Poll: Help choose the CycleCharge charging-point sticker

[morphix]

Hi all,

Those who have been following the other thread started by funkylyn will already be aware of the CycleCharge project. For those who haven't seen it, in a nutshell, it's a project started by a group of e-bikers from this forum to try and establish charging-points around the country for e-bikers to use freely to recharge their batteries.

Anyway, back to the purpose of posting.. We've got three design contenders for the sticker which will be displayed by charging-point businesses and other organisations. We're holding a vote to decide which sticker looks most suitable.

Where better to consult than here! We'd really appreciate it if you would take a moment to visit the voting page then look at the three designs and cast your vote on which one you think looks best.

Thanks very much,

Paul

 

[DJH]

Hi Paul - is the website working correctly as I couldn't register?

 

[mike killay]

I voted (I think, did not give any confirmation)
I chose number 1 because I think that it is not clear whether number 3 has a white backgound or it is clear. If clear,it will not show up well on glass.

 

[morphix]

Hi Paul - is the website working correctly as I couldn't register?

hi DJH, yeah it should be working fine the registration..the site and project is still very much a "work in progress" though and beyond registering for an account you can't do much else yet apart from comment on articles, no charging-points or directory added

 

[morphix]

I voted (I think, did not give any confirmation)
I chose number 1 because I think that it is not clear whether number 3 has a white backgound or it is clear. If clear,it will not show up well on glass.

Good point Mike re number 3..it does have a white background, should of stated that I will update the page.

Thanks for your vote, I think it was recorded..you don't get any confirmation.

 

[flecc]

Number 3 voted for, because it actually says "Charge Point", thus better informing the public at large.

 

[morphix]

Number 3 voted for, because it actually says "Charge Point", thus better informing the public at large.

Flecc, I'm curious...would your vote have been different if the other two designs had a) replaced the name "CycleCharge" with "Charge Point" or b) included the words "Charge Point"?

 

[morphix]

Amendment!

After considering flecc's observations, I've decide to amend design number 2.

If anyone wants to change their vote, just let me know what you voted for originally and what you want to vote for now, and I will make the change!

Sorry about that!

 

[flecc]

My vote would have been different if "b" was true, the words Charge Point included. Then I'd have chosen number 1.

I don't like the wording "Recharge Here" since recharge means different things in many instances. People speak of "recharging their batteries" with rest, food or drink for example, creating ambiguity if the sign is at a pub, restaurant or hotel/B & B.

Charge Point can only mean one thing to anyone, especially in this age when charge points for e-cars are being publicised and installed.

 

[morphix]

My vote would have been different if "b" was true, the words Charge Point included. Then I'd have chosen number 1.

I don't like the wording "Recharge Here" since recharge means different things in many instances. People speak of "recharging their batteries" with rest, food or drink for example, creating ambiguity if the sign is at a pub, restaurant or hotel/B & B.

Charge Point can only mean one thing to anyone, especially in this age when charge points for e-cars are being publicised and installed.

Good points flecc. It's very difficult to try and get the choice of wording that everyone agrees on. I thought the recharge approach might be a clever play on words because we want to try and help businesses by encouraging e-bikers to use their facilities too.

 

[morphix]

There's basically two ways we can go about this badge...

1) Try to provide as much info as possible and make it clear as possible what the sign means both to e-bikers and the general public alike.

2) Go for a more simple symbolic (design 1) approach, i.e. like where you see a wheelchair sign you know they cater for disabled people (obviously bad example now law has changed, but you know what i mean). That approach is perhaps easier to recognise from a distance but is aimed only at CycleCharge members who are registered and familiar with the sign.

This then raises the question.... maybe approach 2 isn't such a good idea, because it may exclude people who aren't registered with the scheme who may just happen to be out somewhere and see the sign and not realise what it means... or perhaps being an e-bike owner, they would still twig to what it means?

 

[flecc]

My preference is for number one approach, gaining the widest publicity possible.. Sometimes I think there are too many symbols and logos around, making many blind to their presence.

You may remember the mad period around the 1980s and '90s when companies dropped their names and used logos or symbolic representations on their vans etc, even such as BT caught up in the insanity. Once they woke up to the fact that the public didn't have a clue what any of it meant, they quickly came to their senses and repainted everything with wording to regain the publicity value.

You can't beat words, almost everyone can read them and instantly take on board their meaning at a glance.

 

[jhruk]

My criticism would be that all three designs use the same symbol, which is just a cyclist and doesn’t really indicate charging. Perhaps you could add a plug and lead to the graphic - as seen on this Ecotricity charge point for electric cars seen at South Mimms Motorway Services, replacing the car with your bike symbol and ‘ecotricity’ with ‘Charge Point’ or 'Cycle Charge Point'

I actually cycled into the service area - cyclists have their own entrance from Route 12 of the National Cycle Network. I didn’t see anywhere for charging my bike, although I could probably have used the car point if I’d had a charger with me, and their swipe card.

 

[hihihi]

Sigara Içilmez,

Забрањено пушење,

dim Ysmygu

or

What's easiest: Turkish, Serbian, Welsh or just a sign?

 

[bode]

I'm just going to repeat here what I said in the Comments section of the website:

Although I find no.1 the most aesthetically pleasing, I voted for no.3 because it is more eyecatching and informative; it tells the onlooker exactly what is on offer.

And in response to this query from admin: "if the first design had included extra wording or been worded differently, would you have voted for it? Or do you think, adding the same amount of information as design 3 wouldn't work for that design? Interested to know your thoughts..":

I think that adding extra text to no.1 would make it look cramped; I still think that no.3 is clearer and more noticeable.

 

[bode]

What's easiest: Turkish, Serbian, Welsh or just a sign?

That's fine once everyone knows what the sign means, but until the charging system is more established that could not be relied on.

 

[hihihi]

Further to my previous posting here...

I've just tried to create a similar design with a different symbol. Phew, that's hard. Well done (!) to whoever created the three badges.

Anyway, here is my idea (please imagine a green background and such a polished finish as on the previous badges - sorry, I just can't match that):

 

[morphix]

Something like this you mean, but with a bike? And preferably a UK-style plug like yours! That's another thing, of all the stock art you can find, it's always international 2 pin-style, never UK.

 

[hihihi]

Yeah! with a bike I imagine it'd be perfect. Nice.

 

[morphix]

Yeah! with a bike I imagine it'd be perfect. Nice.

This site which has a stock of images like this doesn't have any with a bicycle that could be adapted sadly and making a "clean" version with a blank background to drop in your own bicycle would be virtually impossible.

Do you think even with the 2-pin plug it would be acceptable for the UK, if you could just take out the car and put a bike in?