Does Hi-Viz gear really make you more visible to other motorists?

[SouthernCruizer]

Trust me, I've been on this board long enough to know when someone is picking on me. There were no mentions of goats or boogers so we are in the clear. I did want to make it clear that my quote was taken somewhat out of context. I originally was't meaning to quote specifically but rather pick on SC's obnoxious jacket.
I thought about mentioning the dirty part, but that kind of falls into talking about looking dorky or fashion. That said, go take a look at any HiViz roadcrafters for sale on ADVRider and find me one that sparkles. If so, it was likely never worn. I'm not sure if even regular cleaning can keep those things from looking dingy. I've worn black before and it NEVER looks dingy. I have a yellow and black leather jacket from Dianese and it has LOTS of road cred. On the other hand, when you walk into a restaurant with a dingy dirty smelly hiviz suit on, you do get seated in the quietest corner of the establishment. You know, well away from all the decent clean patrons.

If you have the good fashion sense and balls to wear the beautiful and classy "Toxic™" color scheme, you will need plenty of this

 

[SouthernCruizer]

Jasen, Great post! You are right on all counts, of course.
<<SNIP>>

PS - I just bought some Olympia HiViz this winter with the reduced pricing, and I intentionally did not order the toxic. I'm sure it is better than the regular yellow and black HiVis, but ewe...

Your lack of taste is showing thru! Dont hate the playa, hate the game!

 

[Fred W]

:lol:

I don't hate it. I just can't love it.

 

[gixxerjasen]

I don't hate it. I just can't love it.

That's funny. When my three year old talks about vegetables instead of saying "I don't like them" he says "I can't like them" which honestly makes more sense. I know for myself that I can't like okra, no matter how much I've tried.

 

[SouthernCruizer]

I am trying to find riding pants, helmet, shirt, and boots that are TOXIC schemed.... HA!

hmmm..wonder how a '13 FJR would look with the TOXIC paint scheme....

 

[BikerGeek99]

Just before EOM '09, Sooze and I both got the neon-yeller hi-viz Scorpion EXO700 helmets. On a ride at that EOM, vabrzn was following us and we got separated in traffic. Later in that ride, at a stop we were chatting and he told me, "I wasn't worried about losing you guys. I could see your helmets a mile back."

Since then, too many times to count have complete strangers approached us while stopped and told us that they could see us from a long ways off. My response? "Good! That's the whole idea." Those that ride "get it," those that don't usually get a confused look. Or they're constipated. Not sure which.

Anyway, there is one driving reason why we went to those helmets: OM's little experiment involving riding an FJR off a cliff and landing in a tree.

I like looking dorky...

Mission accomplished, Wheatey.

But the gear has nothing to do with it.

 

[Spud]

You tell me--does anything catch your eye?

 

[HotRodZilla]

Hey Gixxer...The SANE people knew you were kidding. Holy Hell. Hunters wear Blaze Orange for a frigging reason! AND every now and then, one of us still takes a round.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Hey Gixxer...The SANE people knew you were kidding. Holy Hell. Hunters wear Blaze Orange for a frigging reason! AND every now and then, one of us still takes a round.

Which is one thing I've never understood. Put on cammo, hat, makeup to blend in. oh yea and a bright orange vest to stand out.

I've liked the high viz helmet idea. I think in my current shopping I'm going to go with something sensible for gear and then toss in a high viz helmet. I can stash the helmet on the bike and not look like a total power ranger walking around.

Best of all worlds and it seems the helmet does the most good, especially since I'm short and drivers behind me can't see my jacket for the huge Shad on the back of the bike.

 

[BikerGeek99]

You tell me--does anything catch your eye?

The catchy play on words used by the RV rental company.

AND every now and then, one of us still takes a round.

Moral of the story: don't go hunting with Dick Cheney.

Best of all worlds and it seems the helmet does the most good, especially since I'm short and drivers behind me can't see my jacket for the huge Shad on the back of the bike.

Excellent point, and one I meant to make in my earlier post but got distracted by a bright shiny thing. Seems to me that unless you're 14 feet tall, any additional visibility that a hi-viz jacket offers is negated by the faring on an FJR, and even more so for those of us who have tail bags. Getting the helmet offers 360-degree visibility for those cagers who are looking and are not color-blind.

Wonder what my helmet looks like to someone who is color-blind... Hmm....

 

[Neil San Diego]

Here's my take on this.

The good drivers will see you no matter what you do or don't wear. The asshole texting drivers will still be a danger to you no matter how much Hi Vis you have on. Its the people in the middle that I figure the Hi Vis will have an effect on. That there is a good enough reason for me to wear Hi Vis.

