Member Contributer Duc2V4 Posted April 6, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted April 6, 2012 Something interesting happened the last two days. I had two different stangers approach me while I was walking from my bike into the bank (yesterday) and the post office (today). Yesterday an older gentleman (~mid 70's) stopped in front of me in his car and asked if the orange safety vest I was wearing was something new required by law. I told him as far as I knew it wasn't but I like to wear it to be more visible. He said that as he was backing out of his parking spot, he noticed me right away standing at my bike and thought that me wearing it, definitely helped him notice me and thought all motorcyclist should wear them. In his opinion, it definitely helped him notice me. Today as I was walking into the post office, a fellow motorcyclist stopped me and asked about the Hi-Viz helmet and vest. Since my Hi-Viz helmet is a modular I was still wearing it while I was in the PO. He said that the first thing that caught his eye was the helmet, then the vest and then he realized it was a person walking. Sort of like the seeing the Chesire Cat grin beore the cat I guess. We chatted for a few minutes mostly me answering questions about why the modular helmet and how did I like it, did I think it helped people spot me. I said, "I caught your eye right away didn't I?" He said, "Well, yeah I guess it did". He mentioned that he was looking at buying a new helmet and was actually considering one of the small "half helmets", but recently he saw another motorcyclist crash in front of him and he was sliding along the pavement on the side of his head, but he was fortunate enough to be wearing a full face helmet. That convinced him to scrap the half helmet idea and when he saw my helmet, he was re-thinking the decision of getting an all black full face. I know there are a few riders who wear the Hi-Viz helmet and clothing and some who don't think it makes a difference, but I didn't really know for sure if it works as well as it's supposed to. But after these last two conversations, I am convinced that wearing it is more of a real benefit than just for my own peace of mind. In my early twenties, I probably would have never considered wearing either of these items, I probably would have even mocked one of my friends for wearing them, but as we get older (read: wiser) we tend to forget about looking cool. Now my mind set is more about "Function before Fashion". I would rather look like a geek than look at the body cast I could be wearing. Here's the gear that I normally wear... Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 Interesting point. For the most part those neon yellow vests seem to work really well (color of your helmet). Whenever coming up on a construction site first think I usually see are the guys where the vests. Something about the color is eye catching. I should probably wear high viz gear but being young I'm not that smart Good idea though. Gotta be on your toes especially this time of the year with all the distracted cagers... -Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tc339 Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 I should probably wear high viz gear but being young I'm not that smart -Mike Im on the same page with you... probably should, but dont. At least my jacket is silver. and my helmet is pretty damn obnoxious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer motormike Posted October 11, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted October 11, 2012 Wow, and i thought my hi-viz Scorpion helmet was obnoxious. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noobtastic14 Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 I am military and required to wear bright reflective clothing (which I don't mind) BUT the problem isn't with the visibility as much as how the brain works. When your brain is looking for something, it will ignore everything else that doesn't match the description. For example, when a car pauses to turn right and checks left they are looking for a car. You can be on a red viffer with a neon yellow giraffe helmet on and if the motorist is looking for an oncoming cage, they won't even notice. Granted this is not 100% and I agree that the hi-vis works, but only if the person looking isn't scanning for one thing (car) and naturally blocking out everything else. -Drew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spud786 Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 There may be times it works to catch attention, then there will be times it wont. In general Ive found the double headlight system does aide, but as far as clothing I mainly wear dark clothing, hi viz is not really a desire(cop wise). If you utilize threat confrontation(awareness) in your riding style that pretty much covers any lack of High viz. But what ever you feel comfortble with , hi viz at the very least is generally not going to hurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownAndOutNYC Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 A number of years ago in a motorcycle mag, one of the editors did a test to see if Hi-Vis clothing would make a noticeable difference in riding around town, so I don't remember all the specifics, just the main points. He wore all black, on a black motorcycle, a Aerostitch Hi-Vis (bright neon green yellow with lots of reflective patches) suit on a bright yellow motorcycle, and then, dressed in gear and rode a motorcycle similar to the local two-wheeled police officers. The results? He was equally ignored with the all black setup as he was with the Hi-Vis setup, but strangely enough, was easily noticed, and even commanded attention to the point that drivers would get out of his way, when wearing the gear/riding the motorcycle similar to the local PO. In short, if you want to be seen on two wheels, look like a cop and everyone will notice you. Otherwise, wear whatever you wish cause drivers could care less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweeper Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 I wear a hi-viz jacket and have noticed people see me a lot earlier as I approach an intersection. You can see it in their face when they roll up, take their foot off the brake to roll out and then their eyes get big because they notice me. To me, it's the same effect as running the headlights or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer bryan217 Posted October 11, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted October 11, 2012 I started wearing hi-viz after my wife was following one time on my old R6, wearing all black, and said she couldn't see me. (The little aftermarket signal lights didn't help either.) Plus I saw an ad in a magazine one time with a picture of a motorcyclist wearing hi-viz in traffic. He was much easier to spot. I don't know for sure if it makes a difference or not, but I feel like I'm more visible. Plus this time of year with it getting dark earlier, I really like the reflective strips on the jacket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted October 11, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted October 11, 2012 In my experiences it don’t matter what color your wearing when a cager pulls out in front of you but if it makes you fill safer by all means wear it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bayarearider Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 In my experiences it don’t matter what color your wearing when a cager pulls out in front of you but if it makes you fill safer by all means wear it. +1 When a cager is driving "full retard" there's little hope of being seen. But we may stand a chance with the ones that are Half looking.The Hi-Viz may catch their attention. (I'll go one further with headlight modulation) I do also believe in the black/white police look drawing attention, but not into the open face helmet, bullet proof vest, short sleeve popeye arm get up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer 2thdr Posted October 11, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted October 11, 2012 Good idea to increase your visibility, no doubt. I've taken to wearing a gloss white modular helmet and hi-viz reflective vest over my gear for my morning 90+ mile commute (I don't commute on the bike every day). My only way out of town and most direct way to work is via I-40 interstate for about 50 miles. I believe some of the biggest dangers for us as riders is from cagers changing lanes on the 4-6 lane slab. They seem to be in a world of their own... