Did You Know? Those Reflective Blocks Embedded in the Road Are Called Cat’s Eyes
One of the most valuable devices in driving safety over the past century has been the cat’s eye—yet, most people don’t even know what it is or that it bears that name.
If you’ve driven down a dark, rural stretch of road through the countryside, you’ve seen periodic glimpses of light flashing up at you from the median. If you’ve gotten close enough to inspect these devices embedded in the pavement, you’ve realized that they’re not light projectors—they’re light reflectors.
They’re called cat’s eyes; here’s how they work and how they were created.
The History and Function of the Reflective Cat’s Eye
English inventor Percy Shaw created many gadgets, but he’s most widely recognized for his contribution to road safety: the cat’s eye. He developed this reflective road stud in 1934 to help driver’s follow the road in the dark or fog. He was inspired by how vehicle headlights reflected on road signs. Eventually, the device caught on and became mandatory on British roads, well before reflective paint was widely used to mark medians and shoulders.
The device used glass encased in rubber and metal to precisely reflect light rays from vehicle headlamps back at the driver. Over time, the stud was simplified and refined into a rubber block with abrasion-resistant glass (how most of the markers in America are).
Today, cat’s eyes are becoming more high-tech. They’re gradually being replaced with solar-powered LED versions, which can be seen 10 times further than reflective cat’s eyes and can run for days on a single charge. These high-tech replacements are supposed to last three times as long and cost three times as much. Maybe that means less frequent road construction? One can dream.
Sources: Thought Co., 99% Invisible, The Telegraph
Aaron is unashamed to be a native Clevelander and the proud driver of a Hyundai Veloster Turbo (which recently replaced his 1995 Saturn SC-2). He gleefully utilizes his background in theater, literature, and communication to dramatically recite his own articles to nearby youth. Mr. Widmar happily resides in Dayton, Ohio with his magnificent wife, Vicki, but is often on the road with her exploring new destinations. Aaron has high aspirations for his writing career but often gets distracted pondering the profound nature of the human condition and forgets what he was writing… See more articles by Aaron.