05-08-2018, 07:03 AM
I don't have HiViz gear currently. I'll probably add a vest at some point. I think it's effective. I switch from a black helmet to a white one for conspicuity's sake. I did not opt for a Hi Viz helmet because I thought the white was enough contrast against my dark jacket and the bike itself--just my theory and it might not be valid. My red/black Honda jacket paired with my white helmet seems to make me pretty visible, based on comments from folks with whom I ride.
I suppose that I'm typing this partly as my own justification for not wearing the safest colors when I ride, but I do think it's valid to point out that the color of your gear is only one part of making yourself more noticeable. I learned recently (from The Ferret, actually) that "conspicuity" is really a word and that being seen is not the same as being conspicuous. Drivers will see you, but their mind may not prioritize that information unless you're relatively more conspicuous than your surroundings. Hi Viz helps that, but so does your lighting, the color of your bike, how and how when you switch positions in the roadway. And...sadly, even if up your conspicuity factor by 10, someone, someday, may still turn left in front of you.
I suppose that I'm typing this partly as my own justification for not wearing the safest colors when I ride, but I do think it's valid to point out that the color of your gear is only one part of making yourself more noticeable. I learned recently (from The Ferret, actually) that "conspicuity" is really a word and that being seen is not the same as being conspicuous. Drivers will see you, but their mind may not prioritize that information unless you're relatively more conspicuous than your surroundings. Hi Viz helps that, but so does your lighting, the color of your bike, how and how when you switch positions in the roadway. And...sadly, even if up your conspicuity factor by 10, someone, someday, may still turn left in front of you.