Going for walks in hi vis jackets

blue note

What's the story with this? I sent for a run last night. I was almost entirely in black and I didn't realise that until I started looking at the people I was running past. There were a decent few walkers wearing hi vis jackets. They were going for a walk, putting on their running gear, and then throwing on a hi vis vest. Then they're walking around a town, with footpaths and streetlights on every road.

I just wonder why? I drive and have never said thank you to someone in my head for wearing a high vis vest on a footpath. I wasn't going to drive there anyway.

It's obviously very different if you're in an area without streetlights or footpaths.

Kintarō Hattori

Perhaps they had been walking from an area that was rural and not well lit to the town or vice versa. Walkers in hi-vis is a good thing.

iamwhoiam

blue note wrote: »

What's the story with this? I sent for a run last night. I was almost entirely in black and I didn't realise that until I started looking at the people I was running past. There were a decent few walkers wearing hi vis jackets. They were going for a walk, putting on their running gear, and then throwing on a hi vis vest. Then they're walking around a town, with footpaths and streetlights on every road.

I just wonder why? I drive and have never said thank you to someone in my head for wearing a high vis vest on a footpath. I wasn't going to drive there anyway.

It's obviously very different if you're in an area without streetlights or footpaths.

Well done to them for being intelligent and smart . I presume they cross the road occasionally

wakka12

dont do it myself, but nothing wrong with being cautious

Feisar

It's a great idea. Especially in late dusk time and if it's a pissy evening.

Also why do cars have lights? To see and be seen.

Crossing roads, broken street lights, drivers not paying full attention, cyclists on footpaths, misted car windows, rain reducing visibility. Huge amount of reasons, most of them valid.

SteM

AH has gotten to the point now where every banal little thing in life has become a question.

Deebles McBeebles

Yeah! Stop being safe ya w*nkers!

NIMAN

The amount of walkers and runners around where I live without hi-vis is shocking.

And I live in a rural, badly lit area.

Don't know why someone wouldn't wear a €2 hi-vis top when out and about. Could save your life.

realdanbreen

And when they come to a pedestrian crossing they will walk straight out in front of you.

Boggles

blue note wrote: »

I just wonder why? I drive and have never said thank you to someone in my head for wearing a high vis vest on a footpath. I wasn't going to drive there anyway.

You poor thing.

What if you were out running and you found yourself in a place with no footpaths?

You'd have to stay there forever.

Deebles McBeebles

realdanbreen wrote: »

And when they come to a pedestrian crossing they will walk straight out in front of you.

That's what its for. At that point you put your foot on the pedal in the middle.

oLoonatic

NIMAN wrote: »

The amount of walkers and runners around where I live without hi-vis is shocking.

And I live in a rural, badly lit area.

Don't know why someone wouldn't wear a €2 hi-vis top when out and about. Could save your life.

You can get them for free on the RSA website delivered to your house, there is no excuse. It particularly irks me when cyclists dont have any hi vis on at night. ( I cycle to and from work myself)

Benny Biscotti

blue note wrote: »

What's the story with this? I sent for a run last night. I was almost entirely in black and I didn't realise that until I started looking at the people I was running past. There were a decent few walkers wearing hi vis jackets. They were going for a walk, putting on their running gear, and then throwing on a hi vis vest. Then they're walking around a town, with footpaths and streetlights on every road.

I just wonder why? I drive and have never said thank you to someone in my head for wearing a high vis vest on a footpath. I wasn't going to drive there anyway.

It's obviously very different if you're in an area without streetlights or footpaths.

This level of intelligence is why the driving standards are so low in this country.

BeerWolf

SteM wrote: »

AH has gotten to the point now where every banal little thing in life has become a question.

Why's that?

Del2005

What I find weirder is the parents who put a vizi vest on their kids and then wear black themselves. If it's necessary for the kids it's necessary for the parents.

Some of them even carry torches. Call it consideration for other road users, which shouldn't be a novelty in this day and age.

