W.A.C.K.E.D. Butterfly Effect

It never fails, this world of ours is always finding new ways to shock and surprise me.  Just when I think that the craziest or most unlikely things have been spent from the purse of possibilities, it reloads with a vengeance. Cycling has had more than its fair share of nutty, odd, strange, and plain ridiculous ideas to counter every good idea.  So why did this one surprise me.  To say the least it gives wings to designers to keep thinking of more... but more of what.

The problem with riding a bike in the city is always one of being seen.  Without notice, cars and pedestrians become an obstacle course.  It is an old problem that any number of bike lanes, laws, and lights do not seem to offer enough help to solve.  So how do we increase awareness?  Commercials reminding people to watch out for cyclists have not seemed to work, nor have signs or any other idea I have seen.  Of course, that is until the Bike Butterfly.  

Rather than making oneself more visually noticeable throughout a ride, the Butterfly makes you more visible to an offender (of not seeing you).  They step off the curb, and poof! They are presented with a lunatic with an exploding wingspan. Surely they will remember from then on to look before dropping a foot off the curb.  Because a guy on a bike that suddenly has fairy DNA is far more memorable than the permanent damage a car can do to a person stepping off a curb blindly.  To quote Bill Engvall, "you can't fix stupid".

While impressive in its design, colorful, and maybe even cool for some super hero looking for a unique hook, for a cyclist, it just is plain weird.  I suppose it will have a limited cool factor for those that like to show things off or be funny, but the more serious side of the purpose behind this design just will not cut it.   

Do not get me wrong, I want one.  It will go great with my Halloween costume for next year, but selling this to cyclists as a safety device is as odd as anyone believing it will work.  It is a novelty, the same as wearing a giant silly hat would work to solve the problem.  Being noticed in car and pedestrian traffic will always be a problem considering human attention span beyond the immediate.  It would be safe to look before crossing a street, but that new app on my phone is just sooooo cool.  

Honestly, people cannot be bothered to stay clear of trains.  A better way to solve this problem is to design a cow catcher that is durable and light for the front of bikes.  Because like trains, you may as well reduce your own risk from their ignorance.  Although, the butterfly does have more potential if there were lasers mounted on it.  Nothing says "pay attention" like seeing a hapless pedestrian get vaporized by a nut with butterfly wings on a bike.  I'm sure I would start looking before crossing after seeing that just once.  

If you are looking to buy one, be aware, that the site currently shows all models as sold out.  Either there is a HUGE demand for them, or raising giant butterflies to harvest the wings is proving difficult.   Best of luck if you want one...