To HIGH-VIZ or not

Hey all,

As a noobie (and a parent) I'm pretty careful about being seen. I ride a yellow SV, with a white helmet and a yellow High-Viz vest. But I do feel a big 'NEWBIE' sticker across my back would be more subtle!!

Now I know it's smart to being visible, but I see a lot of riders NOT wearing high-viz. I'm gonna keep on riding with the High-Viz so that I don't find myself lying under a 4x4 with someone lifting my visor screaming, "OMG I didn't see you!!" but I'm curious to know what the consensus is amongst org readers. Do you High-Viz on the commute and leave it off on Sunday? Or is everyday a dayglo Christmas day?

Wearing a Hi-Viz is no guarantee other road users will see you. Neither is riding with your lights on or waving a twenty foot banner.

Everybody out there is out to kill you. Ride accordingly

[dyzio]

Personal preference, me thinks.
I don't wear one. In theory, it should make you more visible, but what's the point of that if drivers aren't checking their mirrors :/.

I wear one through the winter (dark morning and nights commuting) but the rest of the year no, it makes little difference imo

[yorkie_chris]

Personal preference.

You still need to ride defensively and this will help you more than a high vis.

[Richie]

Originally Posted by petevtwin650

Wearing a Hi-Viz is no guarantee other road users will see you. Neither is riding with your lights on or waving a twenty foot banner.

Everybody out there is out to kill you. Ride accordingly

Originally Posted by Iansv II

I wear one through the winter (dark morning and nights commuting) but the rest of the year no, it makes little difference imo

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Personal preference.

You still need to ride defensively and this will help you more than a high vis.

+1 to all 3 of those posts.

Originally Posted by Iansv II

I wear one through the winter (dark morning and nights commuting) but the rest of the year no, it makes little difference imo

+1 - As stated... you could be wearing nothing but your lid and a mankini. If drivers aren't being observant, using their mirrors etc etc... it doesn't make a difference.

That said - the more you can do to be seen (and heard) esp when conditions are poor the better.

i.e. personal preference.

[Richie]

when I wear my hi-vis jacket , I also put on the hi-viz forearms as well, since my bike is white and have the panniers on people sometime mistake me for a Police man and move out of the way.

[Bibio]

to many people are wearing high viz these days, joggers, cyclists, road workers blagh blagh. so i think people are just getting used to seeing them and starting to ignore them. being more observant is better in my opinion. also things like slowing down a bit more at busy junctions and schools/public buildings.

[Biker Biggles]

I do ride with lights on all the time but its worth remembering that if they dont look they wont see you,whatever you are wearing.Also worth remembering that there are some drivers out there who will try to kill you even when they have seen you.