The fluorescent clothing debate

[Karla]

Just asking for info, that's all.  Whenever this comes up with friends, I'd like to throw this nugget at them without feeling dishonest.

[mattc]

The government has said that it will legislate if helmet use reaches a certain level they will bring in legislation to enforce.

I keep hearing this, I'm open to believing it and it wouldn't surprise me at all, but I haven't seen a source.  Does anyone have one?

Yes.         

[Jaded]

The government has said that it will legislate if helmet use reaches a certain level they will bring in legislation to enforce.

I keep hearing this, I'm open to believing it and it wouldn't surprise me at all, but I haven't seen a source.  Does anyone have one?

Have a look on this page. Not the original text, but a reference to it in George Young's bit, 23 Apr 2004 : Column 546 .

[Greenbank]

The government has said that it will legislate if helmet use reaches a certain level they will bring in legislation to enforce.

That'll make the London Velo cycle rental scheme interesting.

[Panoramix]

You all seem to be arguing high viz is less efficient than lights/reflective/assertive riding.

No. I am saying that I do not believe fluo yellow is more visible; under sodium light it clearly isn't and in a busy environment, not very much, esp with it being used for so many things; in pitch black, based on my commutes, well it doesn't show. I believe on the other hand that attention, proper lights and reflectors are. Back to the fluo debate, others have also implied that fluo yellow is not a magic shield. I think that this is the point.

Back in France I do believe the Gendarmerie have negated on their dark blue clothing, yet they are very visible in the dark. The same goes with the German Police.

OK, so we will have to agree that we disagree.

On my commute, when it is daylight and a bit misty high vis shows up very well and much better than other colours. As I have said not the magic answer, but useful in some cases. I wouldn't make it compulsory though.

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

Back in France I do believe the Gendarmerie have negated on their dark blue clothing, yet they are very visible in the dark. The same goes with the German Police.

In the 6 months I spent in France this year I can't recall ever seeing a high-vis wearing Gendarme.  Yet we must carry high-vis tabards for each m/vehicle occupant and AFAIK wear high-vis when out on the bike tho' I've never made a point of it. 

IMO excessive high-vis causes target fixation.

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

Not so, Kirst.  I genuinely think that if people have been through a free, logical, informed process then they should wear whatever they like on their head.

I think that too. Even if what they want to wear is a Viking helmet. My point though, is that there are lots of people who say they are all in favour of free choice but then moan like buggery about people who have exercised their free choice and chosen to wear a helmet. To be fair, most of them seem to be on the CTC forum.

Nobody at work or my GP asked me if I'd been wearing a helmet when I came off on the ice the other day, which surprised me.

[Regulator]

Nobody at work or my GP asked me if I'd been wearing a helmet when I came off on the ice the other day, which surprised me.

They were probably too scared to.... 

[Rig of Jarkness]

I'm developing a theory about the On The Road section, namely that any thread, no matter what the original subject, if left long enough will morph into a thread about helmets.   A bit like the in car cassette player in one of Terry Pratchet's books that no matter what cassette you put into it will make it play it out as  Bohemian Rhapsody. 

[clarion]

Last night, as it was my birthday, I decided to round up my distance to 40km.  Ok, perhaps I should have gone to 45km.  Discuss.

Anyway, so I headed up towards Oaks Park & back.

When Our Kid happened home a few short minutes after I did, he commented that he'd seen me riding past the bus stop as he got off, and that he'd seen my yellow jacket.

I don't have a yellow jacket; it's grey.  But, under streetlights, it shows how 'hi-viz' makes no difference because of the lack of UV.

[Pancho]

Nobody at work or my GP asked me if I'd been wearing a helmet when I came off on the ice the other day, which surprised me.

When my arm was smashed to pieces, I was asked this a few times (including by the doc).

I was able to answer, "on my arm? No. Why, do you think it would have helped?"

[Cudzoziemiec]

Happy birthday then, Clarion! I think on your birthday you should wear a fluorescent yellow party hat.