Del2005

oLoonatic wrote: »

You can get them for free on the RSA website delivered to your house, there is no excuse. It particularly irks me when cyclists dont have any hi vis on at night. ( I cycle to and from work myself)

Or the cyclists who put on the vizi vest and then throw on their backpack. Why bother?

NIMAN

One worrying thing I have noticed on more than one occasion is this:

On our main roads here, there is often a large section to the left side of the lane, call it a hard shoulder if you want, but its not an official hard shoulder. I often see cars using it to drive into if the car if front is taking a right turn, which would probably be fine during the daylight hours.

However, often when I'm driving on these roads at night, you'd pass walkers using this area. But they are practically invisible as they are dressed in dark clothes. Now imagine you are walking in this area and a driver decides to use it to undertake at 50mph!!

Doesn't bear thinking about.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

Runs and walks can take in both rural and urban locales in one outing. On rural roads, high vis jackets are essential, along with torches.

It's the yellow vest crowd scoping sh1t out..
Expect a Paris type situation any day now ..

NIMAN

I think it should be against the law to walk on rural roads (or unlit roads) without a hi-viz.

The amount of cyclists doing the same is also incredible. They seem to favour dark colours from what I've noticed. It might be bright when they leave the house, but its often getting dark when they are still out.

Many don't often switch on their lights either when they should be.

Deebles McBeebles

You'd wonder how Batman survives.

whisky_galore

Can't understand runners on a road local to me choosing the unlit and unpavemented side over the safer side. I guess they're training for the Olympics so they're entitled to it.

topper75

I work near a college campus.

Large amount of bozos cycling around with no lights on winter evenings and people wearing dark clothes in unlit areas.

Younger folk who don't yet drive have some sort of crazy "I see the car so the driver must be able to see me" mentality.

realdanbreen

Deebles McBeebles wrote: »

That's what its for. At that point you put your foot on the pedal in the middle.

You think when you come to a crossing that you just walk straight across and your hi-vis jacket will somehow magic up a shield to stop the traffic:D

Deebles McBeebles

realdanbreen wrote: »

You think when you come to a crossing that you just walk straight across and your hi-vis jacket will somehow magic up a shield to stop the traffic:D

No, the flashing lights and stripey bit of road should be enough for drivers who are able to keep their eyes on the road. Pedestrians do have the right of way at pedestrian crossings, no matter how many idiots you see ploughing through them at 30 while updating FB.

meeeeh

I don't think you need hi vis if you are walking in lit up areas on sidewalks. However I came across idiot runners wearing dark clothing who jumped on the road on badly lit roundabout without stopping and looking if anyone was coming through. That type of an idiot could cause serious accident.

I don't wear hi vis when going for a walk with the dog or run during the day. At night though I 'm lit up like a Christmas three, hi viz and a torch pointing at the dog if needed. (No publuc lithing or sidewalks). Another must is actually walking on the right side of the road. I came across walker on a narrow enough country road, dressed in black and walking on the wrong side of the road. Luckily enough I spotted some movement in the shadows because there was another car coming towards me and I had to keep to the side of the road. People like that should be beaten up for mindlessly endangering themselves and others.

Del2005

Deebles McBeebles wrote: »

No, the flashing lights and stripey bit of road should be enough for drivers who are able to keep their eyes on the road. Pedestrians do have the right of way at pedestrian crossings, no matter how many idiots you see ploughing through them at 30 while updating FB.

Pedestrians don't always have right of way. It depends on who enters the junction 1st. If a vehicle is in the junction they have right of way over the pedestrian. If the pedestrian enters the junction 1st they have right of way.

Pedestrians and car drivers are each as bad at updating social media.

Deebles McBeebles

Del2005 wrote: »

Pedestrians don't always have right of way. It depends on who enters the junction 1st. If a vehicle is in the junction they have right of way over the pedestrian. If the pedestrian enters the junction 1st they have right of way.

As long as a pedestrian doesn't suddenly veer off and sprint out on to the road, they have the right of way at crossings. I've seen people appear from nowhere and do that but not nearly as often as I've seen drivers go straight through while pretending they can't see anything that's not directly in front of them.

