Reflective Clothing Psychology - Your Thoughts...

[eeheeheebike]

So 0

As the night closes in sooner every passing day, the leaves are falling and the freaky night cyclists emerge from the depths (me included!)...

What are the current thoughts on reflective clothing?

Based on a lot of evidence, studies and other people's viewpoints I am inclined to believe the following...

- Yellow High Viz is so overused these days that people are basically mentally blanking it out
- From riding motorcycles and cycles for many years I am of the opinion that you could be wearing a full size Mr Blobby outfit, and if they ain't gonna see you, they ain't gonna see you.
- Movement reflectives (Pedals / leg bands) may help the issue
- ProVis is excellent but like riding in a binbag in terms of sweating
- Lights lights lights (I ride with lights even in the daytime as they are hard wired in anyway)

Now I will sit back and wait for you all to tell me how wrong I am

 

[ClichéGuevara]

Irregular flashing lights seem to be favourite for catching the eye.

As I understand it, the fundamental problem is that the eye takes in more than the brain can process, so it filters out a lot of the message, and fills the gaps with what it expects to see there based on experience, which is a part of the reason why Hi-Viz is becoming less effective.

 

[Oldhippy]

Never bothered with it myself. I just wear my regular clothing and put the lights my bike when it gets dark.

 

[Dolorous Edd]

Yellow High Viz is so overused these days that people are basically mentally blanking it out

Probably more true in some environments (busy dense urban) than in others (unlit quiet country lanes)?

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Reflectives on the bits that move are about the most I would worry about, legs and ankles. Maybe a little on gloves.

Apart from that, decent lights

 

[tinywheels]

hi, I use a combination of hi viz, flashing lights front and rear,plus a strobe light from guardian angel.
the strobe is superb, it's visable from the moon
Never underestimate the stupidly of the average car driver.
it's your neck at the end of the day. so ride defensively.

 

[winjim]

Forget lights. Lights are rubbish, bright ones in the city especially so. I ride with thirtyish year old vistalite and it's beautifully dim.

Reflectors are great. The Jiu Jitsu of illumination, use your enemy's strength against them. Passive yet dynamic, and more eye catching than lights. Pedal reflectors are especially great but if you want to go further than required then biomechanical ones that emphasise the human shape.

I really hate bright lights, did I mention that?

 

[cougie uk]

Reflectives on your legs and feet. Or old school pedal reflectors. They're very visible.

Colour doesn't matter if it's dark. If you are riding in the light - wear something bright.

If the driver isn't looking he still won't see you so assume they haven't noticed you and ride defensively.

Good luck.

 

[tinywheels]

Forget lights. Lights are rubbish, bright ones in the city especially so. I ride with thirtyish year old vistalite and it's beautifully dim.

Reflectors are great. The Jiu Jitsu of illumination, use your enemy's strength against them. Passive yet dynamic, and more eye catching than lights. Pedal reflectors are especially great but if you want to go further than required then biomechanical ones that emphasise the human shape.

I really hate bright lights, did I mention that?

not sure where you're commuting, but round my way you'd probably be wiped out in minutes relying on pedal reflectors.
I speak from 57 years experience in Central London riding. Grew up in se17,now commuting in by train,last 20 years.

 

[Mugshot]

"Take a brush, to your bike."

You know it makes sense.


View: https://youtu.be/1MFuSMz1zh0

 

[Drago]

Probably more true in some environments (busy dense urban) than in others (unlit quiet country lanes)?

The country - ooh ar aye! - presents other challenges.

There is some evidence that yellow hi vis exhibits a camouflage effect against the green background of the rural environment. This is why search and rescue teams were either red, or orange hi vis.

 

[neil_merseyside]

My preference for lighting is for one steady light and one flasher (at each end). Reflective patches on shoes, reflective bead runs down the side seam of my longs, and in a trim across the bottom of the shoulder vent on my winter jacket, the bike has reflective patches all over. I have reflective strip on some tyres, but also those reflective tubes on the front wheel as that end pokes out into traffic first - but I'm rarely out at night.
In any case if the motorist isn't looking he (it's always a he generally) won't see you anyway.

 

[winjim]

not sure where you're commuting, but round my way you'd probably be wiped out in minutes relying on pedal reflectors.
I speak from 57 years experience in Central London riding. Grew up in se17,now commuting in by train,last 20 years.

I speak from experience as a driver. The thing that catches my attention and identifies a cyclist most easily, is a set of pedal reflectors. Bright lights dazzle and also get lost in the night time sea of traffic and city light. I find reflectors much more dynamic.

 

[Sharky]

Reflective slap bands round the ankles are effective on dark roads. Yellow hi-viz jackets are really only for day light riding. Don't think they show up in the dark and they are usually very uncomfortable to cycle in.

I did commute for a while with a red flashing light at the rear AND a blue flashing light. This being a bit different, really stood out. In fact a couple of times I was stopped, not by the plod, but by motorists asking where you can buy them from.

 

[Mugshot]

I speak from experience as a driver. The thing that catches my attention and identifies a cyclist most easily, is a set of pedal reflectors. Bright lights dazzle and also get lost in the night time sea of traffic and city light. I find reflectors much more dynamic.

I have an issue with this, maybe as a result of riding in a rural rather than an urban environment.
I don't want to be identified as a cyclist, I want to be identified as a road user, flashing front lights and the like immediately say cyclist, and cyclists are slow and hold up motorists. My experience was that I got pulled out on far more often when I ran flashing front lights and was bedecked in typical cyclist PPE, rather than just running a steady front light.

I'm talking generally BTW, I do understand you're talking about reflectors