Cat's eye (road)

A cat's eye is a safety device used in road construction in the United Kingdom. It usually has some form of a retroreflective mechanism such as paint or a plastic corner reflector built into a sturdy housing, capable of surviving as vehicles pass over it. In places where roads are subject to snow, they must also survive being driven over by a snow plough. They are placed along road markings, as they serve to highlight these markings at night, fog, or low lighting conditions.

Related Topics:
Safety device - Road construction - United Kingdom - Retroreflective - Corner reflector

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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, and on March 15, 1935, founded Reflecting Roadstuds Limited in Halifax to manufacture cat's eyes{{ref|reyburn}}.

Related Topics:
1933 - Percy Shaw - Yorkshire - England - Eye - 1934 - March 15 - 1935

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They became popular in Britain during World War II, in the era of blackouts. The Government realised that drivers needed to see where they were going, even in the midst of a blackout. Cat's eyes use a system where the light is reflected from the car's headlights, thus allowing a limited amount of light. There are now some self-illuminated versions, either wired to a power supply or using solar power. These increase visibility range. An unexpected benefit of cat's eyes is the typical thunk sound made when driving over the device, warning a driver that they have started to leave their lane.

Related Topics:
Britain - World War II - Blackout - Lane

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In the UK, cat's eyes retract into a housing when driven over — the lenses are cleaned against a rubber scraper as they move, thus ensuring they are visible.

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