Reflective Clothing Psychology - Your Thoughts...

[ebikeerwidnes]

I was looking at my bike yesterday and I think I will be getting some reflective tape for the mudguard and a few other places
Might stick a few bits on my helmet as well - and shoes if it will stick and stay there

Is there any research as to what colour is best??

 

[matticus]

I like to obsessively look back over my shoulder when I hear a car approaching from behind. A human face seems to be pretty effective at catching the driver's attention against the backdrop of cars and roads.

People look out for cyclists looking over their shoulders, as they anticipate you may be wanting to change direction.

I think there's truth in both these - and it may be down to subconscious thinking/behaviour:
- maybe we react more strongly to a human face than anything else (except perhaps predators!); more than trees, signs, brake lights ...
- maybe we read the look over the shoulder instinctively, as another human who is about to do something, or just a human that plans to interact with us in some way.

Whatever: I don't know if there's any science in this, but it is supported by own experience

 

[Blue Hills]

yep - human contact - I quite often look at drivers maybe thinking of coming out of a side road, look them in the eye and shake my head.

 

[T4tomo]

Well it's not the opposite, is it??

Perhaps we'll have to agree to disagree on this one. Some of us will no doubt continue to wave our arms around, and I doubt that many catastrophes will result 👍

Indeed, when I occasionally cock my hand from the wrist a bit in the turning right position, to make it more visisble. Hopefully conforms with teh pedants view of what is a turn signal

 

[Hover Fly]

Did the driver get prosecuted for defective lighting as well as careless or dangerous driving?

Was that far back I can’t remember, it was of those country tweed wearing types that got run over and the driver was a nurse on the way to work and from all accounts went to pieces over it.

 

[classic33]

I was looking at my bike yesterday and I think I will be getting some reflective tape for the mudguard and a few other places
Might stick a few bits on my helmet as well - and shoes if it will stick and stay there

Is there any research as to what colour is best??

Legal requirements would come before colour, when attaching to the bike.

 

[cougie uk]

Legal requirements would come before colour, when attaching to the bike.

What legal requirements for reflective tape is there ?

I've never heard of any.

Personally I'd rather be visible than 'legal'.

White reflectives are the brightest and as we've said - put it on the moving parts. Pedals, cranks, legs etc. Wheels for side on vision.

 

[Alex321]

What legal requirements for reflective tape is there ?

I've never heard of any.

Personally I'd rather be visible than 'legal'.

White reflectives are the brightest and as we've said - put it on the moving parts. Pedals, cranks, legs etc. Wheels for side on vision.

On bicycles, it is illegal to have any colour lamp or reflector other than red to the rear, with the exception of pedal reflectors which should be amber.

There is a legal requirement for rear reflectors on bikes to be fitted, red, and carry an appropriate approval mark, so nothing you can add as reflective tape will meet that requirement, but if it is red, then it won't be illegal in itself, it just won't make the bike legal.

Any front reflectors must be white, and any side reflectors must be amber to comply with the law.

 

[freiston]

What legal requirements for reflective tape is there ?

I've never heard of any.

Personally I'd rather be visible than 'legal'.

White reflectives are the brightest and as we've said - put it on the moving parts. Pedals, cranks, legs etc. Wheels for side on vision.

If I've got the current regulations (The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 No.1796 PART II Regulation 11) right and I'm understanding them correctly, then such reflective tape (when ancillary to rather than in place of obligatory lights and reflectors) is excepted from the requirement to show red at the back (and not show red at the front) but only if it is designed primarily to reflect light to one or both sides of the vehicle - so if it is designed to primarily reflect light to the front or the rear, it would not be explicitly excepted:

(1) No vehicle shall be fitted with a lamp which is capable of showing a red light to the front, except–

(c)retro reflective material or a retro reflector designed primarily to reflect light to one or both sides of the vehicle and attached to or incorporated in any wheel or tyre of–​

​

(i)a pedal cycle and any sidecar attached to it;​

(2) No vehicle shall be fitted with a lamp which is capable of showing any light to the rear, other than a red light, except–

(q)reflected light of any colour from retro reflective material or a retro reflector designed primarily to reflect light to one or both sides of the vehicle and attached to or incorporated in any wheel or tyre of–​

​

(i)a pedal cycle and any sidecar attached to it;​

​

EDIT:- On reading that again, the exception only applies if the reflective material is attached to or incorporated into the wheel or tyre, in which case all reflective tape attached to the bike should be red to the rear and white to the front, in my understanding of it.

