You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
I see lots of riders out on dark country lanes at this time of year wearing hi viz black clothing. I've tried google but can't find any. All I can see is just plain boring old merge into the background black. This new stuff must be very popular because a lot seem to be wearing it. It must be more effective than boring old hi viz yellow, and on the principle of "be seen, be safe" it must be effective.
Anyone know who stocks this major new aid to safety?
You mean retroreflective black, I assume
It must be more effective than boring old hi viz yellow
why?
on the principle of “be seen, be safe” it must be effective
Don’t get me started 🙂
I’m only guessing, but from a drivers perspective, high vis yellow can easily be dazzled out by afternoon low sun as opposed to a bold silhouette being more visable. Not that i ride on the road much anymore but I’ve always had more confidence in daytime lights for being seen. In answer to your question though I’ve no idea.
Rapha probably
Don’t get me started
I think what Bez is getting at is you'll only be seen if the person driving looks. I totally subscribe to that - and an expectation that someone is dressed in dayglo is both misplaced and I guess what you were getting at with:
It must be more effective than boring old hi viz yellow
is that in urban environments there is so much neon yellow around that its no longer really "high visibility"! (Presumably this is the reason rail workers wear orange - to make them distinctive from people working on or near roads). I'm not sure that logic applies in rural back roads, although at some times of year classic hi vis actually seems to camo quite well with some leaf colours! Orange or Pink are far more distinctive.
I've never knowingly seen someone in highly reflective black (it seems contradictory) but of course you do get little silver stripes on black kit. If I wanted to be as visible as possible in someones headlights then I'd be thinking about ProVis kit.
However, to me, the key is not just that you are visible, but that you are as quickly identifiable to the drivers brain as being a cyclist as possible. As a driver the things that make that immediately obvious to me are flashing red/white lights, and possibly even more importantly pedal reflectors. That moving pattern of orange is a fairly unique "signature" and some are really good. Unfortunately most of us don't have them fitted.
Any black clothing works although lycra tends to be spotted more than normal clothes. If you want to increase your visibility further, don't wear a helmet. You'd probably be in danger of blinding a motorist but you could consider running a red light as well.
There has been a thread on this in the last day or 2
just jump a red light - every motorist for 240,000,000 miles will see you even if you are wearing Harry Potters Cloak of Invisibility
Ride naked.
Trust me, drivers *will* notice you then...
I see lots of riders
It must be working then.