is jacket color really that important to safety?

[zoltan]

how important is the jacket color for safety anyway? people have told me that black sucks because it's hard to see, but would a lighter jacket really make that big of a difference? especially since you're riding a bike with lights on it?

[Casimir]

I think it does.

Remember, assume the cagers are in a daze. If you line up behind the car in front of you, they may only see two taillights and be unprepared for another vehicle to be there.

If you only ride in the daylight or on well lit city streets, then it probably doesn't matter as much.

[glenn9171]

Color matters all the time.  Day or night.  What do you notice more when one passes?  A brown car or a bright yellow or orange car?  It's the same with riding gear.  Brighter = more easily seen.  That means cagers will have less reason to say "I just didn't see him, officer".  And that's always a good thing.

[scratch]

Black is a good contrast against a clear blue sky and white overcast/high level clouds. As long as it is a solid color, you'll be more noticable than multicolor camoflage.

[Lerxst]

At night, all that's visible from behind is a little spot of red from the taillight.  Look for some reflective material in the helmet and jacket to improve your chances of being seen and causing to driver to think about what he's looking at, instead of assuming it's some car in the distance.

[Lerxst]

At night, all that's visible from behind is a little spot of red from the taillight.  Look for some reflective material in the helmet and jacket to improve your chances of being seen and causing to driver to think about what he's looking at, instead of assuming it's some car in the distance.

[snapper]

I have a white jacket for the summer and many folks have said that it stands out well.  It also is cooler when its hot!  The bad... well I drive into the city with it and it gets very dirty.  I end up with an oval area thats clean on the front where my fairing protects me from the wind.  Its rather gross.

[glenn9171]

It's the same reason street signs are bright colors.  What do you think of black "School Zone" signs?  Or brown "Bridge Out" signs?  They make them bright, noticeable colors to get your attention.  This attention attraction is a very good thing for motorcyclists who are injured or killed every day.  What's the number one thing a cage driver says after they run over a motorcycle rider?  "I just didn't see him".  Wearing dark colors just increase the chance of someone hearing these words while standing over you in a ditch somewhere.

[Pam G]

And the same reason road construction workers usually wear orange or yellow vests.  So they can be seen.

For the record I have 2 yellow motorcycle jackets (Phoenix & Ballistic) and a yellow helmet.

[Kerry]

This attention attraction is a very good thing for motorcyclists who are injured or killed every day.

Reminds me of that sequence from "Groundhog Day" where Phil Conners gets himself killed every day in his pajamas.  Only he wouldn't have been interested in the "attention attraction" factor at all.

Sorry.  I knew what you meant; I just couldn't resist the "alternate reading".

[JohnNS]

I dunno...I used to think so, but I have a bright yellow jacket (not to mention yellow bike) and people still cut me off and do stupid/dangerous things to me all the time.  :x  Sometimes I wonder if it just makes me a more visible target. Maybe I'll try camo next time, see if there's any improvement.

John

[glenn9171]

People will still cut you off.  A local Sheriff deputy on his Harley patrol bike was hit when a woman pulled out in front of him from her driveway.  He had full lights and sirens running at the time.  The road had a clear view for over a mile in each direction.  She failed to look for him.  This will get all of us.  But the ones that DO try and look will see you far more easily if you are wearing something bright than something black or brown.

[pantablo]

I agree-I think the safety issue is in our minds. A while back I read an interesting article in Scientific America that made the following point: A driver quickly scanning the visual field will not notice the one item that is out of place. The mind fills in the image with what is expected. So in a visual field of a street a small bright yellow jacket will actually be of no benefit.

I've had friends killed on bicycles in plain sight, without any obstructions and yet the drivers still struck them from behind (more than one friend was lost this way). We wear pretty bright and loud colors.

Its the same theory as how mind fills in the blind spot in the middle of your  retina caused by your pupil.

i had the article saved as a PDF-If I still have it I'll make it available to anyone interested...IF I STILL HAVE IT.

[glenn9171]

Pablo, that goes against every word on the subject as taught by the MSF.  I agree that people see "what they want to see", but if they are inclined to notice somehting out of the ordinary, bright colors will be noticed far before a black jacket.

[bbanjo]

MSF teaches that because bright colors "may" give you an advantage.

I could be repeatedly firing a .357 in the air while riding in Philly, and the taxis would still run me out of my lane.

[glenn9171]

Exactly.  I didn't mean that a yellow or orange jacket would gurantee that people would notice or pay attention to you.  Only that it helps your chances greatly.  As in my example above, the cop had his strobe lights and sirens on wide open.  She still pulled out and hit hime.  An orange jacket or black jacket would not have made a difference.  But even if a bright jacket saves you one time in a hundred, it's worth it in my opinion.  Bright helmet,too, for that matter.

[pantablo]

Only that it helps your chances greatly.

I would argue that it *MAY* help you but only slighly. I guess for 1 in 1000 chance you couldnt lose but this article I'm referring to had some interesting experiments to prove their theory. One I remember was of subjects watching TV and in the middle of the show they would have a short of a man in a gorilla suit walk across the screen jumping up and down.  Majority of the subjects "never saw" the man in the gorilla suit. If you think a yellow jacket or bike will help your chances then by all means do it. I dont think it matters to the distracted driver (arent they all?) who swerves across lanes of traffic without looking because they missed their freeway offramp. They're going to glance back, not notice you (even looking you in the eye!) and roll right over you.

[Delta88]

IMHO, retro-reflective clothing, (I have one of those yellow-striped vests from MSF), stickers, arm bands, etc. are just like your horn - use it all you want, just don't rely on it to save your life.

[dmp221]

I could be repeatedly firing a .357 in the air while riding in Philly, and the taxis would still run me out of my lane.

That all?? In New Yawk, the taxi would cross a lane or two, run you down, then scratch another hatch-mark onto the car door.  "Gotcha"

[mo]

I have a yellow 'stitch jacket and while some people think it is too bright, the response I get  from drivers in the Boston area makes it totally worthwhile. The jacket gets noticed, and I've seen a few drivers even hesitate, mid-turn. It helps that some police/firefighters/city workers also wear bright yellow with a wide retroreflective stripe. I wouldn't count on it to save me. It just makes the ride a little better.