Conspicuity

[norseman9]

Hi Viz Yellow

White helmet is the way to go. Colors will definitely fade. My 'stich is three years old and is fading to a wonderful shade of pink.

I'm sure I'm not riding as much as you so my hi-viz yellow (aka piss yellow) is holding up pretty well after 5 years.

I have a navy blue helmet but it's getting on in years and will likely go with either white or bright yellow (to match my jacket...at least to some degree).

I do have a helmet halo around my helmet but that's only good for night riding.

 

[steviewonder]

Originally Posted by KBasa
Colors will definitely fade. My 'stich is three years old and is fading to a wonderful shade of pink.

Maybe you should quit doing your own laundry ???

 

[RandyB]

High viz yellow

I followed a rider off post yesterday. Dark blue bike, royal blue jacket and helmet, orange reflective belt. (DOD requirements.) The helmet, jacket and bike were virtually invisible at about 100 yards. The taillight was more visible than the belt.

My riding buddy (on K1200LT) was wearing a white helmet and the yellow-green reflective belt. He looked like a flare. The construction crews here have all gone to the same yellow-green with silver reflective stripes. Waaaay more visible. I've decided to wear the yellow-green relective belt off-post all the time based on these observations. White helmet, too.

 

[robsryder]

.....and the yellow-green reflective belt. He looked like a flare. The construction crews here have all gone to the same yellow-green with silver reflective stripes. Waaaay more visible. I've decided to wear the yellow-green relective belt off-post all the time based on these observations. White helmet, too.

I have a yellow-green sam browne-type belt that says Motrax on the inner surface. I think that I purchased it quite a few years back from a Seattle area BMW dealer. I don't know who sells these now in the US. All I could find was this UK website...
http://www.motraxonline.com/acatalog/clothingvisilitesafetyrange.html

It would seem that the MOA General Store (or other enterprising type) has the opportunity here to get some of these belts, affix the MOA logo somewhere, and sell the belts through the web and/or at rallys.

 

[torags]

Well yesterday while pausing in the center of a divided four lane downtown street with walk signal in my favor; I paused because a hook & ladder fire truck with sirens blaring and lights flashing was coming down the street (fast).

This dumb stump of a chick decided to take advantage of my pause and turn left onto the street. I'm standing on the divider enthusiastically pointing to the fire truck. The fireman couldn't believe her when she barely stopped.

I immediately thought of this thread and our concern for wearing yellow when there are idiots like that on the road........

 

[CustomSarge]

X Files mantra...

TRUST NO ONE - NOTHING

Not a Color, A Fabric, A Style.

I rile the ATGATT true believers: Tshirt, shorts, tennis shoes, 1/2 helmet. Only times (3) I've been down were gravel front end washouts.
To their point: I put ~ 15K mi / yr, rarely city or rush hour; ergo I stay out of harms' larger grasp.
To my point: I don't sweat my Tail Off, my peripheral vision suffers fewer obstructions. (and I still ride Big cities)

I once had a bike judge tell me that a bikes' greatest safety feature was its' brakes. I stridently differ with that assessment: it's between your ears!

That I've been riding 35+ years, without major incident, is so much more that I pay Specific Attention to my Situational Circumstance, than ANY: gear, helmet, suit, or static preparedness; is Way past question in my mind.

Scootering is a chess game with Your survival at risk: the more potential moves you see ahead = your greater defense against what they may portend. Expect the worst... then be sanguine that it didn't occur.

I constantly play a simple game: What could X vehicle do to put me in harms' way? Where's my escape hatch? 'Nuff Said ... soapbox open <<<)))

 

[sgborgstrom]

Well yesterday while pausing in the center of a divided four lane downtown street with walk signal in my favor; I paused because a hook & ladder fire truck with sirens blaring and lights flashing was coming down the street (fast).

This dumb stump of a chick decided to take advantage of my pause and turn left onto the street. I'm standing on the divider enthusiastically pointing to the fire truck. The fireman couldn't believe her when she barely stopped.

I immediately thought of this thread and our concern for wearing yellow when there are idiots like that on the road........

Just another day in the life of a fire apparatus driver. I try really hard not to be surprised by the dumb stunts people will pull as I come down the road lights, sirens and air horn blazing but every couple of shifts some idiot pulls a new one.

To borrow a phrase and mangle it: Just as locks are for honest people, conspicuity is for conscious drivers.

