How Visible Do You Feel You Need To Be?

[Mr_Incredible]

I've got an old black leather jacket I purchased back when I had my CB1100F (Hein Gericke from 1990). It's given great service through the Honda and the Harley, and now with the KZ1100. It's still stylish and it still fits.

But now that I'm older and more cautious I find myself looking for something more visible, and looking at the HiVis vests often used by highway workers and required by the military for riders.

The youthful rebel in me says to get a life while the old man I'm becoming tells me to get a HiVis vest and keep my life. Where have you guys gravitated?

 

[eljefino]

My leather coat has two white looking stripes that are actually made of hi-vis reflective stuff.

Going completely hi-vis gives you serious, cross-country-rider street cred. Reminds me of European/ English cops and/or motorcycle patrols.

Around here BMW riders seem to like the form-over-function dayglo.

If you're ever in a wreck, heaven forbid, the investigating police may assume it was rider inexperience if they can't find another cause, skid marks, etc, or would believe the cellphone texting bimbo when she says she didn't see you. Quasi-cartoonish visibility helps make your case.

 

[d00df00d]

I don't ride, but a good friend of mine does and I agree with his philosophy: when it comes to gear, buy the stuff that works the best, and to heck with how it looks. He looks like the red Power Ranger when he rides (bright red leathers and helmet on a red CBR600RR), and it honestly doesn't bother him one bit because he knows he's as safe as he can be on his bike. FWIW.

 

[40Deluxe]

hi-vis is the way to go if you want to stay alive,i see truck drivers that wear the hi-vis t shirts and it is amazing how visible they are in their trucks when you are meeting them on the road, as you get older and heal slower i think fashion should take backseat.

 

[Lurch]

If you proceed through intersections with a lot of caution like I do, you and the bike can be dressed in all black and it wouldn't matter. I don't take any other driver for granted.

I wouldn't put too much faith into wearing brightly colored clothes. There are color blind drivers out there and others that will screw up.

 

[Mr_Incredible]

"as you get older ... i think fashion should take backseat."


OMG!!!! Don't say that to my wife or there'll BE a fistfight...

Thanks for the points of view, Guys. More are welcomed.

 

[beanoil]

Things have changed. My Hein Gericke has held up well also, but it has been retired for a Kevlar Olympia Motorsports with armor. Same as oil improves as technology marches on, so did protective gear. If you love your leather, at the very least, I would take it to a reputable leather repair company and have them put hi-vis piping on the seams. But with Kevlar jackets in the 150.00 range on closeout, I wouldn't.
www.motorcyclecloseouts.com/
www.Motorcycle-Superstore.com/Closeout

 

[Mr_Incredible]

I try to be as safe a driver as I can. I've been through two MSF courses (though it's been several years), and always try to know whats going on 360*. It's an old habit by now.

Still, tippytoeing through intersections as I may, the idiot drivers around here could hit an entire house and not have seen it. I know that when I drive my F250, you could literally hide a house behind my A or B pillars.

 

[boraticus]

Hi vis is obviously the choice for serious safety wear. However, there are other products that offer a fair amount of reflectivity. I have a Joe Rocket riding jacket with highly reflective ribbing in the visible seams. Very effective at night but not so during the day. Personally, I think if they made high vis arm bands, that would probably be more than sufficient. A small high intensity l.e.d. flashing light that could be easily attached and removed from the back or top of the helmet would also be an attention getter.

 

[andrewg]

If you want a chance at staying alive for the long term, wear clothes that are high visibility. You can still look good and not comical while wearing hi-vis stuff. You should include a helmet that is brighter colored as well. In my opinion being as visible as possible increases your chances of a safe ride. You can do everything required of you as a safe, cautious rider......but if some half-blind idiot can't see you it matters not....you're dead.

 

[RWEST]

Personally, aside from some reflective stripes on my black jacket, I don't take any special measures.

Sometimes, and this is just my probably screwy thinking, bright objects attract attention, and, 'target fixation'.

Using the "they're all out to kill me" philosophy is still your best bet.

 

[Lurch]

Originally Posted By: andrewg
......but if some half-blind idiot can't see you it matters not....you're dead.


Not if you see him and have your machine under control at all times.

A friend of mine always owned big gas guzzler cars - says he "needs protection in case of an accident". I, on the other hand, always owned small Japanese cars like Sentra, Civic, because I have a lot of faith in my ability to keep my machine in control at all times.

I bought a new red helmet a couple years ago, to increase my visibility a little, and my then current bike was silver and black. Personally I don't wear a loud jacket - usually blue denim or a gray mesh riding jacket.

 

[AuthorEditor]

I have a hi-vis Olympia riding vest that I wear over my regular black jacket. I definitely see a difference depending on whether or not I have the vest on (it cuts down on ventilation on very hot days so I take it off sometimes). Wearing the vest I often see other drivers do double takes with their swiveling heads, and then they stop. No, it is not 100% of the time, but it does help you to be seen. Just look around on the highway. What does every work crew on every road wear and why do they wear it?

 

[andrewg]

Originally Posted By: Lurch
Originally Posted By: andrewg
......but if some half-blind idiot can't see you it matters not....you're dead.


Not if you see him and have your machine under control at all times.

A friend of mine always owned big gas guzzler cars - says he "needs protection in case of an accident". I, on the other hand, always owned small Japanese cars like Sentra, Civic, because I have a lot of faith in my ability to keep my machine in control at all times.

I bought a new red helmet a couple years ago, to increase my visibility a little, and my then current bike was silver and black. Personally I don't wear a loud jacket - usually blue denim or a gray mesh riding jacket.

