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High Viz yellow helmet
- Thread starter mcgyver74
- Start date
jeff_k
Moped
2linby said:
You can see headlights from a mile away, too, and people still turn left in front of you! I'm counter-culture on this issue...I think the high viz can bring a false sense of security. Not false, exactly, surely it's better than all black, but I do wonder about the effectiveness in reality. I'd rather have my modulating headlight and a helmet that doesn't look like it should be on The Simpsons. Obviously, they're called high viz for a reason...but you're trying to get the attention of people who somehow don't see your HEADLIGHT from 50 feet away. Wouldn't hurt, I guess. I dunno. I'm not sold on them. I'm not saying that it's not a good idea to have a high viz helmet, by any means. I'll admit that my number one helmet is GRAY and might as well be invisible on the road.
oldsawfiler
Crotch Rocket
Anything that will make you stand out in a line of traffic day or night gets my vote.
I'm along with Jeff, even considering my part time gig as a RiderCoach. 
However, to qualify, I think it is more an attitude you have to put on along with the gear no matter what color the gear is. I'd hate to have someone ride a little less attentive because "I gots all this hi-viz gear on, good to go". If having and wearing the hi-viz gear helps you get more in the mindset you need to be in, great. But if the brain ain't in gear, it don't matter what you are wearing. If you are getting it just so you can be more visible only, don't count on it. People pull out in front of trains, semi's, fire trucks (lights/horns a blazing), ambulances (same lights/horns) and all kinds of vehicles out there all day long. Unfortunately, we suffer the worst when it happens to us.
So, protection capability/function are foremost to me, color, not so much BUT that's the way I ride.
I still encourage lighter colors for my students, more for comfort during dog days of summer (and sometimes that's a perceived comfort, not actual), visibility is a plus but do not rely on it.
And taking account today's lighting on bikes, from the front (where a majority of the conflicts come from), with modern day halogens, running on high beam (and even low beam) during the day, I think most drivers would be hard pressed to tell what color helmet the operator has on.
My 0.02
However, to qualify, I think it is more an attitude you have to put on along with the gear no matter what color the gear is. I'd hate to have someone ride a little less attentive because "I gots all this hi-viz gear on, good to go". If having and wearing the hi-viz gear helps you get more in the mindset you need to be in, great. But if the brain ain't in gear, it don't matter what you are wearing. If you are getting it just so you can be more visible only, don't count on it. People pull out in front of trains, semi's, fire trucks (lights/horns a blazing), ambulances (same lights/horns) and all kinds of vehicles out there all day long. Unfortunately, we suffer the worst when it happens to us.
So, protection capability/function are foremost to me, color, not so much BUT that's the way I ride.
I still encourage lighter colors for my students, more for comfort during dog days of summer (and sometimes that's a perceived comfort, not actual), visibility is a plus but do not rely on it.
And taking account today's lighting on bikes, from the front (where a majority of the conflicts come from), with modern day halogens, running on high beam (and even low beam) during the day, I think most drivers would be hard pressed to tell what color helmet the operator has on.
My 0.02
DannyL said:
While this is not funny I cannot help to chuckle as it happens to me too. The point is anything you can do that provides increased conspicuity is beneficial.
The combination of a high viz suit or jacket, helmet, retro reflective materials, better lighting and or a headlamp modulator certainly brings more attention to you it cannot in itself protect you from the inattentive or oblivious driver.
These measures will howeve increase your profile and perceived approach speed to those oncoming drivers who would have otherwise not seen you.
I like the hi-viz approach. It is not a panacea for alertness and defensive riding, but in my experience the hi-viz "neon" yellow color makes more of a visibility statement than anything else. The human visual-perceptual system is more highly "tuned" to that color stimulus than anything else. . . so at least you'll have neurobiology working for you instead of against you.
I've ask people at work if they notice better with my hi-vis helmet and they say yes. Also my previous bike was a black st1100 and I wore a green helmet drivers seemed to see me however with my dark blue connie people just didn't appear to notice me. So that when I got hi-vis helmet.
mellow yellow
Street Cruiser
In that case I'd better change the color of my bike.Boomer said:
oldsawfiler
Crotch Rocket
That's "mellow yellow?
YellowstoneC14
Training Wheels
I say go for it ...I love the Hi-viz stuff and i don't leave home with out my fly gear vest ... :great:
Contrast in colors make a big impact.
Riding thru DC on Sunday evening back home i noticed a rider with a dark jacket and yellow. Helmet.. really popped! Made me double take. Looked cool.
same thing i think with dayglo jacket with black shoulder trims and white helmet
id say get it, more outfitts to variations to choose from
Riding thru DC on Sunday evening back home i noticed a rider with a dark jacket and yellow. Helmet.. really popped! Made me double take. Looked cool.
same thing i think with dayglo jacket with black shoulder trims and white helmet
id say get it, more outfitts to variations to choose from
Did you get the helmet?
I think I should clarify, I do ride with a high viz jacket (and soon to be helmet) but I do not consider them a panacea, they are just one more tool that MAY help me be seen by other traffic, while they may help, they are in NO WAY a substitute for being alert and paying attention to what is going on around you.
