Hi vis discussion thread (read post #1)

Seth Brundle

The expectation for everyone not safely inside a car needs to be wearing hi-viz will not change until the Road Safety Authority change their mindset and then inform the public of this.
Until then, the legal system, the emergency services, the legislature, the general public will continue to hold the belief that if you wish to be safe on the roads then you need to wear what the RSA tell you to.

When reporting a close pass or a collision involving a bike or pedestrian, it is pretty much essential to describe what the cyclist or pedestrian was wearing. Would the requirement to describe clothing be necessary for a rape victim?
The onus to be responsible has been conveniently placed on the victim more so than on the person sitting behind the steering wheel.

Water John

A car, motorbike, moped, bicycle has it's lights on to both see and more importantly, be seen. The same should apply to pedestrians.

Paddigol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124016837#Comment_124016837

I just don't agree with most of that to be honest. Too many assumptions ("high vis can't be a bad thing" etc.) and not enough consideration of the nuances.

By all means wear whatever you like, but when I'm out in the dark I know that it'll be my (min) two rear lights and two front lights that'll ensure I'm visible to any motorist paying attention. After that it's a case of vastly diminishing returns.

The way in which hi viz works (and specifically the circumstances in which it is no more useful than non hi-viz) has been discussed to death on this thread.

I don't go out of my way not to wear hi viz, in the same way I don't go out of my way not to use every cycle path available. But I never feel any more or less secure when I'm not. The amount of people I see with next-to-useless hi viz vests flapping around but with no lights astounds me. I've no doubt that's down to the messaging that hi-viz is the number one factor in considering safety at night.

Paddigol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124017685#Comment_124017685

A car, motorbike, moped and bicycle use the roads. Pedestrians use the footpath. So I don't agree with your logic at all.

When walking/ running on roads with no footpaths I do agree. And the range of headtorches available now (in both price and functionality) as well as the fact that every smart phone has a torch function, means there's little excuse anymore for not having one. I'll see a runner/ walker on the countryside roads where I live (possibly @oinkely 😂) a lot earlier when they're wearing/ using a torch.

The obsession with hi viz as a road safety 'device' really needs to end. They're builders vests for use on construction sites.

Markcheese

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124017026#Comment_124017026

Ah jaysus , were back on this ..

Hi Viz , is usually a combination of fluorescent colour and reflective panels ,

The florescent largely stands out by day , ( although it depends on the background colours and brightness of the day ) , but obviously does f-all at night -

The reflective patches , need car lights or similar - to shine , and they do .

.all they need to do is stand out a little , so that our imperfect brains register them ,

Paddigol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124017974#Comment_124017974

Genuinely not sure what your point is? Or what part of the post you quoted you disagree with?

We've been around and around the houses on this topic for years on here.

CramCycle

I seen some brand had red lights for pedals recently, I thought brilliant, it is a know phenomenon for the brain to register motion that is human like, hence why if you are wearing Hi Vis reflective bands, around the ankles works a lot better. And people were giving out saying it would be distracting. You can't win, not sure why even try anymore. Damned if you doo, damned if you do nothing.

Had a lad in work complain he couldn't see me on the road as I had no Hi Vis, same guy I see walking the road in the dirtiest Hi Vis jackets, covered in motor oil and muck, you'd barely know it was a Hi Vis vest at all, but he deep down thinks he is safer than me with my lights that on par with a cars.

MojoMaker

Sounds like you're agreeing @Markcheese

Seth Brundle

Just spotted this article about a drunk driver in Scotland who hit a cyclist on his way home from work. The driver was over twice the legal limit (despite claiming that there was a three hour window between him drinking and driving).
Nonetheless, it seems that the victim still had to describe to the court what they were wearing when the drunk driver hit them…

Drunk mayor knocked cyclist off bike after "four or five pints of Stella" at party | road.cc

Stark

You'd think having the collisions happen in perfect visibility might clue them into something other than visibility being the issue.

MojoMaker

Absolutely, that's more bloody victim blaming 😡

"Many of these collisions happened between 12pm and 3pm, underscoring that visibility challenges are not really the issue…".

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124023778#Comment_124023778

Jaysus they got absolutely hammered on Bluesky for that post.

Stark

Ooh must look. They turned off commenting on the Nazi site formerly known as Twitter but they seem to be getting a lot of negative reaction on Facebook.

CramCycle

Dear Gardai,

So close, you can taste it, just that little bit further

JMcL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124024574#Comment_124024574

I piled on as well. Absolute nonsense from AGS

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124025196#Comment_124025196

JFC, it's even WORSE from them on LinkedIn;

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/an-garda-siochana_canyouseemenow-keepingpeoplesafe-activity-7399839112569970688-locx?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=member_desktop_web&rcm=ACoAAAAYb3UBIcb3vItIi3NxHy41B79ekkL0kSg

They note that 'many of these collisions occur between 12 noon and 3pm, and bizarrely conclude that therefore visibility of the victims is the problem that needs to be fixed.

MojoMaker

Damn right there is a visibility challenge…is it currently possible to see through a phone screen to the outside world?