Accident Preventions System Wins "Worst Invention EVER" | Dragons' Den 

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The real innovation is whoever managed to sell Derek some flashing LEDs for £24000

“The lady who runs the signs and signals doesn’t like the idea”. This might be one of the best bits of unintentional comedy I’ve ever seen.

“What have you a patent for?” “Because it’s a good idea” What a gem of an answer

This pitch was over a decade ago, but this guy is still trying to pedal his flow signals idea. He renewed his patent in September 2022 and his LinkedIn continues to talk about road safety. I actually feel sorry for him.

I feel like this guy is just a horrible driver and blames the signs.

Normally bad pitches on DD: I haven't done enough market research yet on my product. Derek: My product has one potential customer, the person in charge of road signs in the UK, and she hates the idea.

Theo: "What do you have a patent on?" Derek: "It's on A4 paper."

“There’s no ‘wrong way’ sign.” Derek, mate, that’s a big part of what ‘no entry’ signs are for. You have one right next to you.

He couldn't tell they weren't interested He just couldn't see the signs

"You're going through a strange town, there are sausages instead of lamp posts, suddenly young Suzie runs into the road and duplicates herself, there are now two Suzies. You attach 2 flow signals to your arms and insert one rectally. This will save lives"

I’m always disappointed that we never get to hear about the traffic light problem and how the solution is to somehow add more lights.

Bless him though and his innocence, you can tell this guy is very humble.

I am from the year 2050, Flowsignals are on every traffic sign. Derek is now a hero.

“The lady who runs the signs and signals doesn’t like the idea” 😑

Duncan being like “I’ll listen to you” had me crying 🤣🤣🤣

It's interesting, in Australia they introduced flashing LEDs on school zone speed times, because people kept missing them. The man's idea won't make any money, but what he's saying about peripheral vision and how easily people might miss some rudimentary sign actually makes sense. I feel sorry for the guy; he was made fun of on national TV.

“What have you got a patent for?” “Because it’s a good idea.” 😂😂😂

This guy's other inventions include: The inflatable dart board The waterproof teabag

Duncan was chill with "I'll listen to you" then you just see the will to live slowly drain from his face like "why did I say I'd listen?" 😂

I love how Peter didn't want to destroy the guy so just bowed out and asked a dragon to interrupt him

He really ought to put those road signs back where he found them.

I actually felt really bad for the fellow. I could see in his eyes the vision of a little boy who spent all his time and allowance on building what he thought was the world's neatest tree-house and then none of the neighbourhood kids wanted to come over and play. I could almost cry.

This is a classic - not only is it one thing that makes a non-existent problem worse, it's also more useless than Kardoctor

Not many people know Peter Jones actually lives in that chair. Okay, he gets out of it to shower, eat and do his business, but he sleeps in it and spends about 18 hours a day in it.

I really do feel bad for this guy; he seems like he genuinely believes in his invention, but it just doesn't work. :(

Bless him, but it’s genuinely hard to believe this was a serious pitch. “Has anyone told you this is a good idea?” “No”

“There is no ‘wrong way’ sign in the UK.” You’re literally stood beside one..

The dragons laughed this man out of the room but I visited my hometown and they now have a blinking light on a stop sign. Derek was a visionary.

Meanwhile in a parallel universe: Man gets money from investor for his lights on a pole patent. Driving accident rate drops to 0.

"What did you get a patent for?" "Because it's a good idea!" Oh good lord I can't breathe 🤣

Awe, idk why but I feel terribly sad for him. :( He's simple, straightforward, and doesn't try to postulate as something he's not. He didn't have any real approvals or testimonials and he said as much. If he had a better idea, his dedication and honesty would make him a good business partner.

