High vis options

[Jerry74]

Good idea in theory stupid car drivers still don't pay attention to you

[Swoop]

I You make an interesting point about bikers not being seen to be a threat to 'other' vehicle drivers. In fact as I write this I realise you have identified a very excellent point. I wonder how we can change that?

People tend to notice Mongrel Mob / Black Power / (insert any other patched gang members here) bikes on the road.
Reason: THREAT.

If you ever see a patched gang member riding around with a day-glow vest on:
#1: It will be a good day to throw snowballs around in hell.
#2: The biker will be in a gutter after some cager pulling out in front of him, saying "SMIDSY".

[blossomsowner]

I'd trust the anecdotal evidence over the data. Longterm, everyday, practical, uncontrolled - trumps test scenario. Unless the test scenario is under the same conditions as the anecdotal. In which case, it is anecdotal, not data. Eh?
The other reason I wouldn't bother with the data is that people who wear this gear invariably are the type to take extra caution anyway, therefore making a mockery of any findings that wearing fluoro is safer.

i have a good mate that is the safe type,,,,,,,,,,wears fluoro, real careful rider........now lucky to be alive after car pulled from a driveway directly in front of him........reason being the driver did not see him.........well at least until he was in the drivers side window.

so i think hi vis on a bike makes not much difference........lights on all the time and how about one of the poles with a flag on top sticking up the back.

[scorpious]

I have been watching very closely for the number of bikers who wear 'any' vis, much less Hi-vis. My observations so far say it's one-in-twenty.

You make an interesting point about bikers not being seen to be a threat to 'other' vehicle drivers. In fact as I write this I realise you have identified a very excellent point. I wonder how we can change that?

My whimsical mind wonders if we should all carry a chain to belt recalcitrant drivers' vehicles. What about a purpose-fitted array of paint-ball guns? Two in front and behind. Two on each side.

Invade my space and pooom! Ya get a burst.

Maybe.

But the point is well made. We bikers don't pose a threat like other vehicles. How do we change that?

Do we approach LTNZ (or whatever the hell its called now) and demand some sort of million-dollar ad-campaign? Maybe we should. Why not? What about ACC?

I must admit, I do like the paint-ball idea.

Imagine some tit in a BMW giving some chick on a 50cc a hard time, only to get his/her flash car splattered with paint-balls!

Imagine coming upon some tit about to turn right, in front of you. You press the button and give the prick a burst of 20 paint-balls. That should wake him/her up.

I think that going with micro-stinger missiles would be taking matters a bit too far. :--))

Yeah. You're right, buddy. We bikers need to find a way to be seen as a threat equal to other road-user threats.

dahm good idea except i'd have shotgun on my bike,
or an explosive thats got a delay and is stuck on a tube out the front of the bike. hit the car, ride off and 10 seconds later...BOOM!!!!
I'd say that would count as a threat lol

[Mikkel]

Mentor hat on...
Not necessarily. I assume you mean on a single lane each way road...then yes, to avoid becoming a boot ornament ...and to give more opportunity to see/be seen by traffics coming the other way (because the turning vehicle is an excellent vision-blocker), some of which may also be turning right.
But on a 2 lane each way road, possibly not...you are in the left lane and there is other traffic in front/behind you...then stay towards the right side of that left lane, so as to not give the impression that there is a gap for Mr Opposing Right Turner to shoot into.

If I am on a dual carriage way I'm in the middle lane...

But in all seriousness - I mean one single lane roads and when travelling in the right-hand lane on dual carriage ways. If I'm in the left-hand lane on dual carriage ways I'm either lane-splitting, turning left or participating in a group ride.

[dpex]

The day was fab, and since I had nothing pressing requiring my attention I decided to go for a quick jaunt South-East. I thought that a nice pub-lunch in Thames might be the ticket. Very light traffic offered a wonderful run. Had my pub-lunch and wondered about where-to next, and ended up in Coromandel. Now there's a nice ride! Met up with a guy named Paulie. A biker on a near new Suzuki 600. Sweet bike. Anyway, he was wearing exactly the same high-vis as me. Ergo, bright orange jacket and lumo green pull-ups....I need pull-ups cos of my age...

We had coffee and chatted, as you do. He mumbled about bastard cops, which reminded me of a joke. "Bloke walks into a bar, orders a beer and says to the barman, 'All cops are bastards'! Whereupon a bloke also sitting at the bar said, 'Oi! Watch your mouth!' The first bloke look at him and asked, 'Why? Are you a cop?' 'No,' replied the second bloke, 'I'm a bastard.'

Anyway. Turns out Paulie was coming across the plains, passing the odd car, as you do....in his case i gather at sometimes close to 160. On the Eastern side of the Kopu bridge waited a cop, who flagged him down. Turns out some aggrieved car-driver had Star 555'd him and reported him doing well in ecsess of 250kph.

Naturally Paulie asked how it was possible for a car-driver to know this unless he, also, was doing the same speed. The cop smiled and replied, 'He is a she. And shes make great court witnesses. You want a ticket for 120 or do you want to wait around for her to arrive and then I'll throw the book at you?'

He told me he did a quick calc. One twenty meant $140 and a few DM points. A court hearing would go at least $1500 when lost work time was taken into account. But just to test he said, 'So did the driver give my rego?'

'Nope,' replied the cop. 'She just told us to look out for some idiot dressed like a sign for a brothel. You have to admit, your outfit is pretty distinctive. I saw you waiting across the other side of the bridge.'

So there you go. High-vis certainly does work at catching the attention of others, but there's clearly a down-side.

We both stripped off the greens, and tandemed back to Thames. He is a way better rider than me so I learned a bit about the cornering-skid event horizon. Ergo; I went a lot faster than I would have thought safe. So that was good.

We split. He went to Paeroa. I came home to Auck.

Good day!Learned heaps and had heaps of fun.

BTW: The pub-lunch I had was at a bar/bistro, on the left, in the middle of Thames, on a corner. Reasonably good burger, but the best damned chips I've ever had. Lousy coffee.

[dpex]

I've been sitting here thinking about the day as I have read more replies on this issue. And I've had an idea.

I'm going to buy one of those flash, blow-up dolls which men who can't find an opportunity to have sex with the Sunday roast, (before it's cooked) use. Read Portnoys Complaint for further gruesome details on the matter.

I figure strapping 'Doris' on my pillion should gain some attention.

Just imagine! At 100Ks Doris will be blown around a lot and thus look very.....pick an adjective...Active, inviting, noticeable, alluring, threatening to many drivers' wives, etc.

Oh yes. That has great possibilities.

[alanzs]

Wear a hi-viz Aerostich suit almost everytime I ride. Its comfortable, keeps the rain out, has enough pockets, armour, etc. Its my friend. We are best mates. Best riding suit I have ever had. Worth everything I paid for it. Once you go Aerostich, you never go back.... www.aerostich.com

[alanzs]

I figure strapping 'Doris' on my pillion should gain some attention.

I had a Barbie doll that I used to have sitting on my pillion seat for a long time. I never rode alone that way. I got a lot of looks for sure.
Your doll idea is even better. You'll be a bloody chick magnet!