Having your bike under control does not mean that you are impervious to being hit by a driver not looking as well as he should. Sorry man....used to ride a lot and one thing I learned is that NO MATTER how attentive you are, getting killed is a simple matter of an idiot not seeing you. There are many situations where you simply don't have time to do a thing. That's just a fact. This is why I feel that if one is going to ride, being very visible is a huge factor.

 

[Lurch]

If my bike is under control, I can avoid 99% of accidents from other drivers that may not see me, based on over 40 years of riding experience. I'm not saying that I think I'm immune to accidents. If I start to daydream or run on auto pilot is when I'd be in danger of being struck by the other guy that doesn't see me. I don't worry about whether or not they see me, because I ALWAYS see them. The day I feel I'm not seeing any of them is the day I'll turn in my cycle license.

I saw a man get killed on his bike last year. He was 59 years old, the age I am right now. A woman waiting to turn into a big store parking lot pulled right in front of him. He had the green light and never even hit the brakes. It appeared that he was not paying attention. I personally would have been on the brakes [front as well as rear brakes] and at a stoppable speed long before that woman ever decided to pull in front of me.

I've seen many accidents like this happen and then people go around bad mouthing the driver that pulled out in front of someone.

It takes one bad driver to pull in front of someone, and a non alert driver to pile right into them. One can't happen without the other.

Riding is safe and fun as long as you focus on what you're doing. Can't blame it on the other guy if you have an accident. We're all responsible for our own lives.

If someone doesn't see you and pulls out in front of you - shame on them. If you pile into them because you didn't have your machine under control - shame on you.

 

[Lurch]

It can be dangerous on the highway if someone doesn't see you in the rear view mirrors and pulls into your lane. In that case, it may be tough though not impossible to avoid a collision.

 

[AuthorEditor]

The way I look at it, why not go with a hi-vis jacket or vest? The only reason I can think not to try it is fashion, and I personally think form should follow function. Sure, you can be very attentive and probably avoid most accidents, but why not have the help of being more visible too? One thing we know is that black will not help at all. I've got lots of black gear like pants, boots, and gloves, but for me it's a white or hi-vis helmet and a hi-vis jacket or vest from now on. It's too bad more gear isn't available in hi-vis. Here's a link to a study that showed that hi-vis gear reduced accidents by 37% and a white helmet did the same by 24%. Hi-Vis safety.

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted By: Lurch
If my bike is under control, I can avoid 99% of accidents from other drivers that may not see me, based on over 40 years of riding experience. I'm not saying that I think I'm immune to accidents. If I start to daydream or run on auto pilot is when I'd be in danger of being struck by the other guy that doesn't see me. I don't worry about whether or not they see me, because I ALWAYS see them. The day I feel I'm not seeing any of them is the day I'll turn in my cycle license.

I saw a man get killed on his bike last year. He was 59 years old, the age I am right now. A woman waiting to turn into a big store parking lot pulled right in front of him. He had the green light and never even hit the brakes. It appeared that he was not paying attention. I personally would have been on the brakes [front as well as rear brakes] and at a stoppable speed long before that woman ever decided to pull in front of me.

I've seen many accidents like this happen and then people go around bad mouthing the driver that pulled out in front of someone.

It takes one bad driver to pull in front of someone, and a non alert driver to pile right into them. One can't happen without the other.

Riding is safe and fun as long as you focus on what you're doing. Can't blame it on the other guy if you have an accident. We're all responsible for our own lives.

If someone doesn't see you and pulls out in front of you - shame on them. If you pile into them because you didn't have your machine under control - shame on you.


Well said; I always assume that I'm invisible- and that if anyone CAN see me, they will try to kill me.

 

[Lurch]

Originally Posted By: AuthorEditor
The way I look at it, why not go with a hi-vis jacket or vest? The only reason I can think not to try it is fashion, and I personally think form should follow function. Sure, you can be very attentive and probably avoid most accidents, but why not have the help of being more visible too? One thing we know is that black will not help at all. I've got lots of black gear like pants, boots, and gloves, but for me it's a white or hi-vis helmet and a hi-vis jacket or vest from now on. It's too bad more gear isn't available in hi-vis. Here's a link to a study that showed that hi-vis gear reduced accidents by 37% and a white helmet did the same by 24%. Hi-Vis safety.


It doesn't hurt to do this. If I rode in heavy traffic more I might do more to increase my viz. My bike is bright Kawasaki yellow and sometimes I wear a red helmet, so that accounts for better than normal viz. I recently got a great deal on a nice used silver helmet, that matches my bike better than the red one. I feel that I'm safe with the gear I now have.

 

[Mr_Incredible]

I rode to work this morning and all the cars seemed to give me appropriate space both front and rear.

I got a lime green backpack yesterday, along with a very bright LED blinkey light hung on the back of it. Everybody was attentive and polite. Granted, I had the headlight on bright and the bike is not a small one, but all's well so far.

It's been about six years since I've had a bike, so while everything is old, everything seems kinda new. I'm a lot more concerned now after having seen how people drive around here in the past. Maybe I'm just getting old, but seeing all the stupid things people pull gives me pause. Just last week I was right next to a big Dodge Ram pickup as it ran over a brand new 8ft fiberglass ladder in the fast lane. Traffic was such that it didn't become visible until it was too late to avoid. I'd hate to hit that on a bike. There's also lots of crazy antics on merges and going around stupid women on their cell phones going slow in the fast lane.

Sheesh!

Dear started riding late last year. I was sure to hook her up with a good jacket (with armor) and good boots. Once I get her front brakes sorted out (hopefully this weekend) she'll be [censored] on wheels. G0d help us all...