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer TomP Posted October 11, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted October 11, 2012 When I switched from a gray textile jacket to a hi-viz Aerostich Darien, I could (and still can) literally watch people's heads turn as I rode through intersections. It seems like the most common comment after a car-motorcycle interaction is "I didn't see him." So why not use that information to advantage? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Duc2V4 Posted October 11, 2012 Author Member Contributer Share Posted October 11, 2012 Wearing Hi-Viz gear is by no means a substitute for being careful or an attentive rider! There is NO guarantee that wearing Hi-Viz gear will ensure that someone ACKNOWLEDGES you. Yes they may SEE you, but that doesn't mean they recognize you as a danger. Case in point, I saw a driver T-Bone a large 2 ton truck as it was turning left (truck had the left turn light), the other car driver must have seen the green arrow for his side of the intersection (he was heading straight), and started to go. BAM! small Toyota Corolla hits the truck! The truck wasn't small and not a dark color either, it was a light grey and clearly had the right of way. If someone is day dreaming, no amount of Hi-Viz gear or vehicle size is going to matter. As far as my initial post, I just thought it was very reassuring that two different people pointed out to me that they were alerted to my presence due to the Hi-Viz gear I was wearing. To add to TomP's remark, I have seen this several times too, drivers ready to pull out from a side street, suddenly stop when the turn their head back in my direction. Is it the Hi-Viz gear or just an attentive driver? Who knows? All I know is that I'll continue to wear this gear until someone hits me and still says "I never even saw you!" (Knock on wood) As a side note, when I am out sport riding, I'll usually be in my leathers, which are 90% bright white. Being on a all black motor cycle, when I'm on the VFR, I still feel pretty safe with just the leathers. However on the Duc, if drivers cannot see a bright red and white object in front of them, I don't think they should be driving! (The Duc is also very "audible" I might add, not Harley obnoxious, but more audible than the VFR) Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GadiantonRob Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 In short, if you want to be seen on two wheels, look like a cop and everyone will notice you. Otherwise, wear whatever you wish cause drivers could care less. Truest thing I ever read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer filterfool Posted October 11, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted October 11, 2012 I just ordered a Hi-Viz Joe Rocket jacket yesterday. When I get it, I will report my experiences. I ordered it thinking it will give me a little more visiblity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestOfBen Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 As long as they don't make this mandatory in Australia I will be happy. I choose not to wear Hi-Viz because I believe the jury is out in that regard when it comes to a dense population of numbskull car drivers. Noobtastic14 raises the point we all need to be aware of. A funny thought experiment on the same subject, ever wondered why we don't know what time it is when someone asks us, immediately after we have just glanced at our watch or phone? Same concept - we were looking for a specific time. We look, we see it isn't that specific time, and look away. We haven't actually performed a cognitive task that places that time in our short term memory. Be safe out there... at the very least, wear protective gear. I ride a bright red bike with headlights on. I could be a cyclist wearing brighter than Hi-Viz gear, I could be a truck on an overcast day with no headlights on. I have seen people ignore even these typically fairly visible vehicles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Ashok Posted October 12, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted October 12, 2012 This summer I got nudged from behind by a car while wearing an orange reflective vest. In broad daylight. At a stop sign where you have either turn left or right (road ends), so missing a stop sign isn't an excuse either. The lady in the car apparently didn't see me until the last second and had to panic brake. Luckily she just nudged me a bit and didn't run me over. I didn't know what to say to her. That incident kinda reset my expectation of hi-vis gear effectiveness. I still wear it cause it can't hurt but don't get a false sense of security. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Olive Posted October 12, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted October 12, 2012 I go hi-viz myself. Anything that might assist another driver see you is a very good thing, and will take any edge available to me. I don't assume that drivers will see me, but I know that they are more likely to see the bright yellow motorcyclist than one dressed in dark grey or black blending in with the background and the asphalt. There is a very good reason that emergency services (police, EMS, firefighters), tow truck drivers, etc. wear high viz. It makes a difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer FinVFR Posted October 12, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted October 12, 2012 In Finland, when the driving season starts in April May and it is still cold, I use this gear. The problem especially in the spring is that the driver are not used to look for the bikes and then all visibility is advance. Later in the summer, I switch to the leather and that one is silver with antrasite helmet unless I go to the highway when I prefer at least the hi-viz helmet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted October 12, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted October 12, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noobtastic14 Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 ^^^^ I like that picture I wear this one On leave riding my dads old softail -Drew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer vfrcapn Posted October 13, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted October 13, 2012 A couple weeks ago sitting at a light I watched a rider and pillion go through an intersection wearing those fluorescent yellow high viz helmets, immediately caught my eye, then I noticed the safety vests they were wearing. As they disappeared into traffic across the intersection I finally noticed they were on a nice gloss black 5th gen VFR. If hi-viz helps one cager wake up from their coma then it might be worth it. But I still like the 'dress like a cop' approach better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer RED RUNNER Posted October 13, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted October 13, 2012 I have a hi viz yellow Olympia Phantom suit. It is almost embarassingly bright. I haven't had any comments from people riding or driving, but I had a janitor of a school tell me he freaked out when he saw me, thinking I was a fireman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted October 13, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted October 13, 2012 yeah, day-glo yellow catches the eye.......... and makes one visible on a rainy, foggy BRP too!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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