Hi Vis Clothing - do you use it?
Do you wear Hi Vis (High Visibility) clothing or adornments?
Personally I'm a big fan of High Visibility clothing when cycling and never go anywhere without a bright coloured top, usually with reflective panels or stripes.
If I’m riding somewhere and don’t wish to stand out when I get there, I’ll slip on my fluorescent Hi Vis wait coat – easily folds to nothing and sits inside my helmet when I arrive.
I just figure that the more visible I am, the more easily I can be seen and the safer I’ll be.
I always feel somewhat puzzled though when I see people that look like they are trying to make themselves invisible to drivers.
Case example being - when driving into the Central Market around sunset last night I saw a man with a black bike, black pants, grey top and black and grey backpack. Perfectly colour coordinated but at dusk, on a grey road he was almost impossible to see. No lights or fluorescent straps to help him be seen in the peak hour traffic.
At night I see some people riding with great headlights and flashing rear lights and feel quite envious of these safety features. I don’t ride at night because lights of this quality (while I’m sure they are good value for money) are not cheap and I wouldn’t feel safe enough with something more affordable.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Paul on -
similar experience with brightly colored full length Lycra + flashing lights from a/hole2brkfst, between hawthorndene and Vic drive.
Friday evening had two fwit P plate drivers doing near double speed limit up Belair rd past windy point. too fast to pick up rego!!
reason I'm still here is I heard them coming, pulled bike over to roadside and clung to rail.
don't think e helmet cam would have been able to catch them, but as soon as I can afford one I will be posting every such event on YouTube and to local police station.
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Permalink Reply by Jilden on -
Yellow hi-vis is probably better than dull colours, but will only make a small difference overall, especially around the city. People tend to ignore it as it has become so common. Reflectors too aren't visible unless hit by high beams, or you're about to be run over. Now if only cyclists were allowed to wear blue flashing lights...(and book motorists!)
BTW I usually wear bright red, orange or yellow tops/vests for cycling. I figure every little bit helps but nothing beats being away from traffic overall.
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Permalink Reply by Bicycle Fish on -
"...Yellow hi-vis is probably better than dull colours, but will only make a small difference overall, especially around the city..." I wonder if there is any objective evidence for this "..small difference..", which is certainly at odds with simple observation, and intuition, which would suggest a difference that's significant. In any case, isn't even a small difference worth pursuing ? We seek to make "small" improvements in many other areas of society, why should cycling be any different ? Can someone explain the resistance to practical visibility so evident in this thread ? Is it something to do with having to take just some of the responsibility for our own safety that we currently seek to shift onto a demonised "motorist"..?
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Permalink Reply by Jilden on
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Indeed, careful observation of cyclists in everyday conditions leads me to state that I don't miss seeing cyclists who may be wearing dark colours. It's movement against the background that does it. Contrasting colours certainly help somewhat as I said, but are not the be-all and end-all of being seen. Bright lights are better at advertising your presence, but not being in front of an effectively "blind" driver is the hands down winner at not being hit. If only 0.01% of motorists are totally incompetent, riding out of traffic is the best way of avoiding an impact. Ride on main roads and the odds are you will be hit one day no matter how many hi vis bits you are wearing.
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Permalink Reply by heather on -
If driver has the vehicle lights on, should be able to see at night pedestrians who are not wearing hi vis clothing. That said, I make myself and bike very visible. Still some drivers do not see me (or the red traffic light one ignored and came close to hitting me). You are right Jilden, I have been hit and injured by three negligent drivers.
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Permalink Reply by Baron Von Thierry on -
Just reflective strap-on strips on my ankles at night... the movement stands out very well
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Permalink Reply by Steven Orr on -
+1 to the reflective straps!
When it gets to darkness, the movement stands out and I have even had a lady tell me(at the traffic lights) she saw the motion a good 50+metres back.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Bland on -
Where did you guy get these reflective straps from ?? buy them from some ,or make them up ?
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Permalink Reply by Michael Murray on -
They should be standard issue at the LBS:
http://www.cellbikes.com.au/Netti-Reflective-Anklet
They work really well at night and double up as trouser clips if you need them during the day.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Bland on
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Thanks Michael
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Permalink Reply by heather on
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Test the reflective band before you buy. I bought one brand of orange mesh with reflective strip. OK for intended purpose but no good as trouser clips. I made up trouser clips using ribbed elastic and velcro.
A hint on AC that I copied -- stick reflective tape on both cranks. Position such that you can only see one reflective strip at a time when you look from above, then the cranks will 'flash' as your ride.
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Permalink Reply by Just another psycho-list on -
Michael, I got a pair from Kathmandu, on sale for half price. A few months later, found out that they were giving them away at the Tour Down Under village for free.
You can wear them on your wrists as well as your ankles. That way, other road users can see your hand signals in the dark.
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