Viewing 27 posts - 1 through 27 (of 27 total)
  • Commuting- high-vis kit or not?
  • voodoo-rich
    Full Member

    I wear a fluoro yellow high-vis vest for most of the day, due to fork-lifts and lorries around the site where I work. But I can't quite bring myself to wear it on the ride home. Just feels like it makes me look like a bit of an amateur, rather than the rufty-tufty seasoned veteran that I am 😉

    I know in the back of mind I ought to wear one (14 mile commute, all road, SE London) Do you prefer to be seen at all costs? Or are you too cool for yellow?

    epicsteve
    Free Member

    I wear one of the hi-viz Altura night-vision jackets when commuting. Given how dozy drivers can be at commuting times I've long since decided that I'd rather by uncool but increase the chances of being seen.

    allthepies
    Free Member

    Winter yes, summer no for me 🙂

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    cynic-al
    Free Member

    I just use mine in the dark.

    wwaswas
    Full Member

    I wear a yellow Gore jacket int he winter.

    I tend to rely on my pasty white arms to alert drivers to my presence in summer, though.

    I think if I found myself in a Sam Browne reflective thing I'd be very worried.

    I have just started wearing a helmet for the school run, though.

    soobalias
    Free Member

    sometimes i wear yellow,
    sometimes i wear gloves
    sometimes i wear a lid

    usually in the winter, i have lights and something reflective ish

    Gary_M
    Free Member

    As others have said – in winter yes, in summer no. But I give high viz yellow a miss and just wear a red/orange jacket or red gilet. I've even been known to wear a black top in summer – shock horror.

    brooess
    Free Member

    I ride and drive (SE London for me too) and would highly recommend it. Driving in London requires more focus than many people have – too many people doing too many random things, too many signs, traffic lights and junctions. IMO fluro gives you that extra chance of being seen which might just keep you in one piece.
    To a degree I think it suggests 'sensible rider' rather than 'lycra lout' which may help drivers see you as someone to pass at a sensible distance…
    I have a Montane lightweight thing, doesn't look too bad

    PiknMix
    Free Member

    Nope, I have lots of reflective details for the nights but my cyberkid days are well and truly over 😉

    Gary_M
    Free Member

    To a degree I think it suggests 'sensible rider' rather than 'lycra lout'

    Really, I just think it suggests someone has absolutely no style.

    I wear a bright yellow jersey or jacket for commuting.
    Not proper hi-viz, but near enough, although my back pack hides most of it.

    If you don't want to wear a hi-viz, how about one of those red plastic lolly pop things that stick out the side ?

    cynic-al
    Free Member

    Gary_M – Member

    Really, I just think it suggests someone has absolutely no style.

    Or a preference of safety over style.

    I go reflective tabard over yellow waterproof, may as well go all the way.

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    I doubt it makes any significant difference myself. If you can wear one without hassle – IE your riding jacket is hi viz then why not. Even get a hiviz riding jacket for winter.

    brooess – Member

    ……………..
    To a degree I think it suggests 'sensible rider' rather than 'lycra lout' which may help drivers see you as someone to pass at a sensible distance…

    The only bit of limited research done on this sort of thing showed that people who looked like sensible and experienced riders got less room when being passed!

    However not doing something because it make you look uncool is just stupid. Have a reason for not doing so even if the reason is as flimsy as " Its too much hassle" but uncool? No reason not to

    Gary_M
    Free Member

    No reason not to

    Apart from personal choice.

    ahwiles
    Free Member

    s'worth noting that the flouro yellow stuff isn't any good for being seen in the dark / car headlights.

    the yellow really stands out in half-light dawn/dusk conditions (orange is also good – s'why rail workers wear it)

    if you want to be seen in the dark, you really need some of that reflective silver 3m type stuff.

    i'm fortunate that most of my commute is off road, so no, i don't often bother with my hi-viz gillet.

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    Thats a valid reason 🙂

    What I meant was that saying "its uncool" is not a valid reason.

    You look like a twerp on your bike anyway

    Gary_M
    Free Member

    You look like a twerp on your bike anyway

    Really, do you know me?

    voodoo-rich
    Full Member

    wwaswas-
    I tend to rely on my pasty white arms to alert drivers to my presence…

    I'm with you there… plus my corpse-grey legs…

    Brooess-
    I have a Montane lightweight thing, doesn't look too bad

    Yeah maybe something a bit less industrial than the Arco workwear look would do the trick for me

    MilitantGraham-
    how about one of those red plastic lolly pop things that stick out the side?

    I'm not really sure that's an improvement over the high-vis stuff in the "coolness" stakes… 🙂

    TheFopster
    Free Member

    Yes. Always. IMHO, mad not to. You'd never live to hugely regret wearing it, but you may come to regret not bothering. No brainer – look after yourself, no one else will do it for you.

    Gary_M
    Free Member

    I can't see why I would ever be in a situation where I would regret not having worn high viz. If I'm wearing a red gilet or a red top then why would wearing yellow make me any safer?

    The whole high viz thing gives the rider a perception that they stand out a mile, they don't really stand out any more than anyone else on a bike. I'd rather ride with the attitude that cars can't see me than presume that they can because I'm wearing bright yellow.

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    Gary_M – Member

    You look like a twerp on your bike anyway

    Really, do you know me?

    Pics?

    I have yet to see anyone looking cool on a bike except the Amsterdam commuter types. Stupid plastic hat, lycra ( or 3/4 length trousers) – its not cool.

    Actually I meant yo as in "one" – Ie none of us look cool on a bike

    Edit – garry – you last post I agree with.

    Gary_M
    Free Member

    Actually I meant yo as in "one" – Ie none of us look cool on a bike

    I knew that, I was just joking really.

    rootes1
    Full Member

    do what ever you feel comfortable with.

    i have a pearl izumi high viz jacket – lightweight and the arms zip off..

    so you can just wera the middle bit as a lightweight gillet or just the arms..

    having said that at the mo – i just wear a shirt / t-shirt as it it soo hot

    PhilO
    Free Member

    I can't see why I would ever be in a situation where I would regret not having worn high viz. If I'm wearing a red gilet or a red top then why would wearing yellow make me any safer?

    Because 8% of Males are colour blind, and the most common (Red/Green) colourblindness means that beyond a short distance red is no more visable than, say, battleship grey. I speak from experience… 😥

    Having said that, in a busy urban environment, I have my doubts about bright clothing. There's already a lot of visual clutter, so a yellow coat actually provides minimal contrast with the background. Out on fast B-roads, on the other hand…

    sofatester
    Free Member

    I wear all black and a camo rucksack. Will i die? 😯

    Gary_M
    Free Member

    Because 8% of Males are colour blind

    In that case I shall wear high viz with immediate effect.

    sofatester is it urban camo?

    But yes, you will die.

    anotherdeadhero
    Free Member

    I don't and never have. I just wear quite bright lycra on the road. Yellow, red, anything that stands out. Thats fine in daytime. At night, all that will stop you getting run down is scotchlite, and lots of it. I also run two rear lights, both with decent side visability and a proper road legal front light, in addition to the focussed shrouded LED torch which is actually bright enough to illuminate the road.

    My commuter is very uncool, becuase it has every kind of reflector known to man fitted to it. Even the paintwork panels are blacked out with huge sheets of black scotchlite.

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