Say No to Day Glo

[Dag]

"The French plan to force all motorcyclists to wear dayglo vests is as naive as it is outrageous" says The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG). MAG claim there is no clear evidence that high visibility clothing leads to a reduced accident rate among motorcyclists. That aside, the group claims there is something fundamentally immoral about criminalising the victims of accidents who refuse to adopt tactics designed to address the failings of those who cause them. The move toward the adoption of high visibility clothing stems from the common excuse used by motorists; “I’m sorry I didn’t see you.” MAG believes that visually seeing a motorcycle and mentally recognising it as an issue for a motorist are two distinct experiences. Furthermore there may be many instances in which, at the time that a motorist initiates a manoeuvre that leads to a collision, the motorcycle is not within the driver’s field of vision. In such cases high visibility clothing is completely irrelevant. MAG UK will be supporting the French riders who are lobbying vigorously against this intrusive proposal and will fiercely resist any moves to make high visibility clothing mandatory in this country. MAG President Ian Mutch said: “To criminalise thousands of innocent people unless they adopt a dress style which to many is totally unacceptable, reflects the ascendency of unsympathetic arrogance over common sense.” If you thought that France was close enough to home then read on. The Irish Government has also indicated that they are looking into advocating the compulsory use of Hi-Viz jackets, going one step further in indicating that they would like to see all Riders wearing a full sleeved version. MAG is organising a National demonstration to take place in Birmingham on 2nd July to protest against mounting European inteference in Biking. More details will follow when they become available.

well there you go.... does high viz really work?........I think not

Accident Caught on Camera - Motorcycle was hit by a Car up to Fly	powered by Aeva

[Art708]

 I don't think any vest would protect a dumbass who stops directly in the freeway in a traffic lane and sits there waiting to be hit.

[Jess Tolbirt]

we dont know the rest of the story,, he had his lights flashing to stop traffic for the ambulance that was coming,,,or maybe there was a wreck just ahead and he was stopping traffic....the question in my mind is what was the driver of the car doing that has his attention away from driving?

[RoadKill]

we dont know the rest of the story,, he had his lights flashing to stop traffic for the ambulance that was coming,,,or maybe there was a wreck just ahead and he was stopping traffic....the question in my mind is what was the driver of the car doing that has his attention away from driving?

Not driving !  Dumb ass had it on auto pilot while performing a cranial rectal inversion.

[Gryphon Rider]

There was an extensive study done in the area surrounding and including Aukland, NZ in the mid 90s (by Susan Wells, et al) that found a strong link between lower motorcycle accident rates and jackets with day-glo colours or retroreflective elements.  They found that riders wearing high visibility clothing had 37% lower risk of having an accident that was fatal or required hospitalization.

That being said, I disagree with legislation specifying motorcycle clothing colour or design.  I'd rather let natural selection take its course.

The study:
http://www.bmj.com/content/328/7444/857.abstract

[old2soon]

I'm guessing that was a motorcycle cop. Flashing lights AND reflective vest. Folks DO NOT seem to pay much attention when(well it ain't driving) operating their vehicles these days. Appears to be a world as opposed to U S of A problem. Every one of us has had lane incursions(on us) idiots texting phoning eating and just generally NOT paying attention to the job at hand-proper CONTROL of what ever vehicle you are operating at the time. An awful lot of it couldn't possibly be me or my fault. Right here in rural missouri i've(more than once and not just while on the scoot) wanted to pull out the operater of the vehicle and punch em out-male and/or female. You could put strobe lights on us launch a multi colored rocket every 5 minutes paint us sky blue pink with a touch of purple(thanks mom R I P ) and still get-didn't see ya. Dag-got a bad feelin the governments involved will do exactly what they want to do. I know you'll keep us posted. There is a way around our problems. Put every body on a motorcycle or outlaw cars. Ya i know-that won't work either. Well-RIDE SAFE.

[ptgb]

Mandated? Absolutely not...

Smart? Probably...

Video proves it doesn't work? Wouldn't say that...


Doesn't matter if you're painted day-glow orange from head to toe or in all black... the deck is stacked against you, either way. But, in my opinion, if there are ways to make yourself more obvious to the rest of the motoring public, why not?

From simple lane positions all the way up to modulators, there are so many ways to make yourself more visible...

I recently bought one of these:



Hell, I think it's pretty fashionable... and if it causes just one more person to see me, great!

Got a modulator on the front and hyperlites on the back as well. Guess in some circles, I'm a motorcycling nerd... oh well, so be it. I left my worry to fit in back in high school...

