I can tell you, that here in the USA, the preliminary statistics presented in Defendive Driving course I took recently to lower insurance premiums, they are surpasing Drunk Driving accidents. They said, look on any red light and 3 out of 5 are on the phone. They showed a film where a person was on a track (controlled environment) and while texting he ran over X amount of cones, did not see a gorilla waving, a purple painted cow and a semi naked girl hitching for a ride. The Drunk driver did better. We already have some No phone zones, like schools and some small towns and cities have hands free phone while drivin or get a ticket.
Wow, only just starting to think Mobiles use whilst driving is Dangerous ! Here in Australia its a $400 to $500 fine depending on Which State you are in for using a Mobile phone, in More than one State you can be charged even if parked but on the "carriage way" if the engine is running !!!!
Hi I also have a million miles on the roads, bikes over a million, cars over a million and trucks and buses combined close to 3 million , as I was and still am a Professional driver (transport industry) I refuse to look like a Wanker on the road (lots of people hate Hi-Viz wearers) I read statistics and scientific research reports and I interpret them and then act on the knowledge gained. Example, headlights- a headlight is indistinguishable from sunlight, So I Don't have my headlights on when driving East - West or vice versa when Sun is Rising Or Setting ! As my shadow would be More Visible !! Than a Headlight ! Hi-Viz just makes you stand out in a crowd ! In a group of Hi-Viz wearers you Blend in ! Example- Mining Industry -All Wear Hi-Viz without exception (dismissal offence is you don't) and people still get hit by vehicles on Mine Sites !! Best sign I have ever seen on a worksite ! Western power (electricity supplier) "SWITCH ON" So I do , every time I drive.
No one or at least me, I am not claiming that Hi Viz is a sure insurance of no accident. We just have to increase our chances of an accident by being seen. This might prevent an inattentive driver to miss a very visible or eye catching moving object. Also, if involved in an accident and you survive, in a court litigation I would not want the defending lawyer saying: "Your Honor/judge it was a dark night and the motorcyclist was wearing cool looking black leathers and no reflective gear. He made himself very inconspicuous and anyone would not have seen him". I rather want the judge see how conspicuously dressed I was, even if I look like a "wanker." This shows and is proof, that the real" WANKER" was the distracted driver not paying attention. In the end, I want to make it home in one piece and I don't give a rats ass what anyone else thinks how I look, since I don't live to please others. Just like Trump pulling out of the Climate Change Agreement. The Sky is not Falling and the Scientist have been GUESSING WRONG for years. All their predictions for the last 30 years about Climate Change, FAILED!!! Bottom line: Ride naked, ride smart, ride with or without headlights, ride with loud pipes, ride dressed in neon Pink, it is to the individual to decide what is best for him and his environment. Do what ever the F**K you want, it's your life and no one should tell you how to live it. ;-) Peace out, this horse is dead. Check this interactive death map statistics in England. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-15975720
Not all legislation for us motorcyclist or you younger folk who call yourselves bikers is bad IMO. When I started riding in 1966 there was no compulsory crash helmet law. For the majority of the time I was riding I would wear my crash helmet and when I didn't wear one I certainly felt vulnerable even as a 16 year old as well as a bollocking off my dad. Quite a few young guys who weren't wearing a crash helmet went to an early grave with head injuries, sad. Hi viz, I wear it if I want to, but would never knock anyone for wearing hi viz. I may have a chuckle if I saw someone wearing a hi viz pink skirt type thing and think what a nob when I see the polite hi viz I wonder who'll be wearing a hi viz pink type skirt thing at the GMU 2017
I started riding in 1972 and had very similar experiences to those above, attending way too many funerals at a young age has probably coloured my opinions on things like hi viz etc. However I must say that it never ceases to amaze me how difficult it can be to spot a dark coloured bike and rider even as someone who rides and is probably more aware of looking for bikes, but that is the choice of those who opt not to use hi viz or DRL. I would never wish to impose my ideas on anyone else, you make your own choices and live with the consequences as we all do. Enjoy the ride .................... and NO it won't be Pink
Maybe it's as simple as this...... High Vis does not, of itself, make you visible i.e. in view. That is a function of others' field of view and alertness. A motorcycle can be obscured by door pillars and disappear into blind spots. It may make you more distinct i.e. seen when in view. Whether you actually are more distinct is a function of any number of variables from time of day to weather to background. High Vis will never hinder, may help but there will remain plenty of circumstances when it will be irrelevant. Ride defensively.
