to maximum effectiveness the material no visible light at all. Interviews were the driver is assessed from a historical should be as bright as possible and have held with cyclists about their cycle perspective, highlighting those factors a highly saturated colour. At night a lights. Important reasons given for poor that have influenced current practice, 35 mm wide strip of high performance performance were damage and poor and therefore expectation of instrument retro-reflective material attached to the connections. Over half the respondents panel displays. The driver's use of these full width of a jacket was readily seen indicated that their front lamp was displays is then analysed from a systems at an adequate distance by drivers inadequate for revealing obstructions viewpoint, identifying important factors viewing under glare conditions. and potholes on unlit roads. The which influence the visibility and Approximately 10% of cyclists wear high visibilities of a common type of battery legibility of displays. The development visibility clothing. To encourage greater lamp, several types of bicycle reflector at the Motor Industry Research use such clothing should be attractively and a number of conspicuity aids were Association of a vehicle simulator is styled and be comfortable to wear as assessed by observers under controlled reported, and the manner of its use to well as retailing at a reasonable price. conditions resembling those found on study the important factors above is roads at night. The cycle lamp was described. An examination of current found to be detectable at large distances practice, legislation and human factors against high levels of glare providing the 16.4. t8 (90176) research suggests that future batteries were not close to being Watts, G.R. implementation of on-board vehicle exhausted. Some commercially available Evaluation of pedal cycle spacers. electronic displays could asssist drivers reflectors were visible at adequate Transport and Road Research by simplifying the driving tasks, i e,
Visual displays
302
Applied Ergonomics
December 1985
reducing current levels of visual inspection tasks and information processing.
Laboratory, Crowthorne, Berkshire, Report No SR-820, 1984, 8 p p
Devices, commonly called 'spacers' (attached to the bicycle to discourage 16.4.16 (90173) drivers from passing too close to the cyclist when overtaking) have been Galer, M.D. evaluated. Commercially available The application of ergonomics in the 16.4.14 (90166) spacers usually consist of a plastic rod design of automotive displays. Displays Brotherhood, J.R. with either a flag or disc attached at Technology and Applications, 1984, Nutrition and sports performance. the end. The overall length is about 5.4,224-228. Sports Medicine, 1984, 1 . 5 , 3 5 0 0.4 m. Spacers are usually mounted 389. Ergonomics can play an important horizontally on the rear offside of the role in the design and evaulation of novel During the past 20 years there have bicycle so they project toward overbeen great developments in the scientific display concepts. The rapid growth in taking traffic. They are widely used in the application of new technology has understanding of the role of nutrition Scandinavia but have only recently posed as many queries for the designer in health and physical performance. gained acceptance in the UK. By Epidemiological and physiological studies and engineer as it has provided design employing a specially developed ultrahave provided evidence that certain forms opportunities. Car dashboard displays sonic ranging technique that allowed are an example of such an area of growth. of dietary behaviour may be linked the easy measurement and recording of Ergonomists have addressed the queries with an increased risk of developing large numbers of gaps left by drivers arising from the interface between the disorders such as high blood pressure, overtaking a test cyclist it was possible coronary artery disease and some cancers. display and the user and can work with to quantify precisely the effects of This has resulted in dietary reccommend- the designers and engineers towards spacers of various types on drivers' ations that are intended to reduce the solutions. overtaking behaviour. Measurements incidence of these disorders in the were taken on a variety of roads during community. The science of nutrition the day and night. Results show that 16.4.17 (90175) in relation to sports performance has the percentage of overtaking vehicles Watts, G.R. progressed from empirical studies passing less than 0"8 m from a test Evaluation of conspicuity aids for investigating the effects of dietary cyclist was approximately halved when pedal cyclists. Transport and Road manipulations, such as restriction and using a spacer of 0.5 m in length. A Research Laboratory, Crowthorne, supplementation, to the direct spacer 0'35 m long was only about half Berkshire, Report No LR-1103, 1984, investigation of the physiological basis as effective. The effects of the 0"5 m 11 pp. of the specific nutritional demands of long spacer were shown to be very hard physical exercise. This review is. Accident studies indicate that the similar to that of a fluorescent yellow based on the premise that it is 'what poor conspicuity of the cyclist is an jacket for discouraging close overtaking. comes out' rather than 'what goes in', important factor in accident causation. which provides the clues to ideal The visibility of various conspicuity aids 16.4.19 (90177) nutrition for athletic performance. was evaluated during daytime using a Watts, G.R. Various aspects of the physical demands peripheral vision detection task. The Pedal cycle lamps and reflectors - some of athletic exercise are viewed as stresses aids were also tested on public roads by visibility tests and surveys. Transport that induce specific biochemical, and measuring the gaps left by vehicles overand Road Research Laboratory, hence nutritional, strains in the athlete. taking a test cyclist. An ultrasonic Crowthorne, Berkshire, Report No ranging device was used for this purpose LR-1108, 1984, 19 pp. which automatically recorded passing distances. Visibility tests were carried Observations were carried out in four out at night to find a conspicuous retrotowns to determine the extent to which reflective treatment for a cycling jacket. cyclists comply with the lighting The results were used in making a 16.4.15 (90172) regulations and to gather information jacket which was tested on public roads Fowkes, M. on lamp reliability and the use of using the gap measuring technique. It is Presenting information to the driver. conspicuous clothing. It was found that concluded that for improving daytime Displays Technology and Applications, only about three-quarters of cyclists conspicuity a jacket is preferable to 1984, 5 . 4 , 2 1 5 - 2 2 3 . observed after lighting-up time had a other clothing items tested. F o r visible light front and rear and 9% had The presentation of information to maximum effectiveness the material no visible light at all. Interviews were the driver is assessed from a historical should be as bright as possible and have held with cyclists about their cycle perspective, highlighting those factors a highly saturated colour. At night a lights. Important reasons given for poor that have influenced current practice, 35 mm wide strip of high performance performance were damage and poor and therefore expectation of instrument retro-reflective material attached to the connections. Over half the respondents panel displays. The driver's use of these full width of a jacket was readily seen indicated that their front lamp was displays is then analysed from a systems at an adequate distance by drivers inadequate for revealing obstructions viewpoint, identifying important factors viewing under glare conditions. and potholes on unlit roads. The which influence the visibility and Approximately 10% of cyclists wear high visibilities of a common type of battery legibility of displays. The development visibility clothing. To encourage greater lamp, several types of bicycle reflector at the Motor Industry Research use such clothing should be attractively and a number of conspicuity aids were Association of a vehicle simulator is styled and be comfortable to wear as assessed by observers under controlled reported, and the manner of its use to well as retailing at a reasonable price. conditions resembling those found on study the important factors above is roads at night. The cycle lamp was described. An examination of current found to be detectable at large distances practice, legislation and human factors against high levels of glare providing the 16.4. t8 (90176) research suggests that future batteries were not close to being Watts, G.R. implementation of on-board vehicle exhausted. Some commercially available Evaluation of pedal cycle spacers. electronic displays could asssist drivers reflectors were visible at adequate Transport and Road Research by simplifying the driving tasks, i e,
Visual displays
302
Applied Ergonomics
December 1985