Hmm. I've had a change of attitude on this hi-viz thing

[MSTRS:Me]

Fluro and reflective are two different things.
Admittedly they are often used together on 'safety' clothing.

[george formby]

Hi-viz should never replace your tactic (and my tactic and it should be all bikers tactic of watching THEM). For me it's an addition to how I ride to keep myself safe and if it gves me another 10% chance of a car driver registering that I'm there then that's good enough for me

Exacary. Riding a bike is a gamble, best to stack the deck in your favour.

[swbarnett]

Exacary. Riding a bike is a gamble, best to stack the deck in your favour.

Yes, but it can be stacked too far.

What constitutes too far must be a personal decision. Noone has the right to make that decision for us.

[george formby]

Yes, but it can be stacked too far.

What constitutes too far must be a personal decision. Noone has the right to make that decision for us.

Yup.
The concept of personal responsibility in life is becoming a memory.

Having said that I will take a potential increase in my safety over style any day.

Unless it's leg protectors.......

[Oakie]

Yes, but it can be stacked too far. What constitutes too far must be a personal decision. Noone has the right to make that decision for us.

It can never be stacked too far. Then stackier the better! What can be too far is the stuff that is made compulsory in nature. I chose to go hi-viz. I don't really think it should be compulsary ... although perhaps L platers?

[Fast Eddie]

girls should ride around in lingerie and stockings.. no one will miss that or not see that eh

[Oakie]

Yes, but it can be stacked too far. What constitutes too far must be a personal decision. Noone has the right to make that decision for us.

What say you about crash helmets? Are you saying they shouldn't have been made compulsary?

[Oakie]

girls should ride around in lingerie and stockings.. no one will miss that or not see that eh

Go on. Someone mention Honda riders...

[rustic101]

I'm not convinced that Fluro and Hi-Viz are a winner for riders for so many reasons. I ride wearing a Revit fluro vest with reflective bits and Rastacat is right its the contrast that counts.

I recently took the bike down to ChCh and there were so many fluro vests I must have looked like just another roadie or contractor perhaps even a road cone. Long story short I had a number of near misses in the city and the over arching factor was not that they couldn't dee me but rather that they don't give a fuck (DGAF). I'm also my own worse enemy as I tend not to back off or down and just hold my line.

Like most things in life - insurance, taxes and nurses etc if they add even a small amount of value when you need them, then its worth a crack but never rely on it solely!

[swbarnett]

It can never be stacked too far.

Then why do you ride? Obviously, for you, not riding would be stacking things too far.

[swbarnett]

What say you about crash helmets? Are you saying they shouldn't have been made compulsary?

Most definitely. I will always wear one but that is my personal choice that noone has the right to mandate.

[Usarka]

Then why do you ride? Obviously, for you, not riding would be stacking things too far.

+1

Every one reckons the risks they take are ok, and the safety measures they take should be compulsory.

[Oakie]

Then why do you ride? Obviously, for you, not riding would be stacking things too far.

Fair call I guess.

[Conquiztador]

A note on the postie flag thing, there was a guy who had worked for post for about a month and got hit by a car once. Then they brought in the flags, and he got hit by 2 cars in one week. I know that's probably because he was a retard, but it's an interesting thing to note.

This clearly indicates that retarded riders should not have acess to flags!

[Nasty]

I've been a little sceptical over how much difference a hi-viz vest would make. I've thought if people can't see a 55w headlight coming at them let alone something the dimensions of a motorbike on the road, how much difference would a hi-viz vest make? Especially if it is obscured behind a fairing screen. I don't disregard hi-viz completely though and my next jacket will have some.

ANYWAY ... toodling home today after a brain-draining day, I leaned into a gentle tree lined curve minding my own business when my eyes were suddenly assaulted by two patches of yellow (rider and pillion in slip over elastic hi-viz vest things) coming the other way. What blew me away though was that the two patches of yellow registered consciously in my brain before the bike did ... and it was a freakin' Gold Wing! Perhaps the random thought 'bike coming the other way' did slip in and was dismissed as 'situation normal' before the hi-viz registered a half second later but the hi-viz certainly grabbed my attention like being slapped by a flounder.

Summary: if hi-viz grabs the attention of a biker who looks for bikes on the road, I guess perhaps it just may grab the attention of a car driver who doesn't look for bikes. This would be a good thing.

Still not keen on a vest thing (fiddly) but this is what I've been planning to buy when I have assembled the necessary financial wherewithall. http://www.revzilla.com/product/revit-dragon-jacket

Have been thinking about this for a while .... I was riding to work in Hutt-Wellington traffic and noticed how well the cyclists with Hi-viz stuff stood out compared to those who didn't wear anything except dull colors or black.

Decided that wearing a fluro vest with hi-viz was probably better than wearing my standard black. So that is now what I wear when commuting.

Doesn't take away from my riding style of awareness and watching for dickheads who want to take me out ... I do that naturally anyway.