Reflective Safety Vest

[damark115]

I was thinking about a large reflective patch for the back of my jacket. But of course it would have to be a New England Patriots patch. Seriously though I wear a bright orange vest with reflective stripes whenever I do a decent night ride.

[dank]

As others have noted, some jackets have reflective strips. I have a First Gear Kilimanjaro jacket and it has reflective material on it that is amazing. It shines too much in flash pictures and looks like I have actual lights on when it is illuminated by headlights. Very highly visible.

I bought red for safety, but after watching other bikers I am not persuaded that color is all that significant a factor. I can't make out the color other riders are wearing until they get pretty close and see black as well as anything else. At night I can't tell what color oncoming riders are wearing. It is the bike I see, and there gray seems like a poor color choice, but black, blue, red, green, etc. all seem to be visible. Yellow bikes seem most visible, but yellow still isn't my preference.

I don't see that reflective paint or tape on the bike would be a significant change: we already have actual lights.

[dantama]

Here's a picture of the reflective patch on my riding jacket. My Condo has sky lights and there is nowhere to get a picture in the dark, but this is how reflective it is in daylight with a flash.

At night it stands out even more.

[dantama]

Here's some results from a pretty vigorous study of visibility and motorcycles.

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

It states:

Results
Crash related injuries occurred mainly in urban zones with 50 km/h speed limit (66%), during the day (63%), and in fine weather (72%). After adjustment for potential confounders, drivers wearing any reflective or fluorescent clothing had a 37% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.63, 95% confidence interval 0.42 to 0.94) than other drivers. Compared with wearing a black helmet, use of a white helmet was associated with a 24% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.76, 0.57 to 0.99). Self reported light coloured helmet versus dark coloured helmet was associated with a 19% lower risk. Three quarters of motorcycle riders had their headlight turned on during the day, and this was associated with a 27% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.73, 0.53 to 1.00). No association occurred between risk and the frontal colour of drivers' clothing or motorcycle. If these odds ratios are unconfounded, the population attributable risks are 33% for wearing no reflective or fluorescent clothing, 18% for a non-white helmet, 11% for a dark coloured helmet, and 7% for no daytime headlight operation.

Conclusions
Low conspicuity may increase the risk of motorcycle crash related injury. Increasing the use of reflective or fluorescent clothing, white or light coloured helmets, and daytime headlights are simple, cheap interventions that could considerably reduce motorcycle crash related injury and death.

Good info Dan. I believe my spotlights and loud pipes have saved me at least once!! ;)

p.s. I think a reflective KawaNOW patch might be in order!!!!


HD patch???? ::)


Tripster???

[dantama]

p.s. I think a reflective KawaNOW patch might be in order!!!!

+1

Reflective tape on my helmet. Had a guy at a gas station tell me he could see it a half mile away.

P.S. I added the reflective tape to my helmets after I had a tail light burn out one night.

[dantama]

Reflective tape on my helmet. Had a guy at a gas station tell me he could see it a half mile away.

On my 99 Red Nomad (listen up Nico :) I got some of the red and white reflective tape that is on the bottom of Semi's trailers. Cut the red sections out and wrapped around the hard bag brackets at the rear. The part that got hidden with the chrome on the 1600's.

I had more than one Nomad owner follow me at night and stop me to ask where I got the LED's. This was before you could get LED's everywhere.

I looked around for a picture that might show them lit up, but couldn't find one.

It was a cheap way to light up the rear, with no electricals to figure out.

[dogdoc]

Ive seen the orange ones and lime green ones for sell in most of the parts catalogs from $25-40. might look dumb flapping around but would add safety. :-)

[lw]

I made a stop at the Air Force Academy and had to wear one of those to get in, had to leave my license to insure I'd bring it back.




Cool pick. If memory serves isnt that building the chapel?

[dantama]

lw, yes that's the cadet chapel. It's worth taking a look at in person for the unique architecture.

[mikesth]

My Tourmaster jacket has reflective piping on it as well.

So does my Unik, and my Joe Rocket mesh

[quote:bgg0s5xl] Reflective tape on my helmet. Had a guy at a gas station tell me he could see it a half mile away.

On my 99 Red Nomad (listen up Nico :) I got some of the red and white reflective tape that is on the bottom of Semi's trailers. Cut the red sections out and wrapped around the hard bag brackets at the rear. The part that got hidden with the chrome on the 1600's.

I had more than one Nomad owner follow me at night and stop me to ask where I got the LED's. This was before you could get LED's everywhere.

I looked around for a picture that might show them lit up, but couldn't find one.

It was a cheap way to light up the rear, with no electricals to figure out. [/quote:bgg0s5xl]

Great idea Dan.