Can hi-vis clothing do harm?

[tim-b]

Hi-Vis means different things to different people
In industry it will generally be to British Standards (BS EN 471), which means either yellow or orange with retro-reflective bands
In the context of the OP, daytime conspicuity is really what is being discussed so that cyclists stand out against the ambient background where retro-reflectives are less useful.
I have a fully retro-reflective rucksack, fantastic for the early morning commute in the dark but a dull grey in daylight. I'm still visible but less conspicuous

[Psamathe]

Hi-Viz becomes "high fashion"

Frasers snaps up I Saw it First as it builds online fashion portfolio

But when wandering around "air-side" in an airport I guess hi-vis is probably a requirement. But what about hard-hats?

Ian

[mjr]

Old fashioned I know (also technically legally required) but my pub bike has actual amber pedal reflectors...

No technical about it.

Not old-fashioned either: bikes from before Oct 1983 (IIRC) are not required to add them.

[mjr]

Hi-Vis means different things to different people
In industry it will generally be to British Standards (BS EN 471), which means either yellow or orange with retro-reflective bands
In the context of the OP, daytime conspicuity is really what is being discussed so that cyclists stand out against the ambient background where retro-reflectives are less useful.
I have a fully retro-reflective rucksack, fantastic for the early morning commute in the dark but a dull grey in daylight. I'm still visible but less conspicuous

I've found my jawbone and flames buff to be far more conspicuous than any ugly fluorescent coat, if that's really what matters to you.

Being a six foot Man In Black on a tall Dutch bike also seems pretty conspicuous, but that's not an option for everyone.

[ChrisP100]

Old fashioned I know (also technically legally required) but my pub bike has actual amber pedal reflectors...

No technical about it.

Not old-fashioned either: bikes from before Oct 1983 (IIRC) are not required to add them.

I admit to not having pedal reflectors fitted on my SPD's, but my cycling shoes do have reflective strips on them (which unfortunately do not conform to BS 61022). I also have reflective detailing on my leg wear and I wear a Proviz jacket which is super reflective. So although I am not strictly legal I am lit up way more than than someone conforming to the absolute minimum legal requirement.

[mjr]

Old fashioned I know (also technically legally required) but my pub bike has actual amber pedal reflectors...

No technical about it.

Not old-fashioned either: bikes from before Oct 1983 (IIRC) are not required to add them.

I admit to not having pedal reflectors fitted on my SPD's, but my cycling shoes do have reflective strips on them (which unfortunately do not conform to BS 61022). I also have reflective detailing on my leg wear and I wear a Proviz jacket which is super reflective. So although I am not strictly legal I am lit up way more than than someone conforming to the absolute minimum legal requirement.

Are any of those reflective bits and detailing even amber? I've seen a Proviz jacket. It was white and looked like a flipping headless, handless ghost has appeared out of nowhere when the headlight hits it. I think it's often not at all obvious quickly that it's a moving person rather than some sort of light-up warning or advertising sign.

I mean, it's up to you, but I think the bobbing of amber pedal reflectors is much more obvious to people than the many and varied designs of usually white reflectives on ugly relatively-short-life synthetic leggings and jackets... and I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't post signalling the virtues of hi-viz and the evidence-free nonsense highway code rules if in reality I didn't even comply with letter or spirit of the pretty basic and old lighting law!

[foxyrider]

Old fashioned I know (also technically legally required) but my pub bike has actual amber pedal reflectors...

No technical about it.

Not old-fashioned either: bikes from before Oct 1983 (IIRC) are not required to add them.

I admit to not having pedal reflectors fitted on my SPD's, but my cycling shoes do have reflective strips on them (which unfortunately do not conform to BS 61022). I also have reflective detailing on my leg wear and I wear a Proviz jacket which is super reflective. So although I am not strictly legal I am lit up way more than than someone conforming to the absolute minimum legal requirement.

The regulations re reflectors only apply to new complete bikes. If you buy any bike that comes without pedals from the mfr, for example a pricey CF road bike, they do not have to have bell/reflectors etc and whilst complete bikes must have the stuff fitted when they leave the shop there is nothing to stop them being removed outside, there is no law that says they must be fitted in the UK. The bike you built from a load of bits likewise is not covered.

However you are still of course subject to lighting regulations which are a different thing altogether.

[mjr]

The regulations re reflectors only apply to new complete bikes. [...]
However you are still of course subject to lighting regulations which are a different thing altogether.

Not really: the lighting regulations include some regulations re reflectors. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/198 ... /20/part/I

[ChrisP100]

Are any of those reflective bits and detailing even amber? I've seen a Proviz jacket. It was white and looked like a flipping headless, handless ghost has appeared out of nowhere when the headlight hits it. I think it's often not at all obvious quickly that it's a moving person rather than some sort of light-up warning or advertising sign.

I mean, it's up to you, but I think the bobbing of amber pedal reflectors is much more obvious to people than the many and varied designs of usually white reflectives on ugly relatively-short-life synthetic leggings and jackets... and I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't post signalling the virtues of hi-viz and the evidence-free nonsense highway code rules if in reality I didn't even comply with letter or spirit of the pretty basic and old lighting law!

I often wear full reflective (white) overshoes, which are particularly eye catching when I'm spinning my pedals; a lot more obvious than standard pedal reflectors.

I'm certainly not against pedal reflectors, but my particular pedals aren't compatible with reflectors (unless I modify them), and I feel my reflectives are a worthy substitute.

[Stevek76]

No technical about it.

Not old-fashioned either: bikes from before Oct 1983 (IIRC) are not required to add them.

More recent that I'd realise but old enough for me to consider that as old fashioned!

Technically was to emphasise the de jure nature of the requirement, as I'd suggest that, de facto, they're not required as it's never enforced (to my knowledge)