E-bikers’ braking behavior: Results from a naturalistic cycling study

Abstract

Objective: The number of e-bike users has increased significantly over the past few years and with it the associated safety concerns. Because e-bikes are faster than conventional bicycles and more prone to be in conflict with road users, e-bikers may need to perform avoidance maneuvers more frequently. Braking is the most common avoidance maneuver but is also a complex and critical task in emergency situations, because cyclists must reduce speed quickly without losing balance. The aim of this study is to understand the braking strategies of e-bikers in real-world traffic environments and to assess their road safety implications. This article investigates (1) how cyclists on e-bikes use front and rear brakes during routine cycling and (2) whether this behavior changes during unexpected conflicts with other road users.

Methods: Naturalistic data were collected from 6 regular bicycle riders who each rode e-bikes during a period of 2 weeks, for a total of 32.5?h of data. Braking events were identified and characterized through a combined analysis of brake pressure at each wheel, velocity, and longitudinal acceleration. Furthermore, the braking patterns obtained during unexpected events were compared with braking patterns during routine cycling.

Results: In the majority of braking events during routine cycling, cyclists used only one brake at a time, favoring one of the 2 brakes according to a personal pre-established pattern. However, the favored brake varied among cyclists: 66% favored the rear brake and 16% the front brake. Only 16% of the cyclists showed no clear preference, variously using rear brake, front brake, or combined braking (both brakes at the same time), suggesting that the selection of which brake to use depended on the characteristics of the specific scenario experienced by the cyclist rather than on a personal preference. In unexpected conflicts, generally requiring a larger deceleration, combined braking became more prevalent for most of the cyclists; still, when combined braking was not applied, cyclists continued to use the favored brake of routine cycling. Kinematic analysis revealed that, when larger decelerations were required, cyclists more frequently used combined braking instead of single braking.

Conclusions: The results provide new insights into the behavior of cyclists on e-bikes and may provide support in the development of safety measures including guidelines and best practices for optimal brake use. The results may also inform the design of braking systems intended to reduce the complexity of the braking operation.     

平面交叉口电动自行车交通冲突模型研究

为研究电动自行车在交叉口的安全特性,减少交通管理中的安全隐患,在运用TCT技术分析电动自行车交通特性的基础上,通过实地调研7个典型的四相位信号控制平面十字形交叉口,利用SPSS软件分别选取线性、多项式及指数函数对电动自行车的交通冲突调查数据进行拟合,构建了电动自行车的交叉口交通冲突模型。最后,结合所获得的交通冲突模型的各项参数,运用欧几里德贴进度评价方法,建立了交通冲突强度的评价模型,该模型可用于评估交叉口路段电动自行车的运行安全性。结果表明,散点化的比较方法不仅可以对同一交叉口的不同进(出)口道的电动自行车交通冲突强度进行分析,还能对不同交叉口同一冲突类型的安全状况进行对比评价。     

电动自行车安全特性分析

电动自行车作为自行车的升级产品,具有广泛的发展前景.笔者在详细分析其发展影响因素、管理问题、交通特性、安全特性等以及借鉴国外管理政策的基础上,对电动自行车的安全特性进行详细分析,指出电动自行车的设计时速与单车质量是影响其安全特性的主要因素;同时提出加大优先发展公交力度,合理调节城市交通结构,引导电动自行车发展和使用,对其要严格控制,规范电动自行车的出行行为;强调要实现电动自行车的管理和发展模式由事后治理型,逐渐向保障型、预防型交通方式转变,以促进电动自行车的健康发展.     

道路交通安全状况预测及管理规划方案研究

为研究道路交通安全规划方案的设计,探讨国内外道路交通安全状况规划方案的研究现状.以台州市为例,在对台州市的交通安全特性统计分析的基础上,针对台州市道路交通安全现状,进行了安全趋势分析.从预测可以看出,随着台州市经济的持续增长、道路交通的快速发展,台州市的道路交通安全形势不容乐观,面临道路交通事故有可能继续上升的巨大压力.结合台州市区道路交通安全管理规划的目标,重点从完善道路基础设施及安全设施、建立交通安全管理的科技保障体系、构建台州市道路交通事故紧急救援系统3个方面提出近期道路交通安全管理规划方案,有效地提高台州市道路交通安全水平.     