[The Anvil]

we dont know the rest of the story,, he had his lights flashing to stop traffic for the ambulance that was coming,,,or maybe there was a wreck just ahead and he was stopping traffic....the question in my mind is what was the driver of the car doing that has his attention away from driving?

Probably texting. And I'm pretty sure that was a cop.

Look, high-viz absolutely helps WHEN THE OTHER PERSON IS LOOKING. But FORCING people to wear it? That should be up to them.

France is the same country that prides itself on it's open mindedness and progressiveness while banning certain forms of clothing. You can't even dress like a ghost on Halloween anymore.

[Dag]

I don`t say that day glow vests are a bad idea.
What is wrong here is that some think that by forcing motorcyclists to use the day glow vests, the car drivers will see us.

All drivers should go through a mandatory course in "how to spot a motorcycle"

Car drivers have never had to fight proposals like this. We have since as far back as I can remember (got my first bike in the late 70's). Surely this is harrassment?

[The Anvil]

I don`t say that day glow vests are a bad idea.
What is wrong here is that some think that by forcing motorcyclists to use the day glow vests, the car drivers will see us.

All drivers should go through a mandatory course in "how to spot a motorcycle"

Car drivers have never had to fight proposals like this. We have since as far back as I can remember (got my first bike in the late 70's). Surely this is harrassment?

I understand your thinking How many people will also be afforded a false sense of security by such a thing as well? But the same argument used to be made against helmets. Me? I just assume I'm invisible.

I don't really see it as harassment. It may be very well intentioned, just wrongheaded.

[Oss]

At least the ambulance got there quickly

I aint no expert but IMHO The officer did not stop in a safe location. He should have been stradding the right line with his flashers on so he could take evasive action if necessary just like at a stop lite

Vehicles in back of other cars who turn at the last minute dont have a real good chance to see him

Here in NY the bikes and patrol cars have lights that can be raised some with strobes on em

Not saying it would have made a difference but ya never know

If my hit air vest came in day glow I might have gotten it instead of the silver but I would sure fight the government trying to force me into any clothing because of dumb asses in cars and trucks

Thanks for a provocative motorcycle post Dag  welcome back

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

My work takes me into 8 southern states I do know the Fort Campbell , Kentucky United States Army installation " ALL " military personnel riding a motorcycle wear a glow vest.I see them all the time on I-24 and I-65....They make us wear a helmet, they make us wear a seat-belt I can see them making us wear a glow vest as well  

[fudgie]

We are suppose to wear our reflective yellow jackets or vests anytime we are working on a street. Fireable offence if caught without they say. Do we? No. Maybe 2 people do. Vests are wadded up behind the seat. Cant work in them. Even in the winter with temps at 20 deg we still dont wear a coat. We figure if no one can see a huge white truck with red, white, and yellow lights flashing then they aint gonna see a 2' sq pc of yellow clothing. If me or my partner do get hit, we are suppose to put our coats on each other.  If the scene at safe then we aint gettin out.

I've noticed you cannot see what you are wearing until they are close due to the headlight reflecting at you.

I dress to ride, not crash because I expect to ride, not crash. 

[Dag]

It would anyway be fun to see the Hells Angels and Bandidos with glow vest  

[..]

Horrible to watch the copper get creamed BUT he had way too much faith in the average motorist being capablle to engage his brain.

I have noticed that cyclists / motorcyclists wearing  lime green / orange clothing blend into the colors of roadside vegetation very nicely, especially in the fall.

[Dag]

Mandated? Absolutely not...

Smart? Probably...

Video proves it doesn't work? Wouldn't say that...

Doesn't matter if you're painted day-glow orange from head to toe or in all black... the deck is stacked against you, either way. But, in my opinion, if there are ways to make yourself more obvious to the rest of the motoring public, why not?

Hell, I think it's pretty fashionable... and if it causes just one more person to see me, great!

I have a yellow motorcycle, wearing a yellow leather jacket and a yellow helmet. I do have a glow vest that I use now and than....
I will not be imposed more ... We have enough laws and regulations. I am a grown man and wants to judge what is best for me.

[Fudd]

The day-glo vest would be an easy sell to the Bemer crowd around here.  Most of them already wear the vest and have matching modular helmets to boot.

Where I see a problem is getting some of the more crusty bike gang dudes to comply.  I followed in trail behind 3 of them the other night.   Things like visibility and safety equiptment are not high on the "importants list."   Two of them had tiny, barely illuminated running lights mounted hanging below the rear axel bolt.   Invisible from the right rear corner.

But I tell you what, I don't think these guys would have parked sideways across a busy freeway and expected motorists to yield because of some yellow vest either.

[Super Santa]

See if I can muddy the waters a little bit.

