Hi-Viz / reflective - pros & cons.

[User33236]

I suspect plenty of lemon yellow cyclists get knocked off because it's the driver not paying attention rather than the cyclist not being 'visible' enough.

I would agree with you there as I was wearing this:-

And this:-

When the driver pulled out into the side of me in April last year.

 

[Drago]

Pros. Er... none.

Cons. Er... none.

Many studies ranging from casualty numbers among highway workers through to police officers and school children show no link to the accident rate and the wearing of such garments. It can seem as "obvious" and "common sense" as you like, but that does not alter the fact there is exactly zero evidence to demonstrate that they make you any safer. The only reason i bother at night or in dull weather is to immediately shut-down that avenue of escape if someone has me off the bike their their insurers fancy a spot of victim blaming. Ditto lids.

 

[derrick]

It makes no difference what you wear, If the driver does not see you they don't see you, I know this because my wife was lit up like a christmas tree and still got hit,
Hi viz helmet, Hi viz jacket Hi viz shoes flashing arm bands, a good flashing front light one of the biggest flashing rear lights. There was no more room on her for anything else hi vis. The ******* idiot women driver in her 4x4 still managed to knock my wife of. So in my eyes Hi vis is a complete wast of money. If they are not looking they ain't going to see you.

 

[Drago]

It makes no difference what you wear, If the driver does not bother to look properly they don't see you, I know this because my wife was lit up like a christmas tree and still got hit,

Fixed that for you.

Sorry to hear about the Missus.

 

[Ajax Bay]

It makes sense, as a vulnerable road user, to increase the chance of other (motorised) road users seeing you by adopting measures such as lighter clothing with (tasteful) reflective bits, fitting and using flashing lights, and by choice, wearing a 'not a dull' helmet. Some items are most sensibly kept black/dark eg bottoms, but tights/legwarmers can have some reflective stripes or logos on and shoes/boots/overboots can do too.

There may be no evidence that this will reduce the chances of an RTI but as @Drago has said above, it helps shut down the 'he/she hadn't made the effort to be seen' argument by observers/witnesses on site and third hand, and loved ones. You may say we shouldn't need to but we cycle in the real world. Most of us have driven up behind a cyclist and thought 'he (it's invariably a 'he') does himself no favours by dressing all in black'.

I'm saying 'chances' here: we've tragically read about cyclists who have been cleared even after they've made every effort to be visible - very hard luck: @User33236 and @derrick 's bh. But that doesn't mean it's not worth it at all. After all the suggestion is: use brighter coloured cycle clothing. If a top/gilet is dark I won't get it. If tights/legwarmers/shoes/boots/overboots have sensible reflective stripes or logos on I'm more likely to buy and use them, with the flashing red light by day (maybe two) (except when in a group).

 

[summerdays]

It is about thinking about the conditions that day and changing to suit them, I see a bloke who wears one of those bright yellow shower cap every day over his helmet.... The thing is I've passed him multiple times and he cycles at least 5 miles on the cycle path away from traffic, and he still wears the fluoro helmet cover and jacket in all weathers all year (including really sunny afternoons). He isn't actually thinking about wearing something suitable for the conditions.... I will sometimes stop to make changes as the weather changes, or where I'm riding, if I think I need to or that I no longer need the rear light on really bright etc.

 

[winjim]

It is about thinking about the conditions that day and changing to suit them, I see a bloke who wears one of those bright yellow shower cap every day over his helmet.... The thing is I've passed him multiple times and he cycles at least 5 miles on the cycle path away from traffic, and he still wears the fluoro helmet cover and jacket in all weathers all year (including really sunny afternoons). He isn't actually thinking about wearing something suitable for the conditions.... I will sometimes stop to make changes as the weather changes, or where I'm riding, if I think I need to or that I no longer need the rear light on really bright etc.

There seem to be a lot of cyclists who lack confidence in traffic, so will wear hi viz and a helmet and ride on cyclepaths or pavements, or in the gutter when they do venture onto the road. Hi viz worn on a cycle path makes for a very sad sight imo.

 

[BalkanExpress]

I am a great believer in quoting studies which support my personal bias,

http://www.bath.ac.uk/news/2013/11/26/overtaking-cyclists/

 

[derrick]

It has nothing to do with conditions, If people are looking they will see you.

 

[growingvegetables]

As a driver, I've had my fair share of seeing cyclists in black. Some have scared the carp out of me. I've thought ... "You bloody Ninja fool!" That's a very polite translation. I've "thought" why the f*** are you risking your life like that!

Fact remains - I've seen them. And been able to drive appropriately around them. Like thousands of drivers, alert to the roads and their users.

By contrast, riding my bike ...

1. I've had my fair share of numpties in motors who have used my wearing hi-viz to "improve their aim". And come as close as they dare, to try and scare the **** out of me.

2. Worse - the number of times I've been wearing hi-viz, and been subjected to a brown-trouser close-pass, only to see the ******* in the motor pull OUT to give the unlit Ninja in front of me LOADS of space. That p****s me off. Countless times.


Bottom line - I assess the risk.

Personally, I do not wear hi-viz. I prefer to trust the competence of the majority of drivers. I prefer NOT to help the minority of dangerous (and occasionally malicious) numpties aim better. My choice. My risk assessment. Others will assess differently, and I respect their choices.


Sadly - the same could be said of lights, at least in urban areas with their street lights. However, lights are a legal requirement.

 

[Smokin Joe]

In normal daylight I find black to be one of the most visible colours.

 

[BorderReiver]

The RAF have painted their training aircraft black for a number of years (previously they went for a rather snappy red and white scheme which I always thought would look good on a bike, but I digress). I believe this is because they find black shows up well against a constant changing background- like the one cyclists tend to find themselves in front off. As ever, I stand to be corrected if I'm talking total rubbish. Again.

 

[Hip Priest]

It stands to reason that wearing brightly coloured clothing makes you more visible. But often things that stand to reason are wrong.

 

[RoubaixCube]

Doesnt matter - drivers with bad road awareness or just bad drivers in general wont see you as they are either looking the wrong way or not using their mirrors as they should be. A momentary laps of concentration can be disastrous or even fatal for other road users.

Im certainly a 'ninja' when commuting but to balance things out I make sure that my clothing has reflecting patches or piping in the right places and that i have an extra tail light fixed onto my backpack or the back of my helmet to make sure I catch any careful drivers attention. They might pass me closely but rather that then being completely rear-ended or hit from the side and ending up in A&E.

 

[mjr]

In normal daylight I find black to be one of the most visible colours.

It's also the highest contrast choice under modern blue-white LED streetlights. "Hi viz" appears a dull grey as the fluorescence doesn't happen.