基于集成法的道路交通安全评价

为了对道路交通安全进行较为客观的定量评价,将一种新的集成评价方法运用到评价中.该方法是包括德尔斐法、层次分析法、灰色聚类法、模糊评判、矩阵方法等一系列方法的综合应用.在该方法中,德尔斐法被用于建立道路交通安全的评价指标体系,层次分析法被用来确定各评价指标间的权重,灰色聚类法被用来对专家评分进行处理,模糊评判以及矩阵方法被用在整个运算过程中.不同的理论有不同的适用性,在道路交通安全评价中的不同阶段使用不同的理论,就能获得一个直观的评价结果.最后用一个算例说明了整个思路,并证明了该法是有效可行的,且有对历史样本数据无依赖、简单直观等优点.     

中国道路交通安全现状和对策

在分析我国道路交通安全的现状的基础上,介绍了我国道路交通安全的特点,比较了中美日印等多国道路安全状况,提出了在新的形势下,针对我国交通特点的道路安全对策。     

高速公路工程道路交通安全评价研究及工程应用

针对我国高速公路工程日益突显的安全问题,结合四川省桃园（川陕界）至巴中高速公路工程的实际情况,分别从停车视距、竖曲线、隧道进出口、横断面超高、长大下坡等5个方面进行安全性分析。研究提出高速公路工程道路交通安全评价程序：要以潮湿路面情况下计算出来的停车视距为标准进行安全评价,凸曲线路段和凹曲线路段都应满足竖曲线最小半径,隧道平曲率半径大于所允许的最小半径值并通过基于运行车速差的隧道进出口区域运行安全性的评价方法对隧道进出口进行安全预评价,超高安全评价要以一般圆曲线最小半径为标准,对于长大下坡的运行速度与设计速度差应满足评价标准,最后结合实际工程数据,运用该安全评价方法,证明了其实用价值,为其它高速公路工程道路交通安全评价提供参考。     

An analysis of cyclists’ speed at combined pedestrian and cycle paths

Abstract

Objective: In Sweden, cyclists, pedestrians, and moped riders share the space on combined pedestrian and cycle paths, and their speeds may differ greatly. Both actual speed and speed differences can potentially influence the number of accidents on the shared paths. As a starting point, this article studies the speed component and how cyclists’ speed varies at pedestrian and cycle paths depending on the day, week, and year; road user composition; and road design.

Methods: Three data sources were used: Existing measurements of cycle speed and flow in 3 different Swedish municipalities, Eskilstuna (1 site, January–December 2015), Linköping (6 sites, 4?weeks in September–October 2015), and Stockholm (10 sites, 1–5?days in August–September 2015); complementary measurements of cycle speed and flow in Linköping (4 sites, 1–10?days in August–September 2016) and Stockholm (1 site, only part of 2?days in August 2016) were also conducted within the project, in addition to roadside observations of bicycle types at the 5 new sites.

Results: The average speed of cyclists on the paths varied between 12.5 and 26.5?km/h. As expected, the lower average speeds were found in uphill directions, near intersections, and on paths with high pedestrian flows. The higher speeds were found in downhill directions and on commuter routes. In all, 70%–95% of road users observed on pedestrian and cycle paths were cyclists, and 5%–30% were pedestrians. The most common type of bicycle was a comfort bike, followed by a trekking bike. Electric-assisted bicycles and racer bikes occurred at all sites, with proportions of 1%–10% and 1%–15%, respectively. The 2 sites with the highest proportion of electric-assisted bicycles and racer bicycles also had the highest average speeds. The differences in average speed throughout the day, week, and year could only be assessed at one of the sites. Only small differences were found, with the most noticeable being that the average speed was lower in January and February (13.8?km/h) compared to the rest of the year (15.3–16.1?km/h). The average speed was also lower during daytime (14.7?km/h) than during other parts of the day (15.4–15.8?km/h).

Conclusions: The relationship between bicycle type and measured speed was not entirely clear, but the results suggest that paths with higher proportions of electric and racer bicycles have higher average speeds. There also appears to be a connection between average speed and the width of the distribution; that is, the higher the average speed, the wider the speed distribution. More research is needed on how speed levels and speed variance affect accident risk.     

