Can anyone recommend a high viz jacket/waistcoat that is effective in the dark?
Have any comparison tests been published?
A bike does more miles to the banana than a Porsche.
High viz jackets
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thirdcrank
- Posts: 36778
- Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm
Most hi viz garments have two distinct qualities. The flourescent part, which is prominent in natural light, especially twilight. This usually forms the main body colour of a hi viz garment. It is not particularly conspicuous in the dark.
The second is the reflective part which often looks grey in natural light but is very conspicuous when seen by the driver of a vehicle and reflected in its headlight beam. This material is usually in bands across the garment. (You can get some stuff with bits of reflective trim which looks bright when you shine a torch on it in your front room but not as effective as the broad bands used on safety togs.)
If being seen is your only concern then there are loads of places who sell British Standard hi viz togs for people whose job involves their standing in the road.
The govt sponsored some comparative tests some years ago to find the most conspicuous colour and they decided on the flo lime green which is now in general use, I think it is called 'Saturn Yellow.'
Another chance to show that hi viz togs are available in many styles
:-
You can also get some garments with built in lighting but I think these are generally regarded as a gimmick.
The second is the reflective part which often looks grey in natural light but is very conspicuous when seen by the driver of a vehicle and reflected in its headlight beam. This material is usually in bands across the garment. (You can get some stuff with bits of reflective trim which looks bright when you shine a torch on it in your front room but not as effective as the broad bands used on safety togs.)
If being seen is your only concern then there are loads of places who sell British Standard hi viz togs for people whose job involves their standing in the road.
The govt sponsored some comparative tests some years ago to find the most conspicuous colour and they decided on the flo lime green which is now in general use, I think it is called 'Saturn Yellow.'
Another chance to show that hi viz togs are available in many styles
:-
You can also get some garments with built in lighting but I think these are generally regarded as a gimmick.
I wear a long sleeved 'motorway maintenance' vest at night for various reasons:
1. Long sleeves means there is more yellow/ reflective.
You are the biggest surface area on your bike, so you'll get the most benefit covering yourself in reflective/ hi viz, rather than the bike (although I do have a reflective strip on my rear mudguard). I'll stick out my elbows when I hear a car approaching from the rear which makes me seem a bit wider, you get more room. It also helps emphasise your 'human shape' instead of being a glowing blob which could confuse.
2.
As your arms are covered your signals are a lot clearer.
3.
Being an EN471 approved vest approved for high speed roads means you have some offical backing in the case of a muppet still not seeing you. It's easier to prove in court that there is a good amount of reflectivity/ hi viz.
4.
Being hi viz and long sleeved it looks a bit more 'official' than a normal 'builders' vest or those big thick sweaty horrible jackets. People don't cut up coppers! Whilst I would never want to impersonate a copper (when people get closer to realise you aren't they could cut you up in revenge, that's why I dislike those 'polite' jackets) hinting that you may be a bit more offical, and reminding people that a copper might be around seems to get you a bit more room!
It's still lightweight/ breathable.
This is what I use:
And no, she doesn't come with it!
Bought from here: http://www.hiviz.net
I am debating an orange/ yellow one for a bit more vizibility in rain/ fog, but not sure if it's worth it.
John
1. Long sleeves means there is more yellow/ reflective.
You are the biggest surface area on your bike, so you'll get the most benefit covering yourself in reflective/ hi viz, rather than the bike (although I do have a reflective strip on my rear mudguard). I'll stick out my elbows when I hear a car approaching from the rear which makes me seem a bit wider, you get more room. It also helps emphasise your 'human shape' instead of being a glowing blob which could confuse.
2.
As your arms are covered your signals are a lot clearer.
3.
Being an EN471 approved vest approved for high speed roads means you have some offical backing in the case of a muppet still not seeing you. It's easier to prove in court that there is a good amount of reflectivity/ hi viz.
4.
Being hi viz and long sleeved it looks a bit more 'official' than a normal 'builders' vest or those big thick sweaty horrible jackets. People don't cut up coppers! Whilst I would never want to impersonate a copper (when people get closer to realise you aren't they could cut you up in revenge, that's why I dislike those 'polite' jackets) hinting that you may be a bit more offical, and reminding people that a copper might be around seems to get you a bit more room!
It's still lightweight/ breathable.
This is what I use:
And no, she doesn't come with it!
Bought from here: http://www.hiviz.net
I am debating an orange/ yellow one for a bit more vizibility in rain/ fog, but not sure if it's worth it.
John
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thirdcrank
- Posts: 36778
- Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm
Forgot to mention that if I'm cycing in daylight, I always wear a flo yellow top. I have Lusso vests for warm weather and most of the rest of the time I would wear a Gamex jacket (stretchy jersey material which is claimed to be windproof and showerproof but isn't. It is very bright and doesn't fade much. I bought a batch dirt cheap at the York Rally when it was still called that.) I have a Paclite Goretex jacket from Chain Reaction. Although mine has not been used much, it's my impression that flo Goretex is quick to fade, which would be a disappointment, bearing in mind what it costs.
On my shopping bike I would wear a builder's mesh waistcoat or the same thing with sleeves. I've had the embarrassment
of being taken for a cycling PCSO more than once in that jacket.
As Ive said above, flourescent is pointless in the dark and I would always wear something with broad reflective bands.
On my shopping bike I would wear a builder's mesh waistcoat or the same thing with sleeves. I've had the embarrassment
of being taken for a cycling PCSO more than once in that jacket.