I've been wearing a red helmet for years (don't know why, just have) I think my next one is going to be white with black trim on it so it looks more like the local cop lids. There was a time, "back in the day" when I wore a white open faced helmet with a black visor while riding my black luftmiester-fairinged R75/7. Cars used to slow down when they saw me in the rearview mirror. there must be some residual friend-or-foe instinct left in humans that makes us notice threats and dismiss the non-threatening. Hoping the white helmet and white/black color scheme of my F650 Dakar puts me back into the threat catagory.

My thoughts on conspicuity after 20+ years of steady MC commuting (in Boston, Chicago and now Seattle) are that extra lights and reflective/light colored gear only go so far. The best thing you can do is practice, get the seat time in so that controlling the bike is as instinctive as possible. Once you no longer have to think about each step on the bike you can start concentrating on the hazards around you. It's all about defensive driving in an offensive world.

Be careful out there, I really don't want to meet any of you in a professional situation.

Steve

 

[callmethebreeze]

Zen and Safety

TRUST NO ONE - NOTHING

Not a Color, A Fabric, A Style.

I rile the ATGATT true believers: Tshirt, shorts, tennis shoes, 1/2 helmet. Only times (3) I've been down were gravel front end washouts.
To their point: I put ~ 15K mi / yr, rarely city or rush hour; ergo I stay out of harms' larger grasp.
To my point: I don't sweat my Tail Off, my peripheral vision suffers fewer obstructions. (and I still ride Big cities)

I once had a bike judge tell me that a bikes' greatest safety feature was its' brakes. I stridently differ with that assessment: it's between your ears!

That I've been riding 35+ years, without major incident, is so much more that I pay Specific Attention to my Situational Circumstance, than ANY: gear, helmet, suit, or static preparedness; is Way past question in my mind.

Scootering is a chess game with Your survival at risk: the more potential moves you see ahead = your greater defense against what they may portend. Expect the worst... then be sanguine that it didn't occur.

I constantly play a simple game: What could X vehicle do to put me in harms' way? Where's my escape hatch? 'Nuff Said ... soapbox open <<<)))

Sarge,
Your post reminds me of some lessons learned from a teacher long ago. I have kept them with me and practice them daily. Safe motorcycling is as you say not about fabric, it is a state of mind. In my daily commute there are many situations with the potential for danger; rush hours; cell phones; higher speeds; caffeinated intensity all add to the environment in which we travel. Like you, I have traveled many miles and have tried to remain vigilant, not counting upon my gear (I admit to being an ATGATT for me and the bikes) but upon my reasoning to deal with situations well. I have specifically tried not to think of myself as an "expert" rider with a "been there, done that" attitude. I have tried to adopt a beginners mind in how I ride. I hope the following excerpts from my old teacher Shunryu Suzuki explain it better than I can.

Suzuki Roshi once said, "The essence of Zen is 'Not Always So'." "Not always so." It's a good little phrase to carry around when you're sure. It gives you an opportunity to look again more carefully and see what other possibilities there might be in the situation.

In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities; in the expert's mind there are few.

I'll still worry about you running around in your shorts and T-shirt.

Ride safe my friend,
Breeze

 

[RandyB]

I've been riding my narrow black bike (GS) for about 3 months now v. my wide white bike (RT, looks like the lower half of a fridge) and have noticed I have had more near misses with cagers turning left in front of me than in the previous 18 months on the RT.

I'm not sure if it's the gloomy weather (No global warming here.) or the less conspicuous bike or both. I was thinking of painting the RT a darker color but now I'm not sure. I'll definitely add some extra lights to the GS though.

 

[knary]

I've been riding my narrow black bike (GS) for about 3 months now v. my wide white bike (RT, looks like the lower half of a fridge) and have noticed I have had more near misses with cagers turning left in front of me than in the previous 18 months on the RT.

I'm not sure if it's the gloomy weather (No global warming here.) or the less conspicuous bike or both. I was thinking of painting the RT a darker color but now I'm not sure. I'll definitely add some extra lights to the GS though.

Besides, a GS just doesn't look right without extra llights on it.

edit: stupid typo. Meant "without"

 

[PacWestGS]

"Without"

Besides, a GS just doesn't look right with extra llights on it.

Doesn't look right without extra lights on it.

Hehehe

Russ

 

[RandyB]

Something like this....

It has the upgraded electrics. Should handle a bigger bulb.

 

[Ray1505]

Being SEEN!!

Interesting info on the white helmet issue. I have been wearing only white ones for 40 years.

