Dark early - feeling vulnerable?

[king kong]

With clocks going back and all, riding home on my black bike, black leathers and black helmet I felt a wee bit vulnerable during this evening's rush hour.
The traffic seemed twice as busy with a ll the headlights, I can't determine if I'm being followed by another bike when filtering (once again too many headlights), information overload!

I got me bike in April so this is the first serious night riding I've done and was wondering if I should swallow the vanity pill and invest in one of them flourescent jerkin / belt thingys?

[Whosthedaddy]

Never had high vis gear personally, not a cop out at all to buy a vest or belt.

Safety first
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Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy

[Sparks!]

if it makes you feel safer then just buy one.. they are cheap as chips, if bike shop wants more than like.. £5 then fuck em' and go to a shope that sells PPE workwear... cheap as chips!! or ebay...

Wear it only when you feel you need to, who cares what it looks like it'll be dark??!

dont need to wear it when its light and they don't exactly take much space so just chuck it under the seat for when you feel vulnerable..

its nothing to worry about you'll get used to it with experience, but its always a good idea to wear something high vis if you're commuting lots especially in all black gear.

[mchaggis]

I do tend to when the clocks go back and then I rarely do any riding when it's light other than at weekends. Most of the time I've a backpack on so it's kind of pointless for the most part. In addition, there're streetlamps all the way between work and home so reflective gear doesn't make all that much difference.

Riding on unlit roads it makes a hell of a difference. You can see people wearing it from a good quarter mile away (like road signs).
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[Ichy]

I'll be getting one tomorrow despite not having one for over twenty years. Black gear and a black bike just doesn't seem a good idea since most of the 20 odd miles to work are unlit NSL or plain old rural roads. Its definately different to when I lived in the middle of Birmingham.
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[colin1]

[mchaggis]

[trevoriv]

poggiali rep for the win can't miss me with a big yellow head hehe

[king kong]

I must admit that I do prefer the backpack to a tankbag, but the thought of coming off said bike and landing on me back is not too appealing though.
I like thidea of keeping high vis jerkin under the bike seat though and play it by 'ear' as it were. Just the thought of car drivers struggling to see through a rain lashed windscreen at night in a country lane, and just glimpsing a motorbike at the last minute gives me the shivers.

Yep high vis - you know it makes sense.

[mr.z]

I have "mirror" tape on my helmet (on the back) which loks quite nifty and on the back of all the luggage, dont look overly sexy but it certainly works! https://www.bikeseen.com/tapes.htm you can gt it on ebay for a bit cheaper sometimes..

Interesting to not the blue reflective tape is legal, i'm sure it would catch the eye of zombie commuters quite well, even seen high vis jackets in blue with polite written on them (from a distance you can imagine)
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[JBurrows88]

Safety First!


Even if it makes me look like a prick you just have to get over it
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Dave
XJR400 Kenney Roberts Paint Job

[scoota bk]

IMO if you're gonna go hi-vis, you gotta got the whole hog - long sleeved waistcoat and the matching trousers. And if you're wearing a backpack, stick a hi-viz cover over that.

IMO (again), if you wear just part hi-vis then it breaks up the outline of you/your bike and make you even harder to see. Other roads users (believe it or not) are looking out for familiar objects such as bike/people, not patchwork quilts doing 60mph



(BTW I've only ever worn hi-vis when on my CBTs)

[bunglehaze]

I dont have a problem with my hi-vis vest, I would rather be alive than vain... I can look good again next year

cheers

leigh
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[BanditBitch]

JJB sports shops. place are doing the high viz vests and jackets for a couple of quid

[iCraig]

I dug mine out last night, I don't care what I look like after all I ride a hack.

Also if it gives other road users that slightly better chance of seeing me then its worth it.

Also if your on the look out for gear or just reflective strips there is a company called 'Glomarka' I have a few of their things and they are usually at the NEC this time of year!

[Dazbo666]

I think I'll be getting the hi-viz waistcoat out from now on too. I've also got a black bike, and mostly black kit.
Wasn't too bad riding in to work this morning because it was dry, and I came in on a route that has street lighting all the way...
But I dread to think what it'd be like on the alternative route (unlit NSL/dual) in the rain.

I have a hi-viz waistcoat that I originally bought for my CBT/DAS last year... but the MC school issued everyone with new ones with the school logo/phone number on them (been in the cupboard ever since). However, considering I dropped the GPZ on Saturday I'm not so sure they'd want me advertising for them any more
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[Annabella]

[JonB]

[Psychonaut]

I've got a hi viz yellow thing I used last year in the depths of winter as I had black waterproofs and bike but it clashes with the new bike. Looks like I'll have to get a flourescent orange on now (actually the bikes so bright dunno if I need to bother this time)
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[Bishbash]

My dad wears one if it makes you feel better. He has a Black ZZR1100 and black leathers etc etc, But he swears by them, Boils down to how much you value yourself. No body knows who you are so it doesn't matter, if you feel safe, wear it.

[ZZR Girl]

I rode in the dark for the first time last night. It was OK but not helped by the fact it was also raining, so I was getting dazzled a bit. I wore my new hi-vis sleeved jacket for the first time. I don't wear it in the daytime but I wanted to be visible in the dark. Makes me look like the honey monster in it, but no-one knows who it is underneath the helmet. It's not meant to be a fashion statement after all!
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[eifion]

I was always under the impression that hi-viz improved your visibility in daylight, or maybe poor visibility conditions, rain, fog etc.

In the dark what you want isn't hi-viz, but reflective stuff. My mainly black leathers, boots and gloves have reflective piping, so when a light shines on my I'm lit up like a christmas tree.

Most of the hi-viz stuff does have reflective bits too, but you can get the reflective stuff without the workman flourescent yellow.
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[krebsy]

[BorderHooner]

i have one of these;

https://www.motobrio.com/ShowProductDetails.cfm?Cat=84&Product=416

anyone who thinks hi vis is dorky is a f'kin idiot.

[king kong]