"Ninjas"

135

Comments

  • tangled_metal
    tangled_metal Posts: 4,021
    Actually think I saw a news item about an aa or rac or abi study into car colour. The results showed that adjusting for numbers of each colour on the road those bright yellow tended to have more accidents. IIRC white was more safe. Can't remember the details but I vaguely remember that It's more related to the risk of the owners most likely to own the colour. Bright yellow being seen.as a more hot hatch sort of car which attracts boy racer girl racer types.
  • iPete
    iPete Posts: 6,076
    Craigus89 wrote:

    It's fine if you feel safer or you feel you are stacking the odds in your favor, but lets not pretend that this is a science.

    To be honest, when my OH who doesn't cycle says.. 'look at those idiots dressed in black/without lights'.. I say, but do they ever get run over? probably not.

    Personally, I just run a decent rear light most of the time, that's my 'feel safe' and anecdotally as a driver (I know, not science), I tend to spot cyclists with decent rear lights from much further away.
  • craigus89
    craigus89 Posts: 887
    iPete wrote:
    Craigus89 wrote:

    It's fine if you feel safer or you feel you are stacking the odds in your favor, but lets not pretend that this is a science.

    To be honest, when my OH who doesn't cycle says.. 'look at those idiots dressed in black/without lights'.. I say, but do they ever get run over? probably not.

    Personally, I just run a decent rear light most of the time, that's my 'feel safe' and anecdotally as a driver (I know, not science), I tend to spot cyclists with decent rear lights from much further away.

    I agree completely. A cyclist in all black with a rear light will be more visible than one without but wearing colourful kit.

    If you're worried about not being seen put your lights on.
  • smudgerii
    smudgerii Posts: 125
    Rode a motorbike in all black leathers, gloves, boots and Helmet. Swapped everything but the leathers to white, looked like a darth Vader / storm trooper love child, 2nd ride in the gear and a car driver attempts to kill me by pulling out!

    No matter what we do it is all down to the driver of the 'tin box', imo nothing we do will stop the poor driving standards.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,170
    Smudgerii wrote:
    Rode a motorbike in all black leathers, gloves, boots and Helmet. Swapped everything but the leathers to white, looked like a darth Vader / storm trooper love child, 2nd ride in the gear and a car driver attempts to kill me by pulling out!

    No matter what we do it is all down to the driver of the 'tin box', imo nothing we do will stop the poor driving standards.

    That's the spirit.
  • iPete
    iPete Posts: 6,076
    Maybe an interesting read, why you don't see-motorcycles..

    http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture ... -the-road/
  • trek_dan
    trek_dan Posts: 1,366
    edited August 2016
    Never understood this argument, in daylight a cyclist should be easy enough for anybody to see. If you can't see them get off the road before you kill someone. It just plays into the hands of the motoring moaners who think cyclists should be illuminated like a Christmas tree and dressed like their doing a days work on a building site just to pop to the shops in broad daylight.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,345
    iPete wrote:
    Maybe an interesting read, why you don't see-motorcycles..

    http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture ... -the-road/
    When Graeme Obree was asked for his suggestion as to how best to avoid being it by a car.
    "Wobble". Lot of truth in that. Drivers avoid the unpredictable.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • SME
    SME Posts: 348
    PBlakeney wrote:
    When Graeme Obree was asked for his suggestion as to how best to avoid being it by a car.
    "Wobble". Lot of truth in that. Drivers avoid the unpredictable.

    :D
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,170
    trek_dan wrote:
    Never understood this argument, in daylight a cyclist should be easy enough for anybody to see. If you can't see them get off the road before you kill someone. It just plays into the hands of the motoring moaners who think cyclists should be illuminated like a Christmas tree and dressed like their doing a days work on a building site just to pop to the shops in broad daylight.

    Yes, but when I'm cycling, it's not me that is driving. Hope that helps your understanding.
  • trek_dan
    trek_dan Posts: 1,366
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    trek_dan wrote:
    Never understood this argument, in daylight a cyclist should be easy enough for anybody to see. If you can't see them get off the road before you kill someone. It just plays into the hands of the motoring moaners who think cyclists should be illuminated like a Christmas tree and dressed like their doing a days work on a building site just to pop to the shops in broad daylight.

    Yes, but when I'm cycling, it's not me that is driving. Hope that helps your understanding.

    and you honestly think that if someone isn't paying attention wearing yellow rather than black is going to prevent you getting squashed?
  • iPete
    iPete Posts: 6,076
    Do you drive? In terms of distance I'll generally pick out someone with a decent flashing light first, then kit colour and then 'ninjas'. Of course, someone barely looking at the road isn't going to spot s**t.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,170
    trek_dan wrote:
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    trek_dan wrote:
    Never understood this argument, in daylight a cyclist should be easy enough for anybody to see. If you can't see them get off the road before you kill someone. It just plays into the hands of the motoring moaners who think cyclists should be illuminated like a Christmas tree and dressed like their doing a days work on a building site just to pop to the shops in broad daylight.

