Re: [RBW] ideas for daytime visibility: vests and whatnot

[John McBurney]

In the bright daylight neon clothing is helpful. I have a very lightweight
Descent nylon neon wind vest made for runners that I wear during hot
weather. During fall and spring I like my Sugoi reflective and convertible
jacket-vest. It’s neon when it’s daylight, but covers your torso in
reflective dots when lights hit it in the dark. It’s too warm for hot
weather but since the sleeves attach with magnets it’s pretty versatile.
Waterproof but not for a long downpour.

My go to for winter all conditions is a Showers Pass Club Visible jacket
and Refuge Pants. Neon. waterproof. Wind proof. Lots of reflection.

One thing to consider is movement. Wheel light or good reflectors do this
in the dark.  I like Flektr wheel reflectors. I backed their indie go go
campaign last year and supported them again this year.

https://www.flectr.bike


John

On Fri, Sep 27, 2019 at 2:37 PM Mark Roland 
wrote:

> I commute in a construction worker style safety vest bright yellow with
> big reflective silver stripes. Try to find one with a good zipper, not
> velcro closures. These come in a variety of weights, including mesh. Google
> construction safety vest and you'll get a million different options and
> price ranges.
>
> I also have a dayglow yellow  pants band, again with reflective silver.
> And I use the orange and yellow safety triangle. Also run a dyno headlight
> set up, and/or a Cygo-lite with a flashing daylight LED mode (I never use
> the flash mode at night.) I imagine I can tell a difference in the
> willingness of cars to pull out in front of me when I have the light versus
> when I don't.
>
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Re: [RBW] ideas for daytime visibility: vests and whatnot

[Toshi Takeuchi]

If you are only talking about daylight visibility, then I agree with the
construction worker vest.  You don't even need one that zips up. You can
use the one you pull over your head and has no sides--the ones that buckle
on the sides stay in place pretty well.  dontgethit.com has some selections
that work well.  I got the reflective collars for my kids, but they are
small for adults.

The fluorescent colors do help.  People have told me that my fluorescent
colored helmet can be seen from very far away, so if you wear a helmet a
hi-vis one would be recommended. Maybe you can change your socks at work,
but if you get super hi vis ankle length socks, then you see them moving up
and down during the day and they can be seen from quite far away too (out
here you get these all black wearing riders with bright pink or yellow
socks, or sometimes fluorescent shoe covers--all you see is their ankle or
foot moving around).  If I am wearing long pants, then I tuck my pants into
my socks.  It helps keep them out of the chain and makes my beautiful socks
visible.  Maybe not fashionable, but we're trying not to get hit.  At
night, I definitely use the ankle bands to keep my pants tucked close--Riv
ones are the best!

Fluorescent clothes emit light (that is what fluorescence is).  That is why
they seem unnaturally bright.  I don't use blinking lights--perhaps because
I am too lazy to use battery powered lights.  My dynamo front and rear are
always on, and my fluorescent clothes are quite easily seen (at least I've
been told) even in the shade--except for when the sun is coming directly in
the eyes, in which case seeing anything can be difficult!

--Riding style: don't zig in and out of the parked cars.  If there is a big
gap you can go in to the parked car space for others to pass, but quickly
take a line that will get wide of the parked cars slowly and predictably,
so the cars know you are going to be in that space soon.  Use a rearview
mirror to see behind you and plan appropriately.

Don't hug the cars on the side of the road. If you are riding in the door
zone, then if a person opens the car door on you, then you will get
"doored" and crash.  Also it is harder to see you when you blend in with
the parked cars.  On roads with two lanes in the same direction with no
bike lane and moderate speed traffic, I take the lane and ride in the
middle of the lane.  This is especially important when it is not safe for
two cars, you and a parked car all lined up side by side.  If you take the
lane, then ride like a car.  Don't go around the cars at a stoplight, just
to have them have to figure out how to pass you and then you have to work
your way back into your own lane.  If you keep your spot in the line, then
the cars will respect your position and not get as annoyed with you.

The safety triangles that Riv sells are really good.  I mounted one on the
back of my seat and did notice a significant improvement in space given to
me by cars.

--Just my general commuting tips--that will generally make you much more
visible, but not necessarily directed at the original poster.

