Reflective Vests

Message

polarelf2003 · Wed Aug 24, 2005 3:41 am

As the daylight hours are getting shorter, I'm going to start wearing one of those reflective vests over my leathers. I did not do this last year, but last year I was not riding into work on the beltway (imagine 4-5 lanes of pandemonium) because gas was not so darned expensive. I haven’t really seen anyone doing this, but I don’t see any other commuters on the beltway. It’s likely the crazy cagers on cell phones got all of the other commuters. Does anyone else wear a reflective vest? Any recommendations good, durable brands?

Mintbread · #2 Unread post by **Mintbread** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 3:50 am

I wear a vest when I ride at work and I think they are a right pain in the proverbial backside. They fill up with air as soon as you get moving, so you feel them pulling at your shoulders all the time. The velcro that keeps them closed seems to have a short life, so it wont stay closed once you get over 40kph.
I am not a fan of them and I personally dont believe they make too much difference to visibility, I have had many near misses with cars that "didn't see me" whilst wearing them.

TechTMW · #3 Unread post by **TechTMW** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 4:23 am

http://www.newenough.com/icon_mil_spec_vest_page.htm

Aggroton · #4 Unread post by **Aggroton** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 4:50 am

i put a strip of reflective safety tape across my back if im out riding at nite...much better than the vest if you ask me...and i have my MSP reflective safety sticker on the back of my helmet...my friends say they always see that thing before they can see me.

sapaul · #5 Unread post by **sapaul** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 6:21 am

I have done the same with my daughters scooter, tape on the top box, on the sides, on her jacket and a patch on her helmet. really thought I was going to get big flak for this but she agreed with me. The front of scoot lights up like a christmas tree but the back was hardly visible.

Aquaduct · #6 Unread post by **Aquaduct** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 3:59 pm

Well, when I was taking my bike up to Frederick to get it fixed, my wife was following me. On the way home she mentioned that even though she was looking out for me, it was really difficult to see me on the road (dark blue bike, dark clothes, broad daylight, her in an Expedition).

So I started to think about reflective vests. Went to the local safety store and saw this great bomber jacket from Occunomix ( http://www.occunomix.com/productlist1.c ... aincatid=4# ). Zip out liner, etc.

Long story short I bought one and it's been great. You can see it from a million miles away, it sort of glows in the daylight and the tape stripes are great at night, and my wife is ecstatic.

Of course it's not proper bike safety gear, but it's pretty stout and I figure I'd rather avoid the accident in the first place. I've seen numerous people who were thinking about turning in front of me do double takes when they catch a glimpse of the jacket. People at work have finally gotten used to the dayglow presence and the jokes die as soon as I mention the 50 mile commute up I-81.

Just worth a thought.

macktruckturner · Wed Aug 24, 2005 10:06 pm

they're required to ride on post at Fort Benning - so I'll have to get one, like it or not.

ronboskz650sr · Fri Aug 26, 2005 4:54 am

TechBMW wrote:http://www.newenough.com/icon_mil_spec_vest_page.htm

This vest is so awesome, it actually looks good. I see guys with this one going to Whiteman AFB all the time. Highly recommended for the visibility, I can vouch for it.

jmillheiser · Sat Aug 27, 2005 9:47 pm

those jackets look like the ones worn by British police. Also notice most European Moto Cops have gobs of reflective stips on their gear.

Reflective vests are required to ride on ANY US military base.

Our local Moto Cops seem to be short on gear. They wear half helmets and not much else. Though they did get new Honda ST1300 Police bikes.

I would at least go with retroreflective stips on my jacket

FiNeNaMja · Mon Aug 29, 2005 7:24 pm

That vest is very annoying most military poeple just wear it around base. but after they get off base they just put it away since it flaps every where. I have a yellow suzuki gsxr jacket with refective badging ever where so they dont bug me.

But at night it is really important to have some kind of refective matrial on ur jacket. My buddy has a raven back r6 and a black jacket and a black helmet he looks like a fat white ninja and at night he was almost hit by a car on his bike since the old lady in the caddy dint see him.