Does high viz make you safer?

[voyager]

Just had a look on ebay for LED strip lights with double sided tape its about £5 for 150 leds per length
( 5m ) after reading about these Jackets under development that are visible for a mile
they use leds built in over reflective strip ,This provides light for the coat to be visible even when there is no reflected light .

With 3 lengths and 3 colours ( red rear , white front and yellow for the sides ) your bike would stand out also they could be used on a reflective strip sewn onto a jacket and connected via a coxial plug


Even with all that ( drawing over 2 Amps on 12 volts with 3 meters used , A 5ah 3s lipo would give you over 2 hours running )

BUT and there is always a BUT

if the motorist isn't looking or has been distracted , YOU ARE STILL IN TROUBLE

regard emma

 

[winjim]

BUT and there is always a BUT

if the motorist isn't looking or has been distracted , YOU ARE STILL IN TROUBLE

regard emma

I find bright flashing bike lights distracting.

 

[classic33]

I find bright flashing bike lights distracting.

But you notice them!

 

[clid61]

I ride showing confidence and competence, and keep a good sense of my surroundings . I interact with fellow road users where necessary be they in cars buses wagons,

Common sense really is all that's needed , and a set of lights

 

[steveindenmark]

I also find reflectors are a cheap and easy way to make you more visible. I ride with Ortleib rear panniers on all the time and you can see their reflective patches from a long way. I added a triangulær reflector which I found in a box this week and then attached the rear light to the reflector. It works well.



We bought some lights that fit over our valve stems last year. You just screw them on an leave them and they come on when the wheel turns. They were very cheap but are still going strong and are effective. They will go back on in the weekend.



This is what it looks like when the wheel turns.

 

[Tin Pot]

Next time you go to the supermarket... will you wear HiViz as you cross the car park?

Tee Supermarket will have a formal risk assessment that says their employees are at risk from muppet drivers and should wear HiViz so that the increased visibility will decrease this risk

Yet the averarge customer ambles across this danger area without such HiViz


http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/VIDEO-P ... story.html


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-de ... e-28153128

http://news.sky.com/story/1130017/boy-9 ... t-car-park

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/111 ... permarket/


Surely this anecdata justifies insisting all supermarket customers wear HiViz?

I know it's not the first time this point has been made, but it's a good one.

People are naturally bad at risk assessment.

Really bad. Intuition still takes precedence hundreds of years after the Age of Reason.

Maybe if I get some time this weekend I'll put together a formal risk assessment.

 

[Tin Pot]

Common sense really is all that's needed , and a set of lights

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." - Albert Einstein

 

[clid61]

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." - Albert Einstein

Did young Albert wear Hi Viz ?

 

[Tin Pot]

Did young Albert wear Hi Viz ?

There's a Viz comic related joke in there somewhere...

 

[clid61]

There's a Viz comic related joke in there somewhere...

A hi Viz prince Albert maybe for Buster ?

 

[clid61]

@Tin Pot your quote is needed here http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/common-sense-and-education.167766/

 

[winjim]

But you notice them!

I notice them. What do I not notice due to being distracted.?

 

[ufkacbln]

Sorry to go even further off topic, but you can get HiViz condoms

Made funny / famous / infamous by Blake Edwards in the film Skin Deep
The film has a "U" certificate I have posted the link

 

[winjim]

Sorry to go even further off topic, but you can get HiViz condoms

But do they make sex any safer? Somebody needs to design a study - there could be a PhD in it.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

Unfortunately NOTHING will protect you from the motorist that is texting or talking on his mobile phone ,
regards emma

This.

Happened to me this week. Going down the road on the cycle section, with the solid white line to my right. Cars slow down I keep going and filter on the inside.
No junctions or nothing, car in front is a bit close but I am aware of that, as I pass, the motorists starts to drift into cycle lane with me next to said car.
Looked over, the lady is tying to text, looking down and drifting.

Always be on the look out cause some people have no idea what is possible with a car.