I use a full flouro jacket over me touring one, it isn't armoured, but it has the reflective stripes. I get a new one every year out of Screw-fix, and use last years grubby one for work. Not sure if its the jacket, or my ST13 been marked up, but since I started using both together, all the tin box pilots seem to just behave when around me.
when seatbelts were made compulsory , the accident rate actually shot up . The 'powers that be' put it down to , drivers feeling a false sense of security . It's the people that don't realy pay attention to what they're doing , that will kill you . Not what you wear.. ..
I wear a partially Hi-Viz textile jacket for commuting into Manchester daily. It also has reflective strips. I don't know if it does any good, but it can't do any harm, and as JP said, if anything goes wrong, at least you have a stronger case.
And with a big BMW tourer, and a Hi-Viz jacket on top, you would be surprised how many car drivers pull over on the motorway. I suspect even more would if I had a white helmet
John
Things are too safe - to compensate for the numpties who have known nothing more dangerous than being asked to clear the felt-tip off a class-room white-board all their lives... Some people have never fallen out of a tree and found out it really hurts (!) you know?
It is still MY responsibility to make myself as visible - or try to compensate for the blind idiots in four wheels - as possible. So a vis-belt when it's worst weather and wandering across the traffic lane at all other times. Just to let them see my headlight move and let them know that two wheels does NOT equal a gap in the traffic when they are joining from the left.
Still need some more feedback please folks.
So far people who wear HiVis of some sort are a little over 50%
People who agree with it are around 50%
Some people have not actually said either way.
bluesbiker In: Birmingham in th
Posts: 2510
Karma:
IMHO It works more to make the rider feel safe than it does to help being seen by other road users.
Yes It all has some effect but from the front, headlights seem to work far more effectively. which is where been seen early pays off.
Slower riders where vehicles may be approaching fast from behind on poorly lit bikes it may make a difference.
The choice is always yours. If it makes you happy then wear it.
I choose not to use it.
bluesbiker
I agree with you regarding visibility from behind. It is one of my biggest fears particularly when on dual carriageways / motorways in poor conditions.
I am not a fan of them but when it comes down to self preservation a rider at night wearing hiVis is more likely to be seen (picked up in the headlights) especially from the side where headlights and taillights are not so visible.
bluesbiker In: Birmingham in th
Posts: 2510
Karma:
I'm trying to think of a situation where i am side on to a bike prosumably at a junction where i can't see his headlight or tail light at night and have time to react to anything. Reflective tape may work at night but red or yellow hi-vis doesn't show up that well at all. IMO
I agree reflective tape definitely shows up better than the yellow hiVis at night but the 2 tend to go together. I can't comment on red I can't say I have seen any.
I agree with you ZedBiker.
I bought mine last November to Ride in and out of Manchester in the Dark on the basis that anything that makes you easier to spot has got to be good - and it has reflective patches on it as well.
The fact that it is a superb jacket that has kept me warm AND dry both to and from work and also on rideouts was just a bonus. Didn't leak at all last Monday riding from Bedford to Knutsford via Rutland Water (and it was wet!!)
John
you need a coloured flashing light on top of your crash helmet
seriously with todays technology they must be able to make something low and bright. and flashing lights round the headlamp and tail lamp. you see something moving before something just sat there. you always see plods flashing lights.
who wanted to wear spacemen helmets when they first came out.
And it still wont work- not after 40 yrs of biking experience but we can try eh. It stinks but sorry to say the onus is on us- car tests shouldnt be passed till THEY realise that We do exist. !!!
I don't really think hi viz works enough to make it compulsory, the truth is there are just too many distractions for car drivers now that a small fast moving object like a bike is not enough to register with them, i can honestly say that i don't pay any more attention to a bright yellow car than i would a black car, if i was looking properly and not distracted then i would see both cars equally and it's no different for bikes. If you were to make a list of all the things that distract car drivers then it's easy to see why they miss the narrow profile of oncoming bikers, i also think it's a bit of a joke that some people in the government think that adding a couple of questions about bikes in the car theory test will make any real impact on that person seeing a biker once they have their licence.
I have one of the yellow think bike stickers on the back of my van in the hope it will at least jog their memory for the few minutes they are following me, maybe we need more big yellow road signs warning of bikers in the area like they have around the country lanes near cadwell park circuit in lincolnshire, you can't miss those.
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