CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!

That Other Bugbear - Hi Viz

(20 posts)
  • Started 13 years ago by Wilmington's Cow
  • Latest reply from steveo

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  1. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Had reason to consider this again on a ride yesterday.

    Much like good old helmets, I'm simply pro-choice on this. If you want to wear bright yellow then fine; if you don't want to wear bright yellow then fine.

    What I find odd is that people will say, in an absolute fashion, that one or the other is more visible. The thing is, life is never that absolute.

    I have photos in bright sunshine of dark clothing standing out waaaaaaaay more than alleged hi-viz. But yesterday on a run in the Borders with my other half and her dad, after stopping for lunch he produced an as-yellow-as-yellow-can-be jacket. And by eck in that dull gloomy light of two in the afternoon out in the middle of nowhere he stuck out like the sorest of thumbs.

    It's all in the context. Basically anyone who takes an entrenched view one way or the other is closing their eyes to the reality of different conditions. That is all.

    p.s. one thing I would say, in the dark, forget the debate between hi-viz or not, what you really want is reflective.

    p.p.s. for the record both Mel and her dad wore a helmet, I didn't, no antagonism, no disagreements. Live. Let live. Mel used to not wear one after reading the same stuff as me, took a long break from cycling, and having got back into it has decided she wants to wear a helmet again - I'm just happy she's back on a bike.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  2. wingpig
    Member

    I'd class true hi-vis as anything involving Scotchlite(no R symbol on phone) rather than simple fluorescence. I've still to wear my LRT freebie tabard, though tend to try and wear my lighter-coloured T-shirts outside of daylight.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  3. chdot
    Admin

    Talking of hi-viz, came across this yesterday -

    Web site says it's an on-line fancy dress business so no idea if it sells from shop - or if stuff is 'value for money'.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  4. recombodna
    Member

    Hmmmm Morphsuits eh?

    Posted 13 years ago #

  5. Nelly
    Member

    odd combo in that shop.

    We could start a trend wearing those Morphsuits, but not sure if they are hi viz!

    Posted 13 years ago #

  6. custard
    Member

    I went with a graphite Altura jacket for "high viz"
    I just couldnt see myself(no pun) wearing bright yellow

    Posted 13 years ago #

  7. kaputnik
    Moderator

    My only cycling "jacket" is a Polaris fleece with eindtex panels on front, in a very lurid shade of brighter-than-bright yellow. But it's not the fluo-hi-viz shade, a colour I am particularly not fond of.

    It has retroreflective piping so stands out on a dull day and in headlights.

    In the months of the year with not much daylight I have a respro retroreflective band around my helmet that lights up like a christmas tree if it is caught in headlights. I like the idea of putting my hi-viz panel on my head, as it's generally visible from all directions, arms and backs can get obscured.

    I see lots of people with bright tabards on who then plop a rucksack ontop of them, pretty much invalidating any value of them.

    Current gloves don't have reflective bits on the hands to I've taken to using some of those snap-around bands that Spokes etc. give away on my wrists for making hand signals more obvious in the dark.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  8. 1lesscar
    Member

    I always carry a white / transparent rain jacket that has Scotchlite. It's very good in the dark. I don't own any bright yellow gear, it mostly being bright black, which considering I'm 6'1" and about 16 stone, is usually very 'hi-vis'.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  9. recombodna
    Member

    'We could start a trend wearing those Morphsuits, but not sure if they are hi viz!

    I'm sure people would notice you......... maybe not in the good way though.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  10. gembo
    Member

    Anth - I thought you had this bright windcheeta - Isle of Skye Brewery

    http://www.thecyclejersey.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=9&zenid=03e6983d05398400fc45c11cef9a7d02

    I have a fair isle tank top in the same orange colour whenever I wear it cycling not only am I highly visible I also get torrents of abuse

    Posted 13 years ago #

  11. Mabs
    Member

    Reflective detail certainly makes a difference when out an about and it is often the first thing I see when out driving before I see their own lights.

    An issue I have is the distinct lack of reflective t shirts. All those jackets light up like napalm but there is very little on the t-shirt/jersey front. It's a rare day where it is cold enough to warrant a jacket. Any one know of some decent reflective t shirts?

    Posted 13 years ago #

  12. Instography
    Member

    When I was buying a winter jacket I went for the bright yellow with some reflective stripes and piping. It's not pretty but I thought, what the hell, if it's going to help drivers see me in the (at best) half light I'll be riding in in winter then I'll go for it. It's not much more visible to other cyclists but in headlights it's probably pretty bright.

    The only times I've ever got into trouble in the past have been at night with drivers getting way too close or cutting in front of me when I was in more ordinary clothes (I used to wear a fairly normal beige Berghaus jacket). I reckon they either just don't see you or don't see enough to judge speed very well.

    Maybe I've become more cautious and better at taking up more of the road but (touch wood) I haven't had any trouble so far with painfully bright lights and a big yellow jacket.

    I like the idea of reflective gloves. I've been conscious of the limited visibility of black hands.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  13. Uberuce
    Member

    Brickie's tabard bought at the car boot sale for me. Plenty of Scotchlite and the bilious yellow, and because it's out of my field of view, it means I can easily forget I'm wearing such an ugly garment. My bag sits on my hip so it's not obscuring more than the straps's width.

    I think reflective tyre walls look rather handsome. If they're safer then hurrah.

    Mabs - you've given me a notion to pick up another tabard at the car boot sale and attack it with a Stanley knife until I've left just the reflective bands. Slip that over a T-shirt and I have got myself a handy kick up the visibility bum without any unwanted heat insulation.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  14. kaputnik
    Moderator

    The Altura Nightvision stuff is superb, but makes all wearers look like they are on their way to a fancy dress party as a skellerington

    Posted 13 years ago #

  15. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    "Anth - I thought you had this bright windcheeta - Isle of Skye Brewery"

    No, I've got the short-sleeved jersey, but now I want that!

    Posted 13 years ago #

  16. wee folding bike
    Member

    Decathlon's ad for "fluorescent" jackets annoys me a bit.

    I'm fairly sure they're just brightly coloured.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  17. chdot
    Admin

    http://activetravel2stenhouse.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/illuminous-day

    Stenhouse is a school I do some work in, though I wasn't involved in that.

    It's part of the Sustrans I Bike project.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  18. Stepdoh
    Member

    I always thought inverse zebra for the night vision stuff. Bit more hi-viz this year, but refusing lemon.

    Have a white jacket with lots of retroreflective and very, very red knee warmers with retroreflective labelling all down the back. Think with black everywhere else it's reasonably eye catching.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  19. wee folding bike
    Member

    So is that black with white stripes or white with black stripes?

    I'm fairly sure the zebras view it as camouflage.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  20. steveo
    Member

    Its only very effective camouflage when there are another hundred of you with a very similar pattern and it only disguises the individual the mass of the herd are still quite visible. Tbh when that kind of camouflage becomes useful i'll probably be happy with wearing it.

    Posted 13 years ago #

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