is jacket color really that important to safety?

[pantablo]

...and I've seen a few drivers even hesitate, mid-turn. quote]

that's happened to me too and I wear all black. maybe its the headlight. Either way I agree with you I wouldnt count on it to save you but may contribute to your safety.

[Black Snowman]

The highest and most visable parts of you are your head and torso. I've got a black chrome helmet that creates annoying glare that people notice just so they can complain about it. My summer jacket is a Yellow Pheonix and I've got a white red and black AGV jacket for spring-fall and my cold weather jacket is brown just because I inherited it from my brother.

Don't count on visability saving you but I have noticed a differance in how easliy and how far away I'm noticed.

I always say, prepare for the worst, hope for the best. Looking cool in the emergency room isn't going to score you any points with the ladies

I'm lucky, I think the bright obnoxious stuff looks better  :mrgreen:

[Cal Price]

We all know they ALWAYS say "I never saw you" so be as visible as you can, a splash of colour for daytime Hi-Viz and something reflective for nightime, assume they have not seen you and ride defensive. Staying alive and out of Hospital is good.

[shep_bannister]

I think more important than color is the amount of reflective material on teh jacket.  I wear an all black vanson jacket with no reflective material on it at all, and I do notice people not seeing me a lot.  When it rains or turns dusk, or when I'm just paranoid, I wear my construction vest ($5-10 at Home Depot) that is all orange with reflective stripes and people are much less likely to pull out in front of me or try to change lanes into me.

It may not make a big difference all the time, but it's really just the 1 time that you're worried about anyway, right?

[Cal Price]

Lots of people make your point "What difference does it make when you are riding with lights" and it's fine as far as it goes but if the unthinkable happens and you hit a diesel spill or get a blowout in the dark and you are at best sitting dazed in the road, or worse just lying there and the bike is bouncing and spinning along it's way some reflective strips might serve you very well. Sorry to bang on being a bore but I work nights in a traffic environment and see the benefits and pitfalls all the time.

[shep_bannister]

Aerostich lists probably the most important advantage to a high visibility color coat on their website:

http://www.aerostich.com/isroot/riderwearhouse/DirectPages/hi2viz.jpg

"Inspires the comment "EEEWWW""