Electric, Lighted Hi Vis Vests

[zenwhipper]

Curious if anybody has been an early adopter of the new, electric high visibility safety vests that are entering the market? I want to get a vest for myself and the S.O. who rides her own machine. With the prevalence of inexpensive LEDs now in everything and emerging luminescent technologies I have seen a couple of motorcycle vests that use active lighting.

There are a couple reviews on Webbike World:

https://www.webbikeworld.com/r3/safety-vest/

https://www.webbikeworld.com/r4/ustek-electroluminescent-vest/

Any thoughts? Any other lighted vests that folks are aware of?

Thanks

Scott

 

[puppychow]

All that is missing are glo-sticks!

Get your rave on!

On a more serious note. I can see how bicyclists would love these vests at night. However, for motor vehicles, I am unsure of the legality of accent led lighting or red blinking lights such as on the vest. The luminescent piping on the vest might be ok.

 

[Jim Morrison]

I like to be seen, but I think the HI-VIS vests would be more than enough for me

 

[JamesK]

The idea is good, but I can "see" that this would be absolutely annoying and distracting at night IMHO.

 

[user 6393]

Not a fan of anything that blinks, or modulates on a constant basis.

I figure, if we can suffer from visual target acquisition, so can the cage drivers coming at me. If they are thinking "wth is that?" and staring at me, they might just drive where they are looking. NO THANKS!

I like my bits of roadway all to myself. I am funny like that :blink:

 

[puppychow]

Are you a user?

and no I am not talking about Ecstacy!

 

[John d]

Not a fan of anything that blinks, or modulates on a constant basis.

I figure, if we can suffer from visual target acquisition, so can the cage drivers coming at me. If they are thinking "wth is that?" and staring at me, they might just drive where they are looking. NO THANKS!

I like my bits of roadway all to myself. I am funny like that :blink:

I have to agree. Some of this new stuff is going over the top....too much already.

 

[user 6393]

Are you a user?

and no I am not talking about Ecstacy!

Parts of that were produced in Vancouver. One of guys I know did some leatherwork for their propshop/wardrobe

 

[johnny80s]

I bet Patriot has boner for that vest. That's right up his alley.

 

[beemerdons]

I bet Patriot has a boner for that vest. That's right up his alley.

Exactly, johnny80s; we now know what to get Mike, for his Birthday!!

 

[user 6393]

I bet Patriot has a boner for that vest. That's right up his alley.

Exactly, johnny80s; we now know what to get Mike, for his Birthday!!

Wow, not even close, eh Mikey?

LOL

 

[Panman]

Just a thought, you can go down to the local hardware store and buy a construction vest for Fourteen dollars. I did and it's as bright as one of those hundred dollar vests. It also will bunch up into a small stuff sack for when you don't feel like looking like a dork. Dork? Did I just say Dork? It must be Friday!

 

[RaYzerman19]

Anything with a 3M reflective would be good at night, and better than LED's IMHO.... but let's face it, how much do we really ride at night.... the yellow hi-viz jackets are far more effective in daytime, but if they had larger reflective stripes that would be a bonus. High viz gear certainly has saved my bacon a couple of times... Olympia Airglide.

 

[fljab]

Personally I like it and think it does have it's uses! Also, you can set the lights to steady vs blinking per the article.

I have a reflective vest I use on occasion - the type sold for military motorcycle usage - worth the ~$50 vs the construction type IMO and I've had both.

I guess it depends on how you ride if one of these makes sense - but if you're in a dark night situation and worry about others seeing you, then every little bit helps. I also like that this has it's own battery vs having to be plugged into the bike.

I also have a AGV Hi Vis mesh jacket for the summer...

 

[slapnpop]

You could go for the Tron motorcycle suit. :clapping:

 

[zenwhipper]

Ok, so a lot of folks like them I can see.

Here is how I would use a vest like this:

Day

Night

No blinking

I am a proponent of hedging your bets while on the road and ensuring you are as visible as can be. This means front and rear aux lighting, wearing a brightly colored helmet, riding so you're 'not hidden' (stay out of cagers blind spots etc), using some strategically placed reflective tape on the bike etc. So adding a HI Vis lighted vest would help as well. Certainly wouldn't hurt.

Scott

 

[Checkswrecks]

Anything with a 3M reflective would be good at night, and better than LED's IMHO.... but let's face it, how much do we really ride at night.... the yellow hi-viz jackets are far more effective in daytime, but if they had larger reflective stripes that would be a bonus. High viz gear certainly has saved my bacon a couple of times... Olympia Airglide.

Ummmm, constantly. And in beltway commuter traffic in the DC area.

It is really interesting how much more space I have around me when wearing the day-glo orange Olympia Patton jacket than when wearing my tired old blue 'Stitch.

 

[DELETE-PLEASE]

My thoughts are that it's a good idea, but personally I wouldn't use one unless I tend to ride backroads or country roads that don't have a lot of lighting. Most of the time I ride at night it's in the city or on a highway inbetween cities where the lighting is more than enough to make my high vis vest visible. But I constantly rode in the dark on roads where there weren't a lot of streetlights, I'd get it in a hurry.

On a semi-related note, I almost purchased a helmet that had lights on the back for nighttime riding. I just happened to find a better deal on one that didn't and it saved me a few bucks. But I like the idea of lights more on a helmet than a vest. Lots of bikes may have luggage or backrests or something that blocks part of a vest, but the head is almost ALWAYS high enough to be seen no matter WHAT bike you ride.

Alexi