[PTRider]

It is hard to say. I think I get seen better wearing hi-viz, but I can't be sure. Even if the hi-viz increases the percentage of drivers who notice me from 50% to 51%, that ain't all bad. I prefer an orange hi-viz jacket in areas with a lot of greenery, and lime yellow in urban or brown country. The Class 3 with sleeves is even more visible than the usual Class 2 vest. I was driving early before sunrise recently near a rider with the reflective stripes on his vest, and he was easy to see.

 

[Banks C]

While the officer has a point. All you have to do is ask any policeman you know why someone gets a ticket and the answer boils down to (and I paraphrase); "because something made them standout". That can be speed, color, style of riding, horns or lights etc.

However, there is a reason that highway workers etc., all where "high visibility" vests, shirts or jackets. It makes them more visible.

If it just keeps one self-absorbed, cell phone using teen or one blue hair (which is rapidly coming to include me an others on this board from running into us it has been worth it.

YMMV and take free advise and thoughts for what you paid for them. But I have heard to many "... but officer I didn't even see him" to make me a bit more careful.

 

[PeteW]

It's not a magic shield for sure.

I wear a light coloured silver jacket - summer that's fine - heading into winter, not so good, I get a lot more drivers pulling out of driveways, lane changing on top of me and the like.

Put on the high vis and the near miss rate drops again - it doesn't drop to zero though . So - yes - it does make a difference - but guaranteed to save your life, no.

Pete

 

[Craig Jackman]

Every little bit helps ...

 

[V-Tom]

You might want to wade through this thread:

http://www.stromtrooper.com/dl650-2004-2011-[-wee-strom-]/69900-hi-vis-gear-ya-nay.html

..Tom

 

[Scott E. Bonds]

"His reasoning was that he can be just as conspicuous to other drivers by the way he rides, uses his body, his lights and horn."

Yeah, that makes sense, but you can do all that and still wear neon. There is a long thread on just this subject with very good info and lots of opinions.

I will never be convinced it makes you less safe....and neon is the new ADV rider segment's black leather. They will know you didn't ride in on a cruiser.

Neon every time, even if its a lightweight construction vest over my Tee shirt

 

[richw]

Mervin "don't be a jerk"

Why leave anything on the table ?

 

[Bugzy]

Do what makes you feel comfortable. If you feel safer in Hi-Vis then great. I like colors and reflective stuff. I believe it helps.

Dress like a cop and everyone will keep an eye on you. Get a modulator.

Ride safe always. Don't put yourself into dangerous positions, like blind spots, and choose your lane position carefully. Don't rush into intersections without looking, or pass dangerously.

Here is an interesting survey that was done in New Zealand on this subject.

Motorcycle rider conspicuity and crash related injury: case-control study | BMJ

 

[dunamis]

I appreciate all the feedback.

I took a look at the other thread about hi-vis and it certainly answered a lot of my questions ( thanks for that). Interesting stuff.

Cheers!

G


Sent from my Motorcycle iPhone app

 

[Bravo21]

The officer has a point but I think it's only part of the equation. All his tactics are important but why not use every tool possible? Ride conspicuously, wear hi-viz, have some reflectivity on your bike, AND assume that no one sees you...ever.

I wear a hi-viz jacket but I forget I have it on while I'm riding. I just assume the cages to my front, rear and sides are oblivious to my presence. IMO, if my hi-viz jacket causes even one self-absorbed driver to notice me, it was worth every penny. YMMV.

 

[Dirtroaddisciple]

I think "glowing" is good. I plan on purchasing a High viz DS hemet soon. My jacket has reflective striping and I have ran a modulator. When running the modulator I have had cars pull over for me.:thumbup:

 

[Iride]

I had a guy pull out in front of me and it was close,, You have to drive just like you are invisible,,,The guy said , (I did not see you)
My HIDS are not even on in this picture, but the upper LEDs flicker,
The lower (fork) 5watt LEDS blink off and on at a high rate of speed,,Total of 10 LED lights up front,
oh and I had my Hids on,,
I got the lower LEDs on the Vee but just could not find the picture.

Mike

 

[jokermtb]

There's no scientific proof that a day-glow orange jacket or helmet, or both, will make you stand out MORE. At first thought, you'd think it would. But, loud colors, and moreso, bold contrasting arrangements have been thought to have a CAMOUFLAGE effect - contrary to what one would expect. Take the "Dazzle Camouflage", used during WW1 to make it very difficult for submarines to gauge the speed and heading of ships...