基于交通冲突技术的交织区交通安全评价

为了分析城市快速路多个交织区之间的相对交通安全状况,及比选同一个交织区的多个设计方案,建立基于交通冲突技术的交织区交通安全评价方法.首先,使用微观交通仿真软件模拟一定道路交通条件下车流运行状态及其随时空变化的过程,并生成车辆轨迹文件;然后,运用交通安全替代评价模型(SSAM)分析车辆轨迹文件,识别和统计交通仿真过程中“发生”的交通冲突;最后,以交织区交通冲突数与交织区交通量、交织区长度的比值作为评价指标,评价交织区的交通安全状况.案例分析表明,交织区交通冲突率越高,其服务水平往往越低;交织区的交通冲突率有随交织区交通量增加而增加,随交织区长度、交织区车道数的增加而降低的趋势.     

增强机组监控技能,确保飞行安全

良好的监控技能对确保飞行安全,预防飞行事故发生有十分重要的作用.但由于多方面原因,当前的飞行机组监控工作还存在不少问题,并成为多起飞行事故主要原因之一.笔者从四方面,对民用航空飞行中缺乏良好监控的原因予以分析和说明:持续有效的监控工作不符合人的本性;现行规章制度中未把机组监控技能作为所有机组成员,尤其是对辅助操纵者的一项重要任务加以确定;现有管理制度与管理观念,更多关注行为结果而不是行为发生过程;飞行训练中未将其作为重要飞行技能加以训练.笔者强调指出:采用标准操作程序,提高相应飞行阶段的监控技能,对不同飞行阶段的工作负荷予以计划和控制、进行工作优先排序,加强机组成员间配合,在训练中强化监控技能培养等措施,有助于改进和增强飞行机组的监控技能,确保飞行安全.     

我国道路交通事故的基本特点及预防对策

笔者从我国现阶段的交通安全状况出发,分析了我国交通事故的基本特点,并指出当前道路交通安全管理方面的不足之处.在此基础上提出基于交通文化的驾驶员的素质培训与安全教育、培养交通参者的交通安全意识、加大交通安全宣传教育的力度及安全价值观的培养、重视交通道德建设、建立高效的交通事故急救系统等一系列切实可行的交通事故预防对策,为改善我国交通安全状况提供了重要的理论依据,对预防及减少交通事故的发生起到积极的作用.     

Characteristics and clinical outcomes of head-injured cyclists with and without helmets in urban and rural areas of Taiwan: A 15-year study

Objective: Bicycle riding is increasingly popular in Taiwan, but the number of cyclists injured and cyclists' death rates are both increasing. The aim of this study was to investigate the different characteristics and clinical outcomes of traffic accident–related head injuries among cyclists in urban and rural areas.

Methods: Records of 812 patients (533 urban and 279 rural) admitted to 27 hospitals in Taipei City and Hualien County as the result of a traumatic head injury while bicycling between 1998 and 2013 were retrieved for study. Demographics, details about the accident, protective helmet use, and clinical outcomes were then subjected to analysis.

Results: Urban victims were more likely to be injured during morning and early evening rush hours and rural victims during the day; most urban victims were between 19 and 34 years of age and injured in the slow lane; rural victims tended to be younger or older and were injured in the fast lane (all P ≤.001). Riders who wore a helmet were less likely to suffer loss of consciousness (odds ratio [OR] = 0.31), amnesia (OR = 0.069), neurological disorders (OR = 0.205), or facial fractures (OR = 0.369). Older age, more severe head injuries, and bicycle–motor vehicle collisions influenced the severity of symptoms on admission and the residual effects at discharge.

Conclusions: Differences in the characteristics of injuries in urban and rural areas and the utilization of protective helmets may help government authorities adopt appropriate policies to promote safer and more enjoyable cycling.     