One of these four bikes is me out on Sunday. Ignore the fact the blackbird is ridding on the wrong side, he's a dick, But he is wearing some hiviz. Can you identify which bike is mine? I know which one is going to be spotted by some dopey car driver 1st!!! (sorry for quality of picture, but is a photo of a video on screen). What ever you are happy wearing, be it black or luminous hi-viz pink, or just running some extra lights, keep doing it, it all gotta help in some way. And if it's working for you, keep doing it. But defensive behaviour is more important than whatever you wear.
Now imagine yourself at the road junction in a hurry in a steamed up car. The first bike is obscured by the A pillar. You see the dick and bikes 3 and 4 are hidden behind the B pillar. You pull out to let dick go by........
Yeah you're at the back....on an America !!...weighed down by all them lights ......now if it was a SPEEDmaster ???? Sorry couldn't resist
This morning I got jesticulated at by a BMW rider. I was parked up, on the wrong side of the road, busy junction outside a shop, cars parked both sides of the street. A Skoda then rolled up and parked 12" from my front bumper, obscuring my view of the road. When I came to pull out I couldn't see, so inched out slowly to make sure anybody approaching would be aware of me. The BMW came towards me, on his side of the road, flying by and gives me a 2 finger salute !!!! I'll admit I was moving off without being able to see him (skoda obscured my view), but he should have slowed down, been aware of the parked cars and moved into a position in the middle of the road, furthest away from any possible hazards. This is his responsibility and something I am sure most of us would do, when faced with traffic both sides of the road, a junction and a shop. My point - Had I been some careless chump and just jumped out, he would have hit me, had he had hi-viz on or big lights, still would have hit me. Defensive riding and hazard perception will do a lot more for you, than wearing a bright yellow vest or having big feck off lights on your bike.
If visibility is the issue, lights win hands down every time imo. The cagers don't know what's coming, but SOMETHING is. Makes me think about putting some LED ones on mine just to use as DRL's.
I thought I was done with this dead horse. LOL "Defensive riding and hazard perception", goes without saying. As far as I know, the topic was a recommendation for Hi Viz, not if it was better than Motorcycle Class, common sense or if they were worthless. Careless actions on a motorcycle can be deadly, like the guy driving on the opposite side of the road. No headlights lights or wearing a neon pink Tutu will save him from getting into trouble. Stupidity comes to mind with no offense to the unknown. Your Skoda incident, if you couldn't see the driver, he can't see you. This is my assumption in this case, not Hi Viz. Same as with your big bright lights, they are a Hi Viz item, but don't use them and become almost invisible like the front guy in black. He is definitely more inconspicuous, and compared to you, who has a better chance to be seen??? Now add to him Hi Viz/reflective gear and he becomes more conspicuous or increase the chances of being seen, even without the bright head lights.
Definitely bright there MrO, does look a bit as though your on the brow of a hill so effectively undipped, but having attracted the full attention of the driver he's forgotten about the other 3 so pulled out on the lot of them!! It's selfish riders like you that are killing the rest of us I'm gonna get it at the gmu aren't I??
Nope, not brow of the hill!!!! Funnily nobody riding with me, or cars in opposite direction have complained, thought they might! But none as yet. Just to prove it is me
AHA! See if it wasnt for that bit of bright paint round your helmet I would have thought the old legend of the headless rider had reared its ugly head(?) again, or maybe not.