I love his little DnD intro scenario, "You are alone, engulfed in a thick darkness, your desperate cries answered only by a deathly stillness. Your eyes dart around the pitch black night sky desperately looking for any celestial body with which to guide yourself, but you find none. But wait! Out of the corner of your eyes you spot a moving light. Its soothing motions guide your eyes to a sign barely visible. The dim light illuminates the words "One way". You are saved, Thanks to the flow sign you will persevere through this dark night, to see your wife Suzy doing make-up once more! "

"What have you got a patent for?" "Because its a good idea!" THIS GUY IS AN ABSOLUTE LEGEND

"Will you listen to me, Duncan?" - he asks, distraught and desperate "I'll listen to you, Derek" - he responds, in a calming and soothing voice

"So here's my invention. It's not very good, I haven't sold a single one, and the only potential customer in the entire country has already told me they hate it" Derek's pitch in a nutshell

The facial expressions on the Dragons says it all , poor man , it’s hard not to feel sorry for him .

Sir there's an asteroid heading towards earth. "So, we fit a flow signal"

“Will you listen to me Duncan for 5 mins.” “Ill listen to you Derrick” 😭😂😂😂 funniest part of this episode

When he says "the lady who runs the signs and signals", did he just ring up the Office of Rail and Road helpdesk and ask the receptionist what she thought of the idea?

The fact that the people in charge of implementing these don't like them should have been the first and only moment he needed to realize it's not a good idea.

"I haven't really finished explaining about the traffic light problem :(" i'm tearing up I FEEL SO BAD FOR HIM

"I didn't want to be impolite" Literal seconds later "You win the worst invention"

4:51 “You will see this in your eye” That’s awesome because I usually see stuff in my toenails.

My guess is, he encountered a very specific problem on a very specific occasion, and then developed a solution for it.

As awful of a idea as it is. Atleast he’s passionate enough about public safety to go on national tv and for that. Good job Derek. Please stop making the signs your crazy but I love ya

Derek went on to invent indicators for BMW's.

Duncan’s delivery of that final line was sensational lmao

They had installed solar powered red flashing lights on the poles of four stop signs at a dangerous intersection on a country road near my home in New Jersey, USA. Since the installation three years ago, it is much easier for people to see the STOP signs at night and has decreased the number of collisions which used to happen on a yearly basis. The inventor is correct, these lights grab the attention of the drivers and save lives.

“I’ve been constipated for the last five days” “So....I fit a flow signal”

This lad has just gone the wrong way down a street and thought “If only there were red flashing lights”

In all honesty, all of these potential “problems” can easily be solved by being an attentive driver. You can even miss some signs, but you’re clearly going to observe the traffic and the traffic patterns. Literally nothing about this makes sense.

Narrator: "a remarkably composed Derek" *cuts to Derek, sweating and stuttering*

This is one of the most genuinely sad/ emotionally distressing pieces of film i have ever seen. Never have I felt so bad for someone on this show

Man I understand it was a really bad invention and pretty pointless pitch but his innocence and genuine belief in his product made me feel so bad for him..

The year is 2040. Derek obtained investment and Flow Signals are used in every 1st world country. No traffic accidents in the last 10 years. Derek is considered the most successful businessman in the human history. He has been knighted and is now considered a saint by many.

I feel bad for this guy. He seems genuinely passionate about his idea and about helping save people's lives from needlessly being lost. It's a bad idea but I can't help but feel bad.

this pitch is basically "it's possible to miss road signs, so lets fit them with rows of flashing lights that won't at all distract and confuse more drivers than the ones who missed the signs..." 🤦‍♂️

“1 way street sign but what do you see if you go the wrong way?” Answer: a no entry sign🤦‍♂️

Theo: "what have you got a patent for" Inventor: "it's just a really great idea" 😂😂😂

It’s so sad at 4:20 because you can see Derek’s face light up because he thinks that Theo is making him an offer, he doesn’t realise it’s just hypothetical.

My name is derek cousins, i have a new idea, no smoking signs that should be fitted at the bottom of all swimming pools

This is actually a very great upgrade from the old signs. They can be seen in night, fog, and in heavy snow.

This guy really really broke my heart. Seems a nice guy whatever his ideas worth it or not.

