Black is the new Hi-Viz Yellow

[BentMikey]

LOL, I'm not talking about your standard of riding, but a minimum standard of visibility. Nice bite though.

 

[Origamist]

LOL, I'm not talking about your standard of riding, but a minimum standard of visibility. Nice bite though.

What's a minimum standard of visibility for a cyclist?

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

I always like to be making people think "what's that Christmas Tree doing moving about?" 'cos then they're possibly paying attention to you more than they might otherwise do and might therefore be more careful.

But, I still go with the assumption that they're used to seeing mobile Christmas Trees and / or just aren't paying attention or doing the old "letterbox frosty windscreen" trick. Or even plain don't much care about anyone other than themselves. You can't beat a bit of good old-fashioned paranoia .. especially as if the muppet inside ain't paying attention it doesn't matter how well lit up you are.

 

[mickle]

I will stick sh!tty needles in my eyes before I wear hi-viz on my bike. When I had a 60 watt halogen lightset on my bike dumbfcuks would still pull out. Because if they aren't looking they can't see you. I ride with no less than the minimum legal requirement of lights and reflectors and always assume that I'm invisible.
I really object to the idea that we cyclists should all wear hi-viz, yet again it puts the onus of care onto the vulnerable road users rather than those actually causing the danger. The answer to careless driving is not hi-viz it's a reduction in careless driving. Where is the evidence that hi-viz actually improves road safety?

And it washes out my complexion terribly.

 

[Graham O]

There is some evidence to suggest that we are all in "high vis yellow overload" and we no longer notice it as much as we used to do. So some organisations are now looking at high vis orange as a more noticeable colour. I saw someone this morning walking the dog in high vis orange and they really stood out. My next cycling jacket will be orange.

Interestingly, I normally commute in my yellow jacket, but last week I wore a darker jacket and although one day's evidence does make make a truism, I got the distinct impression that people did not see me until later than they normally would.

 

[hackbike 6]

Good for you lot.I will wear what works for me and I wont bang on about it every five minutes.

What's a minimum standard of visibility for a cyclist?

Wearing black esp at night with no lights in a darkened area.I know I nearly crashed into one of these clowns recently.

 

[Jake]

www.cyclingfluorescentchic.wordpress.com

 

[Graham O]

Good for you lot.I will wear what works for me and I wont bang on about it every five minutes.

That's a strange post. Why would you wish to post on a thread which obviously you are not interested in? Surely you just ignore any threads which don't interest you, don't you? I don't get your comment about people banging on about, presumably, high vis clothing. I don't see that many posts about it.

(Not trying to be contentious, just puzzled.)

 

[Maz]

What's a minimum standard of visibility for a cyclist?

Dunno, but 20/20 is the ideal...

 

[hackbike 6]

That's a strange post. Why would you wish to post on a thread which obviously you are not interested in? Surely you just ignore any threads which don't interest you, don't you? I don't get your comment about people banging on about, presumably, high vis clothing. I don't see that many posts about it.

(Not trying to be contentious, just puzzled.)

Good point,I think i lost the plot.Feel crap today and the commute in was crap also.I made that post before my commute.Just want to go home now.

 

[Graham O]

Good point,I think i lost the plot.Feel crap today and the commute in was crap also.I made that post before my commute.Just want to go home now.

As the boss, you have my permission to go home, put your feet up and read a good cycling mag.

 

[hackbike 6]

At Salisbury now.White knuckle ride back then onto the bike home.

 

[Mr Pig]

I really object that we cyclists should wear hi-viz, it puts the onus of care onto the vulnerable road users rather than those causing the danger.

Yes I know, but what can you do? You can try to change the rest of the world, or you can try to stay alive!

 

[theclaud]

Yes I know, but what can you do? You can try to change the rest of the world, or you can try to stay alive!

How about both?

But Mickle's point is that (in addition to looking like shite and making cyclists look like freaks), it is unlikely to save your life anyway. I'm going Ninja into the night...

 

[BentMikey]

Being seen isn't about HiViz, and it's not even really about being seen. Once you ride in a good road position, and have lights and std bike reflectors at night, drivers will see you just fine. What you're really worried about, is avoiding a collision, and hiviz won't avert that any more than the above will. We have two problems here, the first and most important being those drivers that did see us, and just pull out anyway because they don't care about a bloody cyclist. The second is that some drivers just don't look at all, but fortunately these are in the extreme minority. Drivers looking and then not seeing you just isn't a problem.