Wearing Police Hi-Viz jacket?

I choose not to wear one,simply because I see no advantage.
If I thought it might save my life one day then I would be a fool not to wear one,but I don't and the reasons are,

To me there are three types of driver.

First.... is the one that see's nothing,it wouldn't matter if it was a mobile Christmas tree they still wouldn't see it,so that makes any high vis useless.

The second.... is the one that only see's stuff that jumps out at them,so he spots your high vis thinks your plod and slams his brakes on or makes some form of exaggerated manouver.
The worst error this one makes is when two bikes are travelling in the same direction,bike number one has no high vis bike number two has high vis,because he's fixated on bike number two he thinks he's got time to go and pulls out into the path of bike number one.
I've seen this happen on more than one occassion,to me this means that in certain circumstances high viz are actually dangerous.

The third....is your allround decent driver has good observation and forward planning skills usually a progressive but curtious driver,he's going to have no problem seeing a bike with lights on comeing toward him,so no need to wear any sort of high viz jacket.

I have nothing against anyone who wears high viz it's upto them,but I would have to say because of driver two I'm not keen of riding with others who wear high viz.

Steve
 
Fanum said:
Those two vehicles I'm about to pass between on the motorway?
Click to expand...
My bold
:eek: You talk about risk compensation and then negate everything you've said (and which I happen to agree with BTW) by saying you are in such a hurry and are so important that wating for a vehicle to pull over is such a drag that you risk your life with the expectation that one or both of the drivers WILL do something 'stupid'......... :blast I would consider what you are doing as stupid :augie



Fanum said:
They definitely haven't seen me, so I'm going to pass whilst accelerating quickly enough to be beyond them before they can move, and I will have a plan where to go if they both do the most stupid thing possible, which is likely.
Click to expand...

They 'definately' haven't seen you because you are travelling faster than them in a location only a fool would be in and they are not expecting anyone to be there. They , in their boxes, can afford to be lax on looking where they don't think they'll need to. Worst consequence for them for that 'laziness' is some scratched paintwork on the car and the smug, self righteous feeling that the biker was a nutter and got what he deserved. Why not position yourself and hold your fire until you are sure that both have seen you ?

What will you do if they veer towards each other as you enter that space whilst accelerating ? Your abilities are so good that you will be able to out accelerate them or you have a bike that can jump up in the air ? :bow

Your arrogance that your abilities and sixth sense will see you through any idiot driver or situation is as foolish as the thinking that Hi-Viz will save you is . I can only assume that luck rather than skill has kept you alive this long.

No wonder everyone thinks we are ALL selfish , dangerous idiots.

Shame really as everything else you've said is spot-on.
 
Always a tricky subject, this. One of the interesting things is that the mere suggestion of it winds people up so much. Well, as you're all already wound up..
The 'con' arguments are:
1. Makes you drive worse. Does that seem likely? Same arguments could be used for helmets, seatbelts, boots, disc brakes, grippy tyres. It's a bit of a cheek for you to imply that I drive more recklessly than you cos I'm wearing hiviz. I'd say the reverse is more likely, looking at it statistically.

2. I don't want to look like a twat; I'd rather die. Can't argue with that one. "I am very concerned about how I appear to others"

3. I'm a copper (usually) and I know people who've got wiped out while wearing hi-viz'. This is not scientific. See Timolgra's post above. I know someone who was burgled even though they locked their front door.

4. I'm such a good rider that I'll be ok whatever. I'm gonna wear camo, just to prove it. A variation of this is "I treat all car drivers as idiots anyway". Yes, me too. Some of them are fast determined unpredictable idiots. But they are rarely going for you deliberately. Target fixation is a myth - it's trickled down from racing where you look at the apex of the corner. If it were true, we'd all be crashing into traffic lights and cute girls with big t*ts.

I fully accept peoples' right to wear what they want. [Although you do wonder about the helmet law thing sometimes. Do we all agree with that?]

Anyway, I will do ANYTHING I can to avoid getting wiped out, and it really doesn't bother me what you think (I look like).
 
wrinkleyowlie said:
I choose not to wear one,simply because I see no advantage.
If I thought it might save my life one day then I would be a fool not to wear one,but I don't and the reasons are,

To me there are three types of driver.

First.... is the one that see's nothing,it wouldn't matter if it was a mobile Christmas tree they still wouldn't see it,so that makes any high vis useless.

The second.... is the one that only see's stuff that jumps out at them,so he spots your high vis thinks your plod and slams his brakes on or makes some form of exaggerated manouver.
The worst error this one makes is when two bikes are travelling in the same direction,bike number one has no high vis bike number two has high vis,because he's fixated on bike number two he thinks he's got time to go and pulls out into the path of bike number one.
I've seen this happen on more than one occassion,to me this means that in certain circumstances high viz are actually dangerous.

The third....is your allround decent driver has good observation and forward planning skills usually a progressive but curtious driver,he's going to have no problem seeing a bike with lights on comeing toward him,so no need to wear any sort of high viz jacket.

I have nothing against anyone who wears high viz it's upto them,but I would have to say because of driver two I'm not keen of riding with others who wear high viz.

Steve
Click to expand...

Steve, what about the normal, average everyday driver who's in a bit of a hurry cos they're late home for dinner, it's getting dark and gets distracted (by their kids maybe) for a millisecond as they turn right in front of you?
 
Bury_Dave said:
My bold
:eek: You talk about risk compensation and then negate everything you've said (and which I happen to agree with BTW) by saying you are in such a hurry and are so important that wating for a vehicle to pull over is such a drag that you risk your life with the expectation that one or both of the drivers WILL do something 'stupid'......... :blast I would consider what you are doing as stupid :augie





They 'definately' haven't seen you because you are travelling faster than them in a location only a fool would be in and they are not expecting anyone to be there. They , in their boxes, can afford to be lax on looking where they don't think they'll need to. Worst consequence for them for that 'laziness' is some scratched paintwork on the car and the smug, self righteous feeling that the biker was a nutter and got what he deserved. Why not position yourself and hold your fire until you are sure that both have seen you ?