"ill listen to you Derek" 😂😂😂

I can't tell you how much I wanted Derek to finish explaining about the traffic light problem

you can see the delight in the eyes of these people rejecting this poor fellow, they love the power no doubt

Flow signals should be installed on the cold, lonely beaches of Scotland to help Rory with navigation.

4:18 "Derek, I'm gonna give you 50 000 pounds..." "Yeah? :D" "... how am I gonna make a profit?" :'(

As absolutely ridiculous as the idea is, I can't help but feel bad for Derek. It's pretty clear this is something that, for reasons that baffle me, he feels very passionate about, and you could hear the sadness in his voice as each Dragon brutally tears him down. I'm sure that, to this day, he's still baffled as to how they could not see the "genius" in his idea.

4:31 “what have you got a patent for?” “Because it’s a good idea” 😮😂

I see a bird on a night out, she’s giving me the eye, I’m not sure if I should approach or not, so we fit a flow signal

Inventor: The lady who runs the signs and signals doesn't like the idea. HAHAHAHAHA

This is so sad, he seems so genuine and nice :(

"I don't want to be impolite. Is there much more?" "Well, I haven't really fini-" "You win. The worst invention. Ever to be brought onto Dragon's Den. To date. Thank you." And then Theo The Fetus saying "There's a sign, there". This one is truly iconic.

“What have you got a patent on?” “Because it’s a good idea” That line made me day haha

Derek’s plans for a helicopter ejector seat failed to get off the ground as well.

“Worst invention ever... I’m in”

Oddly enough the street below mine is a one way street and I cross it several times a week on my way back from work/shopping. Every time I do so I see the no entry signs there and think this guy had a point. Putting no entry signs facing directly outwards is of no use whatsoever to someone approaching the junction at a 90 degree angle to them, and you shouldn't have a situation where you only realise a street is no entry when you've started to make a turn. I've seen several cars do that. Unfortunately for this guy, just angling the signs differently is a much more sensible, practical and cheaper solution.

Imagine how confusing this would be to an experienced driver.

"Hey Derek, the exit is that way" "THERE'S A SIGN THERE" **Drops Mic**

"Is there on coming traffic? But what tells you there's on coming traffic?" Seeing cars coming at me would be a bit of a red flag....

“You’re going to a strange town, you’ve never been there before” Sounds like an introduction to a twilight zone episode 😂

"The lady who runs the signs and signals" ... the Queen?

The show’s team knew exactly what they were doing when they accepted him to be on the show lol

*_"You going through a strange town..."_* Not sure if he'd be a better dungeon master or lyricist.

7:29 has me rolling! Gosh that exchange with Duncan is absolutely hilarious!! I've replayed it at least 25 times lol

7:59 you can almost see the words going in through one ear and out of the other

I cringed when he said “young Suzie doing her makeup”

He should extend the patent and travel the world suing anybody who adds lights to traffic signs.

They weren't clear on why it wasn't going to work. 1) You need the complete backing of government. 2) If you implement the new signs, there is a good potential that a lot of accidents will happen because the process will be new for drivers who are starting to learn and figure out what the signs mean and how to drive on the road with them.

Could this not easily be fixed, more simply, with a double-sided sign? Or am I missing something?

"My wife said she was going to leave me. So I fit... a flow signal!"

He's the first person I've felt for. He seems like a very nice person, it's not a great idea but his soul was shattered

Preventing an accident from being prevented

Duncan listening at the end is one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen in the den 😂

"Will you listen to me, Duncan?" "I'll listen to you, Derek." * everyone else leans forward and laughs as they look at Duncan, as if he's a school kid leading the teacher on * Funniest pitch ever.

I don't think Derek has got a mean bone in his body

Reading through the comments is brilliant. People say they are "heartbroken" and "they could cry". What a load of crap. His idea was rubbish. The real question who would actually give him 50 grand of there own money? Exactly.

"'Ere, John...you are going the wrong way. You're going...you're going through a strange town...you've never been there before. You're coming to the traffic lights. Turn right. You have to turn right."