I have also been running extra taillights about that long. But, something I do extra is switch off the taillights AND instrument lights in the daytime. It does save some on power but the BIG reason is so the taillights do not interfer with the stop lights that are hard enough to see on the bright sunny days. Have you noticed that the cars with running lights on during daylight time do not have the taillights on.

When the last bike was purchased I could not find adequite auxilary taillights. Took some about 2" x 4" taillights and removed the bulb and reflector assembly. Built a 50 LED citcuit board using super bright LEDs. 42 LEDs are used for the tail light and all 50 go bright for the stoplight. Two of these on each bike. Drivers give me a little extra room when they stop.

I have noticed the Hyper Lights on the back of bikes. They are to small. Hardly noticable at much over 50 feet (look good up close). If all is done exactly right it takes 88 feet to stop at 60 MPH. The one taillight is very inadequite for judging speed and distance let alone its burning out and leaving nothing.

LED lights can be added to bikes with ABS braking systems. Don't change the regular incadesent bulbs for LED bulbs as the ABS may quite working.

 

[jyambrovich]

Eye candy?

OK, here's how I try to make myself conspicuous.

On my black full face Arai helmet (next time it'll be white or silver) I attached the orange directional arrows from Aerostich. Harley and cruiser-types give me all sorts of grief for it but it's my life and my choice to keep it!! I also have some SOLAS tape diamond shapes on the sides of my helmet. These suckers LIGHT UP when any light hits them at all.

My jacket (Cortech Advanced Three Quarter) has reflective piping and some reflective shapes on it (from the factory).

My pants (Joe Rocket Alter Ego) were modified by me. I found some reflective ribbon (don't know the actual term for it but it's 2" wide) that is hi-viz lime green with two 1/2-inch reflective stripes. I've attached strips of this ribbon to the lower legs area (behind the side zipper) about 18 inches long each using permanent fabric glue. My wife followed me in traffic for an hour on New Year's Day (after dark) and told me that the reflective stripes on the pants REALLY showed up!!

The bike has Hyperlites in the back to supplement the brake light. I have a Kisan modulator on the headlight with a PIAA super bright bulb. When I have it switched on, people tend to think I'm a Highway Patrol motor officer and pull over (or slow WAY DOWN). I always have to smile when that happens.

The headlight modulator also helps get peoples' attention when "splitting lanes". Since I'm not one of those who adhere to the Loud Pipes Save Lives fallacy, I use the headlight instead.

Be seen, stay healthy, have fun, ride more!!!

Jay Yambrovich

 

[Bud]

Torags,

Thanks, I also ordered 3 sheets of 5.25" x 9" for $20 (shipping included), Black to White. These will go on my black saddlebags.

Google and e-bay are your friends.

4 sheets of 4 X 9 for $6.94 including shipping. Black to white. 3M tape.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/3M-BLACK-SCOTCHLITE-REFLECTIVE-TAPE-4-SHEETS-4-X-9_W0QQitemZ140074249618QQihZ004QQcategoryZ50069QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[jimvonbaden]

I have my own way of standing out. During the day there is little you can do to stand out from the multitude of cars on the road. I have Motolights, and a big bike, bit that is not much help. I rely on myself, situational awareness, and carefull riding.

At night, I do all that, and add lots of light, reflectivity, and care.

Day GS

Night GS

A little light.

And a LOUD horn for those special times.

Tina is well lit as well. She also has Motolights on her bike.

Anyhow, I am certain there is merit in all views. You need to be seen, you need to be aware, and you need to be dressed for the crash no matter if it never happens! This includes a full face helmet, gloves, boots and proper armored riding gear.

Jim

 

[Cask23]

Serious subject but 'conspicuity'? I off to the dictionary ...

 

[OfficerImpersonator]

I've read that one of the worst things you can do is have clothing that matches the color of the bike. You want your riding suit/clothing to CONTRAST, not blend in, with the paint on the bike. I wear a grey/black 'Stich on my Marrakesh Red K-bike. I guess for a perfect contrast I should have gotten the yellow hi-viz suit on the red bike, but there are some color combinations too garish to display in public. I want the cagers to see me and avoid me - not crash into me because they are blinded by my inability to color-coordinate my bike and riding gear.

 

[CO_G30]

$30 supplementary lights

Used to catch the cager's eye as they approach me from the rear, specially after my main brake light has quit its blinking routine.

Link to movie of lights in action

 

[BRADFORDBENN]

Nice, but could someone think they are turn signals?