Wikipedia describes disruptive innovation as an innovation
that creates a new market and value network that eventually disrupts an
existing market and value network, displacing established market leading firms,
products and alliances. It is therefore easy to see why the taxi industry has
such a dislike for Uber. Aside from the
taxi industry disruptive technology might have even more far reaching impact. The
Committee for Economic Development of Australia predicts that up to 5 million
jobs are likely to be automated by 2030. Disruptive technologies have certainly
a very large negative impact on the taxi industry but could disruptive
technology actually have benefit for the general Australian public? Could it
even change entrenched attitude?
On the 21st of July, I was riding my bicycle on my daily
commute from work to home. Part of my home commute involved riding along Benson
St footpath (marked with bicycle symbols) between Archer St and Glen Rd in
Toowong. Unlike the now much improved Coronation Dr bikeway, this
bicycle-symbol laden footpath is interrupt by no less than half a dozen
driveways. During peak hours pedestrians, cyclists and cars (leaving and
entering driveways) compete for this narrow footpath. On this day, as I
approach one of the many driveways, I was suddenly cut off by car a moving very
fast into the driveway that I was about to cross. I jammed hard on my brakes
and thank God because I was only inches away from smashing into side of this
car. Far from apologising, the driver defiantly asked why I was on the
footpath. His wiser wife quickly corrected him and pointed out the bike symbols
on the footpath. Initially I was upset that I didn’t see the car’s flashing
indicator. Did I pay enough attention? The truth only became apparent when I
review the video recorded on my helmet mounted video camera (The Contour
Roam3). The driver had driven across three lanes traffic in order drive into
the driveway that I was about to cross. Another word there was nothing wrong
with my peripheral vision. My camera has a wide angle (170 degrees) lens
enabling it to pick up objects outside of my peripheral vision.
In August, I came into contact with Jasmin Lill from Quest
Community News. I sent her the youtube link to my video and she interviewed me.
Subsequently her article was published in the Westside News. The story also
appeared on the Courier Mail facebook page. I was very grateful that my
dangerous encounter turned out for the good. I was able to explain to Jasmin
the threat those driveways posed to both pedestrians and cyclists alike. Furthermore the so-called bikeway from the
Regatta City Cat terminal to the University of Queensland (St Lucia campus) is
both dangerous and difficult to ride for the average university students. The
Brisbane City Council Active Transport Chair may claim that most of the
distance between the city and St Lucia are covered by off-road facilities. The
reality is that a significant portion is either too dangerous or too steep for
the average cyclists.
Many of the comments on my youtubevideo are supportive but some
still hold on to entrenched bias against cyclists. The irony is that cycling
could potentially save Australia’s health care system. Recently University of
Queensland researchers found the link between physical activity and chronic
health conditions. The researchers recommended the equivalent of about 1.75
hours of running a week is needed to stay healthy. How many of us spend that
much time in the gym? And yet, I am already doing close to 5 hours of exercises
by simply riding to and from work.
While the struggle
for safe cycling is ongoing. The use of helmet mounted camera is to me the
disruptive technology that Australia need to shake up the reckless attitude we
have to road safety. In particular, the cyclist finally has the ability to show
the hostile and irresponsible attitude that many motorists show towards
cyclists. No longer can motorists use aggressive manoeuvre to threaten cyclists.
With Gopro style cameras being so widely available such reckless behaviour will
be exposed. Past technologies such as speed camera have had little effect on
road safety but the combination of helmet-mounted camera, social media as well
as technology savvy journalists could be the game changer to improving road
safety but the final piece of the puzzle – the authorities need to get on
board. As the famous Time Lord (Doctor Who) once said: No one is going to died
today!
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