High viz fail - a vest won't help

[skippa1]

How does that video illustrate that high visibility doesn't 'help'?

I'm sure it would help you

[paturoa]

Love the logic here. Because hi-vis doesn't stop all crashes, therefore it stops none, and is of no use.

[skippa1]

Love the logic here. Because hi-vis doesn't stop all crashes, therefore it stops none, and is of no use.

Exactly. You got it.

[gjm]

I'm sure that in some circumstances hi-vis does help. However, if you're riding along a piece of straight road in broad daylight with your headlight on, and a car coming the other way pulls across in front of you, would it not have done so had you been wearing a hi-vis vest?
Or in the dark, headlight on, and a car pulls off a car park less than 20 feet in front of you?

Both have happened to me. I'm suer plenty of people have had similar experiences.

If someone can't/won't/doesn't see a headlight, they're very unlikely to see a high-vis vest. OK, so let's assume you're not facing the vehicle. Side-on. In which case your profile is significantly reduced and unless your arms are covered in reflective material too, the high-vis vest is less likely to be effective.

They're probably most effective when viewed from behind where an expanse of reflective material across your back may just register in the depths of the brain of another roaduser as being something they don't really wish to collide with.

I'm not saying they don't have their place. I'm sure they do. And there is certainly an argument for wearing something like this on the basis that every little helps. (Hopefully!) Any edge you can give yourself is worth having. Should they be compulsory? IMHO, no. Unless it can be shown that they really will massively reduce accident statistics, in which case all pedestrians should be made to wear them too.

And if that happens, there will be such a proliferation of high-vis that desensitization could occur, and some people will simply stop noticing them. Back to square one.

Back to the video. The driver of the yellow car in the video wasn't paying attention; it's the stuff of nightmares. It may have been unsighted by the lorry, which did move aside, but there is no excuse for what happened. You could probably have parked a car across that lane and it wouldn't have made any difference. The manoeuvre by the police rider looks dodgy, but it's probably standard operating procedure - certainly I've seen the same in many countries. Prison transport, ambulances, heads of state - all form convoys and have outriders who perform similar actions to ensure unimpeded progress.

[FJRider]

Love the logic here. Because hi-vis doesn't stop all crashes, therefore it stops none, and is of no use.

For Hi- vis stuff to work ... to see it ... you need to LOOK.

People that don't look will never see it.

People that see it (you) but continue (through stop and give way signs at intersections) on the assumption you wont run into them ... means it wont help you all the time. As has been said ... if they "Miss" seeing a headlight ... what hope is there they'll see a High vis vest (or similar) apparel .... ???

Those members on this site that haven't had this happen to them ... be patient ... it WILL ... eventually.

[unstuck]

You are likely right about the truck obscuring the drivers vision and the driver would have thought the truck was just doing a lane change. I have been in a few situations myself where I have thought I was in a line of stalled traffic but it was not until I went to over take did I know why the traffic was stalled which was due to vehicles coming out backing in to driveways.

The fact that everyone else was stopped(for a reason) and you still overtook, tells me all I need to know about your attitude to road safety.

[george formby]

The fact that everyone else was stopped(for a reason) and you still overtook, tells me all I need to know about your attitude to road safety.

Alarm bell not working.

Driver probably watching truck move & ambulance making a racket from the right before seeing the fed & closing their eyes. Inattention & distraction.

Obviously hi viz cars are pointless, too.

[Dave-]

Love the logic here. Because hi-vis doesn't stop all crashes, therefore it stops none, and is of no use.

This is a man who doesn't look both ways before crossing the road, because it's not going to help.

This guy clearly thinks that road markings should be painted black, because painting them white is no better.

I'm fascinated that skippa is still alive and seems capable of using a computer.

[unstuck]

I could not see what the reason for the traffic stopping was and just assumed it was normal traffic congestion. Did you know that lots of bikers overtake when there is traffic congestion and if you are a long way down the line of traffic it can not always be seen what the actual congestion cause is.

Assumptions will get you killed.

[skippa1]

This is a man who doesn't look both ways before crossing the road, because it's not going to help.

This guy clearly thinks that road markings should be painted black, because painting them white is no better.

I'm fascinated that skippa is still alive and seems capable of using a computer.

Shit Dave if you find me fascinating you should get out a bit more

[EJK]

10 characters

[jasonu]

If he wanted to stop people from using that lane with his bike he should have got off and just left the bike lights on.

Is that what they teach in the IAMS cat food course?

[FJRider]

Venturing out on the road full stop can get you killed. If you have that much fear time to give up driving/riding eh.

I think he was referring to your assumption it was safe to try to overtake a line of stalled traffic ... without any idea why it was stalled.

[Berries]

I think he was referring to your assumption it was safe to try to overtake a line of stalled traffic ... without any idea why it was stalled.

It is easier than braking, you could fall off doing that.

[unstuck]

Venturing out on the road full stop can get you killed. If you have that much fear time to give up driving/riding eh.

I do not fear many things, cannot afford to be too controlled by fear with some of the jobs I do.