Are Hi-viz vests loosing their impact?

[stinkwheel]

I was discussing this with Yambabes other half last weekend.

The whole world, his father and his dog seem to be wearing Hi-viz veasts now. If they aren't wearing them they are inexplicably being stacked on the parcel shelf of a car.

We are at risk of disappearing in a sea of fluorescent yellow on our roads.

He reckons people in cars are so used to seeing cyclists/dog walkers/navvies wearing yellow hi-viz vests that they assume anything coming towards them in one will be travelling at the speed of a bicycle. As such, they just pull out of a junction in front of you.

I reckon he has a point. I've got the GF an orange railways hi-viz vest and it definately stands out more.

I am giving serious consideration to buying a pink one. I reckon this will have the added benefit that the police will find it difficult to give a six footer with a large beard wearing a pink vest a bollocking for speeding while keeping a straight face.
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I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[yandy_yay]

[rotax81]

i have always thought this and a high vis vest by the road makes me brake a bit sometimes, only for it to be an old boy walking his dog
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[cicatrez]

I've wondered it too. You see it about, and you just assume its someone walking about etc.. many don't even seem to be that bright and reflective either, and lose there reflection substantially if it gets a little bit dirty.
https://www.highvizshop.co.uk/assets/images/hv_vest_04.jpg
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'02 Honda City Fly

[craigs23]

I don't use one, and questioning whether or not I should. They seem to be useful when a driver is looking, or checking, but from my experience, most of the time, they are not.

4/5ths of my commute is on unlit roads, but surely they don't work that well when there's not headlamps shone upon you - like approaching a junction when there's traffic behind you and a car in a junction ahead waiitng to pull out?

Come to think of it, why am I questioning their street cred appeal? Half the time I'm riding an invisible-to-anyone 125 anyway...but would I be bullied even more when other road users think that I am truly a learner rider?

[MarJay]

I thought about buying a Hi-Viz, but I couldn't be arsed so I bought myself a Sam Browne belt.

I actually look like a motorcyclist and not a council worker now!
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[Ciar?n]

Never wore one, now i wear a huge full on council worker one.

People look at me, pull out anyway,
i ride a white bike with 4 halogen headlights, with a bright brand spanking new vest, and i'm still invisible.

There really isn't a point tbh.
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[WildGoose]

[Flip]

They don't work well on sports bikes as the rider is leaning forward behind a screen. Don't work well in the pitch black from the front because the headlight obscures you. Good on naked bikes in poor light and that about it imo. Oh and don't wear a rucksak with one because it hides it too much.

[iooi]

Just the same as riding with your lights on in daytime is fighting a losing battle due to the high number of cars with theirs on all the time.
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[ms51ves3]

[Im-a-Ridah]

Fit extra lights which are a different colour then

[Newbiker0507]

The best thing is not to go over the speed limit in any of the areas you're riding in. And to have a really loud bike.

All the best

James

[Pete.]

Could be summat in that you know Stinky - the whole reason for wearing hi-viz is to cause the brain to notice un-natural colours. The more people wear them to more conditioned the brain becomes to seeing them. Certainly seems to be a higher percentage of people in London wearing hi-vis clothing, and it's only going to get more as major projects like cross-rail get under way.
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132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[Flip]

[stinkwheel]

[Kickstart]

Hi

There is a sea of them, but another possible issue is people not thinking at all because they have put on a bright thing.

Like civil engineers wearing hard hats on site, even if the site is an empty field.

When taking pics Donington used to not worry about you wearing anything high viz. They changed that to insist you wore a high viz jacket. Quite what the purpose of this is I am not sure. Last thing I would want is to be more distracting to those on track, and the only time they are likely to need to see me is when they have already lost control and so are not going to be in a position to avoid me.

All the best

Keith
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[Duckyboos]

I wear one of these:

https://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:oePTDipzPL9lIM:https://www.advancedsafetyequipment.com/sales/orange-led-ylwstrp-an3.gif

...there's a battery pack on the inside - takes two AAs, and there's 16 LEDs planted in the straps and they flash... it raises a few giggles but, I figure, at least they've seen me.

And I've ironed a load of reflective tape over my rucksack so it catches any following headlights... it's on the sofa in this pic:

Still doesn't feel like it's enough though... sometimes I think I must riding with no lights on, the number of eejits who drive at me like I'm not really there...

[MinhDinh]

they should start colour coding people.

bicyclists should wear red

motorcyclist should wear yellow

car delivery guys should wear sky blue
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[Duckyboos]

[st3v3]

^ ^

I got a bright yellow one for my commute last weekend, I had 4 cars pull out on me in a mile stretch the previous day to getting one, been fine since.

I am now thinking of a blue one, or something else rare and obscure..... Long as I'm not 'done' for impersonation.
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[cosstick]

Ive not had the problem with people pulling out but people blinding me with their full beam, i have now bought a high vis and they switch them off pretty quick now

[catbells]

[c-m]

I have a high--vis vest but never wear it.

My green textile jacket is reflective and has highvis material in it.

Notice this when my gf couldn't take a picture of me in it. The reflection overexposed the shot
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[Pete.]