Reflective safety vest...

[capt_bugaloo]

Do you wear a reflective safety vest over your riding gear - like you might see a construction worker or a crossing guard wear?

I have been wearing a bright red vented jacket with plenty of reflective taping for the warmer weather. Now that the weather is cooling off, I want to start wearing a heavy leather motorcycle jacket I have. It's an excellent jacket for riding: good fit, warm, lots of heavy leather and padding in the shoulders, elbows, kidneys, etc. There is only one flaw - it's solid black.

I'm commuting in the dark now due to the shorter days. Yesterday I bought one of those bright neon yellow safety vests with the reflective strips. In the past I was reluctant to wear one because they looked, well, geeky, but I've noticed more and more motorcyclists using them. Or maybe as I get older I just don't give a damn anymore about what others think of my looks...

[addy126]

I use the Icon Military Hi Vis vest... pricey yes but its got some pockets that I need to stow certain items.... especially that detachable I.D. card pocket...

[JCCJMM_]

I wear this one everyday. Picture does not do it justice, the thing is BRIGHT.
Fieldsheer brand, less than $40 on Newenough.

[ninjabrewer]

Originally Posted by addy126

I use the Icon Military Hi Vis vest... pricey yes but its got some pockets that I need to stow certain items.... especially that detachable I.D. card pocket...

I have been wearing one since I started riding, they are required to ride on a military base. Since I work on a base now, I still have to wear one to/from work, otherwise I don't wear it during the day, esp when it is hot. If I know that I will be out after dark, I will either wear it or take it with me. Sunday night I was riding behind KJohnson21 and his was lit up like Christmas, not sure what kind he has, but it reflected really good.

nb

[Snake]

I don't wear one but it's not a bad idea since most cagers say they never see the biker until it is too late.

[lockie]

I wore a simple construction workers vest from Canadian Tire for all my night riding this summer. Worked great but not the most versatile esp if you ride a lot after dark.

[Delta107]

I have this! I like it, you can store a lot of stuff in it. and its real comfortable.

[Cedilla]

I don't wear one, but I did get some 3m reflective tape, and put some strips on my back pack, only it peeled off after a couple of months and I lost the roll of tape. My jacket also supposedly has reflective piping on it, but ive never seen it reflect anything.

[Ken]

I bought a vest that actually emits light. It has its own battery pack and everything.

[karlosdajackal]

For the first 6 months (at least until i can do a test) I legally have to wear a high viz with reflective L's on the front and back.

When i pass the test I will decide if my white jacket is bright enough and if its not I'll grab a hi-viz without the L's.

[CZroe]

Originally Posted by Ken

I bought a vest that actually emits light. It has its own battery pack and everything.
*snip*

I'm considering adding EL panels to my helmet. I already ordered a sounds-reactive equalizer one and I'm going to see how it works out.

[tjkamper]

Originally Posted by Delta107

I have this! I like it, you can store a lot of stuff in it. and its real comfortable.

I likey! I'm not much of a back pack fan, but that is damn cool.

[250Rocket]

Just remember though, if cars see you more so will the 5-0. I don't wear any reflective gear but I make sure of 2 things, (1) i'm never in a place I can't be seen and (2) Ride like nobody sees me anyways.

[adouglas]

I'm of the opinion that reflective gear doesn't actually make you more visible per se... or rather, that its true purpose is to draw attention to you.

Once they're looking at you, then you have a better chance that they'll notice you. The point of it is to provide something that's different enough from the background that it makes a blip on the ol' visual radar.

Seeing you isn't the issue. People key off of stuff that stands out from the background. You can be properly positioned, doing everything right, and larger than life, but if you don't "pop" in some way you might as well be transparent. Even bright colors don't make you more noticeable, if they're part of the environment.

I was at the NY Marathon last weeked, at the final turn in Columbus Circle. There were thousands of runners streaming by, and every once in a while there would be something outrageous -- somebody dressed up like Uncle Sam, or a couple of guys dressed as nuns, or a runner with a six-foot-tall Eiffel Tower on his head (all true -- I have pictures). Those people instantly drew attention. The thousands of others wearing bright colors did not, even though theoretically they're more VISIBLE, because there were so many of them.

[CZroe]

Originally Posted by 250Rocket

Just remember though, if cars see you more so will the 5-0. I don't wear any reflective gear but I make sure of 2 things, (1) i'm never in a place I can't be seen and (2) Ride like nobody sees me anyways.

Why is police attention a concern if you aren't doing anything illegal? I don't want them to run me over either.

[250Rocket]

Originally Posted by CZroe

Why is police attention a concern if you aren't doing anything illegal? I don't want them to run me over either.

Well that's the thing. I do technically do illegal things. Whether they're bad or not is up to you to decide but I deem them acceptable and thus do them.

1) Lane split. When the traffic is going less than 20 mph i usually do 25 in between the lanes. Anything faster and i'm back in a dedicated lane. Is it technically illegal, yes, is it dangerous, well at that speed i could probably stop in 10 feet or less.

2) Speeding but only on the highways. When I'm on the super slab the limits here are 100kph and i'll roll at 120-130, equivalent of doing 70-80 in a 65. Not a huge ticket, but a ticket just the same. I do max 10kph or about 6 mph faster on big boulevards to keep up with traffic and I never speed in a school zone or residential roads. Highways are meant to go fast, putting a limit so low is criminal.

Anyways rolling faster on the highways means i'm never in a blind spot.