Problems Cyclists Face

For this project we will be designing a HCI for cyclist. After a brainstorming sesssion,we came up with a list of problems cylists usually face.

• Climbing steep hills in non-flat cities
  • Auxiliary lifting systems or elevators might help in a very steep hill (think cities like San Francisco or Valparaiso).
  • People walk up hills – it is slow and tiring to carry the bike on the side.
• Lack of parking places:
  • There are often abandoned bikes parked in some crowded areas (think Amsterdam’s train station) – if removed, there would be more space.
• Not well-developed cyclist roads. Some bike roads (mostly on the countryside) are pretty dirty/muddy (after rain) this makes circulation difficult.
• Bad road signalization: is a problem not only for cyclists but for drivers too.
• Lack of directional lights:
  Pointing direction with hands can be unsafe and is often ignored.
• It is impractical and unsafe to search for directions (e.g. GPS) and ride on a bike at the same time.
• Bike theft: Some locks are easily violated, lights and other bike accessories can also be easily snatched.
• Not effective proof of bike ownership. Something like plates or a city registry could be implemented to increase security.
• In Uppsala: no bike rentals or public bikes. A pick-up, drop-off system would be a good idea. Users could pick-up a bike from a specific point and leave it at any other drop off point in the city. This could also aid to diminish traffic and parking issues.
• In Uppsala: it is not possible to take your bike on the bus. This could be solved with a hook frame in front of the bus, as implemented in many cities around the world.
• Some people have mountain bikes with wide tires, that don’t fit in most bike holder frames.
• Sometimes is difficult to locate your bike when it’s parked in a very bike crowded area (train stations, schools or university campuses).
• Travelling on a train with your bike is usually allowed but not very comforting. This could be improved with special compartments only for carrying bikes.
• Reaching your phone to answer a call or send messages while riding is very dangerous. A hands free approach such as voice recognition might be a good solution.