How about much stiffer penalties for motorists who hit motorcyclists?   Possibly even mandatory jail time, and/or suspension of driving privileges.

The phrase "I didn't see him" should not be admissible as a defense.

[Moonshot_1]

You see day glo easier cause it stands out.
Now everyone will be mandated to wear day glo and no one will stand out so we'll have to go back to black leather so everyone can stand out against all the day glo. A vicious cycle.

[old2soon]

See if I can muddy the waters a little bit.

How about much stiffer penalties for motorists who hit motorcyclists?   Possibly even mandatory jail time, and/or suspension of driving privileges.

The phrase "I didn't see him" should not be admissible as a defense.

   Oh -ell no-you AIN'T muddying up the waters. Guy that taught me to drive truck(R I P Kenny) had a good idea fer four wheelrs-anyone coming up for their first licsense or any renewal had to spend a week or two in the right seat of a semi-wide awake. It MIGHT be adaptable to include them ridin on a scoot. Might-kinda like if. I've seen young uns and old uns that can't even park very well with the-ahem-cell phone in the ear-or texting. You also have to remember that this is the same society that gives convicted drunks their licsense back. I do not have the answer-don't think anyone does. Until folks realize and understand that DRIVING requires 100% attention 100% of the time-well we will see the aftermath at 5 6 and 10PM. RIDE SAFE.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Dag does Norway have a helmet law ?

A seatbelt law ?

[Dag]

Dag does Norway have a helmet law ?

A seatbelt law ?

It is mandatory use of helmet and seat belt.

Fine for not using seat belt, NOK 750,00    ($ 140,00)
Fine for not using a helmet, NOK 750,00    ($ 140,00)

Fine for using cellphone,      NOK 1.300,00 ($ 240,00)

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Dag does Norway have a helmet law ?

A seatbelt law ?

It is mandatory use of helmet and seat belt.

Fine for not using seat belt, NOK 750,00    ($ 140,00)
Fine for not using a helmet, NOK 750,00    ($ 140,00)

Fine for using cellphone,      NOK 1.300,00 ($ 240,00)

It will be a great day in America when cell phone use while driving is banned here.

[eric in md]

Dag does Norway have a helmet law ?

A seatbelt law ?

It is mandatory use of helmet and seat belt.
  i second that 
Fine for not using seat belt, NOK 750,00    ($ 140,00)
Fine for not using a helmet, NOK 750,00    ($ 140,00)

Fine for using cellphone,      NOK 1.300,00 ($ 240,00)

It will be a great day in America when cell phone use while driving is banned here.

[The Anvil]

Dag does Norway have a helmet law ?

A seatbelt law ?

It is mandatory use of helmet and seat belt.

Fine for not using seat belt, NOK 750,00    ($ 140,00)
Fine for not using a helmet, NOK 750,00    ($ 140,00)

Fine for using cellphone,      NOK 1.300,00 ($ 240,00)

It will be a great day in America when cell phone use while driving is banned here.

It's one of the banes of my existence. That and in particular texting.

[Daniel Meyer]

In my experience the impaired drivers are *attracted* to bright colors and lights...

[Bobbo]

In my experience the impaired drivers are *attracted* to bright colors and lights...

That is why new emergency vehicle light bars have settings to not flash red/blue from the rear when stopped.  Some studies suggest that impaired drivers are more likely to crash into them due to their mesmerizing effect.

[sheets]

Looks like a single lane opening up to two... rigs building up speed... perty ballzy move pulling out in front of the big rig. Must have been something going on just ahead that made him think it was prudent and necessary. No lights on the side of his bike to make him stand out from the surrounding scenery. Other cars obviously didn't realize that he was even there. He may have blended in with the hood of the yellow car that hit him. Working on the highway, we've had the new class II and III day-glo green or orange garments for a couple years now. They are more visible, but motorists still need to have the presence of mind to pay attention to their surroundings and notice activity out of the ordinary. Trucks lit up like a Christmas tree and guys with day-glo vests and white hard hats... we've lost (hit and killed by errant motorists) six workers in the past year and a half... three of those in the past six weeks. Highway Workers - Give'em a Brake!  If safe, move over. sheets (Highway guy).

[Chili Pepper]

See if I can muddy the waters a little bit.

How about much stiffer penalties for motorists who hit motorcyclists?   Possibly even mandatory jail time, and/or suspension of driving privileges.

The phrase "I didn't see him" should not be admissible as a defense.

Couldn't agree more. Your first priority as a motor vehicle operator is to see EVERYTHING going on around you and in front of you. Not bothering to do that is flat out negligence.