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Life Paint.pngVolvo's controversial Life Paint now available in dealers across UK (+ video)
Volvo dealers throughout the UK are now stocking the Swedish vehicle manufacturer’s controversial Life Paint, condemned by cycling campaigners when it was trialled earlier this year – although that did not stop thousands of cyclists snapping up free samples in double-quick time.
The trial took place through six bike shops in London in March, with stocks of samples running out within 24 hours amid huge demand. One of the participating shops, Peloton & Co in Spitalfields, said that it had received requests for samples from as far afield as Australia and the US.
- Volvo Life Paint comes under fire while freebies fly off shelves
Among the Volvo dealers now selling Life Paint is Sentinel Volvo, located on the Seven Sisters Road in North London, which will be holding an open day next month to showcase the product.
The transparent paint, which can be washed off clothes, helmets, backpacks or anything else it is sprayed onto (although it is unsuitable for smooth surfaces, such as bicycle frames), illuminates the wearer by reflecting light back to its source, such as a car’s headlights.
It was developed by Sweden-based start-up Albedo 100, which has now signed a partnership with Volvo for the latter to distribute it through its dealers – ones participating in the UK are shown on this map.
Volvo has worked on a number of innovations designed to improve the safety of vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians, for example its Intellisafe detection system.
- Volvo unveils its Cyclist Detection System with automatic braking (+ video)
But cycling campaigners said when it was trialled earlier this year that with Life Paint, Volvo seemed to be seeking to shift the onus for preventing collisions onto them and accused the company of blaming victims.
Rosie Downes, campaigns manager at the London Cycling Campaign, noted when it was piloted that the product and associated marketing drive was “a slick idea,” but questioned whether it would make the streets safer for cyclists.
“We don’t think so,” she said. “Collisions aren’t caused by cyclists not wearing reflective paint.
"The video tells us that cyclists need to make themselves visible, but neglects to mention that drivers who are not paying attention can and do hit anyone, whatever they are wearing.
“The money spent on this campaign – and on the product itself – could be much better spent on concrete measures to reduce road danger, by improving street design and tackling driver behaviour – not giving drivers a reason to take less care."
Meanwhile Michael Colville-Andersen, CEO of urban design consultancy Copenhagenize, launched an online petition calling for Life Paint to be sprayed onto Volvo vehicles.
He said the campaign was “classic smoke-screening from the automobile industry,” adding that “Life Paint is simply a way to shift the focus from a failed product that is under fire and place it on the vulnerable traffic users. Pure victim blaming."
But Nikki Rooke, head of corporate communications, events and sponsorship at Volvo Cars UK said in response to critics: "It’s about making the invisible, visible.
“By applying Life Paint, cyclists can make themselves more visible and therefore be better protected in vulnerable situations."
- Futuristic cycling jacket wins Volvo prize for design and branding
And Jamie Osman, manager of Peloton & Co, which ran out of the 500 cans it had been given in less than two days, emphasised that the response from customers had been overwhelming and enthusiastic.
"I don't think anyone was prepared for how big it was,” he said.
"We have had lots of people posting on our Twitter page and Facebook after they have sprayed it on their clothes and helmets, saying it is fantastic, a great thing to have as prevention. Everyone I have seen say it has been nothing but a good idea."
"There is a lot of talk on blogs about shifting blame but there's always going to be people that aren't happy."
Sentinel Volvo will be holding its open day from 10am to 5pm on Saturday 14 November, and says: “In this family-friendly event, guests are invited to try out the Life Paint by spraying their clothes, cycling kits, children’s backpacks and anything else that will help increase their visibility in the dark (please do not bring bicycles).
“Guests can then see the Life Paint in action at the dark booth, take photos and share their ideas on how to use Life Paint in very creative ways.”
Registration is required and you can sign up here.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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28 comments
I do not see how anyone is putting the blame on the cyclists? There seems to be a bit of martyrdom complex happening here. Volvo have technology which warns drivers about proximity to drivers. Is that blaming cyclists? Come on.
When we:
- paint ponies blue http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/11906156/Dartmoo...
- dress up children like they are on a building site
http://www.gloucestershireecho.co.uk/Children-visible-Cheltenham-school-...
- start spraying cyclists with paint
Surely we are just proving that we have created an environment that is just too dangerous and we need to deal with the danger, and stop putting the blame on the ponies/children/cyclists.
If this carries on, it will eventually be illegal to walk outside of a building without a helmet and body armour on (high viz of course) just so that people can carry on using motor vehicles far more than they need to with far less car than they need to.
Sigh.
Surely you are not suggesting that you would let your child out without blue paint? I for one fail to see why a caring parent would not take all precautions to make their loved one safe.
I have a feeling if this had been a kickstarter or based in Portland that it may have garnered more positive responses.
We can all admit that riding around at night, unlit and in black clothing is a bad idea so why is this seen so negatively? Or are we all meant to suffer in darkness, simply to prove the point current infrastructure levels are dangerous? Why not help ourselves in the meantime, while we wait for the changes we all want but which will take time?
Maybe. But it's not. It's from a (rather large) car company and running a rather iffy little subtext about shifting *all* the responsibility (or the presumed liability?) from the motorist to the cyclist. And that's why people are less than enthused with it.
Car drivers have a responsibility to drive safely and not hit others, including cyclists.
This doesn't change that fact. Unless I've missed some bill in parliament saying 'it is no longer illegal to drive dangerously or carelessly if the cyclist you hit is not wearing reflective paint'?!
