One winter night in 1933, Percy Shaw found himself driving his car down a remote country road in England. The night was moonless; the fog hung thick and there was a persistent mix of rain and snow beating against his windshield. The road was little more than a lane, with no markings, no shoulders, winding and curvy. Any misjudgment would be very costly.
As Mr. Shaw trudged along, he suddenly encountered a rise in the road and was startled when a small Morriss Minor car appeared just over the top of the incline. The approaching car was heading directly for his vehicle. It was on a slight curve, it was completely dark, the path was slippery and unmarked. In the split second that he had to make a decision, a small house cat ran across the street. The headlights of Mr. Shaw’s car caught the cat’s eyes, and the reflection from those iridescent orbs gave Percy Shaw just enough perspective to gauge the distance from him and safely circle the Morris Minor.
As Percy Shaw collected himself after his close call, he began to think about what had happened. Why were the roads of the time so dangerous? What had just happened that he could take advantage of to help all motorists? He was motivated to improve road safety for all drivers everywhere. But how?
The reflection of the cat’s eyes was the key to the solution Mr. Shaw was looking for. He began tinkering with his garage shop. After several tries, he perfected the first “cat’s eye road reflectors”. Today, the ubiquitous illuminated reflectors embedded in highway pavements and strategically placed along highway rights-of-way are part of the driving experience we take for granted. They provide security and orientation at night and in adverse weather conditions. In the 1930s they were considered an amazing security advance.
The British government immediately endorsed and implemented the installation of the floodlights on the roads of the British Isles and then throughout the Empire. Millions of Percy Shaw “cat’s eye road reflectors” improve driving safety around the world to this day. Mr. Shaw was knighted by Queen Elizabeth and profited greatly from his invention. He was always very proud of the safety benefits that his simple invention had brought to humanity.
Modern entrepreneurs and inventors can learn a simple lesson from this seemingly elementary invention. Percy Shaw was not thinking of inventing the “cat’s eye road reflector” that stormy night in 1933. An event occurred that caused him to consider possibilities. He felt a need. He addressed that need. He benefited from his response to the need he had identified, and all motorists realized the benefits of his inventiveness.
Creative entrepreneurs are always looking to offer products and services that provide enhanced features and performance benefits not available in current items. The simplest ideas and concepts are often the most commercial. The example of Percy Shaw’s invention of the “cat’s eye road reflector” is a wonderful template for aspiring inventors.
Opportunity can appear at the most unexpected moments. Be aware, be flexible, and be opportunistic if you want to enjoy the fruits that come to successful innovators. The market is always open to new and novel products.