杭州高速公路交通事故流行病学特点分析

目的:研究杭州高速公路交通事故的流行病学特点.方法:收集了2003-2006年杭州高速公路交通事故资料并对其进行流行病学分析.结果:①2003-2006年期间,发生交通事故8 906起,涉及车辆12 692辆,死亡115人,受伤1 976人,造成直接经济损失1.15亿元;②交通事故以10月和1月发生最多,每周事故数呈逐渐上升趋势,9:00-11:00点和14:00-16:00点为事故的高发时段;③因驾驶员造成的交通事故超过事故总数的90%,主要原因为未保持安全的纵向距离和操作不当;车辆原因主要为爆胎和制动问题、天气及照明对事故有一定影响;④在高速公路交通事故中,乘客与驾驶员受到的危害程度相同.结论:研究高速公路交通事故的流行病学特点将有利于采取科学的措施减小高速公路交通事故给社会带来的危害.     

道路交通事故的影响因素研究——基于结构方程模型的实证研究

使用Amos建立了31个省市道路交通事故的结构方程,SEM道路交通结构模型选用了潜变量交通事故、人口素质、经济因子和车辆道路,每个潜变量包含三至五个指标观察变量,所有数据均通过信度检验。SEM道路交通结构模型采用bootstrap Stine p估计加以修正卡方值,通过了适配性检验和显著性检验,并拟合好全部路径系数、潜变量因子得分权重等,以此可计算得31个省市道路交通事故得分和排名,实证结果与31个省市道路交通事故实际情况相符,最后根据分析得出了影响道路交通事故的因素,并有针对性地提出了相关政策建议。     

现代道路交通系统交通安全状况变化特性探析

以日本现代道路交通系统发展过程为例,通过对其发展过程中不同时期道路交通安全状况特征、内在原因的深入分析,探讨了以汽车为主要交通工具的现代道路交通安全系统道路交通安全状况的变化特性.笔者认为,准确把握现代道路交通安全系统发展过程中道路交通安全状况的变化特性对改善我国当前道路交通安全状况、进一步提高道路交通管理水平将具有积极意义.     

现代环形交叉口安全性分析和安全设计

传统环形交叉口存在很多缺点,而国外目前采用一种现代环形交叉口替代传统环形交叉口,其安全性大大提高.根据冲突点数目采用理论安全影响分析法,再根据实际交通事故数据采用前后对比法,分析现代环形交叉口对车辆和弱势群体的安全影响.结果显示现代环形交叉口提高了汽车运行的安全性,但是在改善行人和自行车交通安全性方面却不如信号交叉口.最后,提出现代环形交叉口的适用条件、设计要点,以及自行车道安全设计方法.     

福州市道路交通安全现状分析

根据福州市2002年道路交通安全的现状,利用统计分析方法,对道路交通事故的成因、月份分布、事故形态及事故与道路类型等进行了分析和研究。与大多数城市相比,福州市道路交通事故的月份分布变化比较小;发生在路段上的交通事故比例较高,达到了83．1％;由人因造成的交通事故比例也比较高,达96．96％。针对福州市道路交通事故的特点与规律,本同时提出了改善福州市道路交通安全状况的若干具体措施。     

Cycling Skill Inventory: Assessment of motor–tactical skills and safety motives

Abstract

Objective: It is well established within the traffic psychology literature that a distinction can be made between driving skill and driving style. The majority of self-report questionnaires have been developed for car drivers, whereas only limited knowledge exists on the riding skill and style of cyclists. Individual differences in cycling skills need to be understood in order to apply targeted interventions.

Methods: This study reports on a psychometric analysis of the Cycling Skill Inventory (CSI), a self-report questionnaire that asks cyclists to rate themselves from definitely weak to definitely strong on 17 items. Herein, we administered the CSI using an online crowdsourcing method, complemented with respondents who answered the questionnaire using paper and pencil (n?=?1,138 in total). Our analysis focuses on understanding the major sources of variance of the CSI and its correlates with gender, age, exposure, and self-reported accident involvement as a cyclist.

Results: The results showed that 2 components underlie the item data: Motor–tactical skills and safety motives. Correlational analyses indicated that participants with a higher safety motives score were involved in fewer self-reported cycling accidents in the past 3 years. The analysis also confirmed well-established gender differences, with male cyclists having lower safety motives but higher motor–tactical skills than female cyclists.

Conclusions: The nomological network of the CSI for cyclists is similar to that of the Driving Skill Inventory for car drivers. Safety motives are a predictor of self-reported accident involvement among cyclists.