hi-viz gone mad....

[gaz]

http://road.cc/content/news/57417-uk-brand-li-co-launch-visijax-motion-activated-electronic-jacket

Cambridge-based Li & Co have launched a new electronic cycling jacket that senses when you move your arm to indicate and flashes amber lights automatically to alert other road users.
The new Visijak jacket incorporates a total of 23 high-intensity LEDs and the indicator lights use what the manufacturer describes as an Intelligent Motion-Activated Signalling System (iMASS).
Motion detectors sense the movement when you raise your arm to indicate a turning and automatically turn on the appropriate amber signal. The flashing signal remains on for around 5secs after you’ve put your arm down to allow sufficient time for a safe turning.

 

[musa]

oh no you've started..its what I see as exploitation and manipulation why?

Well, safety sells innit simple as that it's money

 

[fossyant]

Oh great. The lass looks a right plum !

 

[ohnovino]

Not something I'll be buying, but when it was featured on "Click" (the BBC's tech show) I thought it had a couple of neat features.

It's powered by a surprisingly small battery pack that's easy to remove, and charges through USB. This means it could be useful as a backup light system that you'd never forget to bring to work. Also it's not crazily priced; the reporter said it's around the same price as any other waterproof & breathable jacket.

Still a bit of a mad idea though...

 

[Melonfish]

i like it, interesting to see how much they end up being, anything that improves cyclist visibility is good in my book.

 

[GrasB]

Except the problem is people not looking, not visibility. For most cyclists with a reasonable set of lights (~0.5w worth of LEDs at the front & back with properly charged batteries) night time visibility is fine, during the day with brighter coloured clothing without resorting to high-vis is perfectly adequate for someone seeing a cyclist 1km away.

 

[ianrauk]

Except the problem is people not looking, not visibility. For most cyclists with a reasonable set of lights (~0.5w worth of LEDs at the front & back with properly charged batteries) night time visibility is fine, during the day with brighter coloured clothing without resorting to high-vis is perfectly adequate for someone seeing a cyclist 1km away.

Exactly... and Hi-Viz just looks the same washed out colour as normal colours at night under street lighting. That and in the words of Greg. 'Hi-Viz doth offend mine eye'

 

[benb]

I often wear dark colours because, well, black looks cool. I think a solid black block should be easy to spot in daylight (are black cars hit proportionately more often than yellow ones). My jacket is bright red though, but haven't needed it for a few days.

On all except bright days I have lights, no matter whether it's dark or not.

I don't mind high-vis, but I don't really think it makes you any more likely to be seen. Any driver looking properly (given the lights as already discussed) will see you whether you're wearing it or not. Any driver not looking properly won't see you whether you're wearing it or not.

Kind of like helmets - wear it if you want, but don't expect it to significantly increase your safety.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Well I'll say it anyway....

Hi-viz doth offend mine eye.

If they ain't looking they ain't going to see you. If they are, they will.

 

[BentMikey]

Still remember LeeW's Quest that some woman in a 4x4 pulled out on. A large refrigerator sized piece of hiviz. Bet her insurance company coughed smoke when they saw how much the Quest was going to cost them, LOL.

 

[growingvegetables]

Hmmm - I have my very own "Intelligent Motion-Activated Signalling System (iMASS)". Can I get a patent on the use of two fingers?

 

[sidevalve]

The trouble with wether hi viz gets you seen or not is that there is and can never be any proof either way, after all there is no record of accidents that don't happen ! Anyway if you want to wear it, wear it, if it offends someone else well that's their problem.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Hi-vis is so commonplace nowadays that it is disregarded to the extent of uselessness. Someone robbed an auction room near me a few weeks ago, relieving it of over £300,000 worth of jewellery. What was he wearing to go unnoticed in his approach and escape? Yep, a hi-vis jacket.

It's modern-day urban camouflage.

GC

 

[machew]

Hi-vis is so commonplace nowadays that it is disregarded to the extent of uselessness. Someone robbed an auction room near me a few weeks ago, relieving it of over £300,000 worth of jewellery. What was he wearing to go unnoticed in his approach and escape? Yep, a hi-vis jacket.

It's modern-day urban camouflage.

GC

Banksy has been quoted in saying, if you want to paint any wall wear hi-vis, have heart FM on the radio, a red top newspaper on the dashboard of you white van and if any one talks to you complain about your hourly rate or rant about them "Coming over here and doing our Jobs"

 

[GrumpyGregry]

The trouble with wether hi viz gets you seen or not is that there is and can never be any proof either way, after all there is no record of accidents that don't happen ! Anyway if you want to wear it, wear it, if it offends someone else well that's their problem.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I keep not having RTA's involving other vehicles when not wearing hi-viz. Life's a bummer.