Wearing Police Hi-Viz jacket?

[ianboydsnr]

It amuses me when regular contributors to the hallowed pages of UKGSer announce that they have fitted a noisy pipe as, 'I want to be heard, it's a safety thing, mate' or installed a loud horn, "As I want to be heard, it's a safety thing, mate' or more and more brighter lights, as they 'I to be seen, it's a safety thing, mate' but then blanche at the very notion of wearing a bit of (cheap) Day-Glo, as it would do nothing for them, mate.

Yes, I installed a loud horn, fantastic, scares the MOT tester every year without fail, as it's the only time it ever gets used

 

[JPB]

If your believing it gives you a better chance of being seen and therefore you ride differently to how you would if you weren't wearing it then you are, with all due respect, a fool. You are assuming something of an unknown third party. A definite no-no. I appreciate you are saying side on but how often will you get T-boned by something coming from the side whilst you are riding ? Normally you are moving and therefore they must have the opportunity to see your headlight before the side of you passes them.........

That's my main reason for not wearing hi-viz; the instant you give credit to the visual acuity of someone you haven't seen or know or to some bit of technology, you are risking your life. Ride like they are all myopic idiots. And the best way to ride as if you are not wearing hi-viz is to, er, not wear it. That's my rationale but i do respect yours - i just don't agree with it

If I did, I would be (to be fair I might be a fule anyway, although not for that reason!), but I don't. I absolutely agree with your views about all the myopic idiots out there, but I do one extra thing about it... well actually more than one: I have HID's, a couple of front spots and LED brake, tail and signal lights.

 

[JPB]

Hi vis gear....that's for twats!
Common sense says its a waste of time - and it's for twats.
Its them bloody car drivers that are to blame, they're out to get you, its all their fault. They're for ever pulling out without looking (too busy texting, watching DVD's and having sex to notice us innocent low vis bikers!)

In my 140 years of superior (non-twat low vis) riding experience: IAM, ROSPA, APR (Advanced Pompous Rider) I can honestly say that high vis gear would not have prevented a single one of my 250 accidents. No, every incident was somebody else's fault and, you've guessed it, them car drivers. In fact, I reckon that the wearing of hi vis gear CAUSES accidents! Bloody car drivers actually notice you and think "hello, there's a motorcyclist dressed like a twat ...think I'll pull out on him while I just finish this text, thereby reinforcing his paranoid biker-stereotypical view of car drivers" - job done.


Naah - hi vis is is a waste of time and strictly for twats (paramedics administering to, and ambulances transporting low vis bikers, excepted)

Brilliant! :

 

[sgtzara]

What about this .... looks silver in daylight and totally reflective white at night when hit by headlights.

 

[davnjud]

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).

For anyone who can't be bothered to read the whole of this thread but finds it like I did on a search at some point in the future imho this is the best post out of the whole hundred and thirty. All the ranting and reasoning is captured in a nutshell. Each to their own but I will wear hi vis and still ride defensively. I haven't made my chances any worse by wearing it and may, in some circumstances ( lying in the road after a spill, vehicle approaching from rear), have definitely improved them. nice one gasman

 

[Nobbyspiles]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Motorcycle-Roadcraft-Police-Handbook-Motorcycling/dp/011341143X


Death before Dayglo.........IMO

 

[mrsroynie]

As Luke Scott suggested, I also got mine from irishbikerforum - I don't think you'll be able to source these anywhere else, the chap selling them got the company who also make the Garda Jacket to do a special run for the same jacket only in Civvy spec. Price wise, I think it cost me around £100 but I kid you not, money well spent. Great jacket. Washable up to 25 times but I've had mine a year and a half now and it's only just had it's first wash. Folk on the forum do rant and rave about them and rightly so. The chap selling them, Gillier does I believe still have some for sale. If you join and PM him, he'll check and I'm sure would be more than happy to give you a price for delivery.

Link: http://www.irishbikerforum.com/foru...und-5/page__st__80__gopid__593033#entry593033

Wearing mine on the RT today:-

This picture really makes me wonder about my usual bike clothing - a warm and waterproof Hein Gericke hi-viz thing in fluo yellow and black (I'm sure most of you know the one I mean). As a bit of fun, I bought myself a 'matching' hi-viz yellow Schuberth C3 helmet last year. Both are good quality products and do what they're supposed to (hi-viz aside). But yes, people do laugh

BUT, when I look at this picture, it is the bike that I see, not the rider. For me, the rider in his hi-viz and white helmet seems to blend a little with the background ...

