Do you wear hi-viz gear?

[Garandman]

Rain forecast for a week, hi-viz rain gear counts....

[nilez]

I wear a high viz Icon "military" vest when riding on base because it's mando. Otherwise, no I don't wear high viz gear when I'm just heading out with my buddies for a ride.

[Rossco]

Rain forecast for a week, hi-viz rain gear counts....

I've been trying to find some hi-viz rain gear but to no avail. The closest I can find is just standard yellow. You'd think it'd be more readily available seeing as hi-viz is needed most in rainy/foggy conditions.

[Garandman]

I've been trying to find some hi-viz rain gear but to no avail. The closest I can find is just standard yellow. You'd think it'd be more readily available seeing as hi-viz is needed most in rainy/foggy conditions.

Harley makes some orange riding suits. The Tourmaster Defender series is pretty visible as it has the white/yellow and some reflective piping.

[NobodySpecific]

Just ordered one of these today for dual sport and warm weather riding.

[NeverlosT]

im with mondo. The base makes us wear the high viz icon vests. At least they used to, they seem to have slid back into "dont give a shit"-ville.

That tron helment was badass. i gotta do that to my old lid. sickabilly.

I can see the obvious benefit of those super neon jackets, but I dont wear one, not yet at least.

[gadget]

...The base makes us wear the high viz icon vests. At least they used to, they seem to have slid back into "dont give a shit"-ville....

Yeah, for awhile here on Hanscom AFB, they were checking to make sure you even had boots on.

Earlier this week a hardley rode in behind me with an obviously non-DOT lid, dark t-shirt, jeans and shoes and the gate guard didn't even bat an eye at him.

[nhbubba]

Considering going for a hi-viz vest for commuting. I have a jacket. It has reflective piping for night, but isn't hi-viz for day. But I like it and don't feel like replacing it.

There was a time when I said no chance in hell, too geeky. But there have just been too many close calls lately. If it really does cut ~30% of the left turners and lane changers out, maybe it's worth it. I already sprinted across the bridge to geekville when I bought my v-strom anyway.

~$20-30 for one of those road worker/traffic detail type vests seems worthwhile.



It's tough to find a cheapie (<$30) that doesn't say Police, Fire or EMS on it though. Don't want that!

And the dedicated motorcycle stuff from Olympia and Icon seems pricey. Olympia wants $80 for their vest!

[jcrawford]

This is hi-viz.
None of the previously posted pictures, except Rossco's video, are close.

so why did you circle it

It is the first thing my eye focused on when the pic loaded though.

I don't currently have any Hi-Viz Gear but might have to get some.

[SVnunook]

Yes both my helmet and suit.

[Sheppo]

Like I had posted, but here is picture proof. Not labeled as HiVIZ but you can see both me and my helmet rather nicely...

[Cheese]

I'd be more curious about studies that proved HiViz actually works. I've seen riders wearing HiViz tucked behind a full fairing bike or even hard tail bags that cover all but the shoulders. I'm not convinced that HiViz is more visible than a headlight pointed pretty much right at the driver that's expected to notice.

What if HiViz causes target fixation?

What if drivers basically use a true/false function to tell if it's clear to pull out (look+no car=go)?

Beyond that I think that discounting good protective gear based on color is a little silly. Military bases are a great example as they care only about bright contrasting colors during the day and reflective at night. A long sleeve yellow t-shirt is allowed but a gray leather jacket with armor in the shoulders, elbows, forearms and back protector is turned away at the front gate.

[Rusty the Scoob]

I doubt you'll find a good motorycle-specific study, but I'm sure the Highway department has done plenty of studies showing that Hi-Viz colors are more noticeable to the eye than dark ones. They're filed under D for "Duh".

[Sheppo]

I'd be more curious about studies that proved HiViz actually works. I've seen riders wearing HiViz tucked behind a full fairing bike or even hard tail bags that cover all but the shoulders. I'm not convinced that HiViz is more visible than a headlight pointed pretty much right at the driver that's expected to notice.

What if HiViz causes target fixation?

What if drivers basically use a true/false function to tell if it's clear to pull out (look+no car=go)?