Dazzle did not conceal the ship but made it difficult for the enemy to estimate its type, size, speed and heading. The idea was to disrupt the visual rangefinders used for naval artillery. Its purpose was confusion rather than concealment.[1] An observer would find it difficult to know exactly whether the stern or the bow is in view; and it would be equally difficult to estimate whether the observed vessel is moving towards or away from the observer's position

Dazzle camouflage - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It's even used on modern cars to confuse fellow motorists....

One could argue that moto pilots who bedazzle themselves with contrasting colors, high contrast graphics schemes are making it MORE difficult for motorists to ascertain their speed, course and heading....tiz possible....In an Urban/Suburban setting, with all the lights, signage, hustle and bustle of traffic, perhaps its the monochrome moto pilot that stands the best chance of being seen in such a "dazzling" riding environment....?

 

[Scott E. Bonds]

The first thing I saw in the pic above was the yellow square and the red square outline on the marquis.


Nuff said.

 

[SittingDuck]

The first thing I saw in the pic above was the yellow square and the red square outline on the marquis.

How do you know those are the first things you saw? Were you wearing an eye-tracker when you first looked at the picture?
I don't think 'nuff was said; your anecdotal post-hoc comment is not evidence for anything else than the fact that people are poor observers of their own behaviour and generally biased.
To be able to conclude anything, you'd have to put at least 30 people in front of that pic and track their eyes; my experience with this sort of thing leads me to guess that the first fixation would be on the white square in centre building, followed by the guy at the bottom right looking straight at the camera and grinning. There will always be exceptions, but that's how the majority of the people would start scanning that picture. The yellow and red squares are very close to the top of the list, but only if the subjects were somehow primed with somethign to do with colour. If you tell people a story about a streetfight or a purse-snatching before showing them the picture, they will spend most of their time looking at the people and completely ignore the red and yellow squares. If you do not prime the test subjects in any way, they will spend more time looking at the people than anything else and look at them first (unless the test subject is autistic of course, then they might look at the yellow and red squares first, followed by all the green squares).


That boat picture is pretty good; even after looking at it hard I can't tell if it's one boat or two boats, nor where it begins or ends.


To glow or not to glow?

When the background glows, don't; when it doesn't, do.

 

[Voltar]

I don't ride in high vis gear, but changed my opinion on it's effectiveness a few years ago. A buddy of mine that I had been riding with for many years always wore a white helmet. White helmet; no big deal.

On morning he showed up with a high vis vest pulled over his jacket. White helmet + high vis vest seemed to equal "I'm a motor-cop" and people damn sure noticed him. Many even pull over just to let him pass.

It is really quite amazing to see this transformation.

 

[richw]

I painted 1/2 my new shoei flourescent pink in the back with reflective eyes.

Also I believe the LEO/s will be more gracious vs a power ranger

 

[deerchser]

When I first started riding my jacket was grey and black. There was a number of times when someone would pull out in front of me or start to pull out before they saw me. The first time I wore my hi-viz I could tell that people could see me better and most seemed to make "eye contact" with me and the number of morons pulling out decreased by a good amount. Yeah, It still happens but you cant fix stupid by wearing a coat.

 

[gryphon51]

here we go again.....

Hey Everyone,

I am a relatively new rider and I always abide to the master rule - ATGATT (armoured). In all honesty, I can't imagine anything else as that has been my habit since the beginning.:thumbsup:

I also wear a high visibility ICON jacket over the top of my riding jacket.

Here's my question...
Obviously it is a good idea to be as conspicuous as possible by 'glowing' as you ride but have any of you actually perceived / experienced a difference in the way drivers treat you when you do wear a High Vis jacket compared to when you don't?

Is it OBVIOUS to you that it makes a difference or do you wear it because you THINK it makes sense?

I spoke to an ex-police rider (who also instructs) who doesn't wear one anymore. His reasoning was that he can be just as conspicuous to other drivers by the way he rides, uses his body, his lights and horn.

I am really interested in your thoughts even though, TBH - I will continue to ride with mine!:thumbsup:

Cheers!

Glen

This topic is as contentious as Oil, tires, and windshield threads


what's your favourite colour??? go with that.... :thumbup: there is as many opinions as there are people on here, personally I am with the ex-police rider / instructor.....

high vis gear makes you look like a road pylon..... road pylons get run over all the time by people staring at the bright colours and trying not to hit what they are looking right at...