Toshi

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[RBW] ideas for daytime visibility: vests and whatnot

[Mark Roland]

I commute in a construction worker style safety vest bright yellow with big 
reflective silver stripes. Try to find one with a good zipper, not velcro 
closures. These come in a variety of weights, including mesh. Google 
construction safety vest and you'll get a million different options and price 
ranges.

I also have a dayglow yellow  pants band, again with reflective silver. And I 
use the orange and yellow safety triangle. Also run a dyno headlight set up, 
and/or a Cygo-lite with a flashing daylight LED mode (I never use the flash 
mode at night.) I imagine I can tell a difference in the willingness of cars to 
pull out in front of me when I have the light versus when I don't.

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Re: [RBW] ideas for daytime visibility: vests and whatnot

['Eric Norris' via RBW Owners Bunch]

Neil:

Famous sag driver Lee Mitchell, who spent countless (thousands?) of hours 
following cyclists day and night, used to say that the single most effective 
piece of reflective gear is an ankle band. The reflectivity and the motion 
capture a driver’s attention and immediately say, “This is a bicycle.” Lee 
would advise that ankle bands work better than vests or taillights.

My favorite is this one from Rivendell Bicycle Works: 
https://www.rivbike.com/products/ankle-reflector-rar 
 

The two ends of the band attach to each other in a way that they create a 
“flag” that sticks out to the side for more visibility.

And, SINCE YOU ASKED, please give me a second to step on my soapbox and say a 
word or two about superbright taillights: THEY SUCK!! Here in the US, we’ve 
gotten caught up in a taillight arms race, in which rear-facing lights are now 
as bright as front-facing lights were just a few years ago. A bike with a 
superbright taillight is impossible to ride behind—all you can see is a big red 
glow in front of you. This forces the poor following rider to ride out to the 
side (not safe) or far back (not very sociable, and makes drafting impossible) 
or out ahead of the rider with the superbright light (not very fair to the 
rider who’s just trying not to be blinded).

Lights this bright aren’t needed. Really, you don’t need much light to be 
visible from pretty far away on a dark road. I note that when I was riding PBP 
this year, the vast majority of cyclists (from outside the US) had reasonably 
bright taillights. The arms race hasn’t taken hold over there … yet.

And don’t get me started on riders whose taillights are pointing upward, rather 
than straight back, making them more effective at blinding fellow riders and 
less visible to motorists.

--Eric Norris
campyonly...@me.com
@CampyOnlyguy (Twitter/Instagram)

> On Sep 27, 2019, at 11:09 AM, Neil Doran  wrote:
> 
> Over the last few weeks I've had two close calls with automobiles during my 
> morning commute that really seem to come down to 'I didn't see you'.
> 
> I currently have a dyno hub with full-time lights front and rear, and try and 
> ride predictably, but seems like I need to up my visibility game. I'm 
> thinking a very bright and loud reflective vest. Needs to be pretty light 
> weight though, maybe even a mesh.
> 
> Any suggestions from the group mind on either vests you have been happy with, 
> or other tips n tricks for daytime visibility?
> 
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>  
> .

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Re: [RBW] ideas for daytime visibility: vests and whatnot

[esoterica etc]

The safety triangles that Riv sells- they’re a game changer!

~Mark 
Raleigh, NC


> On Sep 27, 2019, at 14:09, Neil Doran  wrote:
> 
> Over the last few weeks I've had two close calls with automobiles during my 
> morning commute that really seem to come down to 'I didn't see you'.
> 
> I currently have a dyno hub with full-time lights front and rear, and try and 
> ride predictably, but seems like I need to up my visibility game. I'm 
> thinking a very bright and loud reflective vest. Needs to be pretty light 
> weight though, maybe even a mesh.
> 
> Any suggestions from the group mind on either vests you have been happy with, 
> or other tips n tricks for daytime visibility?
> -- 
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> "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
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[RBW] ideas for daytime visibility: vests and whatnot

[Neil Doran]

Over the last few weeks I've had two close calls with automobiles during my 
morning commute that really seem to come down to 'I didn't see you'.

I currently have a dyno hub with full-time lights front and rear, and try 
and ride predictably, but seems like I need to up my visibility game. I'm 
thinking a very bright and loud reflective vest. Needs to be pretty light 
weight though, maybe even a mesh.

Any suggestions from the group mind on either vests you have been happy 
with, or other tips n tricks for daytime visibility?

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