Flouro Vests to become compulsory???

[tj189]

 

Children.......

 

[tj189]

I add this for those who choose to be a bit better informed and would prefer that if you wish to ridicule then do it somewhere else.

some studies from NZ in 2004 regarding Motorcycle rider conspicuity and crash related injury: case-control study

Abstract

Objective To investigate whether the risk of motorcycle crash related injuries is associated with the conspicuity of the driver or vehicle.

Design Population based case-control study.

Setting Auckland region of New Zealand from February 1993 to February 1996.

Participants 463 motorcycle drivers (cases) involved in crashes leading to hospital treatment or death; 1233 motorcycle drivers (controls) recruited from randomly selected roadside survey sites.

Main outcome measures Estimates of relative risk of motorcycle crash related injury and population attributable risk associated with conspicuity measures, including the use of reflective or fluorescent clothing, headlight operation, and colour of helmet, clothing, and motorcycle.

Results Crash related injuries occurred mainly in urban zones with 50 km/h speed limit (66%), during the day (63%), and in fine weather (72%). After adjustment for potential confounders, drivers wearing any reflective or fluorescent clothing had a 37% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.63, 95% confidence interval 0.42 to 0.94) than other drivers. Compared with wearing a black helmet, use of a white helmet was associated with a 24% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.76, 0.57 to 0.99). Self reported light coloured helmet versus dark coloured helmet was associated with a 19% lower risk. Three quarters of motorcycle riders had their headlight turned on during the day, and this was associated with a 27% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.73, 0.53 to 1.00). No association occurred between risk and the frontal colour of drivers' clothing or motorcycle. If these odds ratios are unconfounded, the population attributable risks are 33% for wearing no reflective or fluorescent clothing, 18% for a non-white helmet, 11% for a dark coloured helmet, and 7% for no daytime headlight operation.

Conclusions Low conspicuity may increase the risk of motorcycle crash related injury. Increasing the use of reflective or fluorescent clothing, white or light coloured helmets, and daytime headlights are simple, cheap interventions that could considerably reduce motorcycle crash related injury and death.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC387473/

[ruSTyEB]

ok, so the sample size of one (2004) concluded a 37% lower risk.  What about a larger sample, such as adding in 2005, 2006, 2007 etc....

Our national road toll (all vehicles) fluctuates each year, therefore the results of such study as seen above would also have variations.

This still doesn't mute the argument that better driver awareness, and rider education would have a similar effect on crash statistics.

I'm 33 and have gained my license through QRide.  I was fortunate to have a passionate instructor that taught how to ride and survive, not just get my license.  My father is 54, and learnt the old-school way on country roads, and has never "updated" those skills as many otheres do.  Today when I took my mother for a ride as pillion, she pointed out that my riding style was completely different to my fathers, and she felt as "ease" on the back with me, having a smoother ride. This is not to say dad is a bad rider, on the contrary he could handle a bike better than me (I know, I've followed him before), It means that in a certain scenario he may react differently to me, possibly changing the result.  I'll back my training giving me a different awareness.

My point is, has there been a study on the riders experieince/training and the crashes these riders were involved in?  I'd like to see that one.

Anyway, enought rambling, dinner is on the table....

[Brock]

Conclusions Low conspicuity may increase the risk of motorcycle crash related injury. Increasing the use of reflective or fluorescent clothing, white or light coloured helmets, and daytime headlights are simple, cheap interventions that could considerably reduce motorcycle crash related injury and death

As usual, money spent and no real outcome resulted.

[BigTed]

Conclusions Low conspicuity may increase the risk of motorcycle crash related injury. Increasing the use of reflective or fluorescent clothing, white or light coloured helmets, and daytime headlights are simple, cheap interventions that could considerably reduce motorcycle crash related injury and death

As usual, money spent and no real outcome resulted.

Acutally - I disagree. Like climate change, smoking, safe-sex, etc. there is nothing guaranteed about test samples. What we need to look for is the language..... the use of the term "may increase the risk" is far different from "is not associated with risk", or "may decrease risk".... quite the opposite. Statistically, it has shown there is some correlation, although imprecise.

The title of the post was all about enforcement. I think we all believe that there are other behaviours of other drivers that could change and equally result in reduced risk for the motorcyclist. However, for me it's easy: flouro vests cost next to nothing, don't hurt anyone else, take no effort to wear, and might increase my chances of getting to the destination safely... so - it's a no-brainer for me... I wear it.

Leathers are a different story....

[tj189]

Yes research is old and needs updating but it at least is research.  The other major research project was the Hurt report. the findings may be found here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_findings_in_the_Hurt_Report

Point 14 of this list is interesting.

So there you are two reports from research projects.  Neither is up to date. Your decision your choice.

