Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Waymond Smith on December 15, 2014 at 9:31am

I feel a bit confident that motorists we see me better when I'm wearing reflective clothing and using lights at night. However, this is not a guarantee that I won't be hit by a motorist, I still must ride 'defensively'. 

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on December 15, 2014 at 11:10am

Making myself visible means that I have a lot fewer close calls at night, especially in areas with a low volume of bike traffic. In that sense, yes, being seen makes me feel safer, but it doesn't mean that I stop paying attention to what's going on around me, or doing extra to get a driver's attention or avoid a driver if it seems like they don't see me.

Permalink Reply by Davo on December 15, 2014 at 12:00pm

I don't understand what the big deal is. From what I read, the agencies were promoting not mandating hi vis gear for night riding. If you want to wear it do, if not don't.

Permalink Reply by The Korn on December 15, 2014 at 12:09pm

I don't do high visibility gear; that's my vanity speaking.  (It doesn't speak often, but when it does it holds a trump card.)

But I do ride with my lights on at all times (even during the day) because it really helps being seen.  A big part of being seen is, in a nutshell, being borderline obnoxious about being seen.  I do it with lights, others do it with high visibility gear, whatever floats your boat.  Whatever you do, just be seen.  Nothing infuriates me more than riding in pitch black and coming across a biker on the road with no reflectors, no lights, and more often than not riding a black bike.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on December 16, 2014 at 1:19am

Personal choice.  I wear ridiculous clothing because I want to.  I am only irritated by those who do nothing to make themselves visible.  After dark, front lights are required by law. After dark, and in the rain, lights on cars are required by law. I am also irritated when I see cars at night with no lights because, despite their size, cars with no lights are hard to see in the dark.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on December 16, 2014 at 3:42am

Seems like a reasonable approach to me.
 
Davo said:

hi vis gear for night riding. If you want to wear it do, if not don't.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on December 16, 2014 at 3:43am

Totally agree about the frustration with bike ninjas out there. I've had close calls with them as a cyclist, pedestrian and driver. At the very least, having even small blinkies makes a difference.
 
Lisa Curcio 4.1mi said:

Personal choice.  I wear ridiculous clothing because I want to.  I am only irritated by those who do nothing to make themselves visible.  After dark, front lights are required by law. After dark, and in the rain, lights on cars are required by law. I am also irritated when I see cars at night with no lights because, despite their size, cars with no lights are hard to see in the dark.

Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on December 16, 2014 at 3:44am

I'd wear a clown suit if it saved me from even one crash. I wear a white helmet, a bright yellow retro reflective vest, blinking lights fore & aft and numerous reflectors on the bike itself. No motorist can claim not to have seen me.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on December 16, 2014 at 3:53am

As has been said on many occasions in different places in this forum, not seeing something that obviously was there is not a defense.  However, I won't care if I was right and the driver was wrong if I am dead or even seriously injured.  But Thunder Snow, I heard there is a video somewhere that shows that the clown suit does not work. :-)

Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on December 16, 2014 at 4:12am

Permalink Reply by David Barish on December 16, 2014 at 6:16am

My clothing tends to be dark but wear a reflective belt, reflective ankle bands, have reflective stickerrs on my fenders and have multiple lights.  I think being seen is a good thing. We can differ over what is enough. I agree with Anne that being a ninja can increase your odds of bad things happening. 

Suggesting riders wear things or use lights that will help them be seen is not victim blaming. After a tragedy we can still look to the behavior of drivers, design of streets etc. I try to avoid breaking down an incident after it occurs as I don't want to victim blame.  Until one happens you increase your odds of getting home in one piece by being visible.  We are comfortable with differing levels of risk in our lives. As I age I become more of a chickenbleep and prefer to be seen. 

In short I never say that the incident  occurred because the rider was a ninja but I will always say a rider has a greater chance of getting home safely if he/she is not a ninja.

Permalink Reply by Anne on December 16, 2014 at 6:23am

I agree with several sentiments here, after all, all of us are the Gorilla.

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• Next ›
• Page