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news
Ford's latest cycle safety brainwave? The Emoji Jacket. No, really (+ video)
Just when you think you’ve seen it all when it comes to well-meant but bound-to-backfire initiatives aimed at improving the safety of cyclists, one of arrives from way out of left field – ladies and gentlemen, we give you the Ford’s Emoji Jacket.
No, don’t bother checking the date, for it is indeed still early February and we haven’t jumped forward a few weeks to April Fool’s Day, this is an actual real, live thing.
It’s been launched under Ford’s ongoing Share The Road campaign, three words that tend to raise the hackles of anyone fighting for cycle safety, implying as they do that someone inside a metal box weighing a tonne or more is on the exact same footing as a flesh and blood person on a 10 kilogram bike.
> Ford’s ‘Share the Road’ campaign leaves cyclists unimpressed
It gets worse when you read the press release. “Our roads are busier than ever with drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists, and pedestrians all vying for space,” Ford says, sombrely.
“It’s no wonder that tempers are lost, and conflicts arise as our ability to communicate is locked behind windscreens and inside helmets – resulting in more than 2,000 cyclists being killed on roads in Europe each year.”
Well, at least they acknowledged in a roundabout way where the greater threat comes from.
“But what if our roads don’t have to be a communication vacuum, save for gestures and blaring horns?
“Ford’s answer is the ‘Emoji Jacket’, a prototype jacket created in partnership with industrial design specialists Designworks as part of Ford’s ongoing ‘Share the Road’ campaign.
“The jacket allows the wearer to effectively communicate their emotions to other road users around them by using emoji icons.”
Excuse us a second while we head off and try and find the WTF emoji.
According to Ford, “The back of the jacket features a large LED panel that allows the user to display their mood – whether they’re happy, neutral, or worried while travelling.
“Indicators, and a hazard symbol can also be displayed to make other road users aware of the cyclist’s movements and possible dangers ahead.
“These functions can all be controlled without the cyclist removing their hands from the handlebars, thanks to a wireless remote, featuring independent buttons that is easily mounted and removed from the bike.”
Emoji expert – no, really, he’s a cognitive scientist – Dr Neil Cohn PhD said: “Emojis have become a fundamental part of how we use language.
“Whether used to convey facial expressions, humour, or sarcasm, they have become integral to our ability to express ourselves and quickly.
“This jacket created in partnership with Ford Share the Road allows riders to express their feelings and creates an important emotional link between them and other road users.”
We said at the top of this article that campaigns such as this do, at heart, have the best of intentions.
Indeed, the motor company says that its “Share the Road campaign underlines Ford’s belief that enabling more people to cycle safely, especially for short journeys, benefits everyone.
“Believing that by fostering harmony between road users, raising awareness, and increasing conversations between them, our roads can become a better and more accepting environment for all.”
The execution, though … well, in this case, it leaves us speechless. It’s absolutely tone deaf.
What do we want? Safer roads, more protected infrastructure, fewer rat-running drivers especially in 4x4s, better driver education among other things, you know, the things that DO actually make cyclists safer out there in the real world.
An Emoji Jacket? No thanks. 
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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27 comments
ive often thought about putting my motorbike numberplate on my bicycle, just to see if people notice it. Its funny because ive got four motorbikes, two of them faster to accelrate than most supercars. Maybe i'll make a sign for my backpack- caution, rider is fitter and richer than you. Get away from me.
If I find myself approaching a hazardous area of potholes, the last thing I want to be doing is staring at my bars trying to search out the 'hazard' button on the control panel. I've got more important things to do, like not riding into them.
I stumbled upon there share the road campaign page.. WOWZERS..
https://www.ford.co.uk/experience-ford/about-ford/share-the-road#
I've not been patronised like that for some time.. really really nieve from whichever tosser at ford who signed off on this campaign, and v poor work from whichever inexperienced individuals at the overpriced pr agency ford employed to put this together. You're only as good as your last campaign.
Hmm, what's that quote again..?
'Drivers are willing to "share the road" the way a 4 year old is willing to "share his toys"'.
Since drivers don't take notice of asls , mandatory cycle lanes, dashed cycle lanes, double yellows, bus stops, taxi ranks. Why would the same set of drivers take notice of a jacket?
And those 4 foot letter SLOW painted on the roads on an approach to a hazard seems more like a challenge to drivers to do something incredibly stupid.
So how do you communicate to the driver that's just close passed you how pissed off you are if they can't see your back anymore?
Rpg?
These things are pointless. The last thing you want to do to most motorists is point out they are shit. Even 'please don't kill me' will be seen as an affront to their driving skills and anything more passive aggressive will just annoy them more.
These will also be the same sort of people that put 'baby on board' in their window but won't see the irony, like the people on the school run who drop their kid off and then discard the speed limits.
An illuminated jacket is enough. Actually the best thing I've seen whilst driving are those scotchlite type jackets, very good for cyclist visibility. Get one of those in my driving opinion.
If they'd made it in bright colours it might have a real safety benefit.
I was going to replace our VW with either a Skoda or a Ford when it died... this ludicrous "campaign" has made my mind up.
Have you considered a Dacia? I've got the three pot 900cc petrol turbo Logan. 50mpg, 90bhp, three bikes in the back, totally reliable so far.
They don't do an auto unfortunately.
Maybe, if it can flash this one...
🖕
Just the concept of "Share the road" introduces conflict as it means different things to the different user, to drivers it appears to mean "GET OUT OF MY WAY" and to the cyclist it means "please don't kill me"
I agree with the majority of the last paragraph but I'm not sure about:
'...especially in 4x4s'
Why single out that particular motor vehicle? Yes I've almost been taken out by 4x4s, but also by big cars, people carriers, small cars, tractors, vans. Surely it's just a different chunk of metal? Is it any more painful being struck by a 4x4 than a van? Or a 4x4 at 35mph or (for example) a Vauxhall Corsa at 50mph?
4x4s are the embodiment of driver entitlement for me. unnecessary, larger, and statistically less safe for both the occupants and vulnerable road users.
Careful, Dave. You are in danger of falling into the trap of assuming that you know a person's character because you know what they are driving. This is the mindset that leads to the "all cyclists jump red lights" attitude. There are many idiots and many courteous people on the road and they drive/ride all sorts of vehicles. I even saw a considerate Audi driver once! We all know that some vehicles are more likely to be piloted by dickheads, but let's try not to fall into the bigots' trap?
AllegedlyAnthony, much appreciated mate. And I too have witnessed the considerate Audi driver. You can't tar all road-users with the same brush.
Hold up a minute. I didn't see Dave comment on the quality driving.
Only the decision to buy one of the most anti-social vehicle on the road - that was in fact a choice they had buy a reasonable sized car that fits on small UK roads or don't, they chose not to and can be judged accordingly.
There is a difference in heights on these wankpanzers so yes, I'd expect it to be more painful. There is also more mass and energy brought into the collision.
There is no need for cars of this size to be on urban roads.
🤦♂️
Bring back the person with a flag in front of each car - that'll improve road safety.
The makers of the Edsel seem to have another storming success on their hands. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edsel
Kinda hard to believe that any of the design team ride a bike ever.
Ford have been ruining cycling since ol’ Henry cobbled together his first car out of bicycle parts. This shouldn’t be a surprise. But it is another reminder of why Jerry Reed’s song “Lord Mr Ford” is as relevant as ever.
Well I think Simon MacMicheal has summed it up how I feel quite nicely for anyone reading this.
If any of the useless longpigs at Ford do are reading this, please feel free to take this weblink as my official response https://emojipedia.org/pile-of-poo/