Beyond that I think that discounting good protective gear based on color is a little silly. Military bases are a great example as they care only about bright contrasting colors during the day and reflective at night. A long sleeve yellow t-shirt is allowed but a gray leather jacket with armor in the shoulders, elbows, forearms and back protector is turned away at the front gate.

I would be interested in knowing that too. I have had in 3 instances people telling me they definitely saw me coming due to the Yellow. Then again I sit more standard and don't have the back box on. I agree that you need to be aware as well. Best advice I was ever given was to ride like I was invisible.

[nhbubba]

I'd be more curious about studies that proved HiViz actually works.

http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcyc...dy-summary.htm

13. Conspicuity of the motorcycle is a critical factor in the multiple vehicle accidents, and accident involvement is significantly reduced by the use of motorcycle headlamps (on in daylight) and the wearing of high visibility yellow, orange or bright red jackets.

My thinking is if it works for cops directing traffic or the guys at a construction site, why wouldn't it work for me?

FWIW: My bike has a relatively small fairing and no top box. I am plainly visible on the thing from all angles.

[Rossco]

Meh, my whole bike is hi-viz

[Harley Davidson]

I usually ride the street with my black one 1pc track suit, but if I were going to get something specifically for the street it would probably be a 1pc Olympia high viz suit. If I had one I'd where it on some but not all rides.

ATGATT -2%

[Garandman]

im with mondo. The base makes us wear the high viz icon vests. At least they used to, they seem to have slid back into "dont give a shit"-ville.

That tron helment was badass. i gotta do that to my old lid. sickabilly.

I can see the obvious benefit of those super neon jackets, but I dont wear one, not yet at least.

FWIW I didn't wear one for the first 27 years riding, so nearly as long as you've been alive. My first "riding jacket" was a blue and yellow striped rugby shirt. I got rid of silver helmets almost immediately, though.

Now, almost always. I have a black mesh Vanson I wear when it's hot and the difference is quite noticeable

I'd be more curious about studies that proved HiViz actually works. I've seen riders wearing HiViz tucked behind a full fairing bike or even hard tail bags that cover all but the shoulders. I'm not convinced that HiViz is more visible than a headlight pointed pretty much right at the driver that's expected to notice.
//.

Th Hurt Report (1981) was the first to mention rider conspicuity (or lack thereof) as a contributing cause for accidents.

From 1993 to 1996 there was a study in New Zealand

Participants 463 motorcycle drivers (cases) involved in crashes leading to hospital treatment or death; 1233 motorcycle drivers (controls) recruited from randomly selected roadside survey sites.

Main outcome measures Estimates of relative risk of motorcycle crash related injury and population attributable risk associated with conspicuity measures, including the use of reflective or fluorescent clothing, headlight operation, and colour of helmet, clothing, and motorcycle.

The results were very clear and were what convinced me to start wearing Olympia Hi-Viz in 2007.

Results Crash related injuries occurred mainly in urban zones with 50 km/h speed limit (66%), during the day (63%), and in fine weather (72%).

After adjustment for potential confounders, drivers wearing any reflective or fluorescent clothing had a 37% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.63, 95% confidence interval 0.42 to 0.94) than other drivers.

Compared with wearing a black helmet, use of a white helmet was associated with a 24% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.76, 0.57 to 0.99). Self reported light coloured helmet versus dark coloured helmet was associated with a 19% lower risk.

Three quarters of motorcycle riders had their headlight turned on during the day, and this was associated with a 27% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.73, 0.53 to 1.00). No association occurred between risk and the frontal colour of drivers' clothing or motorcycle.

If these odds ratios are unconfounded, the population attributable risks are 33% for wearing no reflective or fluorescent clothing, 18% for a non-white helmet, 11% for a dark coloured helmet, and 7% for no daytime headlight operation.

The European MAIDS study was more recent still but didn't really break out conspicuity the way the NZ or Hurt reports did.

//What if HiViz causes target fixation?

What if drivers basically use a true/false function to tell if it's clear to pull out (look+no car=go)?//.

