Police comment on HiViz

[snorri]

I rather like CMPG

CMPG - Road Policing ‏@Trafficwmp 23h23 hours ago
See that cyclist in the hi viz jacket? 2 drivers stopped on today's #closepass operation didn't at all apparently! Full results/piccies soon

117 retweets170 likes

 

[Drago]

Shows what a waste of time hi vis is.

 

[mjr]

Urban camo now, innit? If you ever want to remove an obstruction from a cycle route (barrier, bollard...), wear hi viz and no one will notice you.

 

[dim]

Shows what a waste of time hi vis is.

not really .... I have one of these:

I feel like Moses .... cars slow right down and pass several feet away from me.

When you approach a red traffic light with cars stopped, women throw their mobiles phones on the floor whilst they are facebooking as they think I'm a copper .... works really well in the day and is amazing at night.... well worth the money I spent as I feel a lot safer

 

[Drago]

From my experience of wearing real police hi vis you're more likely to find drivers deliberately having you off.

You're on questionable legal ground wearing them. If you're ever stopped by the Feds and asked about it be very careful how you reply.

 

[dim]

From my experience of wearing real police hi vis you're more likely to find drivers deliberately having you off.

You're on questionable legal ground wearing them. If you're ever stopped by the Feds and asked about it be very careful how you reply.

they are 100% legal .... they tried to ban them when they were first launched .... these are the best hi-viz jackets that you can buy for day or night .... get yourself one, they are cheap and will protect you

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2013/june/jun1413-polite/

the 2nd best are Proviz switch .... wear the yellow side during the day, and the silvery side at night (amazing jackets and well worth the £80) ... you look like Casper the ghost at night



I saw cyclists wearing them last year during the dark and could see them half a mile away, so I bought one

I commute 40+km per day most days and travel on very dark roads right throughout summer and winter .... good lights and hi-viz jackets are my priority

 

[Pat "5mph"]

@snorri remember when I was stopped by the Glasgow polis on a cycist safety campaign, on the cycle path, on a light, sunny morning, berated for not wearing a H and hi-viz?
When I told the officer, what about my bright red jacket and yellow panniers? He said: Ah! but the drivers won't see you ... Meh!

 

[winjim]

not really .... I have one of these:

I feel like Moses .... cars slow right down and pass several feet away from me.

When you approach a red traffic light with cars stopped, women throw their mobiles phones on the floor whilst they are facebooking as they think I'm a copper .... works really well in the day and is amazing at night.... well worth the money I spent as I feel a lot safer

It's not polite though is it? It needs to at least say please, otherwise the joke doesn't work.

 

[classic33]

not really .... I have one of these:

I feel like Moses .... cars slow right down and pass several feet away from me.

When you approach a red traffic light with cars stopped, women throw their mobiles phones on the floor whilst they are facebooking as they think I'm a copper .... works really well in the day and is amazing at night.... well worth the money I spent as I feel a lot safer

From my experience of wearing real police hi vis you're more likely to find drivers deliberately having you off.

You're on questionable legal ground wearing them. If you're ever stopped by the Feds and asked about it be very careful how you reply.

Sold as equestrian safety wear!

If you can't tell a horse from a bike, you've problems.

 

[Drago]

[QUOTE 4494254, member: 9609"]what should you not say ?[/QUOTE]

You should not say anything like "I wear it because I want people to think I'm a copper and give me more room/treat me with more respect on the road", because it is an offence by 'word or deed' to impersonate a Bow Street Runner.

You should say "I wear it because it's very comfortable" or some meaningless reason like that. A lot of law comes down to mens rea, or intent, and intending to make someone think you're a copper at first glance is very very naughty, no matter how laudable the reason. To actually own or use the garment is not an offence itself, but to don it intending to have people mistake you for a copper is a problem.

 

[Drago]

[MOD EDIT: Refers to Deleted post]

If you wear them with the intention of making people believe you are a police officer you commit the offence. If you wear them because they are comfortable, or waterproof, or just like the cut of their jib, you don't.

Whether that is right, wrong, stupid or daft is completely irrelevant - it's still the way it is.

 

[classic33]

[MOD EDIT: Refers to Deleted post]


It's not the wording in use/being used on the back, given that it's equestrian safety wear in the first place, it's the reason why you wear it with that wording.

 

[fossyant]

High viz is no good if the driver doesn't look. Even with 3 high power LED lights on in daylight, coming towards a driver, if they don't look properly, they will hit you. As happened to me !!

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

I've given up on hi-viz during the daytime and now get fewer close passes than I did before. My impression is that being very noticable from further away makes drivers more confident to come closer.

 

[mjr]

My impression is that being very noticable from further away makes drivers more confident to come closer.

My theory is that they see you TOO far away and have forgotten about you or dismiss you as already-dealt-with by the time they get to you.