    Yes, but when I'm cycling, it's not me that is driving. Hope that helps your understanding.

    and you honestly think that if someone isn't paying attention wearing yellow rather than black is going to prevent you getting squashed?

    Again, it's not an absolute thing, but if someone isn't 100% paying attention, then do I think being marginally more obvious is going to make a marginal difference to whether they notice me? Yes I do. If you don't, that's fair enough.

    If you can convince me that wearing all black is going to make me more visible, then I'll go there.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,345
    KingstonGraham wrote:

    If you can convince me that wearing all black is going to make me more visible, then I'll go there.
    Available in black.
    https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/16 ... revolution
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    I've seen the current pro viz jackets. They look amazing in a cafe with light streaming in - massively visible.

    Get out on the road and they're grey on a dull day. Not brilliant. Fantastic after dark when you are using headlights but rubbish in normal crappy conditions
  • Shuggy76
    Shuggy76 Posts: 91
    PBlakeney wrote:
    KingstonGraham wrote:

    If you can convince me that wearing all black is going to make me more visible, then I'll go there.
    Available in black.
    https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/16 ... revolution

    True.... but only 'works' in darker conditions when headlights shine over the fabric. For me, I'd choose lighter coloured fabrics with reflective strips, best of both worlds. The ninjas can do (wear) what they want, their choice.
    The reasons for wearing more visible clothing are pretty logical to me.... most especially when commuting, when drivers potentially have other things on their minds.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,170
    PBlakeney wrote:
    KingstonGraham wrote:

    If you can convince me that wearing all black is going to make me more visible, then I'll go there.
    Available in black.
    https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/16 ... revolution

    and red.
  • tangled_metal
    tangled_metal Posts: 4,021
    Personal choice guys.

    Now if you're talking helmets then you're an idiot if you don't wear one!

    :wink::wink::wink::D
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,345
    cougie wrote:
    I've seen the current pro viz jackets. They look amazing in a cafe with light streaming in - massively visible.

    Get out on the road and they're grey on a dull day. Not brilliant. Fantastic after dark when you are using headlights but rubbish in normal crappy conditions
    What about running lights which have been fitted to new cars for a few years?
    Just curious.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Do you drive?

    I've never seen any reflective kit shining in normal conditions with running lights on.

    Maybe if the bike was in an unlit tunnel.

    It's the same with Road signs. They're all reflective but you only get the full benefit in the dark.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,170
    cougie wrote:
    Do you drive?

    I've never seen any reflective kit shining in normal conditions with running lights on.

    Maybe if the bike was in an unlit tunnel.

    It's the same with Road signs. They're all reflective but you only get the full benefit in the dark.

    They should perhaps make all road signs black to improve their visibility.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,345
    cougie wrote:
    Do you drive?
    Old car, no running lights.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    So even if running lights made a difference in daylight which they don't - there's still plenty of cars around without them.

    Reflectives great for night. Pants for daytime.
    Bright colours is what you need.
  • rpherts
    rpherts Posts: 207
    I blame Sky
  • Bill B
    Bill B Posts: 10
    If you cannot see a cyclist wearing any color during the day you are the problem.
    At night is a whole other story.
  • lostboysaint
    lostboysaint Posts: 4,250
    Bill B wrote:
    If you cannot see a cyclist wearing any color during the day you are the problem.
    At night is a whole other story.

    That!
    Trail fun - Transition Bandit
    Road - Wilier Izoard Centaur/Cube Agree C62 Disc
    Allround - Cotic Solaris
  • Shuggy76
    Shuggy76 Posts: 91
    lostboysaint wrote:
    Bill B wrote:
    If you cannot see a cyclist wearing any color during the day you are the problem.
    At night is a whole other story.

    That!

    Riiiight, that solves the problem then....
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,345
    lostboysaint wrote:
    Bill B wrote:
    If you cannot see a cyclist wearing any color during the day you are the problem.
    At night is a whole other story.

    That!
    Yup. I have been hit while wearing bright clothing, reflectives and lights. None of it makes any difference if the driver is not paying attention.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,170
    Bill B wrote:
    If you cannot see a cyclist wearing any color during the day you are the problem.
    At night is a whole other story.

    I pointed out before that if I'm riding, I'm not also the one driving, so I don't have control over that person. Hope that helps.

    I can only speak for myself, but I generally don't want to be hit by a car even if it wasn't my fault. It really hurts.
  • Shuggy76
    Shuggy76 Posts: 91
    PBlakeney wrote:
    lostboysaint wrote:
    Bill B wrote:
    If you cannot see a cyclist wearing any color during the day you are the problem.
    At night is a whole other story.

    That!
    Yup. I have been hit while wearing bright clothing, reflectives and lights. None of it makes any difference if the driver is not paying attention.

    So? That's a one off case right? So have I, he didn't see me either; was I wearing bright clothes? Yep...!
    You can't mitigate against that, but it's the other case... What if a driver IS being driving with all due care and diligence, but doesn't see a cyclist due to poor choice of attire? In this instance, it is perhaps conceivable that more visible choice of clothing would help.

Categories