If hi-viz caused target fixation there'd be one hell of a lot of dead construction workers, LEO's and firemen around. But to your point about driver behavior, check out the "Anti-SMIDSY Manuever." Basically if you see a vehicle on a side road and the background is not moving behind them, you may be subject to the results of "looming."

Sorry Mate I Didn't See You

[Harley Davidson]

The article discussion highlighted the most obvious limitation of the results, that "Riders wearing high visibility clothing and white helmets are likely to be more safety conscious than other riders."

At a quick glance, it seems this is they most obvious weakness in the study. One could make a strong argument that safety consciousness on the part of the rider is highly correlated with high viz gear wear, and that it is something about the rider that explains the results. Either way, as difficult as they are to capture, riders attitudes about safety should be included, and the confounding variables they checked for seem to overlook this. Sounds like they should follow the study up and address attitudes about safety and riding behavior and separate those from gear wear.

[Cheese]

http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcyc...dy-summary.htm

An initial quick read through shows they lump HiViz gear together with daytime headlight use. I'd like to see them separated and will read further to see if that's listed when I have more time. I also assume these results are slightly biased by the results of police reports. I find it hard to believe that someone is going to tell the officer, "I saw him coming, but pulled out anyway." Those that didn't look at all or didn't look long enough will blame the motorcycle's invisibility.

[pk4882]

My gear is not hi-viz, but:

My Stebel Nautilus horn (that I love to hit), AND

My "Is that an airplane coming at me?" HID high beam, AND

My newly-adopted "Anti-SMIDSY" moves seem to do the trick.

My eyesight is pretty good, and I think I can optically detect the waiting cagers notice that something is in their intended path. Hopefully, the day that theory fails is the day my practiced avoidance maneuvers are tested.

BTW, I don't think they could see the green vest over the HID anyways.

PK

P.S. Getting rear-ended at a stop light... that's another discussion... Are you watching your rear view?

[Garandman]

The article discussion highlighted the most obvious limitation of the results, that "Riders wearing high visibility clothing and white helmets are likely to be more safety conscious than other riders."

At a quick glance, it seems this is they most obvious weakness in the study. One could make a strong argument that safety consciousness on the part of the rider is highly correlated with high viz gear wear, and that it is something about the rider that explains the results. Either way, as difficult as they are to capture, riders attitudes about safety should be included, and the confounding variables they checked for seem to overlook this. Sounds like they should follow the study up and address attitudes about safety and riding behavior and separate those from gear wear.

That's true for the studies but not for me!

Last season I had to make two trips down Columbia Road to an auto parts store in Quincy. First trip I wore my hi-viz Olympia. Second trip, for some reason, I took the silver Olympia. Identical bike, helmet, rider, and the jackets are even the same model and brand.

First trip, no problem. Second trip, I got cut off three times in traffic (in six miles) where if I had not taken action I might have been hit. Sure convinced me.

I think all these questions about target fixation and safe riding and this and that come from folks who have never worn hi-viz. I don't know anyone who has tried it and went back to dark-colored gear.

[Harley Davidson]

I don't know anyone who has tried it and went back to dark-colored gear.

Yeah. I really want that hiViz Olympia 1pc they have in the local shop, but my wallet isn't cooperating. In the meantime, I'll keep wearing my leathers for street rides, but it would be cool to have a pull over hi viz top that goes over the leathers. Anyone recommend one that fits over the speed-hump?

[SteveM]

I haven't gone this route, even though I'm a daily commuter into Boston.

Gray Olympia jacket and pants, phoslite stripes, but not Hi-viz.

I'm thinking about a vest, though.

[nhbubba]

I find it hard to believe that someone is going to tell the officer, "I saw him coming, but pulled out anyway." Those that didn't look at all or didn't look long enough will blame the motorcycle's invisibility.

Yeah, I'm not sure you'd find many willing to voluntarily admit to homicide. Intentional or not.

All of this is what it is. In the end each of us just has to decide what's important for us and why.

Anyone recommend one that fits over the speed-hump?

No speed hump here, but I'm kind of in the same boat.

Gman mentioned www.galls.com. I can't find a reasonably priced vest from them that is in stock and doesn't say POLICE across the front and back.