High Visibility Vest

travelerjerry · Oct 1, 2009

Noticed now some (few) motorcycle riders wearing Hi-Vis Vest over their jacket. After much thought due to other driver's not seeing us, I decided to purchase a mesh type vest with a front zipper. I found that it wears well and not a nuisance. Decided to leave it on my leather jacket when I ride now. Was wondering if anyone that reads this forum wears one or something else that gets us seen out there? Jerry

1972 Norton Combat
1973 Norton 850 Roadster
1974 Norton 850 Roadster
1964 Ford Thunderbird Coupe

ILLF8ED · Oct 1, 2009

travelerjerry said:
Noticed now some (few) motorcycle riders wearing Hi-Vis Vest over their jacket. After much thought due to other driver's not seeing us, I decided to purchase a mesh type vest with a front zipper. I found that it wears well and not a nuisance. Decided to leave it on my leather jacket when I ride now. Was wondering if anyone that reads this forum wears one or something else that gets us seen out there? Jerry

1972 Norton Combat
1973 Norton 850 Roadster
1974 Norton 850 Roadster
1964 Ford Thunderbird Coupe

Hi Jerry,

Stay safe. Ride like your invisible.

Triton Thrasher · Oct 2, 2009

I try not to draw attention to myself!

splatt · Oct 2, 2009

please don't the bastards will make them compulsory next, if you want to be seen pull the baffels out of your exhaust,head light on, flouro vest flashing lights they will still pull out in front of you, you have to remember you are invisable. I believe that due to the amount of car drivers that die from head injuries they should all wear crash helmets, fluoro at that :evil:

Flo · Oct 2, 2009

In my experiance, lights, high viz clothing makes no difference.

Unclviny · Oct 2, 2009

There was an old man that lived by me when I was a kid (in Houston), he loved to ride but bad drivers scared him so he went out and got:

A Golwing with white bags, a white half helmet and a blue short-sleeved shirt.

Folks don't see bikes, but they sure do see Cops!
He said it was magic, folks cut him a WIDE path everywhere he went.

Unclviny

bpatton · Oct 2, 2009

This is an interesting topic. Around fifteen years ago it came up on another board that had a clinical psychologist and a guy that worked for some state's DOT. After a lot of discussion they boiled it down to the fact that peoples driving amounts to threat avoidance. In other words, they drive with their brainstems or reptile brains. Size matters (semi's), but they also steer clear of cops, 1%'ers, and motorcyclists who ride aggressively. Go figure. Assume you're not on their radar. You can always ride with your lights on, get a FIAMM, dress like an actual biker, (or a lawyer, equally scary), and go like a bat out of hell. I'd say that just about covers you. Seriously, ask any IronButt'er and they'll tell you Hi-Vis is a good idea.

Cookie · Oct 2, 2009

Visibility is one issue and idiots are another. I have currently selected the route to work with the least rush hour idiots. I am older now and no longer wish my motorcycle was equipped with rockets as it would be too much paperwork after I destroyed a car cutting me off too close so they could get to Starbucks. When I lived in Sonoma the issue was visibility. Here in the SF area it seems like they see you and still cut you off.

BrianK · Oct 2, 2009

I swear by (I know grandpaul and perhaps others swear AT) headlight and brakelight modulators. They do a lot towards the ever elusive goal of conspicuity. YMMV.

Cookie · Oct 2, 2009

If Boston hasn't changed since I lived there that would help. Also a shotgun and Doberman for parking.

bpatton · Oct 3, 2009

Cookie said:
Visibility is one issue and idiots are another. I have currently selected the route to work with the least rush hour idiots. I am older now and no longer wish my motorcycle was equipped with rockets as it would be too much paperwork after I destroyed a car cutting me off too close so they could get to Starbucks. When I lived in Sonoma the issue was visibility. Here in the SF area it seems like they see you and still cut you off.

It seems to me that there are a lot of cars with little boo-boo's running around. It says a lot about how people drive. Three cheers for mass transportation. Cookie, about this wish you used have for weapons of mass destruction. there was a guy on another list that hated tailgaters. He said he had a syringe in his tankbag with a long tube going off the back of his bike that he filled with brakefluid, that would be DOT-3...

Captain B · Oct 3, 2009

Unclviny said:
There was an old man that lived by me when I was a kid (in Houston), he loved to ride but bad drivers scared him so he went out and got:

A Golwing with white bags, a white half helmet and a blue short-sleeved shirt.

Folks don't see bikes, but they sure do see Cops!
He said it was magic, folks cut him a WIDE path everywhere he went.

Unclviny

That is great! :lol:

Cookie · Oct 3, 2009

I do bet that CHP look alike stuff would work fine on a lot of drivers here....

B+Bogus · Oct 3, 2009

I found that riding an enduro bike and wearing dobbing great big (and colourful) motocross boots with shiny steel accessories was a big help.
Unfortunately I sold the boots along with the bike, so I couldn't say which was more intimidating to the 'inbound hostiles'.

I also suspect that being 6'10" had something to do with it

Cookie · Oct 3, 2009

I've still got some of those great ugly metal clad desert boots in the basement. They are practically like a suit of leg armor, but very hot and uncomfortable to ride far. I suppose you could use them to kick cars...

splatt · Oct 5, 2009

I think JSPAYNE has the right idea, buy an interpol :idea:

Cookie · Oct 5, 2009

I'm not going to post the pix but a recent accident up north well illustrates why the vest just might be handy. An SUV pulled out to pass a truck causing a head on that killed two people on a motorcycle. No idea if they had a headlight on or not or what they were wearing but the car surely did not see them.

aceaceca · Oct 5, 2009

My friend,AL, equipped his Honda 750 with a smoker system to deal with tail gaiters. He welded a bung in the exhaust and ran a windshield washer pump to inject an oil spray mix into the exhaust. When he hit the button the bike ejected a huge oil cloud which scared the errant driver. I told him he needed to add some skunk perfume to the oil to enhance the experience. It worked well as I saw it in use on a few occasions.

daveparry · Oct 5, 2009

I won't ride without a hi-vis jacket and I think that anyone who does is asking for trouble, you only have to take notice of how much sooner you see another biker coming up behind to appreciate how much more chance you have of being seen. (my reflective yellow stripes on the fairing help a lot too!)
Dave.

swooshdave · Oct 5, 2009

Went to a Norton rally a long time ago in Northern California. We nice quaint Norton folks went out for a little ride. We were completely baffled as all the drivers would slow down and sometimes pull over for the motorcycles. :?:

Come to find out that the fairgrounds we were using was also popular with the Harley crowds, who apparently had a tendency to carry large chains and any inattentive drivers would get "refinished" exteriors on their cars. :mrgreen:

High Visibility Vest

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