Forum

[Beezabryan]

Which rider is more visible?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW3dxDO ... e=youtu.be
I favour a belt does 'Er on t' Pillion though she did this vid from the comfort of a sidecar

[AA maniac]

High viz or headlamps on is only any use if the third party is ACTUALLY LOOKING, I work all times of the day and night in high viz with a BIG yellow van ( with A's on it) and VERY bright beacons and rear red reflective strips. Unfortunately that seems still to be not enough for some drivers to be able to see me!!!. When im out on Chugchug or any of my other bikes, i allways assume that every car driver is out to try and kill me..........and so far thats kept me out of trouble, Plus a loud exhaust helps too lol.

[Beezabryan]

The exhaust on the BSA B50MX I was riding is fairly crackly
As is the Bullet

[Scalyback]

AA maniac is of course correct!

If the other party is not looking or does not see you then lights or high viz becomes irrelevant.


In the countryside, I ride more relaxed, there are less turnings and so far, the drivers seen more aware (Pray, Pray), but In town, especially Sevenoaks, where there are almost NO motorcycles and women on school runs, I find that I am braking at every junction where a car is waiting to come out, until I am sure as I can be that I have been seen.


Think ahead... Look ahead... be prepared to act.

[PeteF]

So what's wrong with doing both?
I also try to ride as if every other road user is a homicidal maniac. It's worked so far!

[Alan R]

Hi guys--------Here's a little mantra for you}---- "Predictive riding is preferable, re-active riding is for retards"------ but as PAPASMURF found out with that gateway incident you can't always be ready !!.........but it begs the question "Whereabouts on the carriageway were you positioned" ?.. ie}--near the kerb or near the centre?...The first narrows your field of vision ( and theirs) regarding a L/H junction and emerging traffic, whilst the second increases it, thus giving more assessment then reaction time....There is a school of thought which says as you ( a motorcyclist) approach a junction on your L/H side and there is a vehicle waiting to exit, that you slowly drift across your carriageway and back, thus widening your "front signature" ........PLUS check you haven't left your L/H indicators on !!!.................I have noticed an odd but true thing regarding Yellow and Orange vis.vests........During a daytime run in the open, green countryside Yellow -- at a distance where you are first likely to be noticed --- seems to partially blend-in with the background whereas the Orange is much more distinctive........Maybe it's because Green and Yellow are on the opposite side of the colour spectrum to Orange.........No matter if driving my car or out on a bike, I notice an "Orange"cyclist in the near distance a few seconds earlier than a "Yellow" one......Given that 60mph is 88 ft per second then that's a goodly bit of early warning................Doesn't work in close-up, crowded towns or night-time as the reflective beads come into their own...........If you can, have a read of the Police Motorcyclists Riding Handbook..........Personally I ride with Headlight on AND a visvest on, using predictive and defensive techniques.............

[Alan R]

Hi guys--------Here's a little mantra for you}---- "Predictive riding is preferable, re-active riding is for retards"------ but as PAPASMURF found out with that gateway incident you can't always be ready !!.........but it begs the question "Whereabouts on the carriageway were you positioned" ?.. ie}--near the kerb or near the centre?...The first narrows your field of vision ( and theirs) regarding a L/H junction and emerging traffic, whilst the second increases it, thus giving more assessment then reaction time....There is a school of thought which says as you ( a motorcyclist) approach a junction on your L/H side and there is a vehicle waiting to exit, that you slowly drift across your carriageway and back, thus widening your "front signature" ........PLUS check you haven't left your L/H indicators on !!!.................I have noticed an odd but true thing regarding Yellow and Orange vis.vests........During a daytime run in the open, green countryside Yellow -- at a distance where you are first likely to be noticed --- seems to partially blend-in with the background whereas the Orange is much more distinctive........Maybe it's because Green and Yellow are on the opposite side of the colour spectrum to Orange.........No matter if driving my car or out on a bike, I notice an "Orange"cyclist in the near distance a few seconds earlier than a "Yellow" one......Given that 60mph is 88 ft per second then that's a goodly bit of early warning................Doesn't work in close-up, crowded towns or night-time as the reflective beads come into their own...........If you can, have a read of the Police Motorcyclists Riding Handbook..........Personally I ride with Headlight on AND a visvest on, using predictive and defensive techniques.............

[Alan R]

Sorry-----don't know why it did that !---------perhaps it's one of those "Double-Takes" ?------- LoL !!

[Paul M H]

Alan R you correct orange stands out much better when on a greenery background that's why all track staff and any member of staff going onto the track outside on the railways are issued with & have to wear Orange Hi Vis vest. As I get them free at work I wear them when on the bike as I also do the the full orange Jacket the other up side is so many yellow ones around now Orange seems to catch your attention on the road more.

[papasmurf]

Alan R wrote:- ""------ but as PAPASMURF found out with that gateway incident you can't always be ready !!.........but it begs the question "Whereabouts on the carriageway were you positioned" "

To anticipate every incident like the one that happened to me I would need to ride up the middle of the road nearly all of the time on rural roads where there are private houses with obscured driveways.
Fortunately despite the road where the incident happened being a 60mph single carriageway "cart track," I was only doing 40mph because that is what roadcraft dictates for the conditions. (There are other 60mph roads in the area where anything above 20mph is madness. ( The last mile before Porthallow on the Porthallow St Keverne road for instance.)