Del2005 wrote: »

Pedestrians and car drivers are each as bad at updating social media.

Even if they are, only one group is behind the wheel of a tonne of metal and fuel.

_Kaiser_

Feisar wrote: »

It's a great idea. Especially in late dusk time and if it's a pissy evening.

Also why do cars have lights? To see and be seen.

Can't overstate that last part enough... the amount of idiots who drive around in bad weather or dusk/dark with no or minimal lights on is ridiculous! Their cars are practically invisible at times - although manufacturers have to share the blame with DRL implementations.. usually the back of the car is completely unlit while the driver sits oblivious thinking their front DRLs (and lit dash?) are grand.

realdanbreen

Deebles McBeebles wrote: »

No, the flashing lights and stripey bit of road should be enough for drivers who are able to keep their eyes on the road. Pedestrians do have the right of way at pedestrian crossings, no matter how many idiots you see ploughing through them at 30 while updating FB.

I think you might need to brush up on what is required of the pedestrian when they reach the 'stripey bit of road' hi- vis or no hi-vis !

Deebles McBeebles

realdanbreen wrote: »

I think you might need to brush up on what is required of the pedestrian when they reach the 'stripey bit of road' hi- vis or no hi-vis !

I'm well aware. I seem to be in the minority though.

meeeeh

Deebles McBeebles wrote: »

Even if they are, only one group is behind the wheel of a tonne of metal and fuel.

So if they get killed or seriously injured while walking like a zombie looking at the screen they will have the satisfaction of knowing they didn't do it in the car.

Once you are on the road you should behave responsibly regardless of what mode of transport if any you are using.

blue note

To be specific, I was running in Portmarnock. If someone is walking on a road without a footpath and / or not lit up they are not concerned about safety. There's hardly a road there without both lights and a footpath. And even for crossing the road - it's only really in housing estates and the like (the roads that aren't at all busy) that don't have traffic lights.

Regarding people wearing high vis jackets while cycling, walking on roads, etc... If course they should light themselves up. But that's s not what I'm talking about.

And sorry for those looking for steam coming out of ears fury - I'm just curious as to what they are thinking when throwing on the high biz jackets. I'm wondering too if I'm missing something and should indeed be wearing one myself. But when I run I stay on the footpath and the cars stay on the road, I look both ways before crossing, I haven't encountered problems with bikes on footpaths. I just don't see what good a high vis jacket would do me.

valoren

NIMAN wrote: »

One worrying thing I have noticed on more than one occasion is this:

On our main roads here, there is often a large section to the left side of the lane, call it a hard shoulder if you want, but its not an official hard shoulder. I often see cars using it to drive into if the car if front is taking a right turn, which would probably be fine during the daylight hours.

However, often when I'm driving on these roads at night, you'd pass walkers using this area. But they are practically invisible as they are dressed in dark clothes. Now imagine you are walking in this area and a driver decides to use it to undertake at 50mph!!

Doesn't bear thinking about.

And they are also walking with the direction of the traffic, meaning if a driver did the inside hard shoulder undertake you mentioned, the walker wouldn't even see it coming. At least if they were walking against the traffic and were paying attention they might have that split second to get out of the way.

Tchaikovsky

Dogs wearing hi-viz jackets are the best.

realdanbreen

Deebles McBeebles wrote: »

I'm well aware. I seem to be in the minority though.

Not so sure about that. You've already said that you don't wait for the traffic to stop you just plough straight ahead!
Anyway best of luck and maybe keep to the footpaths and avoid crossing the street.

Amirani

oLoonatic wrote: »

You can get them for free on the RSA website delivered to your house, there is no excuse. It particularly irks me when cyclists dont have any hi vis on at night. ( I cycle to and from work myself)

They have limited efficacy. Cyclists should be using good lights, with suitable luminosity, outside of daylight hours. This negates the need for high viz that can often be obstructed and just isn't really safe enough.

Deebles McBeebles

realdanbreen wrote: »

Not so sure about that. You've already said that you don't wait for the traffic to stop you just plough straight ahead!
Anyway best of luck and maybe keep to the footpaths and avoid crossing the street.

