Making yourself seen- Helmets

[storysunfolding]

I've always been a promoter of motorcycle safety. I'll take any training promising to put another tool in my toolbox and wear the best gear I can find to keep me safe when riding. ATGATT isn't a slogan, it's a mindset. While I'm willing to do almost anything to get me home safely, thus far I refuse to add hi viz yellow to my repertoire.

Studies, opinions and plenty of anecdotal evidence points to the fact that hi viz yellow is most readily seen. Yet in my search not to fall completely into dorkdom I discovered another way to stay visible in traffic both day and night. Behold my glory

I began with my favorite and proven lid, a Scorpion EXO-700 in anthracite. While Shoei and Arai are top notch, they don't fit me nearly as well nor do I like how loud they are compared to my scorpion when the vents are open. Next I added my day time visibility factor, two bright red mohawks. Arguably a brighter color helmet may be more visible in traffic, but my thought process tells me that a contrasting color makes the first color pop a little more. For extra visibility I chose two white reflective punisher stickers that stand out both day and night. Finally, my coup de grace comes in the form of reflective checkered stickers.

The feedback I receive at home, on the road, at gas stations and at work continues to be exceptional. People see me. They notice me.... and think I'm a hooligan so stay the hell away from me. That fear factor, while maybe not helping the motorcycle rider stereotype, allows me to enjoy more room than I've ever experienced in the DC metro area.

Since nothing would be the same without pictures.





I'd love to hear your thoughts and stories about your own lids.

[XB08]

I just don't know. I drive a 65" truck and car driver can't see that either. The older drivers that can't see us souldn't be on the road and no matter what you wear they still won;t see you. They others that don't see you just don't care.

[Gunslinger]

Great idea!! I have the exact same helmet sans mohawk. I think I just might have to steal your idea. Where'd you get the stickers? Anything you can do to increase your visibility is a good thing. And if the cagers think it's one of the Four Horsemen in their rear view mirror hey that's even better. Thanks for posting that, very cool.

[storysunfolding]

Got the stickers here
http://www.reflectivedecals.com/

[obfg]

Being seen and being fixated on are not the same. How many " you tube " and news videos have you seen where a police car is sitting on the side of the road with all its lights flashing and some one drives right into the cruiser? In fact in some jurisdictions officers are told to turn off the rear facing emergency lights upon stopping a violator. The reason being, approaching drivers become fixated by the lights, can't take their eyes off and run into the police car. The same things happen when we become aware of some object we want to avoid, but because we keep looking, we hit it. Hence the advice, look where you want to go, not at what you want to avoid. So your helmet certainly draws attention, but you run the risk of the driver trying to identify what manner of bird is sitting on your head, and keeps staring at it until he runs you over! Whereas the yellow jacket, being readily identifiable, the driver says "motorcycle rider" and hopefully (but maybe not) slots you into your proper place in the traffic flow, and not become a matter of over whelming curiosity.

[storysunfolding]

Interestingly enough so far it's worked as if people were next to a semi. They definitely see me, but they hug the far side of their lane. Of course you should see my jackets....

[RhadamYgg]

I'm a dork - so the hi-vis works for me. I have a bunch of retro-reflective stickers on my helmet and a couple on my white jacket. Solid colors look larger to the human brain - so I stick to solids for my helmet and jacket. Supposedly, white helmeted riders have a lower chance of being in a fatal accident. I've got a silver helmet, but sometime I'll either get a hi-vis Scoprion helmet or a white one.

I like what you did, though. Been thinking about getting a mohawk for my helmet, but I think the people at work think I'm strange enough.

[jstark47]

Ummm...... you were trying to avoid dorkdom...... and that's what you wound up with??

[storysunfolding]

Sorry j. While I specialize in the ridiculus not everyone can pull it off

[sapaul]

This is one of our bibs that we wear, feel naked without them when I ride now. The one I am wearing is our Marshals jackets and The Goose is sporting one of our Hi Viz bibs. I dig the helmet though. They might say look at that "O Ring", but it is the "look at" bit that you need. As for the target fixation, there might be some merit there, people do freeze in panic situations. The white helmet info came from a New Zealand study, I try to have white on all my helmets now.