You can't get rid of all dangers, but you can make the odds a little better.

Oh, and as far as the statistics and percentages...everyone know that 65% of all statistics on the interwebs are just made up...

 

[JimNtexas]

Just before EOM '09, Sooze and I both got the neon-yeller hi-viz Scorpion EXO700 helmets. On a ride at that EOM, vabrzn was following us and we got separated in traffic. Later in that ride, at a stop we were chatting and he told me, "I wasn't worried about losing you guys. I could see your helmets a mile back."

I've had exactly the same experience with my Hi-viz Scorpion helmet. People notice it literally miles away.

My Motoport Kevlar high viz jacket isn't really all that hi-viz in daytime, because apperently it's impossible to make really reflective Kevlar. At night the jacket's 4 inch SOLAS tape really lights up the night.

I like looking dorky...

I'm the poster boy for dorky:


September 2010 National Park Run by JimNtexas, on Flickr

 

[Spud]

You tell me--does anything catch your eye?

The catchy play on words used by the RV rental company.

AND every now and then, one of us still takes a round.

Moral of the story: don't go hunting with Dick Cheney.

Best of all worlds and it seems the helmet does the most good, especially since I'm short and drivers behind me can't see my jacket for the huge Shad on the back of the bike.

Excellent point, and one I meant to make in my earlier post but got distracted by a bright shiny thing. Seems to me that unless you're 14 feet tall, any additional visibility that a hi-viz jacket offers is negated by the faring on an FJR, and even more so for those of us who have tail bags. Getting the helmet offers 360-degree visibility for those cagers who are looking and are not color-blind.

Wonder what my helmet looks like to someone who is color-blind... Hmm....

I'm not 14 feet tall and I think the jacket's visible, even with the fairing, because, ummm...the fairing is clear. Agreed that a bright or high viz helmet is a great idea too, but damn ugly too (like the jacket). I also wear a black jacket a lot and a blue one also. I really believe i see more drivers making eye contact with me when the high viz is on, and yes I know idiots will still try to hit me no matter what color I am.

As for statistics, "9 out of 10 dentists agree that dentist #10 needs to take a f*#cking chill pill"!

 

[SacramentoMike]

hmmm..wonder how a '13 FJR would look with the TOXIC paint scheme....

Ever see Brodie's old bike? Um, the one he put through a pickup truck's windshield cuz the driver didn't happen to see him? And before that hit an ELK with? That didn't see him either, I guess?

 

[wheatonFJR]

I like looking dorky...

I'm the poster boy for dorky:



September 2010 National Park Run by JimNtexas, on Flickr

I don't want to start an argument with you Jim...so I'll just say...YOU WIN!

Don't mess with (JimN)Texas!

 

[SouthernCruizer]

hmmm..wonder how a '13 FJR would look with the TOXIC paint scheme....

Ever see Brodie's old bike? Um, the one he put through a pickup truck's windshield cuz the driver didn't happen to see him? And before that hit an ELK with? That didn't see him either, I guess?

Elk are color blind heheeee

 

[RiderX]

Still looking for that reference material alluded to in the first post.

I posted a study that showed a 37% effectiveness for fluorescent gear. Any result less than 100% would seem to fit your criteria, unless you were looking for the negative hypothesis, that bright gear actually causes accident.

Well WE posted a study (post 8), lol.

Seek first to understand, starting to drivel on like those glossy ADV mags.

I agree with Neil, there is somebody you share the road with between drunk texter and Mr. Situational Awareness that may notice you more. Especially if you've been ejected from your source of light and are lying in the road. I believe hi vis with some reflective tape versus a lumpy pirate (looking like a tarp) may fare better for us. Of course at that point we're having a pretty bad day.

I always got a kick out of Navy / Marine jet pilots having to do the helo dunker several times including blindfolded every four years. So, I had to eject and now my rescue asset has crashed with me in it? Bad day!

 

[Fred W]

I dunno exactly what you said there, but I think I liked it.

 

[08FJR4ME]

Hey Gixxer...The SANE people knew you were kidding. Holy Hell. Hunters wear Blaze Orange for a frigging reason! AND every now and then, one of us still takes a round.

Exactly the point. Target fixation,

Dear hunters are much safer. They are fully camoed out and undetectable. I have had several hunters stray by and don't have a freakin clue I am 20 feet away.

 

[Fred W]

Dave,

Do you have anything (other than anecdotal) to show the effect of "target fixation?" I'd like to see something, as I've never seen any studies done before on this often recited phenomenon.