Author Topic: HI VIZ  (Read 15918 times)

dim

Re: HI VIZ
« Reply #25 on: 11 September, 2017, 03:20:09 pm »
I think my original question was less about being seen and more about making sure that people didn't come too close.

In open countryside and Central London it's normally OK but out here on the edge of London in Herts/Bucks it can get a bit hairy, especially around rush hours even if one is riding in primary.  My thought was that, rather than cursing under my breath and wondering if the next nutter would have me off, I could add a message to my hi viz that reminded them not to come so close.

It makes sense to keep the message short and BIG but does anyone sell such a thing?

add a camera on your helmet and have a jacket saying: You are being filmed or 'Smile .... You are on Camera' or similar

I use a cycliq fly 6 and Garmin Virb camera (on some rides), and I can say that when I have the camera mounted on my helmet, drivers are very polite
“No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness.” - Aristotle

Kim

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Re: HI VIZ
« Reply #26 on: 11 September, 2017, 03:27:30 pm »
and for those who say that hiviz in the day is ineffective ..... check this photo:



Hi viz jackets can be spotted at distances of (say) a mile away. The reflective strips are very effective. At that distance i doubt you are going to be able to read anything, however ypu habe noticed a bright object.

I don't think anybody is disputing this.  The optical properties of hi-vis are proven.  That's why the railways use it.

But being a) seen  and  b) respected  on a bike isn't usually about optics, it's about psychology.  It's no good being spotted from a mile away at night if a driver still thinks passing you with 6 inches clearance is a reasonable thing to do.  It's no good standing out from the background on an urban roundabout when a driver is only looking for cars.

This is probably why there's no demonstrable correlation between use of hi-vis and cyclist RTCs.

Kim

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Re: HI VIZ
« Reply #27 on: 11 September, 2017, 03:30:54 pm »
What's the point in being more confident if neither the danger nor other people's behaviour have changed?

More confident riders position themselves more assertively in the road, which *does* make a difference?

Re: HI VIZ
« Reply #28 on: 11 September, 2017, 03:40:40 pm »
I think my original question was less about being seen and more about making sure that people didn't come too close.

The comment above about riding further out is probably the best you can achieve. If nothing else, it means you can pull inwards a bit when someone does close pass you.

Kim

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Re: HI VIZ
« Reply #29 on: 11 September, 2017, 03:41:56 pm »
I think my original question was less about being seen and more about making sure that people didn't come too close.

Put a garden fork/golf umbrella/battleaxe across your rear rack.

Seriously, try it.  Drivers are brilliant at spotting things that might damage their car.

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: HI VIZ
« Reply #30 on: 11 September, 2017, 03:43:51 pm »
and for those who say that hiviz in the day is ineffective ..... check this photo:

Now stand those people up against green countryside foliage.

Or a police minibus.
Effective camouflage: only those pink heads look even vaguely human.

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: HI VIZ
« Reply #31 on: 11 September, 2017, 03:45:00 pm »
I think my original question was less about being seen and more about making sure that people didn't come too close.

Put a garden fork/golf umbrella/battleaxe across your rear rack.

Seriously, try it.  Drivers are brilliant at spotting things that might damage their car.

+1

Re: HI VIZ
« Reply #32 on: 11 September, 2017, 04:08:41 pm »
I think my original question was less about being seen and more about making sure that people didn't come too close.

In open countryside and Central London it's normally OK but out here on the edge of London in Herts/Bucks it can get a bit hairy, especially around rush hours even if one is riding in primary.  My thought was that, rather than cursing under my breath and wondering if the next nutter would have me off, I could add a message to my hi viz that reminded them not to come so close.

It makes sense to keep the message short and BIG but does anyone sell such a thing?

Semi-urban rat-runs are often the worst in terms of motorist behaviour.

The only thing I think might possibly work is a largish camera icon on your back.  Personally, I wouldn't bother.

frankly frankie

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Re: HI VIZ
« Reply #33 on: 11 September, 2017, 04:20:25 pm »
I think you need to define the primary objective.  Mostly it's designed to make you visible in headlights from a long way off.

That's 'reflective' surely.  'High viz' is more about being seen in daylight.
when you're dead you're done, so let the good times roll

Re: HI VIZ
« Reply #34 on: 11 September, 2017, 04:24:15 pm »
Hi-Vis is one/both retro-reflectives and fluorescent colours.

The former are nigh on useless during the day.
The latter are nigh on useless at night.
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

Re: HI VIZ
« Reply #35 on: 11 September, 2017, 04:40:59 pm »
Slightly OT but those 'POLITE' jackets that horsey folk wear baffle me. Police horses are trained to deal with sudden and loud noises. I'd probably give a police horse less room if I'm passing it than a potentially skittish 'civvy' horse.

John

Re: HI VIZ
« Reply #36 on: 11 September, 2017, 05:26:16 pm »
I think riding so that cars can't overtake until there is no oncoming traffic is the only way to get some space, otherwise too many people try to sneak through without going over the centerline.  I was too close to the curb on an A-road a couple weeks back and had loads of close passes, once I moved away from the kerb a foot and the close passes stopped.  Luckily it was a short section of A-road.

