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news
Cyclists in high-vis (CC licensed image by garryknight)Want drivers to see you? Wear fluorescent leggings, says new study
Motorists approaching a cyclist from behind will spot them earlier if the rider is wearing high visibility clothing on their lower rather than upper body, according to a new study, with researchers recommending riders wear fluorescent leggings.
The findings were presented in a paper given at the annual meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society in Austin, Texas last month.
Highlighting previous research that concluded that body movement – or “biomotion” – made vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists more conspicuous to motorists, the study sought to establish whether similar results could be found during daylight hours.
> High-vis works says Danish study
The study involved 186 people being driven along a road by a researcher and asked to press a button on a keypad each time they identified a person “on or with” a bicycle, whether “stopped or moving” and who was “in or near the roadway.”
Approximately seven minutes into the trip, they would pass someone riding on a stationary bike on the pavement to the right of the roadway, with the rider dressed in one of four clothing configurations – black jersey and fluorescent yellow leggings, yellow jersey with black leggings, and all-yellow or all-black outfits.
They said that “a fluorescent yellow jersey did not significantly improve the cyclist’s conspicuity relative to a black jersey.
“However, when the cyclist paired the fluorescent jersey with fluorescent yellow leggings, participants responded from a distance 3.3x farther than an identical outfit with black leggings.”
> 12 of the best reflective garments and accessories to help keep you visible after dark
In conclusion, the researchers said: “The finding that fluorescent yellow leggings can provide a dramatic enhancement to bicyclist conspicuity is, we believe, a consequence of highlighting the bicyclist’s pedalling motion.
“The rhythmic up-down movements of a cyclist’s lower legs uniquely specify a pedalling motion that is visually distinct from, for example, a pedestrian walking or jogging. Further, considerable research has identified that highlighting a cyclist’s biological motion can provide powerful conspicuity enhancements.
“Thus fluorescent leggings can offer a powerful and low-tech tool for enhancing bicyclists’ daytime conspicuity,” they added.
Other studies have reached different conclusions, however. One, conducted by researchers at Brunel University and the University of Bristol, concluded that no matter how visible bike riders tried to make themselves to motorists, between 1 and 2 per cent of drivers would give them insufficient room when overtaking.
> High vis clothing doesn't make cars pass you more safely, says new study
According to Rule 59 of the Highway Code, cyclists should wear “light-coloured or fluorescent clothing which helps other road users to see you in daylight and poor light” and “reflective clothing and/or accessories (belt, arm or ankle bands) in the dark.”
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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37 comments
This says it all.
https://youtu.be/evI4YVlF5dw
And this reinforces the point...
https://waronthemotorist.wordpress.com/2017/10/28/new-road-safety-campai...
We can make ourselves day-glo/fluoro/hi-vis/reflective/flashing so we glow like the core of Chernobyl but still they won't see us.
A fine selection of fluorescent leggings here if you are convinced by the research...
http://www.simplyeighties.com/leggings.php#.WhAqPJ-nzqA
I wonder if there is a difference here between "being seen" and "being identified as a cyclist"? The Texas study sounds as if it was looking specifically at the latter.
Quite a few Hungarian speakers here it would seem!
A bit of 3m reflective tape on the back of my shoes does a good job (so I am told by others). cost about 50p
Seeing loads of cyclist in the morning at rush hour with no lights. yes, it is light, but poor light and most cars have their lights on. Some people aren't helping themselves.
Maybe this is how autonomous cars should work. As the driver is still meant to be driving treat all hazards like the new hazard perception test on the driving test. If the driver doesn't react to the danger, let the car do it but give the driver a kick in the nuts!
True - if they're not looking then they won't see you no matter what you wear.
But luckily the vast majority of road users are looking out - so we need to cater for those circumstances first.
I'm really unsure how you can get dopy road users to look properly. It's not going to be sorted with a few reflectives.
I feel it's less about whether a cyclist can be seen and more about whether any other road user (or pedestrian) is looking for anyone else!!
It's blindingly obvious to anyone that's driven behind s cyclist at night. If they have reflectives on the lower leg or foot it stands out really well in the dark.
