Hi vis discussion thread (read post #1)

tomasrojo wrote: »

My main bike weighs about 50kg, and it often has about 40kg of children in it. I have to say, I find a more timorous riding style is required. It's quite hard to get rapidly into position, and quite hard to take evasive action if someone decides you shouldn't be allowed to get into that position (and that includes other cyclists).

It's a cargo bike you have isn't it? That's a whole different animal.
Heavy and old though my old man is, he still handles like a normal bike. He's not in cycle-y HGV territory like your beast.

If I had the space and the money I'd love a Bullet. I saw a courier trackstanding on one of them yesterday in town. I didn't know that was possible with them!

50kg though :eek: I didn't know they were that heavy. Can you put a child in a harness on the front bikejoring style to help with the pedalling? :pac:

First in Ireland to do it?!? Absolute rubbish, Lucan have been wearing hi vis for as long as I can remember.

thesimpsons wrote: »

Loads of clubs have this for a long time now. What addles me is the cyclists who head out top to toe in black or similar dark colours. Are they just blind to their own need to be seen ?

I agree though that u can be head to toe in flouro yellow, pink and orange and still where people arent looking out they will not see you.

It really does depend on the scenario though. In daylight without obstruction, there should be very little you can wear that would make you harder to see. At night time in the country, Hi Vis will make you more visible if you have no other visibility aid (such as a decent set of lights), in the city, where you should be driving with dims, hi vis has little effect and many times it would be one of the last things noticed under sodium yellow lights.`

The two biggest things that will make a cyclist visible to a driver are 1) the driver paying attention 2) decent lights. The second only works if the first one is adhered too although on occasion it can wake them up enough to start.

CramCycle wrote: »

Nothing could get me used to that and I have seen some pretty horrendous things in my day.

Longford cycling club also willingly choose the same gear.
My eyes.

The only thing that stops you being seen I thy light of day as a cyclist on the road by other traffic is if that other traffic isn't looking. No amount of high viz can combat inattention and carelessness.
Night time lights are the best answer. By the time you see reflective strips it's too late.
I'd like to see minimum output light legislation.

Macy0161 wrote: »

A clearly defined standard would be my preference, as some of the cree lights are a bit too much. But the Cree lights are very much a consequence, imo, of the victim blaming "be safe be seen" message.

The problem here is, and it is the reason that they now allow flashing lights, is because it is easier to as many have some lights rather than getting a few on the right lights. One of the biggest issues with lights uptake, in my opinion though, is that the RSA and An Garda promote Hi Vis, therefore, to a person who has not read into it, it would appear this is both the legal minimum and the only requirement.

Imagine you have just come to Dublin as a student to UCD, you have only cycled in either rural settings during daylight hours etc. You haven't gotten round to getting anything for your bike yet as its still bright in the evenings. You get stopped by RSA and AGS and they give you a speech about responsibility and being seen, hand you a hi vis, and send you on your way. You will, rightly or wrongly, come away thinking that this is all you need and it makes you super visible in the city.