 

[Alex321]

If I've got the current regulations (The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 No.1796 PART II Regulation 11) right and I'm understanding them correctly, then such reflective tape (when ancillary to rather than in place of obligatory lights and reflectors) is excepted from the requirement to show red at the back (and not show red at the front) but only if it is designed primarily to reflect light to one or both sides of the vehicle - so if it is designed to primarily reflect light to the front or the rear, it would not be explicitly excepted:

​

EDIT:- On reading that again, the exception only applies if the reflective material is attached to or incorporated into the wheel or tyre, in which case all reflective tape attached to the bike should be red to the rear and white to the front, in my understanding of it.

Yep. That is how I understand it too. I think that exception is there so that if you turn the wheel so the side of it can be seen from the rear and/or front, it doesn't suddenly become illegal for being amber. Any other side reflectors should never be visible from front or rear.

 

[sasquath]

Yep. That is how I understand it too. I think that exception is there so that if you turn the wheel so the side of it can be seen from the rear and/or front, it doesn't suddenly become illegal for being amber. Any other side reflectors should never be visible from front or rear.

Are white reflective stripes on marathon tyres illegal then? Being white.

 

[freiston]

Are white reflective stripes on marathon tyres illegal then? Being white.

No, because they are explicitly excepted as per the regulation above:
(edited to read) "No vehicle shall be fitted with a lamp which is capable of showing any light to the rear, other than a red light, except– reflected light of any colour from retro reflective material or a retro reflector designed primarily to reflect light to one or both sides of the vehicle and attached to or incorporated in any wheel or tyre of a pedal cycle"

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

MY CGR commuter/do it all, has;
- 4 x lights on the bars, 4 x on the rear (2 x seat-pin, 2 x seat-stays)
front & rear reflectors
- Reflective mud-flaps (f & r) coated with the same finish/reflectivity of the stripes of a hi-viz coat
- Schwalbe Marathons, with reflective sidewalls
- Spoke reflectors
- various blue & yellow bands on the frame (& some on my helmet too)
- 'snappies' used (ankle & wrists)

Once the clocks go back, & I'm finishing at 17:00, or 18:00, the '360' jacket will come out again
By that, I mean a fully coated jacket, mine's a Boardman, but it's the same coating as the Proviz items

Nice. low down reflective surface - the first thing a vehicle headlight catches, & they 'flash;, due to movement

And still I get cut up/close-passes/chumps who have GOT to be on that roundbout as I'm going round it

 

[Alex321]

Are white reflective stripes on marathon tyres illegal then? Being white.

I was wrong about side reflectors on a bike being required to be amber. They can be any colour.

They have to be amber on anything other than pedal cycles, motor bikes or invalid carriages.

 

[Biker man]

So 0

As the night closes in sooner every passing day, the leaves are falling and the freaky night cyclists emerge from the depths (me included!)...

What are the current thoughts on reflective clothing?

Based on a lot of evidence, studies and other people's viewpoints I am inclined to believe the following...

- Yellow High Viz is so overused these days that people are basically mentally blanking it out
- From riding motorcycles and cycles for many years I am of the opinion that you could be wearing a full size Mr Blobby outfit, and if they ain't gonna see you, they ain't gonna see you.
- Movement reflectives (Pedals / leg bands) may help the issue
- ProVis is excellent but like riding in a binbag in terms of sweating
- Lights lights lights (I ride with lights even in the daytime as they are hard wired in anyway)

Now I will sit back and wait for you all to tell me how wrong I am

I won't say you are wrong but I think anything that helps you to stay safe gets my vote .If you were not wearing hi viz and you did have a accident the insurance company would pick up on it.