Reflective Paint

[magnatom]

That's good enough for me, because my impression is that hiviz is at least an order of magnitude less noticeable and visible than bright cycle lights.

Please do me a favour though, just take some time to watch other cyclists with hiviz jackets at night, and then post back here. I find I'm only able to see the reflective parts of their jackets at night, and then only if my lights are pointing at them.

Absolutely in the vast majority of circumstances. But there could be situations (some of them possibly dangerous) where a bright jacket might just make the difference. I'd rather look a bit daft and avoid an accident, than look trendy under a bendy! (Damn that's a good end to that sentence! )

I will look. Uncle Phil may have a point, although in my situation it may be the lights that are at issue. A lot of my commute is under white lighting, rather than the sodium yellow lights. Maybe that makes a difference. Although as the light fades and there are no streetlights on at all I am sure that a bright yellow jacket is more visible than gray.

An interesting discussion anyway Mike. I'd like to disagree with you more as you are a good chap to have a discussion with (although everyone else is probably bored to death!)

 

[BentMikey]

Uncle Phil, my commute is partly rural, and partly London central as I live in Biggin Hill. My A road is not quite as extreme as yours though.

 

[gambatte]

An interesting discussion anyway Mike. I'd like to disagree with you more as you are a good chap to have a discussion with (although everyone else is probably bored to death!)

ZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzz.........

 

[magnatom]

ZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzz.........

Hey, maybe we could bottle it and sell it.

The ULTIMATE cure for insomia: A discussion about hi-vis clothing
Ingredients: Bentmikey, Magnatom, and a pinch of Dom (just to spice things up!)

 

[gambatte]

Who'd be the one pinching Dom??

 

[magnatom]

Who'd be the one pinching Dom??

I think sometimes he needs to pinch himself....

 

[domtyler]

A good point by Mr Phil, I am only really thinking in terms of (sub) Urban and Extra Urban. If I were spending time cycling on very fast A roads every day I may introduce more fluorescent items to my cycling wardrobe. Although I have to say I would never get one of those awful vests.

Reflective stuff I have plenty of, it is on my Ortlieb panniers, my bib-longs, my gloves, my hat, my overshoes, my shoes, etc. I know for a fact that this stuff is picked out really well from a long way away in the car headlights. I saw someone on a bike as I was driving over the weekend and it enabled me to prepare to safely overtake him from a long way back. As someone who likes to go out of their way to be considerate to cyclists I found it helped me to do this.

 

[Iceniner]

Slightly off topic with this but i was out cycling today and was coming up to a road that leads to an underpass where people walk and cyclists go. I came over a hill (some what cautiously like normaly as its pretty blind) and i was greated by a sea of hi-viz yellow! My gosh that stuff hit me!

there were about 20 odd cyclists stopped in the shelter of this underpass covering the entire width of this road!!! It was quite amusing when i came over with my friend behind me as they all scrambled like mice to move themselves and their bikes B)

Whilst i saw the high viz, that much was a little distracting and hard for me to pick up a safe route as all i could see was yellow!

I love my trusty disc brakes!

 

[magnatom]

Any idea why they were there Iceniner.

Not wanting to drag the whole discussion up again, (but it probably will). I have been actively looking at the difference in visibility of cyclists wearing bright coloured jackets and those wearing dark coloured jackets. IMO the hi-vis cyclists are far easier to see than the non-hi-viz cyclists.

Obviously lighting is the most important aid to visibility however the choice of jacket does make a difference. This was most notable when the cyclists lights were in my opinion in-adequate.

One chap (who was clad in a dark top) was difficult to see. He had a front flasher, but it was one of those yellow, not particularly bright flashers. He was coming towards me and I was not sure at first if the flashing was a light on a bike or just reflections of street lighting off of car mirrors/ windows/ etc. I am certain that this chap would have been significantly more visible if he had a yellow jacket on. Of course a better light would be a much better initial investment, but I think for best visibility the combination is best.

I should point out the above cyclist was cycling under street lighting (although not the brightest) and the lighting was yellow sodium.

Just my 2p worth.

 

[Iceniner]

It seemed like one person there was an instructor or something he was talking to the entire group. If it was a cycling course it was a tad silly to have stopped covering the entire lane!

I wasnt wearing a high viz jacket, but i did have all my lights and helmet light on. There seemed to be half of Cardiff out on their bikes today, the route i was cycling which, is normally quiet was pretty packed!

Out of the people i have seen cycling i have noticed their high viz and its helped me personally, to see them. As im new to cycling im still developing my observation skills to extend to places that i wouldnt have looked at before.

On another note i tend to notice people with red helmets before i notice their high viz jacket if they are wearing one during the day. Is this just me?

 

[515mm]

must be all that cold weather we've bin having

 

[magnatom]

must be all that cold weather we've bin having

B)

 

[515mm]

On a more serious note, I have only one piece of flouro clothing, my (excellent) montaine stormrider waterproof jacket. Why did I buy it? I noticed that in the rain, in my car, during daylight but especially dawn/dusk, my vision is considerably reduced. Therefore, I reasoned that when I'm on my bike, in similar conditions, I am less visible to everyone else. Back in the Summer, I spotted a cyclist in a fluro yellow jersey from about three quarters of a mile away whilst I was driving us back to Llanelli from Brechfa forest. It was about 7:30 in the evening and I couldn't believe how far away he was when I first saw him.

It convinced me (and Mrs515mm) I can only speak from personal experience. Oh and I have the brightest fekk off lights that I could find and afford.

 

[Wolf04]

I see what you're saying, but I really doubt the hiviz will have any effect in that situation. Even if it causes a second thought and I really doubt it will, the driver will already have gone and or assumed you're a workman. I think road position will have one or two orders of magnitude more effect than hiviz. You need to be inside the drivers' narrow field of vision where very little is missed. Outside that tunnel, and you could be a bus for all the difference it will make.

On the lights and looking like a vehicle, I don't understand your point, there's no disadvantage shown.

My feeling on Hi-Viz/reflective clothing is this, it doesn't protect you against other road users who are not looking. It does however make you more visible to those trying to drive safely. I remember an incident last autumn when I was on my normal commute, on a long stretch of residential road I could see another cyclist a few hundred yards ahead, their fluorescent yellow jacket standing out against the grey background. When I eventually caught up I was surprised to discover there were two cyclists, the other not wearing hi-viz. Is this conclusive evidence? Of course not, but its good enough for me to wear a hi-viz waistcoat as well as good lights and tyreflies to aid with visibility.
Pete

 

[BentMikey]

Is there any point in seeing a cyclist from 3/4 of a mile away? Very little I think.