Hi-Vis OR Lights

[marinyork]

Depends on the roads you ride, on the unlit country roads i use when it is completely pitch black in winter the reflectives stand out a lot even with good lights.
Combining reflectives with good rear lights to present a large "target" of emitted and reflected light to make other road users aware of you is my main concern, all of your photos as far as i can see were from the front of the bike rather than testing reflectives with rear lights from another road users perspective.

I don't think anyone is denying they work well in clean light conditions. Or that rears sometimes work better with hi-viz.

 

[cyberknight]

I don't think anyone is denying they work well in clean light conditions. Or that rears sometimes work better with hi-viz.

Its ok BM kinda misquoted me i felt , saying that you may as well not wear hi viz when i was trying to point out that i think you should try to have all 3 rather than just relying on good lights because they hide reflectives in the situations he described.

 

[BentMikey]

No, no, even in the complete dark those lights will still completely hide reflectives behind them, and the situations shown in the photos cover most of the visibility needs of riding at night.

I don't mind if you want to wear hiviz, but remember, it's not a legal requirement for good reasons. It's not required because lights and on-bike reflectors are far more than enough. It's time people stop thinking of hiviz as anything more than a rabbit's foot to stroke lovingly in the vain hopes it'll save you a collision.

 

[BentMikey]

p.s. I didn't bother to do rear light comparisons, but I feel quite sure that the result would be the same.

If you have somewhat older or weaker LED lights, then the reflectives might become visible again, but I don't choose to ride with lights like that.

 

[cyberknight]

I have 3 smart super flashes .

The point was that you are saying that you need not bother wearing reflectives, if your lights blank them out .

Surely it is best to make yourself as visible as possible for all eventualities rather than relying on one method ?

 

[BentMikey]

You have three smart super flashers, and you want to make yourself more visible? :shakes head:

 

[cyberknight]

You have three smart super flashers, and you want to make yourself more visible? :shakes head:

lol

When cars are doing 60-70 mph past you then you want to make yourself stand out as much as possible

 

[BentMikey]

Are you not afraid of becoming a victim of target fixation?

It's not as though you can tow a huge hydraulic crash bumper along behind you like the highway maintenance vehicles carrying mobile lit signs, for example.

 

[marinyork]

No, no, even in the complete dark those lights will still completely hide reflectives behind them, and the situations shown in the photos cover most of the visibility needs of riding at night.

On the rear they won't completely hide reflectives at all (unless you're using a dinotte). Usually people have lights on the front that are much more likely to drown out the hi viz than on the rear. It's really the same principle as really a driver should even be able to spot a ninja from behind (in theory).

 

[cyberknight]

Are you not afraid of becoming a victim of target fixation?

It's not as though you can tow a huge hydraulic crash bumper along behind you like the highway maintenance vehicles carrying mobile lit signs, for example.

Give them as much opportunity as you can to see you is my way of looking at it .If you end up being hit and you are in court then do you think you will fair better if you have taken all the precautions you can or would you rely on the Judge saying " Oh well he had good lights ..."

All i know is that at night i do not get close passes so something must be working

 

[gaz]

All i know is that at night i do not get close passes so something must be working

does that mean that Hiviz doesn't work during the day?

 

[cyberknight]

Did i say that?

All i said was that a combination of hi-viz , reflective and lights is the way i have found to address visibility in the dark.

I think we are straying to far from the OP .

And according to studies hi - viz does not work in the day as drivers are so used to seeing them on builders, cyclists, etc etc that it gets blanked out .......

 

[classic33]

Are you not afraid of becoming a victim of target fixation?

It's not as though you can tow a huge hydraulic crash bumper along behind you like the highway maintenance vehicles carrying mobile lit signs, for example.

Going off topic slightly, but when returning a set of traffic lights, abandoned, found at the roadside driver of following vehicle never saw the red light. Nor me for that matter on the brox.

Back on subject.
There are arguments for both sides. However I thought I'd ask the question simply because the person in question seems to have a preference for a hi-vis vest rather than lights, when cycling at night. Good to see that no-one else has come out on the hi-vis only side.

 

[gaz]

Did i say that?

All i said was that a combination of hi-viz , reflective and lights is the way i have found to address visibility in the dark.

I think we are straying to far from the OP .

And according to studies hi - viz does not work in the day as drivers are so used to seeing them on builders, cyclists, etc etc that it gets blanked out .......

Lol no, it was meant to be a joke but I left a smiley out

 

[HLaB]

Slightly OT, has there been any reports to what effect (if any) the French laws on Hi Viz are having? I believe in France now if you are outside an urban area in the dark the cyclist has to wear hi viz.