During our walk today,
my husband and I were talking about the “light dots” in the road. We wondered who invented them and when. I decided to research it. It is amazing how
easily we can find answers to virtually every question on the internet.
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A portion of this post was taken from http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Who_invented_cats'_eyes_road_reflectors and
The cat's eye is a retro-reflective safety device used in road
marking and was the first of a range of raised pavement markers. It originated
from the UK in 1933 and is used all over the world.
It consists (in its original form)
of two pairs of reflective glass spheres set into a white rubber dome, mounted
in a cast iron housing. This is the kind that marks the center of the road,
with one pair of cat's eye showing in each direction. A single-ended form has
become widely used in other colors at road margins and as lane dividers. Cat's
eyes are particularly valuable in fog and are largely resistant to damage from
snow ploughs.
A key feature of the cat's eye is
the flexible rubber dome which is occasionally deformed by the passage of
traffic. A fixed rubber wiper cleans the surface of the reflectors as they sink
below the surface of the road (the base tends to hold water after a shower of
rain, making this process even more efficient). The rubber dome is protected
from impact damage by metal 'kerbs' - which also give tactile and audible
feedback for wandering drivers.
The inventor of cat's eyes was Percy
Shaw of Boothtown, Halifax, West Yorkshire.
The reflective road stud or
"cat's eyes" was invented in 1933 by Percy Shaw.
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About 70 years later, the familiar reflectors are to be
replaced by a brighter, safer and cheaper alternative - solar-powered studs
designed by a former London fireman.
The Transport Research Laboratory says roads with the Solarlite system have a 70 per cent reduction in accidents.
The Transport Research Laboratory says roads with the Solarlite system have a 70 per cent reduction in accidents.
Drivers are
less likely to cross the white line in the middle of the road when following
the studs than using previous methods.
The latest
version of the studs also allows them to be set into the road without sticking
up above the surface - avoiding the bumpy feeling of running over cat's eyes. They can be seen for up to 2,950ft (900 meters)
- around ten times as far as the old cat's eyes.
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I am certain that there are statistics available that provide the exact number of people’s lives that have been saved because of these reflectors. As long as we follow the path laid out before us by the cat’s eyes or Solarlites, we will most likely reach our destination safely.
How about in your home
business? Do you have a path laid out
directing you how to grow your business?
Do you have a great leader and/or mentor who act as the “cat’s eyes” to
let you know when you’re following the wrong path?
If you have a mentor
or leader to help you, do you take advantage of the support and training they
offer? With my Xpress Healthcare
business, I host two team training calls each week. Only a fraction of my team members
attend. I also offer one-on-one
training, and not all team members take advantage of the training session I
offer.
Those who are successful
with your particular business or other network marketing companies have created
the “road reflectors” that remind you of the right direction to go and what
works with your particular company. Do
you follow the path they created for you, or have you decided that, with your intelligence and experience,
you don’t need anyone’s help.
We ALL need help. Those new to their business should take
advantage of ALL training made available to them. In addition, those of us with years of
experience are always striving to learn more and better ways to work their
businesses, new paths to follow.
Of course, it is
always your choice. Follow the leaders
along the path with the Solarlites to achieve success; or create your own path,
and take a chance that you MAY reach your goals.
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