What will you do if they veer towards each other as you enter that space whilst accelerating ? Your abilities are so good that you will be able to out accelerate them or you have a bike that can jump up in the air ? :bow

Your arrogance that your abilities and sixth sense will see you through any idiot driver or situation is as foolish as the thinking that Hi-Viz will save you is . I can only assume that luck rather than skill has kept you alive this long.

No wonder everyone thinks we are ALL selfish , dangerous idiots.

Shame really as everything else you've said is spot-on.
Click to expand...

Jam in the sandwich.......don't like jam !!!!
 
sgtzara said:
I'm not so much making a point, up to everyone to decide for themselves. Personally for me, I'd prefer the yellow one.
Click to expand...

I don't think the colour of the jacket in the video makes a huge difference as to which is easier to see as it is the headlights which have the greatest impact and the jacket is IMHO very secondary. In the night shots however the reflective panels have a huge effect especially on the sides of the rider where there are no lights.

Each to their own though.
 
GSTourer said:
I don't think the colour of the jacket in the video makes a huge difference as to which is easier to see as it is the headlights which have the greatest impact and the jacket is IMHO very secondary. In the night shots however the reflective panels have a huge effect especially on the sides of the rider where there are no lights.

Each to their own though.
Click to expand...

Agreed, face on, the profile of the bike/headlight has the greatest impact. From the rear however, for me, the yellow jacket is a clear winner. But like you say, each to their own. :beerjug:
 
sgtzara said:
I know which jacket I'd rather be wearing.
Click to expand...

Your certainty in these uncertain times is very refreshing.

I am looking at two contrasting pairs of underpants.

I am in a quandary which to chose.

Can you help me please?
 
Bury_Dave said:
My bold
:eek: You talk about risk compensation and then negate everything you've said (and which I happen to agree with BTW) by saying you are in such a hurry and are so important that wating for a vehicle to pull over is such a drag that you risk your life with the expectation that one or both of the drivers WILL do something 'stupid'......... :blast I would consider what you are doing as stupid :augie

They 'definately' haven't seen you because you are travelling faster than them in a location only a fool would be in and they are not expecting anyone to be there. They , in their boxes, can afford to be lax on looking where they don't think they'll need to. Worst consequence for them for that 'laziness' is some scratched paintwork on the car and the smug, self righteous feeling that the biker was a nutter and got what he deserved. Why not position yourself and hold your fire until you are sure that both have seen you ?

What will you do if they veer towards each other as you enter that space whilst accelerating ? Your abilities are so good that you will be able to out accelerate them or you have a bike that can jump up in the air ? :bow

Your arrogance that your abilities and sixth sense will see you through any idiot driver or situation is as foolish as the thinking that Hi-Viz will save you is . I can only assume that luck rather than skill has kept you alive this long.

No wonder everyone thinks we are ALL selfish , dangerous idiots.

Shame really as everything else you've said is spot-on.
Click to expand...


Assume all you like.

You'd still be wrong.

I'd guess you don't do much riding on busy motorways, or you'd get what I actually meant.

I'll just pick one (of the many) examples of why you don't get it at all, then I'm off around the M25 to play with the traffic on the way to Steptoe's
"Why not position yourself and hold your fire until you are sure that both have seen you ?"
Click to expand...

Because you will never know that they HAVE both seen you, and if you wait until you think they have, that very hanging back itself is likely to have caused them to dismiss you from their mind as something that isn't going to move/come past them, so they think they can do what they like and you don't factor into the equation.

I look at it from the opposite P.O.V......I won't leave it to THEM to decide , I'll take control and won't faff around guessing if they have both seen me....I'll assess if they could hit me and pass them in such a way that they either can't, or that I'll have some way out if they do something that makes it possible for it to happen.

It's not aggressive riding...that will get you squished or nicked eventually.
It's ASSERTIVE riding, and it has nothing to do with luck.......if you rely on luck, you're already dead and living on borrowed time.
 
Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. Overall, I'd probably rather not, but riding on a foggy February night on a 250 traily with mediocre lights, I'll take every possible advantage when it comes to being seen. On a GSA on a sunny day in July, I don't feel the need.

Strange how such a simple personal decision winds some folks up so much. Time for a Chill pill guys? ;)
 
I was at a meeting with the rsa road safety ath here before Christmas.it was to debate compulsory wearing of hi viz
I made the point that if I cannot be seen on a GSA with head light and fog lights on I did not think hi viz would make much of a difference.
His answer was maybe not but when you are lying on the road or in a ditch you would be a lot easier seen
Guess he had a point on that one
I ware it some times
 
justinguitar said:
...

Perhaps we should have a new acronym: WABIAFT? Wearing All Black Is Asking For Trouble?



.
Click to expand...

Never worn hi vis in 36 years of riding, I just take it for granted that i've not been seen and ride accordingly.

.
And i can't say i've had many close encounters that i worry to much over not wearing it. Bring on the summer when i can wear a T shirt and shorts.
 
Steptoe said:
And i can't say i've had many close encounters that i worry to much over not wearing it. Bring on the summer when i can wear a T shirt and shorts.
Click to expand...

Here's a nice pair:

0,0,278,54034,350,336,f0d55a8a.jpg


;) :D
 
I keep one in the top box if the weather and vis get bad it goes on, it doesn't make me feel any safer or change my riding style. I still presume everyones out to get me it just seems like a sensible precaution.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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