FYI - MOTO NZ impending RFP

[bogan]

Why would we need hi vis when compulsory headlight use fixed all the problems with people not seeing us?

That's a good point, and it would certainly make sense for the effectiveness of that law change to be evaluated, before putting through another visibility law change. If that didn't make a difference, figure out why not, and don't make the same mistake!

[Swoop]

The helicopter that crashed in Auckland's Viaduct this morning... Did anyone notice what the pilot was wearing?

Yup, you guessed it.

[caspernz]

And as the numbers dwindle it gets easier to pass more legislation because there's less of us to fight it.

The answer........?

1. Stop riding like twats.
2. Engage brain before riding.

Now I don't know Katman, but I agree with the sentiments. The argument that fluoru vest wearers feature less in accident stats on account of being more risk averse is open to debate.
Up until six months ago I didn't wear a shiny vest. Then I thought why not? Can't say whether it's because tintops wonder if I'm a cop or whether I really do stand out more, but I'm treated differently on the road. Mind you, I follow Katmans' 1 & 2 points mentioned above...most of the time.

[oneofsix]

Now I don't know Katman, but I agree with the sentiments. The argument that fluoru vest wearers feature less in accident stats on account of being more risk averse is open to debate.
Up until six months ago I didn't wear a shiny vest. Then I thought why not? Can't say whether it's because tintops wonder if I'm a cop or whether I really do stand out more, but I'm treated differently on the road. Mind you, I follow Katmans' 1 & 2 points mentioned above...most of the time.

This was a peddley but if the cager can claim she didn't see him when he has lights on and is full in her headlights I don't see how hi-vis add to my bike lights and reflective bike gear will help
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post...-in-headlights

Not only do we have to engage brain but somehow the message has to be brought home to the cage drivers. Perhaps the airbags in the A pillars obscured her vision (insert tui logo)

[bogan]

This was a peddley but if the cager can claim she didn't see him when he has lights on and is full in her headlights I don't see how hi-vis add to my bike lights and reflective bike gear will help
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post...-in-headlights

Not only do we have to engage brain but somehow the message has to be brought home to the cage drivers. Perhaps the airbags in the A pillars obscured her vision (insert tui logo)

And this one boggles the mind a bit. Didn't realise the police wanted her to stop until the spike-strip she didn't notice she had run over caused her car to stop.

[Paul in NZ]

The helicopter that crashed in Auckland's Viaduct this morning... Did anyone notice what the pilot was wearing?

Yup, you guessed it.

Mind you - that wire rope did prove to be a pretty effective barrier....

[swbarnett]

The argument that fluoru vest wearers feature less in accident stats on account of being more risk averse is open to debate.

All we can be sure of is that "Correlation does NOT mean causation" i.e. at best these studies are inconclusive.

Up until six months ago I didn't wear a shiny vest. Then I thought why not? Can't say whether it's because tintops wonder if I'm a cop or whether I really do stand out more, but I'm treated differently on the road.

Maybe the way you ride has changed slightly since you started wearing it?

I tried something similar a while back. Spent a week with my headlight off during the day. Nothing changed. The proportion of people that saw me stayed near as can be judeged to exactly the same.

Mind you, I follow Katmans' 1 & 2 points mentioned above...most of the time.

Exactly, you're already a safer rider.

[GrayWolf]

That’s because train drivers don’t wear the vests…

yes we do.......

[GrayWolf]

One of the frequently overlooked psychological 'safety' factors that researchers completely overlook is 'percieved threat'
The human brain gives greater attention to things it percieves as threatening or a danger to us.
We can have headlights on, and hi vis vests.. bikes with fairings, day riding lights etc. A car is larger than us, so they are the 'threat'... Car drivers tend to be more circumspect when they are dealing with a larger vehicle. (yes I know that isnt a 100% accurate statement, you are dealing with generalities here)
it was realised some time ago, that motorists DO see the bike but it registers 'low' in the threat scale... put POLICE stripes on one? Instant HIGH threat... they see the police bikes, even allowing for the fact the police rider is probably positioned in the correct road place.

[howdamnhard]

I agree with graywolf regarding " percieved threat" . Car drivers drift off to la la land when doing repetitive tasks and are only brought out of it when certain risk factors alert them, such as brakes lights ,etc. Bikes are smaller and simply don't rate high on the average drivers threat scale. Hence I looked straight at him and didn't see him "as a threat" and went anyway.
I used to wear a hi-vis jacket but found it lulled me into a false sense of security that cage drivers could actually see me. I now know they don't and ride accordingly. If they cant see me on a bright red bike with my lights on ,they sure aint going to see me much better with a hi-vis jacket on.

[awa355]

I used to wear a Hi Viz vest, untill I realised that drivers who drive with their eyes shut can not see the vests anyway.

Now it sits in the cupboard.

If you want to be seen, wear an ' Outlaw type Gang' patch, put apehangers and loud exhausts on your bike. If one of these clowns rides through an intersection in front of us, our eyesight always zooms in on him. percieved threat?

[Katman]

Car drivers drift off to la la land when doing repetitive tasks and are only brought out of it when certain risk factors alert them, such as brakes lights ,etc.

Much the same could be said about a large percentage of motorcyclists.

The trouble is, that while in la la land, far too many motorcyclists don't see the car stopped at a give way sign as a risk factor.

After all, they have to give way - right?

[CHOPPA]

Why?


10 f'n chars

I just think all those riders that wear all black and think they are ghost rider are gonna look f'n funny with there orange glow vest.

In all the road riding I did I never had a single car pull out in front of me or even come close because you could actually see me.

[MSTRS:Me]

In all the road riding I did I never had a single car pull out in front of me or even come close because you could actually see me.

Either you were lucky, or it was the way you were riding. I know which one my money is on.
Because I also know we can all be seen. And it's nothing to do with what we are wearing.

[ckai]

We have fluro vests in the cupboard. Wifey used to wear hers mostly for at night only because she didn't have any reflective stuff at the back of her jacket. She has a pink mohawk on her helmet, a pink jacket, and a vest...I witnessed on 3 occasions people pulling out in front of her. 1 was looking directly at her. But she was riding as all bikers have too, so knew every time what useless drivers will do. Like has been said, if every bike as fluro, people will stop seeing it. Simple fact.

You wanna be seen, let's throw on bike specific flashers. Green and blue I say.

If they introduce fluros, does that mean that if a bike gets hit from "didn't see you" muppets, does that mean they can get their licence cancelled because they shouldn't be driving? Only fair isn't it?

God, it pisses me off when the majority of NZ thinks the best way to fix the deaths/accidents on the road is to introduce more shit. For fuck sake - start fucken educating better! Introduce 5 yearly resits for all I care, but for god sakes, we need to stop testing just on road rules and start testing on being courteous to fellow road users.