However, warns Norton, “if the tech turns out to actually make cyclist cycling safer for those who have it, but more dangerous for those who don’t, does that become grounds in policy for requiring all cyclists to have the necessary equipment for cars to detect them? If that does, then we now have problems about access to cycling among those with budgets, or deterring cycling in a society where we need more, not less for lots of reasons, including sustainability and public health.”
Norton added: “We are not protecting these unequipped cyclists when we have equipped cyclists, and we are to some degree making their situation more serious as drivers come to expect cyclists to be equipped. And eventually, even road designers and road authorities will start to assume that cyclists should be equipped. Perhaps even the law may begin to expect this.”
This looks like it's going to be jaywalking 2.0. Oh, you got squashed by a car whose driver was busy on their phone? Your fault for not wearing your bEaCoN sweaty
This is gonna be "safer" for cycling in the sense that a traffic simulated cyclist that keeps a straight line as driverless cars wizz by them in every and all directions at minimum distance makes literally no "mistakes" such as being blown a bit sideways by a gust of wind. Because if you get hit, that's on you, you moron, you fucking idiot.
Looking forward to get taken out by 3 cars at once because I packed my pannier 5cm too much over the legal beacon limit and get hit.