So now kit manufacturers just need to do a fluo / reflective combo on their longs.
The one thing to take from this research is that moving colour/light helps. When on a night ride I will often club a light to the top of my overshoes...
Hiviz bibtights? Lord, think of the no mudguard skid marks on rear ends. No thank you. I don't want to see the great unwashed wear-it-all-winter brigade's backsides.
If you can be seen, then the Addison Lee drivers can see you. And that's a big risk.
Pedal reflectors do a great job still they are absent from most pedals.
On the red light jumping thing, the next time a motorist asks you whether you jump red lights or not, just ask him whether he would jump a red light for pedestrians at midnight in a remote junction. Should he dare to answer no, ask him whether he is a stupid or just another liar.
How do you have pedal reflectors on clipless pedals? And if if you did who would see them?
On one bike with Shimano SPD-SL pedals I have pedal reflectors. They work fine.
SHIMANO SMPD22 Clipless Pedals Adaptor
Good quality bike shoes have reflectors built into their heels.
I dare say. But without pedal reflectors you’re not road legal if you ride on UK roads when it’s dark, if that matters to you.
Nope, it doesn't. Being seen does though, and that is the crux of the article is it not?
I think shoe reflectors are in line with the spirit of the law, and I have yet to hear of anybody prosecuted for lack if pedals reflecters while using lights.
The law was written when people were just jumping on a bike with flat pedals in ordinary shoes. At which point pedals were easier to make reflective. Shoes are probably easier now due to size of pedals shoes being bike specific.
Pedal reflectors is one of those laws that's useful when you want to arrest a bellend. Same for any reflectors, really. If you're cycling along perfectly sensibly, obeying the rules of the road and not causing any trouble, then no, you're not going to get arrested for not having pedal reflectors. If you're riding around like a dickhead, getting in the way, jumping lights, whatever, then what can they charge you with, with trivial ease? No pedal reflectors. Done.
Quite a difficult sell when quite a few still see no need to use any lights at night.
This is no joking matter, I was knocked off by a driver who didn’t see me, I have two broken ribs
Best way to get drivers to see you is to get them to pay attention to the road...
I have no problems seeing unlit cyclists during darkness when driving around the countryside or the city (and believe me, there's enough of the morons).
The comment about the study done by UoB and Brunel says it all really. No matter what you do, some road users are totally incompetent idiots.
We could always introduce some sort of retest every few years to check that people do actually drive safely (as is done in the aviation community), but that would make to much sense and it would be too harsh on the already hard-pushed motorist. Instead, we should force cyclists (many of whom have a driving license) to take a cycling test to prevent them getting run over by a car. Because that makes sense.
Want drivers to see you?
Simply jump a red light. Every driver in the UK will see you and write to the Daily Mail about it
Actually true. Don't be surprised to see yourself on most read daily magazine's fb page in a few hours. Followed by a storm of hating comments about cyclists by drivers.
oh, by the way, on a commuter bike, I hardly care about looking ridiculous. I don't agonise over spoke reflectors (1 usd from aliexpress for a pack of a dozen little sticks).
I choose of being seen as awkward rather than not being seen and simply ran over by some lorry.
What he said.
Plus I have no real problem seeing cyclists wearing dark clothing. Maybe I'm just aware of cyclists as I too ride a bike. Perhaps it would be better if drivers drove properly.
And it is bad driving as these pricks also appear to be a problem when I'm in a car too.
You have clearly missed this story -https://www.itv.com/news/2017-11-14/experts-call-for-drivers-to-have-compulsory-eye-test-every-10-years/
Unfortunately unless you wear contact lenses and on a scheme - which I am - then you are unlikely to have your eyes checked regularly.
In otherwords one of the reasons cyclists and pedestrians are getting killed and injured is because drivers literally cannot see you.
Wearing a bright colour that stands out means they think it maybe a human being. That's if they think at all which most don't.
Világítós kutyanyakörvet húzok a bokáimra, és a csuklóimra is (irányjelzéskor-irányváltoztatáskor kifejezetten jól jön ám!)
Megnyugtat a tudat, hogy a villogó részeim még mellette ritmikusan mozognak is
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