As Ive said above, flourescent is pointless in the dark and I would always wear something with broad reflective bands.
On a similar but oh so slightly different note.
Does anyone know of high vis rucksacks?
Now I know you can get covers, but it's an extra thing to mess about with and for general commuting I'm narky enough in the morning without mucking about with a cover.
So I prefer a rucksack that actually has hi-viz bits all over it at the least.
I've looked and never seen one - which seems a bit stupid to me, given the number of peds and cyclists with them. Surely there'd be a huge market for them...
Does anyone know of high vis rucksacks?
Now I know you can get covers, but it's an extra thing to mess about with and for general commuting I'm narky enough in the morning without mucking about with a cover.
So I prefer a rucksack that actually has hi-viz bits all over it at the least.
I've looked and never seen one - which seems a bit stupid to me, given the number of peds and cyclists with them. Surely there'd be a huge market for them...
kwackers wrote:On a similar but oh so slightly different note.
Does anyone know of high vis rucksacks?
Now I know you can get covers, but it's an extra thing to mess about with and for general commuting I'm narky enough in the morning without mucking about with a cover.
So I prefer a rucksack that actually has hi-viz bits all over it at the least.
I've looked and never seen one - which seems a bit stupid to me, given the number of peds and cyclists with them. Surely there'd be a huge market for them...
There are several on Ebay, not exactly like a rash mind you - have you looked? Try a search for "Hi Viz backpack -cover"
Arthur
I make stuff, that's all.
kwackers wrote:Does anyone know of high vis rucksacks?
I have a Karrimor 'KIMM' type rucksack which is lime green. It's not bad on the visibility front, but you'd need to add reflectivity. I've got a feeling they don't make them anymore in that style/ colour.
Be seen on a bike (BSOAB.com) have some, but they are nasty. The covers they do look pretty good though. To be honest I've never seen a hi-viz 'proper' rucksac, which as you say does seem a bit daft. Maybe we've got a gap in the market..... race you to the patent office!!
John
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johnonthetyne
- Posts: 242
- Joined: 6 May 2008, 9:47pm
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iaincullen
- Posts: 153
- Joined: 18 Aug 2007, 11:43am
james_so wrote:There are a few down at the bottom of this page
I bought one of these for commuting last winter. Fairly light and does the job of carrying my change of clothes for the day.
What I was surprised at when I was looking for one was the fact I couldn't get one from any bike shop. All of which sell plenty other safety equipment. Some ruscacs were sold with yellow/orange rear panels but I couldn't see anything with a decent amount of reflective material.
I get my hi-vis jackets from being a fire-warden work!
I don't know if the position has to include a hi-vis jacket, but I've been firewarden at three places now and all have included a hi-vis jacket...
Although this thread has been great because I'm now looking at getting a proper cycling top that would include Hi-vix strips (seems pointless that I wear a cycling top for less wind resistance, only to cover it with a baggy hi-vis tabbard!) and a hi vis backpack (although I'd like one I could affix my spare backlight to? like Qackers I don't intend to get a backpack cover)...
Ambermile, I've got to say there are loads on Ebay, but they all look a bit crappy compared to the one on hi-vis.net, although they aren't quite what I want either, so I hope someone else has some more links!?
I don't know if the position has to include a hi-vis jacket, but I've been firewarden at three places now and all have included a hi-vis jacket...
Although this thread has been great because I'm now looking at getting a proper cycling top that would include Hi-vix strips (seems pointless that I wear a cycling top for less wind resistance, only to cover it with a baggy hi-vis tabbard!) and a hi vis backpack (although I'd like one I could affix my spare backlight to? like Qackers I don't intend to get a backpack cover)...
Ambermile, I've got to say there are loads on Ebay, but they all look a bit crappy compared to the one on hi-vis.net, although they aren't quite what I want either, so I hope someone else has some more links!?
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insanityideas
- Posts: 161
- Joined: 18 Aug 2008, 6:18pm
- Location: Bristol
- Contact:
I am never sure if I should be happy that cycle clothing comes with "reflective piping" or a bit miffed that they didn't do things properly (this includes the yellow raincoats).
I havn't seen any cycling specific clothing that actually had reflective bands wide enough and covering enough of the garment to conform to the relevant British Standard for safetywear used on the road. Fortunately the BS approved waistcoats are cheap and readily available from builder friendly shops, but wouldn't it be nice to just wear one coat, not a coat and a waistcoat?
I think this is a fundamental miss-understanding by manufacturers (and perhaps customers who arn't well enough educated), that its the reflective bit that adds the safety under the majority of conditions. And yet all we get is a reflective logo on the collar.
And why do Respro insist on charging £12 for an A4 sheet of adhesive scotchlite??? (you can get a 3m scotchlite equipped waistcoat for £2, and it has more reflective material on it.)
Rant over.
I havn't seen any cycling specific clothing that actually had reflective bands wide enough and covering enough of the garment to conform to the relevant British Standard for safetywear used on the road. Fortunately the BS approved waistcoats are cheap and readily available from builder friendly shops, but wouldn't it be nice to just wear one coat, not a coat and a waistcoat?
I think this is a fundamental miss-understanding by manufacturers (and perhaps customers who arn't well enough educated), that its the reflective bit that adds the safety under the majority of conditions. And yet all we get is a reflective logo on the collar.
And why do Respro insist on charging £12 for an A4 sheet of adhesive scotchlite??? (you can get a 3m scotchlite equipped waistcoat for £2, and it has more reflective material on it.)
Rant over.