 

[sloukes]

This picture really makes me wonder about my usual bike clothing - a warm and waterproof Hein Gericke hi-viz thing in fluo yellow and black (I'm sure most of you know the one I mean). As a bit of fun, I bought myself a 'matching' hi-viz yellow Schuberth C3 helmet last year. Both are good quality products and do what they're supposed to (hi-viz aside). But yes, people do laugh

BUT, when I look at this picture, it is the bike that I see, not the rider. For me, the rider in his hi-viz and white helmet seems to blend a little with the background ...

Now imagine it on a rainy night , as you approach the rider from behind (ooo err) and there's a car in front of the rider so the 3 red lights blur into 1.
It's the white reflective bands that will stand out.....

 

[sgtzara]

This picture really makes me wonder about my usual bike clothing - a warm and waterproof Hein Gericke hi-viz thing in fluo yellow and black (I'm sure most of you know the one I mean). As a bit of fun, I bought myself a 'matching' hi-viz yellow Schuberth C3 helmet last year. Both are good quality products and do what they're supposed to (hi-viz aside). But yes, people do laugh

BUT, when I look at this picture, it is the bike that I see, not the rider. For me, the rider in his hi-viz and white helmet seems to blend a little with the background ...

I wear the same Hein-Gericke jacket beneath this high-viz one. When it's i) Dark, ii) Raining, I'll wear the high-viz jacket. When it's daylight and dry I tend just to wear my Hein-Gericke Daylight jacket.

Horses for courses but as Sloukes says, a car approaching you from the rear at night should pick up the high-viz bands easily and likewise for a car approaching you from the front. Not so useful for cars emerging from junctions mind.

 

[jeeperz0]

The significant question is are you more likely to have an accident in Hi Viz ?
I can tell you from personal experience that when it comes to an insurance claim when the old blind lady pulls out of her driveway in front of you if you can say you were wearing hi viz the judge will look more kindly on you.

 

[Blackal]

The significant question is are you more likely to have an accident in Hi Viz ?
I can tell you from personal experience that when it comes to an insurance claim when the old blind lady pulls out of her driveway in front of you if you can say you were wearing hi viz the judge will look more kindly on you.

The significant point is: judges don't handle insurance claims.

 

[drunkwombat]

Hi viz is shite. I could have a naked prostitute cranking an air raid siren on the back of my bike and some retard will still say "sorry mate, didn't see you"

I used to have one of them eyeball burning glow green triumph tigers with a rude pipe on it and people still cut me off/ pulled out in front of me. All hi viz does is foster some false hope that people do see you.

A better idea would be to secretly take the airbag out of the steering wheel of 1 in 1000 cars of the road, wire in an anti tank mine and then run a huge publicity media campaign advertising the fact.

No more collisions.

 

[Beagood]

Hi viz is shite.

A better idea would be to secretly take the airbag out of the steering wheel of 1 in 1000 cars of the road, wire in an anti tank mine and then run a huge publicity media campaign advertising the fact.

No more collisions.

Amen brother.

 

[Rusty]

Yes come on ... where can we buy these jackets ... ? Looks good to me !

 

[beemerboy9]

The significant point is: judges don't handle insurance claims.

You had better let the folks at White Dalton know that!

 

[Ross Dean]

What about this .... looks silver in daylight and totally reflective white at night when hit by headlights.

That's a decent compromise.

 

[SPR Phil]

"I have a white bike, I've bought a white helmet, I've bought a police high viz jacket, people slow down when they see me in their mirrors" !!!!! Twats!! get a life

 

[tanneman]

Yes come on ... where can we buy these jackets ... ? Looks good to me !

Contact Skinscafe in Brackley. They supply Northamptonshire and Buckingshire police with motorcycle clothing.

 

[Ogmios]

Lies, damn lies and ...

In a recent study of crashes ...

White motorcycle are over represented.
Which in English means that more white Bikes have crashes than other colours.

In other news,
1./ According to the EU Commission 8% of crashes are due to 'technical failure' of the machine.
2./ According to the N.I. Dept of Environment over 95% of crashes are due to human error.

95
8+
---
103

hang on a minute.

 

[JayC]

In a recent study of crashes ...

White motorcycle are over represented.
Which in English means that more white Bikes have crashes than other colours.

In other news,
1./ According to the EU Commission 8% of crashes are due to 'technical failure' of the machine.
2./ According to the N.I. Dept of Environment over 95% of crashes are due to human error.

96
8+
---
104

hang on a minute.

Fixed!