Hi-viz yellow trend opinion

[Wingnut]

No no no...these are typical of the hi viz bikes back in the late 80's & early 90's...

[Tugboat]

An observational study from NZ suggests that cyclists who wear hi-viz have fewer crashes and days off work due to crashes, after adjustment for kms ridden.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18245309

I was a participant in this survey and the methodology was flawed... there was no examination at all of causality. I personally reported 3 accidents (1 resulting in 6 weeks off work) over the study period. In all cases I was wearing predominantly black clothing and not a single thread of high viz so definitely contributed to the findings.

However, the crashes were:
1. coming off after hitting ice unexpectedly on a bridge one morning riding to work.
2. overcooking a corner on a descent on a wet road during a training ride.
3. somersaulting over a rider who crashed in front of me in the sprint at the end of a local club race.

But hey, thanks to this research I know now that if I had been wearing hi-viz none of this would have happened.

[elviento]

What I thought was going to be a thread of fasion has turned into a scientific one, it seems. That said, neon is in, wear it or deal w/ it.

[nayr497]

The sun was coming up, facing me, making it very difficult to see what traffic was coming the other way.

Guy in the truck was looking for the same traffic, probably trying to make stuff out through a bug encrusted window. I highly doubt he saw you on the right side, especially if he was focused on the oncoming car, as you'd be much harder than the oncoming traffic to see.

Nothing you can do really in that case, except get out of the way and pray.

On that road, which was heading uphill slightly, and with very little traffic (except two passing at that moment) he would have been drunk or blind to not see me. But, as many of us know, probably not impossible. It was so early he could have been drunk still from the night before.

Okay, accepting that we are "sharing" a dangerous space but that we choose to do so because we truly love it, how do you not let a near-swipping ruin an otherwise great ride? Sometimes I just wish I could catch up to them and have a word, or two. But, people who drive recklessly probably are not worth bothering with.

Just hard to move on, put it out of mind when you're just trying to ride and someone nearly kills you because they're impatient or inebriated or distracted.

[moman]

There has been at least one study done that shows drivers actually give riders less space when passing if they are wearing a helmet or hi vis. Wear whatever makes you feel safe though.

THIS

Also, all this high intensity flashing light hype needs to stop. Yesterday.
I don't know why people feel the need to have flashing lights at all in the first place, surely your position even with a solid light gives you away as a cyclist? Why do you need flashing lights? Are you attending an emergency? Even worse are the high intensity fronts. I see a guy quite often in the day with two big old bar lights flashing at alternate times. They are really bright, he also has a flashing helmet light at another speed. Guy is the most distracting thing on the road! He is asking for a mothlike driver to be lured in and collide. I just can't understand it. Again, if it was dark he'd only see where he is going for a couple of milliseconds at a time, that with coupled with Cateyes and white lines strobing he'd have an epileptic fit.

Personally I ride black cycling shorts with cheapo white football shorts over the top to hide my modesty and a navy blue tee. I pull my socks up and have flat pedals with reflectors on. I ride a white bike. My other bike is white and has a bright green rear tyre and white tyre on the front. Both have a rear light, neither have wheel reflectors, all about the contrast as was earlier explained.
No problem with hi-viz/neon/flouro/loud whatever just be confident and ride responsibly.



He knows

[dgran]

A big truck with a trailer comes up behind me. I turn and look at them, they keep coming. I point at the car coming the other way, then put my arm out, palm open in the "back off" sign. As I do this the truck comes around me and if I hadn't turned and seen it and pulled my arm in, I think he would have hit me. His trailer predictably swayed too as he passed.

What else could I have done in this situation?

Nothing. When you are being treated as invisible, assume that the person doesn't see you. Their focus is somewhere else. Your best bet in these situations is to move as far to the side of the road as possible and be prepared to dart off the road if things get dicey. I rarely have to use it, but in any tense situation I always mark out my escape route.

[prendrefeu]

What I thought was going to be a thread of fasion has turned into a scientific one, it seems. That said, neon is in, wear it or deal w/ it.

For the next 1-2 years, then it will be chrome/metallics contrasted with dulled contrast tints for a cycle of 2-3 years.

[moman]

White is right.

[Rick]

I think anything high visibility is a good idea.
I don't wear this, but I wish I had one:

[hmai18]

Why put it on your back when you can put it between your legs?


Neon Covert by Vanilla Workshop, on Flickr

[nayr497]

I noticed this weekend that I picked up on a few cyclists far, far off in the distance who were wearing hi-viz neon, just solid neon jerseys.

I'm trying to understand why I see them so effortlessly and easily in terms of the importance of contrast. Was it because I too was on a bike and the speeds are similar? Would a driver pick them out as easily?

I thought the science contained in the thread asserted that just a hi-viz colored jersey is not as important as pattern contrast.

[liketoride]

per how i read prends notes, cars would not pick it up as good as you did.

[CarlosFerreiro]

What an RAF pilot can teach us about being safe on the road
How drivers scan with their eyes.

[bombertodd]

If only Shimano or Jagwire would come out with some fluo yellow brake and shifter housing.

[aftereffector]

I have subdued bikes but I tend to wear bright colors if possible. I don't have a lot of neon colors in my cycling wardrobe - mostly white jerseys with some color accents - but you better believe that I look like an ambulatory highlighter when I'm running at 5 in the morning in the winter.

Regarding the blinking white lights, I wouldn't be surprised if a motorist took a swipe at me on purpose if I had my Light & Motion headlight on strobe. I just put it on high-steady and use it as, well, a headlight. My rear light blinks like a Superflash but since I ride with traffic I'd rather make sure that anyone behind me knows that there is *something* occupying space on the right side of the road. Solid red lights can get tuned out easily, unfortunately.