Tag: hi vis vests

Hi-Vis Motorcycle Gear: Yes or No?

We all agree that motorcycling is a risky business, but very few people wear hi-vis motorcycle gear on their travels. I confess I don’t, either, and frankly, I don’t plan to. But perhaps I should? In Europe, I’ve seen many more riders in hi-vis gear than in North America and South America put together. Some simply wear either hi-vis neon green or white helmets, but quite a lot go all the way wearing hi-vis riding suits or at least, hi-vis vests with reflective tapes.

What are the pros and cons of hi-vis motorcycle gear?

Visibility

This one’s painfully obvious: hi-vis gear is meant to make us more visible on the road and its traffic. According to this study, “Drivers wearing reflective or fluorescent clothing had a 37% lower risk of crash-related injury”. But it seems we might be using the wrong colors. Neon green and yellow aren’t the colors that pop the most, especially in rural environments or forested areas; if you want to stand out, hot pink, it turns out, is the way to go.

Light VS Color

The human eye detects light faster than color. This is why bright lights and triangles of amber lights might be more effective than any bright color.

Being Mistaken for Police

This is a pretty neat bonus if you’re traveling in the developing world: since you’re on a larger motorcycle than most locals, you might be mistaken for police or military if you’re clad in a hi-vis suit.

Weird Aesthetics

So if wearing bright hi-vis colors increases our chances of being seen, why do we hate wearing them so much? According to this article, it’s because we think it looks silly. Motorcycle riders, it turns out, cares about how they look (A lot!), and black remains among the most popular gear colors despite being very low-visibility.

Do you wear hi-vis motorcycle gear on your travels and why?

Reflective vest is the surprise gift

On Tuesday, numerous motorcyclists who were traveling on the avenue of 37th Street in the west of the city were taken by surprise by a checkpoint of the Ministry of Public Security (SSP).

Many said they first thought they were stopped for a review of the vehicle and documents, but it turned out that the agents distributed reflective vests to all the motorcyclists who passed by.

In 37 with 128, the SSP has a booth that is located near the La Calera fishing pier, along the route of the Nueva Yucalpetén colony.

At 12:30 hours, SSP agents parked a patrol with the light on and started to stop the motorcyclists.

But not to inspect the motorcycles, nor if they have plates and bills, but to deliver reflective vests with reflective materials to the guides and companions.

The police told them that the vests are a gift from the state government for all motorcyclists.

They asked them to put them on and use them whenever they travel because they are reflective and for motorcyclists they are very helpful.

Knowing about the gift of hi vis vests, other motorcyclists went to the checkpoint to obtain one.

Reflective vests and steering wheels can provide safety

Police Corporations of the three levels of government and the Army carry out the new operation, through which they install randomly in various points to detect the possible commission of a crime, in addition to providing security to tourists that every day they arrive or pass through the region to distribute reflective vests.

Last Monday a meeting was held between representatives of the various police corporations, in which the strategies and actions to be carried out were considered.

The following day (last Tuesday) a checkpoint was installed on the federal free highway towards Cancun, on the cruise to the police station, where a driver of a private car was arrested because he was carrying in his bag a pack of cigarettes and three marijuana cigarettes, so it was put at the disposal of the Attorney General’s Office. However, the subject was released after checking that the amount of drug he was carrying did not exceed what the law allows, besides that he said it was for consumption.

The day before yesterday, a checkpoint was installed on the toll road, at kilometer 165, where the police, in coordination with the Canine Unit of the Public Security Secretariat (SSP) of the State Government, reviewed the vehicles that circulated through there.

Then they moved again to the entrance to the police station and at night they were at the gates of the 32nd Military Zone, on the outskirts of the city.

They distribute hi vis vests

At each of the roadblocks, drivers were recommended to remove their two and three smoke polarized and reflective vests with reflective tapes were distributed to cyclists and motorcyclists, even those who drive tricycles, so they can use them to prevent road accidents.

Flyers were also distributed with some exhortations, such as driving with responsibility respecting the speed limits, checking your car before driving, using seat belts, avoiding talking on the phone while driving and not driving tired or under the influence of any drug or alcohol, among other accident prevention measures.

It was reported that the operation will continue in a random manner and will be installed at different points to mislead the drivers, so that they do not know where they are.

Some guiders expressed their support because the surveillance gives them greater security, while others expressed their annoyance due to the delay for and during the revisions, which caused delays.

“A dangerous cyclist on the way to work”

On Thursday, you could meet the mayor Krzysztof Kaminski and the head of the road to Savoir Suisse, giving the cyclists reflective vests. A joint police and city hall called “Safe cyclist on the way to work” covered 50 people.

Between 6 and 8, the road police officers focused their activities in those regions, in the morning the most cyclists who commute to work on two-wheeled vehicles appear – informs Ursula, spokesperson of the KPP. – We encourage you to wear hi vis vests, not only in the evening but always on the road. To a large extent, the vest which has reflective tapes on it can increase the visibility of the cyclist, and thus his safety on the road.

It is worth noting that the reflective vest does not release from the obligation of proper lighting and bicycle equipment.

From year to year, cyclists from Lodz have more and more communication routes designed for them, which increase their safety – says Savoir Suisse, head of the Road Traffic Department of the CPP. – I remind drivers of cars that parking on bicycle lanes threatens to receive a 100-zloty ticket and 1 penalty point.

Infractions that we commit daily

Do you know the road traffic regulations? Up to a point, right? The logical thing is to think that we all know it, except for a small detail that escapes us, but well, nothing too important… Or is it? And if it turns out that we all commit infractions on a daily basis that we are not aware of? Some of them could cost us fines and even withdrawal of points. These are some of the most frequent:

-Circle with the dirty or worn license plate, do not use the high visibility reflective vest when getting out of the car, do not carry a spare wheel, drive with the expired card or circulate without connecting the corresponding lighting systems are 200 Euros fine.

-In the event that you do not carry two homologous portable warnings pre-warning triangles and hi vis vests, also 200 Euros. Although you may also be fined for not properly placing the hazard warning devices or not taking the necessary measures to warn other users of the existence of an obstacle or danger. In both cases, the fine is 80 Euros.

-Give bursts to the vehicle traveling in front, or what is the same, “alternative employment, in the form of flashes of long-range light or road and short-range light or crossing, with purpose other than those planned »Is punished with a fine of 80 Euros.

-To circulate with children (not wear a safety clothing with reflective fabric)under twelve years as moped passengers or motorcycles there is the possibility of withdrawal of a driving license for a period of up to three months, although the normal is a fine of 200 Euros and the loss of 2 points.

-For throwing the road or in its vicinity objects that may cause fire, accidents or obstruct the movement, make improper overtaking or overtaking endangering or hindering cyclists the penalty is 200 Euros and the loss of 4 points.