I did not say any of that though. You should go back and read was written and not jump to conclusions.

meeeeh

Amirani wrote: »

They have limited efficacy. Cyclists should be using good lights, with suitable luminosity, outside of daylight hours. This negates the need for high viz that can often be obstructed and just isn't really safe enough.

There is no should, they have to use the lights or they shouldn't be on the road. How anyone thinks it's acceptable to drive or cycle on the road without lights on in the dark is beyond me. That involves cars with one working light and similar. It's reckless.

I think hi vis more important in fog. I don't think there is that much heavy fog in Ireland but that's when it makes a difference. I remember we were given cat eyes or whatever they are called as kids to walk to the school 30 years ago to be more visible in the dark and hi vis scarves for fog (another country).

Agricola

I live in the sticks and you would struggle to see anyone out walking without a hi-viz vest. Whether it be fitness fanatics or just Mrs Murphy heading to the local shop. Its a great thing. There's no where to go on rural regional roads if a pedestrian appears out of nowhere because they are in dark clothes, especially in the winter.

Gravelly

Wonder if you're one of those lads and ladies I meet early in the morning and in the evening with no car lights on because "shure can't I see where I'm going?"

whisky_galore

Amirani wrote: »

They have limited efficacy. Cyclists should be using good lights, with suitable luminosity, outside of daylight hours. This negates the need for high viz that can often be obstructed and just isn't really safe enough.

Every little helps, wearing a little light vest won't kill you.

meeeeh

Gravelly wrote: »

Wonder if you're one of those lads and ladies I meet early in the morning and in the evening with no car lights on because "shure can't I see where I'm going?"

Anyone who drove in the dark on a country road will tell you reflective strips make a huge difference. You notice them before the torch if you are traveling in the same direction as them. Very handy on narrow roads. If you don't have lights on no hi vis will make any difference.

Amirani

whisky_galore wrote: »

Every little helps, wearing a little light vest won't kill you.

Either will wearing a load of flashing fairy lights.

Suitable bicycle lights, with good luminosity, are sufficient for safe cycling. High viz offers no extra protection on top of these in darkness.

whisky_galore

Amirani wrote: »

Either will wearing a load of flashing fairy lights.

Suitable bicycle lights, with good luminosity, are sufficient for safe cycling. High viz offers no extra protection on top of these in darkness.

Fashion victim who doesn't like being seen in one methinks.

MY BAD

Amirani wrote: »

They have limited efficacy. Cyclists should be using good lights, with suitable luminosity, outside of daylight hours. This negates the need for high viz that can often be obstructed and just isn't really safe enough.

Every little helps all the same. It's amazing the difference high visibility clothing has in dusk along with good lights, even in areas with good street lighting. The same goes with reflective clothing in the dark. I'm aware of studies that cyclists wearing hi viz are more likely to be in a accident too but I like to give myself every chance of avoiding an accident or death. The amount of cyclist in dark clothing with poor lighting is staggering. You are putting yourself in a very vulnerable position. I run on the roads six days a week and while I might have a right of way I have to assume everyone is a bad driver so I don't take unnecessary chances. I know in a ideal world this shouldn't be the case but no point been dead right.

meeeeh

Amirani wrote: »

Either will wearing a load of flashing fairy lights.

Suitable bicycle lights, with good luminosity, are sufficient for safe cycling. High viz offers no extra protection on top of these in darkness.

I often notice reflecive strips first on cyclists in the dark and only then the red back lights. Maybe they are using lights that are not fit for purpose but hi viz does offer some extra protection. I'm not pushing for hi viz at all times and everywhere after all I don't wear it myself during the day but you can't claim reflective strips don't make you more visible.

branie2

It's very safe to do

Tchaikovsky

Gravelly wrote: »

Wonder if you're one of those lads and ladies I meet early in the morning and in the evening with no car lights on because "shure can't I see where I'm going?"

Shur if you can't see the moon, there's no need for headlights!