As the clocks go back and winter approaches, Warwickshire’s road safety team is urging people who travel on two wheels to invest in high visibility clothing and take voluntary training.
Stephen Rumble, RSO, says: “Bright, highly visible colours make sense when riding in daylight, whereas highly reflective materials are crucial in low light conditions.
“Motorcycle clothing manufacturers offer a range of modern and fashion conscious clothing that take both of these needs in to account. Even wearing an inexpensive hi-vis bib over your usual biking gear would be beneficial. Training can also help safely negotiate hazards when riding in rush hour traffic and poor light conditions.”
Warwickshire’s Take Control rider training offers a range of free or subsidised courses that can be personalised to include advice about protective clothing and low light riding.
For more information go to: www.takecontroltraining.co.uk
Please let me re-iterate. In poor lighting conditions they DO NOT WORK
I have had pictures taken of me wearing quality dayglo, with a flash on the camera I light up like a torch but without flash and poor lighting conditions I am invisible.
Day glo is Day glo and great during daylight conditions, what is required is something to make the bike or rider more conspicuous during evening. Poor light conditions. Some form of further illumination maybe. I dont think its illegal to wear something illuminating on ones person, that is, as opposed to it being fitted on the bike?
Bob Craven, Blackpool
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A lot of young lads who wear totally inapproriate clothing cannot or will not spend on an expensive multi coloured jacket, but can buy a day glo yellow for a few pounds at a variety of cheap stores. And should be encouraged to do so.
There should be no reason for not wearing one as it could possibly save lives.
Bob Craven Blackpool
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From the BM Journal it would appear that something like 37% of accidents could be avoided by the use of High Viz clothing and some 25% reduction by the wearing of a white helmet.
Wether one can believe these figures please remember that in winter the sun is low during the day and if in a drivers eyes whilst he might be looking directly at you he probably wont see you – if the sun is in his vision. So beware and presume he hasn’t seen you at all [he would not even see a bus if he was looking into bright sunlight)
Another thing to help you is always ride with eye protection, if open face or visor up, wear goggles or sun glasses so as to protect your eyes at all times.
Further to above put a strip of tape over the bottom of your visor, plumbers black or other colour will do/ It won’t interfere with your vision but if you lift the visor it can act as a sun shade whilst you ride into the sun. This will give much better visibility of other road users and road conditions you would otherwise miss with just sunglasses. Try it, it works.
If driving a car in the sun sometimes the light is reflected up into the windscreen from the plastic dash. Get a black or other dark coloured pice of material, not shiny, something made from wool or cotton and that doesnt reflect the light. Place this material over the dash under the screen and it will probably improve your visibility by some 30% at least. Try it.
Finally in poor and no light conditions it doesnt really matter what u wear, u might as well be naked. If no light no reflection therefore not visible to other road users, apart from driving light. I u have more than one light put them all on and give yourself the best oportunity to be seen otherwise ride very defencively.
Sorry for going on. ride safe.
bob craven [ otherwise known as Judge Dredd} Blackpool
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