Is black cycling gear dangerous?

[psmiffy]

In the New Forest they are campaigning for the Ponies to wear HiViz... you could not make it up!

Any good reasons for the ponies not to wear hi-viz - it is well proven that hi-viz reduces fatalities in quadrupeds

 

[PK99]

In the New Forest they are campaigning for the Ponies to wear HiViz... you could not make it up!

you mean reflective neck collars to make the pony visible on unlit roads at night? = http://www.new-forest-national-park.com/new-forest-roads.html

 

[Recycler]

Trees, walls and street furniture don't have hi-viz, yet most people manage to not hit them.

Ahem!
In 2009 there were 2268 hospital admission of cyclists who had been injured in accidents with cars. In the same period there were 4682 admissions of cyclist who had been injured in accidents which involved no vehicles. ( Source: Table 6a; DfT Reported Road Casualties Great britain 2009. Office of National Statistics)

(As an aside; for some reason the figures also seem to indicate that if a cyclist comes off his bike on his own, then he is less likely to call plod!)

Nobody is saying that Hi Viz is needed on trees and walls, but the figures indicate that, as cyclists, we aren't always doing ourselves a favour.

 

[Recycler]

Any good reasons for the ponies not to wear hi-viz - it is well proven that hi-viz reduces fatalities in quadrupeds

Yes, it's worked for Cats for years.
The first use of Hi Viz was named after mogy's eyes!

 

[ufkacbln]

Of course there is always the local experience......

Gosport has a fairly high cycling rate (used the be the third highest in the UK )

Yet we do not have the highest accident rate, despite a late part of the population cycling in camouflage!

 

[PK99]

Of course there is always the local experience......

Gosport has a fairly high cycling rate (used the be the third highest in the UK )

Yet we do not have the highest accident rate, despite a late part of the population cycling in camouflage!

as oft used in a different cycling debate : Anecdote is not evidence

 

[Recycler]

as oft used in a different cycling debate : Anecdote is not evidence

Yup! We've gone a full circle.

Anecdata is simply not evidence in any form.

I'm going for a ride!

 

[MacB]

I drive to and from work in daylight and dark and i see many cyclists wearing black. Some even have no, or poor lights and some don't have any reflection on their clothing.

While I'll concede that poor/absent lighting is unwise I'm unsure as to what your overall issue is here.

If you're able to see the cyclists well enough to complain about them then you can see them well enough to not hit them.

 

[PK99]

While I'll concede that poor/absent lighting is unwise I'm unsure as to what your overall issue is here.

If you're able to see the cyclists well enough to complain about them then you can see them well enough to not hit them.

he has seen some of the ninja cyclists but no one knows if he has seen them all

 

[MacB]

he has seen some of the ninja cyclists but no one knows if he has seen them all

It is bizarre as broken down this argument can amount to:-

the rest of the world needs to follow a strict code of behaviour at all times so that I can drive with as little attention as possible

 

[ufkacbln]

as oft used in a different cycling debate : Anecdote is not evidence

In which case the post has achieved it's purpose.

We can dismiss all the anecdotes?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I think this is unhelpfully harsh towards the cyclists it would affect. Many are quite attached to their cycles and would resent having them confiscated.

In a word; tough.

If operators can't operate their equipment safely in a public space then the powers that be should take it off 'em.

 

[mickle]

You never see dutch or german cyclists in hiviz.

 

[Boris Bajic]

You never see dutch or german cyclists in hiviz.

No... you just never see Dutch or German cyclists.

How can you? They're not wearing Hi-Viz!

Do you see what I did there?

Sorry.... I'll just leave.

 

[mickle]

Earlier the strap of my Birkenstocks caught on the ankle loop of my winter leggings which are stored under the bed, nearly tripping me. I might easily have smashed my brains out on the bedstead. And died.

The colour of my leggings?

Yes, you guessed it,

Black.