Safety vests

**XP@** · 7th March 2006, 10:48

Originally Posted by Graham Allardice

Mostly I've worn a yellow safety vest over black leathers but got fed up with the thing blowing open at speed and looking faded and tatty, so now I wear a high visibility harness - a bit like braces attached to a belt. Very good to wear and very conspicuous. Also I wear orange reflective upper arm bands. The harness cost $60 and is easy to put on and remove. Highly recommended. The arm bands remain on the jacket but the harness is put on and removed separately from the jacket.

Graham

First, Welcome to KiwiBiker!
I've read your book (you even signed it for me :-) excellent stuff.

Have you got a picture of the harness, I was looking for one a few months ago but couldn't find anything that would stand up to bike use. Also where did you get it from?

Cheers

**APPLE** · 7th March 2006, 19:02

strickly leathers man?

**Back Fire** · 12th March 2006, 16:58

Never bothered myself.... if they cant see a big hunk of metal with a bright headlight and a scrawny gangly guy hanging off it why would a orange or yellow or what ever vest make a diff??

**Balding Eagle** · 14th April 2006, 05:23

Yes I wear one. Would rather look a bit dorky than imitate flat possum. I know that headlights are really good but only for head-on traffic. I have a yellow vest and I wear it primarily to tell those idiots that approach too quickly from the side at intersections/roundabouts and also from behind. The vest does tend to flap around in the breeze but this flapping motion helps to draw attention to your presence. I work on the principle of see or be seen and this certainly helps to be seen.

**Macktheknife** · 19th April 2006, 19:50

Just for those who may be interested, there is a good option of a 'sash and belt' design available I think that cycletreads have them in stock and most bicycle shops too.
If anyone is interested in something other than a vest thingie, so it doesnt flap around in the wind.

**sKilled** · 7th June 2006, 17:10

To be honest, although it would be to my advantage as I intend to ride through city traffic, I would rather go with a jacket with integrated reflective bits and pieces. A vest is just one more thing to loose/damage, or that could get you in trouble by snagging on something. Better is a good jacket in a bright colour with reflective bits.

**XP@** · 8th June 2006, 09:58

Originally Posted by sKilled

To be honest, although it would be to my advantage as I intend to ride through city traffic, I would rather go with a jacket with integrated reflective bits and pieces. A vest is just one more thing to loose/damage, or that could get you in trouble by snagging on something. Better is a good jacket in a bright colour with reflective bits.

Has anyone seen a bike jacket in any colour other than black?
Didn't think so, most of them do have a bit of fluro stuff on them but nothing really much.
The other disadvantage with the fluro on the jacket is ti decintigrates faster than the rest of the jacket. so being able to replace / add fluro would be good.

**Devil** · 8th June 2006, 10:13

Originally Posted by XP@

Has anyone seen a bike jacket in any colour other than black?

Yers, my Dririder Summit2. http://www.dririder.com.au/products....&main=SUMMIT-2
Plus Dianese do a couple in similar colours.

**Whynot** · 8th June 2006, 10:19

I wear one, but thats mostly due to the fact that i have to wear it on site when i get to work.
When not going to work i dont normally bother as it gets in the way etc. and tend to fade and wear out a lot quicker

**scracha** · 10th June 2006, 17:37

Originally Posted by vifferman

They work best if they make you like like a traffic cop. For that you'd also need a white bike and helmet.

fuck. Still...beats looking like a power ranger with a helmet someone's puked on.

**scracha** · 10th June 2006, 17:39

Originally Posted by XP@

Has anyone seen a bike jacket in any colour other than black?
Didn't think so, most of them do have a bit of fluro stuff on them but nothing really much.
The other disadvantage with the fluro on the jacket is ti decintigrates faster than the rest of the jacket. so being able to replace / add fluro would be good.

Actually I've noticed that. I half joked "Is black the new black" when I was out on a ride a couple of months back. Must be a kiwi thing cos there's loads of coloured jackets out there. Gotta say my green one looks manky though.

**Rincewind** · 10th June 2006, 22:54

Maybe with all this new technology in LED's we should consider a few blue neon lights sewn into our battle dress... You First Ha Ha

**scracha** · 12th June 2006, 21:53

Originally Posted by Rincewind

Maybe with all this new technology in LED's we should consider a few blue neon lights sewn into our battle dress... You First Ha Ha

Flashing ones....then the cars would really get out our way. Hey...I know it's illegal to have blue (never mind flashing) lights on your bike but I wonder if it's legal on clothing

**XP@** · 4th January 2007, 13:38

Goes with this thread...

Originally Posted by logicnz

Got one of these vests for xmas.

works bloody good, the vest has LED lights in it so makes your body mass easily seen.

lights front and back

Lights can be set to flash or stay constant and there is pleanty of adjustment with the one size fits all velcro thing, so they dont flap around when i am riding to the speed limit.................

go to

www.higlow.co.nz

car drivers think i am a green man from another planet, but hey at least they see me now.

**Aitch** · 4th January 2007, 13:43

Originally Posted by Ixion

Yes. And they do work. People notice them. Of course only some people. Others would not notice a nuclear bomb explosion under their noses. And some of the ones who do notice will then ignore me anyway. But it cuts down the odds.

I actually conducted a wee experiment with the aid of Mrs Ixion. Our deck has a good birds eye view of surrounding roads in several directions. I rode around the neighbourhood wearing no vest, red vest and yellow vest, in turn, a number of times, whilst Mrs Ixion watched and noted when and at point she noticed me in the traffic.

The vests were much more noticeable, and yellow better than red.

But, usual caveat, whatever you do or wear assume that noone at all has seen you

Some people have too much spare time!!!!