what is the English for:a light reflector on the bike wheel

Guest   Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:32 pm GMT
what is the English for:a light reflector on the bike wheel, or car
Pabz   Fri Jul 21, 2006 4:34 pm GMT
I think you've already translated it: reflector
Uriel   Sat Jul 22, 2006 10:28 am GMT
It's called a reflector.
A Brit   Mon Jul 31, 2006 12:00 am GMT
"what is the English for:a light reflector on the bike wheel, or car"

It looks like the USA folks don't know what "cat's eyes" are. Well, I am not surprised...

They are called CAT'S EYES ® - not reflectors and the cat's eyes were invented by Percy Shaw in 1934.

(UK patent #436290 and #457536) and trademarked the name Catseye®

Percy Shaw was born in Halifax in West Yorkshire, UK in 1890

Hope that helps.
Commonwealth   Mon Jul 31, 2006 12:49 am GMT
Why do you even bother mate? Knowledge offends these people. Better to let them continue to live in their firmly established illusion!
Uriel   Mon Jul 31, 2006 3:27 am GMT
Cat's-eye is a pretty cute name, actually.
Ingvarr   Mon Jul 31, 2006 11:52 am GMT
In Russian, these things have been colloquially called "Katafoty" (which is plural, the singular being "katafota").
Now I know what this word is supposed to actually mean! :-D
Marius   Mon Jul 31, 2006 3:07 pm GMT
Very interesting, in Romanian is called "ochi de pisica" cats eye, as well, not just in B English. I don't think is a colloquialism since it is a trade name patented in GB.

Very strange, does any other language uses "cats eye" ?


by the way...I hate spam
Guest   Mon Jul 31, 2006 8:14 pm GMT
On your bike - a reflector. You should of course have the legally mandatory red light on the rear of your bike for cycling at night.

Actually, in the UK the term "on your bike!" is a form of dismissal - telling someone to get lost, make yourself scarce, take a hike, go take a running jump, scat, scram, take a long walk along a short pier.....you get my drift.

I think A Brit ran away with himself a bit there. What made you think "folks in the USA" don't know what cat's eyes are?
Invaluable for driving at night along unlit country roads with just two carriageways and with just the never ending line of gleaming cat's eyes stretching away to infinity separating the two along the middle of the road. They give you a sense of security somehow. Usually they gleam white but sometimes they are green and sometimes red. I love them - as long as you don't let them hypntise you.

I thinkyes - they are invaluable for driving at night along unlit country roads with just two carriageways and with just the never ending line of gleaming cat's eyes stretching away to infinity separating the two along the middle of the road. They give you a sense of security somehow. Usually they gleam white but sometimes they are green and sometimes red. I love them - as long as you don't let them hypntise you.

PS: They DO have cat's eyes on the roads in America....don't they? I've no idea as I've never been further west than Dublin's Fair City....where the g*** are so pretty and where I first set my eyes on sweet........
Damian in London N2   Mon Jul 31, 2006 8:15 pm GMT
Och!....Saawyyy.......Guest was me! Forgot.
I hate spam   Mon Jul 31, 2006 9:48 pm GMT
"Cat's-eye is a pretty cute name, actually."

Not just cute...“Cat’s eyes” is the official term used by
DVLA- The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency UK
DSA-Driving Standards Agency UK
Highway code UK

http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:fXo7dAXgNcEJ:www.dsa.gov.uk/Category.asp%3Fcat%3D346+1934+Cats+eyes+invented+dsa&hl=en&gl=uk&ct=clnk&cd=1

“Cat's eyes were invented in 1933 by Percy Shaw of Yorkshire in England. The name "cat's eye" comes from Shaw's inspiration: the light reflecting from the eyes of a cat. In 1934, he patented his invention (patent No. 436,290 and 457,536), and on March 15, 1935, founded Reflecting Roadstuds Limited in Halifax to manufacture cat's eyes“

http://www.rema.org.uk/memberpages/rrs/mp-rrs1.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat%27s_eye_%28road%29
Guest   Tue Aug 01, 2006 9:25 am GMT
Over here the term 'cat eyes' refer to the road reflectors not for the ones on your bicycle.
Uriel   Tue Aug 01, 2006 9:57 am GMT
<<PS: They DO have cat's eyes on the roads in America....don't they? >>

Well, sure -- but we just call them "reflectors". No cutesy name for them here!