[terrydj]

If they can't see you with a headlight on then a Flouro vest may not help. Around town I wear an Olympia jacket that's Flouro and it makes no difference. People still pull out to pass heading towards me. People still pull into my lane, people still try and run up the back of me. Makes no difference at all.
Funny thing is they do exactly the same if I have a normal jacket on????
Kinda remember when Helmets became compulsory because they would save lives???? Hmmm their first year of introduction Motorcycle road deaths went up.
Seems people thought helmets made em safer.
Wait a minute, maybe fools will think Flouro jackets will make em safer
Yeap me bloody jacket makes em notice me better

[SToz]

Each to his own.

I'm sure there's an equal amount of info that says it makes no difference either way.

Complacency will always win whether on it's on construction sites, with road workers or drivers not seeing motorcyclists irrespective of what's worn.

However........

I think that wearing a fluro vest at least at night has merit especially if I came off.

I'd rather being a glowing ball lying on the black tarmac in a truckies head lights rather than just a black blob.

My 2 cents worth.

 

[Aj1300]

I think it comes down to driver, rider education. You get alot of younger rider that have just got there learners no experience in traffic, like all young people they don't like to be told.I drive alot in my job and I am seeing alot of scooters on the road, these had pissy little lights and are alot smaller than a real bike they weave in and out of the traffic . Most don't  even wear riding gear .shorts and tea shirts . Fluro vest wouldn't make any difference . Drivers aren't any better most are on the phone( more ladies than guys) . Everyone is in a rush . Cheers

[Diesel]

So I'm tootling along in the cage behind a guy on a dirt bike who was wearing a ruck sack type bag on his back that was a CAMO colour!!!!

How ironic that with this discussion of how to be seen better, this chap decides to wear an item that makes him blend in with the surroundings - i.e. BECOME MORE INVISIBLE!!!

Who makes this 'anti-safety' gear? And why would you buy/wear it?

Really! Camouflage Back Packs? (Remember that the back pack constituted 90% of what you can see of the rider from behind on a dirty, narrow dirt bike with small blinkers and lights etc - not like being behind a Nimitz Class ST11 or 1300!)

Cheers, Diesel

[Brock]

Not so much who makes it, but who in their right mind would buy such a thing to use on the bike...

[Sabie]

So many guys also wear the camo pants when riding

[alans1100]

All this talk of hi-viz stuff reminds me of a tongue in cheek remark I made to one of the bosses in a company I used to work for.

They advised that all visitors and office workers in the company would be wearing those orange safety vests if they ventured into the factory area. "Now we can see you when we run over you" I responded as driving a fork lifts of varying capacities was part my work.

Sadly; I can imagine the same occuring on the road.


 

[gaz]

flouro crazy

[Diesel]

Here is another good reason for them....

View My Video

[STutter]

I usually wear this



and this




I haven't had much of a problem with people pulling out in front of me. Actually I'd have a hard time remembering the last "almost accident" I've had.

My other bike is a 1983 GPZ750 which is ridiculously, obnoxiously loud. Its yellow and red. Never had a problem on that one either. STutter is black, but if I did up the bike to look like so...



While you couldn't miss it, I'm sure the police would have you up on impersonating a police vehicle - similar to the way you cant have blue and white checks on your paintwork.

Ultimately, I simply think that from a young age we're told to look for CARS, not vehicles. If anyone hit me wearing the above on a giant black bike the size of a bloody dugong and say "I didn't see you" they had better hit me again, because when I get up I'm going to punch them in the nose with whatever appendage is still working.

[Diesel]

Good call STutter.

I wished that if they uttered the words "SMIDSY" that this would be an admission that they are not fit to drive on the roads! Coz if I stay out of the blind spots and make all my manouvring intentions clear and they still didn't see me - then they won't see half the other cars about either!       

[Whizz]

In my humble opinion the SMIDSY excuse is firmly in the arena of "Driving Without Due Care and Attention" which is illegal, and as such these blind maniacs should be formally charged.

[atoyot]

I thought that SMIDSY was an addmission of guilt, as clearly the person who was hit was definately there!

[ST2UP]

Well we recently decided we would do the High Vis thing, our rational is simple......now riding a BLACK bike in BLACK riding gear that is still very serviceable and not near ready for replacement, for the sake of $30 it won't decrease our chances of being seen.


 

[BigTed]

That's my rationale too. However, pop into Woollies and you'll spend less than $5ea.

[West Aussie Glen]

Having been riding on the road for over 45 years I would like to think I am very conscious of seeing other bikes on the road. Out on a ride the other week and looking down the road I saw a bike coming towards me with a rider who had a very light coloured jacket on, almost white, while my brain immediately acknowledged a bike on the  road there was certainly a delay for my brain to acknowledge that there were two bikes, the FRONT bike was in black. You can blame car drivers all you like for not being aware of bikes but that doesn't help you when you are in the ambulance on your way to hospital. As per the two posts it above some hi vis gear certainly can't hurt and one day it may just make the difference between being seen early or too late.