At worse this is missing the point, and over-emphasising the usefulness of the product
Then again, refective clothing is a pretty good idea, especially in the UK at this time of year.
It strikes me that too often when the phrase 'victim blaming' is banded about on here, the response 'persecution complex' is equally appropriate!
Highway Code rule 0 - "You MUST NOT drive your vehicle in a way that endangers others."
Usually paraphrased as "The most important thing, when driving your car, is not to kill anyone!"
My mum got a free can of this from Volvo as she works for a company operating some of their vehicles. She asked me if I wanted it. I think my response might have offended her slightly... hopefully she'll convey my thoughts back to her contacts at Volvo
If it helps with increasing a cyclist visibility to be seen, it's worth it!
"although it is unsuitable for smooth surfaces, such as bicycle frames"
Then why does the marketing picture show bikes coverd in the stuff? Clearly we're being mislead as to its effectiveness
I almost hit two cyclists on my way home last night. Both were in dark clothing with no lights. It's lucky I was cycling, had I been in a car it would have been much harder to avoid them.
The other night I was driving my car home from shopping and came across a man on a bike, wearing dark clothing and riding down the middle of the lane on an unlit road with no lights. I consider myself very lucky that I picked out the shadow against the background and didn't simply run him down.
The problem is not dark clothing. It's people not having the lights which are there for their own safety.
People ARE aware that this is just the same spray that has been on the market ages for pets right? Volvo invented putting their logo on the can.
http://www.albedo100.co.uk/albedo100-reflective-spray-horse-and-pets/
Do you know if this is exactly the same? I got given a can of life paint and the wife asked about spraying it on our grey cat, who has a habit of lying in the middle of the road, but I didn't think it was a good idea as she would ingest it through the normal cat cleaning licking.
Colour me suprised that there is demand for something which is free...
"Volvo dealers throughout the UK are now stocking the Swedish vehicle manufacturer’s controversial Life Paint, condemned by cycling campaigners when it was trialled earlier this year – although that did not stop thousands of cyclists snapping up free samples in double-quick time."
Pretty sure I'm never invisible. Or am I but only if nobody's looking at me? (Mystery Men!)
You are wrong it is very easy to be invisible on the road. Cycling under dapped sunlight i once failed to see a person on a horse.
[/quote]
Pretty sure I'm never invisible. Or am I but only if nobody's looking at me? (Mystery Men!)
[/quote]
1. this is an interesting product
2.people should be aware that cyclists die because motorists are not looking, and would hit a fully lit christmas tree in many cases
3. being visible does seem like a good idea in any case
4. campaigners are out of touch with cyclists and demonising all motorists is moronic, as the vast majority of cyclists also drive a car.
I wish i could remember what I used for these shoes!
Sprayed it on, and it lasted for a while, the bin I stood the shoes on to do it still has great reflectivity many months later.
What a load of bollocks.
More victim blaming nonsense.
Life Paint inspired me to produce a similarly useful product, aimed at reducing danger to drivers. I'm sad to say that Volvo haven't responded yet.
I'm getting a can or two so I can draw penises on Volvos that try to run me off the road.
They don't mention who was rushing to get the stuff do they? We could start seeing a new type of graffiti art soon.
I have a number of problems with this.
1. It doesn't seem to work very well. The tests I've seen (not used it myself) aren't very impressive. At all.
2. If it washes off, where does it go? Does it clog up your washing machine? Does it biodegrade? Something in it is reflecting light. That's usually tiny glass beads embedded in a base. Does that simply dissolve? Do fish eat it via the water cycle, and therefore us? Will your other washing get covered in flecks of paint? Will end up up all over the house? Will I end up with a pair of slightly reflective toddlers? Is it dangerous to breath in? Is it toxic? Do we really know whether its toxic?
3. Call me vain, but do I really want to spray my nice (ahem) clothes with gluey reflective? Should I even have to?!
3. What happens when it rains?
4. A car manufacturer makes a product that puts the responsibility on the cyclist. This isn't a new concept. It continues the concept that we are at fault. I'm afraid I'm cynical about whether their heart is in the right place. Just as when the AA gave out free flouro helmets and singlets.
5. It smells of disingenous PR fluff. It seems to be a concept dreamed up by ad agency Grey London. An ad agency that has a car client creates a product for cyclists...*puts cynical hat on*. But boy was it successful PR...
I like things that work, and last. That stand the test of time, that work in different environments. I like clever solutions that are well designed and tested.
This seems like a really faffy, badly thought out, dangerously temporary solution...That gets everyone talking about Volvo, and thinking how lovely they are. Are they really?
it washes off, and it's not suitable for smooth surfaces?
a) what's the point then?
b) how is this better than the reflective AND hi-viz 3M tape that's widely available? (which lasts for years)
this is a solution looking for a problem.
"It’s about making the invisible, visible."
So apparently wearing standard reflective , hiviz, clothing and using (German approved) bike lights front and rear renders me invisible, but spraying on some magic fluid suddenly makes drivers able to see me? What utter bollocks - if the Volvo-bound twits can't see me without 'LifePaint' it is because they aren't bothering to look, because the penalties for driving like a 95% blind imbecile are so trivial.
We should certainly be spraying something onto Volvo cars - just not sure what.
Should that say "can't be washed off"? Also, if it is unsuitable for bike frames, why does the picture show glowing frames?
Anything to help me be more visible to other road users is a bonus, I like the idea of life paint and think I will be trying to get my hands on some.