Hi-Viz options; To be or not to be a human glo-stick

[tfkrocks]

SOLAS reflective tape is the most reflective tape. I have pieces of it on my bike and gear.

 

[ScottRNelson]

In my opinion, a bright helmet does more to make you visible to people that you're approaching than anything else, and a bright bike comes in second place. A bright jacket helps people see you from the side or behind, but doesn't do much to make you visible to those in front of you.

A BARF member that I used to ride with regularly six years ago (Andrew?) had a black jacket with two three inch wide fluorescent yellow horizontal bars across the back that I thought made him way more visible than a solid yellow jacket. The contrast made it stand out more than a solid color.

As for white helmets, you can see them, but they're more likely to blend into the background of all the white cars and other white things. Yellow and orange, or maybe pink stand out from the background.

I'll put on a fluorescent yellow vest with reflective patches on the back if I'm riding at night, but that is a rare event.

Bright helmets - for the win.

 

[WWWobble]

Those headlight modulators are annoying....

And I thought I was the only one who feels that way.

They can be dangerous too.

I lost one of my best riding partners on Christmas Day many years ago when a drunk driver fixed on his modulating headlight and swerved to hit him head on.

I've since learned that this is not such a rare occurrence. Drunks tend to drive where they look, and it can be sudden, as what happened to Gary.

 

[lam@barf]

Your riding position nas a lot to do with the effective visibility of your gear so there's no one-size-fits-all.

I ride naked standards, wear a hi-viz hemet and a hi-viz roadcrafter. I still ride like I'm invisible. After all, I don't have to look at it.

 

[mean dad]

Heard from police friends that barricades with flashing lights are fuckin magnets to a drunk driver.

 

[tuxumino]

I think that the helmet is the single largest thing on the rider and it is at the highest position, I opt for white or yellow helmets.
There is also the concept of not breaking up the silhouette of the rider, that is multicolored gear may seem like it increases visibility but it breaks up the image of the rider where matching helmet and jacket, in a high viz color, will present a profile that is more easily identified by on coming traffic.

 

[amazighlol]

I think that the helmet is the single largest thing on the rider and it is at the highest position, I opt for white or yellow helmets.
There is also the concept of not breaking up the silhouette of the rider, that is multicolored gear may seem like it increases visibility but it breaks up the image of the rider where matching helmet and jacket, in a high viz color, will present a profile that is more easily identified by on coming traffic.

The eye is attracted by contrast. (in size, in color and in lighting).
So you are actually right: by combining different colors, one would be attracting more attention.

 

[ST Guy]

Those headlight modulators are annoying....

And they work great!

 

[Lunch Box]

And they work great!

Especially if the goal is to irritate other road users.

 

[Smash Allen]

Especially if the goal is to irritate other road users.

Or to catch a drunk by the hood!arty

 

[Charles R]

I think that the helmet is the single largest thing on the rider and it is at the highest position, I opt for white or yellow helmets.
There is also the concept of not breaking up the silhouette of the rider, that is multicolored gear may seem like it increases visibility but it breaks up the image of the rider where matching helmet and jacket, in a high viz color, will present a profile that is more easily identified by on coming traffic.

I agree with the advise of not breaking up the silhouette. Remember that a zebra is actually well camouflaged from the lion simply because his pattern breaks up his form, and makes him harder to visually separate from his surroundings.

 

[amazighlol]

I agree with the advise of not breaking up the silhouette. Remember that a zebra is actually well camouflaged from the lion simply because his pattern breaks up his form, and makes him harder to visually separate from his surroundings.

Wrong example. Felines have a different vision than human. Feline have eyes "made" to quickly see something moving, and not something immobile or with a low movement amplitude (like a motorcycle in your mirror). Also, they see seven time less light than human (which become the opposite at night time).

That being said, to catch a human's attention through his vision, again, you would focus (vision pun!!!!) on contrast (example, red jacket yellow helmet with dark dot, that would better catch attention than full red, since the movment amplitude is diluted in the big red shape).
If I wanted to go hiviz, I'd put different bright colors between torso and helmet.

Edit: interesting link http://www.bmj.com/content/328/7444/857.full

the population attributable risks are 33% for wearing no reflective or fluorescent clothing, 18% for a non-white helmet, 11% for a dark coloured helmet, and 7% for no daytime headlight operation.

 

[Pacjahk]

There was no option for I need to save some pesos for Hi-Viz, so I just selected "too cool". But soon enough I should join the highlighter club!

 

[sanjuro]

Heard from police friends that barricades with flashing lights are fuckin magnets to a drunk driver.

We had a theory at my bicycle shop that blinkies attracted drunk drivers.

I didn't subscribe to that theory though. I'll do 2-3 hour night road commutes and I will have on at least 2 blinkies with about a half mile range.

Now, I am riding during rush hour which has fewer drunks on the road.

 

[Ready to Ride]

.....

A BARF member that I used to ride with regularly six years ago (Andrew?) had a black jacket with two three inch wide fluorescent yellow horizontal bars across the back that I thought made him way more visible than a solid yellow jacket. The contrast made it stand out more than a solid color

.....

 

[Pluot]

This is the helmet I use, the red and hi viz one. I wear it much more regularly than my red and black Shoei, and I assume it is getting more attention as I have fewer close calls with cagers who haven't noticed me.

Also I think my yellow bike helps, too. (Coming from black.)

By the way Jack, this is a cheaper helmet (but I feel safe in it) and on clearance it's only $88. So hi-viz can be affordable.

 

[flying_hun]

I agree with the advise of not breaking up the silhouette. Remember that a zebra is actually well camouflaged from the lion simply because his pattern breaks up his form, and makes him harder to visually separate from his surroundings.

It was common in WW1 (pre-radar) to paint ships in such a way that their silhouette was not obvious to the same reason - stealth.

 

[NeilInPacifica]

I wore all black. Got cut off daily.
Switched to a hi-viz vest with a black helmet. Got cut off every few weeks.
Switched to a hi-viz jacket with an all white helmet. I get cut off maybe once a year, and less often than when I drive my car.

LED lights get into a legal grey area when equipped on the person. When equipped on the vehicle, there's lots of specific laws about lights and you'd be likely to break at least one of them.

My experience exactly!

 

[dravnx]

It was common in WW1 (pre-radar) to paint ships in such a way that their silhouette was not obvious to the same reason - stealth.

The zebra stripe/lion predator has been debunked. Nat Geo hypothesis is that is more for cooling. Air moving from a dark surface to a light surface. The original theory was that as a herd, the stripes caused the whole herd to blend together and the lion could not discern one target from another. It had nothing to do with breaking up the silhouette.

 

[mean dad]

The zebra stripe/lion predator has been debunked. Nat Geo hypothesis is that is more for cooling. Air moving from a dark surface to a light surface. The original theory was that as a herd, the stripes caused the whole herd to blend together and the lion could not discern one target from another. It had nothing to do with breaking up the silhouette.

Might have been more dramatic if you'd have quoted the guy that said zebras were striped for those reasons, instead of the guy posting pictures of boats.