This product might do what you want and is significantly lighter than a battleaxe, though less fun: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wave-120970-M-Wave-Safety-Flagpole/dp/B003LHO6S6/ref=pd_sim_200_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=CEB4MQV10YVJ8TXHWN9Q

frankly frankie

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Re: HI VIZ
« Reply #37 on: 11 September, 2017, 05:38:31 pm »
Hi-Vis is one/both retro-reflectives and fluorescent colours.

The former are nigh on useless during the day.
The latter are nigh on useless at night.

In that case it's unclear which the OP is looking for.
when you're dead you're done, so let the good times roll

Re: HI VIZ
« Reply #38 on: 11 September, 2017, 05:50:34 pm »
Thanks everyone for their comments and for taking the time to chip in.

I find, after 30 odd years on a bike in London and country, that drivers do see me OK day and night and, like most riders, I do generally ride assertively on busy roads. However, on many roads, a cyclist riding in primary will not stop all close passes even if they are forcing cars to cross the centre line to overtake.

I don't want to be an a**e to other road users as I've seen the negative impact that can have (so that rules out for me POLITE jackets, assertions about reading the Highway code or pictures of cameras); I just think that reminding motorists to give cyclists space somehow will reduce some of the unpleasant experiences I have had recently and could be a way of reducing the fear that many cyclists have about riding near traffic on roads.

And I'd like to do it in a suitably stylish way without using an industrial-sized windbreak.

Re: HI VIZ
« Reply #39 on: 11 September, 2017, 06:19:15 pm »
And I'd like to do it in a suitably stylish way without using an industrial-sized windbreak.

I think the product you seek can be found on aisle 11 3/4, next to the lunar support sticks and beneath the unicorn tears.

Mind you, I quite like redlight's Off Duty suggestion - suitably enigmatic.

Re: HI VIZ
« Reply #40 on: 11 September, 2017, 08:36:09 pm »
Ian Walker has done very interesting research on this and it has shown that there is one thing which he has proven to work, and it's not hi-viz with messages, it's a blonde wig.

dim

Re: HI VIZ
« Reply #41 on: 11 September, 2017, 09:02:57 pm »
Ian Walker has done very interesting research on this and it has shown that there is one thing which he has proven to work, and it's not hi-viz with messages, it's a blonde wig.

LOL ... a blonde wig with my hairy fat legs and I will be tasting tarmac  ;D

“No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness.” - Aristotle

Karla

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Re: HI VIZ
« Reply #42 on: 11 September, 2017, 09:12:12 pm »
If you don't like people close-passing you, you don't have time to give them polite-yet-pedantic lectures about how wouldn't they mind awfully if they could just be a good sport and move just a teensy little bit over to the right, if they would be so much obliged?   If you don't like being pushy, don't try to influence car drivers from the saddle of a bike!

Re: HI VIZ
« Reply #43 on: 11 September, 2017, 10:29:20 pm »
something suitably subtle on the back reminding approaching drivers that I'd appreciate it if they gave me a bit of room.
Got to be one of these https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bicycle-safety-Lollipop-reflector-handlebar/dp/B00C7645H4

Just fitted one to my hack bike :)
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Pingu

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Re: HI VIZ
« Reply #44 on: 11 September, 2017, 10:35:22 pm »
Most people are wearing magic hats, after they're all wearing magic vests what next?

Kim

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Re: HI VIZ
« Reply #45 on: 11 September, 2017, 11:04:11 pm »
Most people are wearing magic hats, after they're all wearing magic vests what next?

Magic trousers, Gromit!

Planet X Paul

  • The Green Machine
Re: HI VIZ
« Reply #46 on: 12 September, 2017, 12:03:49 am »
I bought a Proviz Switch gillet last Winter, mainly for dark evening solo training rides and Winter Audax rides, particularly if I'm likely to be on main roads for any time.  The first time I wore it was on a 'main roads' audax in December.  Wore it with flouro yellow during the day, then reversed it to the reflective side at dusk.  I'm sure that it must have been very visible to motorists as it was really noticeable that cars gave me a very wide berth when passing.  One thing though, it's not very breathable and you get a lot of condensation inside the gillet.  I'd imagine a full jacket would be even more so.

Kim

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Re: HI VIZ
« Reply #47 on: 12 September, 2017, 12:15:46 am »
From my experience of people wearing it on night rides, the Proviz stuff is so effective it could be that they were giving you a wide berth to avoid being dazzled by it!

Salvatore

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Re: HI VIZ
« Reply #48 on: 12 September, 2017, 08:19:04 am »
From my experience of people wearing it on night rides, the Proviz stuff is so effective it could be that they were giving you a wide berth to avoid being dazzled by it!

That isn't as far-fetched as it might sound if you've never seen it. I was overtaken by someone wearing Proviz on the descent of Yad Moss last month and I've since bought a gillet. Mind you, when everyone is wearing one we'll be as invisible as ever. 
Quote
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T42

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Re: HI VIZ
« Reply #49 on: 12 September, 2017, 09:24:49 am »
+1. When I'm driving at night I often have to dip my lights for road-signs.  I shall put some Proviz on my Christmas list.

Re putting text on gilets, IMO anything more complex that a 4-letter word won't be read, and then only out of the corner of the driver's eye as the car hurtles past.
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