SuzukiSavage.com - Hi viz safety vest

JLC

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Hi viz safety vest
04/10/18 at 13:29:05

I am getting tired of drivers not seeing me at intersections, despite having the high beam on, wearing a white helmet and clothing with reflective strips, and even doing the "English weave"... so I bought a hi viz safety vest. Too early to tell if it will make a difference, but I found one problem with it: in any kind of bright daylight and with any sunny conditions, I cannot see my GPS screen. The reflection of the hi viz vest completely obscures the screen!

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Dave YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 18101 Camp Springs, Kentucky Gender:	Re: Hi viz safety vest Reply #1 - 04/10/18 at 14:46:51 So it happens in CO too! Let us know if it makes any difference. The Savage headlight is a bit puny.....maybe a headlight with a larger "footprint" would help as well.
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JLC Senior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 262 Black Forest, Colorado Gender:	Re: Hi viz safety vest Reply #2 - 04/10/18 at 15:09:26 I have a Suzuki windshield fitted, so that limits me to a headlight the diameter size of the stock one. The modified headlights I have seen discussed here are bigger. I would like to fit two auxiliary lights on each side of the headlight, something like those on the Harley Touring bikes. Anybody on this forum has done that?
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jcstokes Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com is very useful Posts: 2119 Mauku New Zealand Gender:	Re: Hi viz safety vest Reply #3 - 04/10/18 at 16:26:04 Does your vest have Silver reflective stripes on the front?
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oldNslow

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Re: Hi viz safety vest
Reply #4 - 04/10/18 at 16:48:30

Quote:

I am getting tired of drivers not seeing me at intersections, despite having the high beam on, wearing a white helmet and clothing with reflective strips, and even doing the "English weave"... so I bought a hi viz safety vest. Too early to tell if it will make a difference,

Every little bit helps I guess, but the safest strategy is to assume that the folks that don't see you now, still won't see you., and act accordingly.
The unfortunate fact is that not getting hit while riding a motorcycle is almost entirely up to the person on the motorcycle. I think that's just one of the risks you have to accept when you decide to ride, no matter what you chose to wear.

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badwolf Serious Thumper Offline Ridin' my Lil' Bagger - 153k miles so far Posts: 802 Palm Beach County, FL Gender:	Re: Hi viz safety vest Reply #5 - 04/10/18 at 17:07:16 My motto is ''EVERYONE AROUND ME IS TRYING TO KILL ME''! Ride with the truth on your mind that 'The only one that wants to see you get home alive is YOU'! If you are not paying attention, NOBODY cares!
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engineer

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Re: Hi viz safety vest
Reply #6 - 04/10/18 at 18:18:10

I bought a hi vis mesh riding jacket last year and it made a big difference. I've seen drivers sit and wait when they could have safely pulled out. I got one after I noticed that the bicyclists that are the most visible to me when I'm driving a car are the ones wearing the hi vis vests. I think the vest works well because it is up high at a driver's eye level and it is big compared to any of the lights.

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2005 S40, Intruder shocks, Dyna, 52.5/150, 3 washers, 2 turns, modified seat, Raptor

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JLC Senior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 262 Black Forest, Colorado Gender:	Re: Hi viz safety vest Reply #7 - 04/10/18 at 19:24:46 jcstokes wrote: Does your vest have Silver reflective stripes on the front? Yes it does. It is a class 3 safety vest. I will wear it every time I ride from now on.
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jcstokes Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com is very useful Posts: 2119 Mauku New Zealand Gender:	Re: Hi viz safety vest Reply #8 - 04/10/18 at 19:31:22 I'm assuming your vest is hi viz orange or yellow. I'm just wondering if the silver stripes aren't causing your reflection issue. I don't think the main colours will do this.
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JLC Senior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 262 Black Forest, Colorado Gender:	Re: Hi viz safety vest Reply #9 - 04/10/18 at 19:50:37 Good point. It is yellow, with thick silver reflective stripes bordered with red lines. This is what I bought: KwikSafety EXECUTIVE \| Class 3 Safety Vest \| 360° High Visibility Reflective ANSI Compliant Work Wear \| Hi Vis Breathable Mesh Multiple Pockets
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jcstokes Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com is very useful Posts: 2119 Mauku New Zealand Gender:	Re: Hi viz safety vest Reply #10 - 04/10/18 at 23:08:50 Possibly blank off a little of the front silver part with non reflective tape, and see if the screen improves
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youzguyz

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Re: Hi viz safety vest
Reply #11 - 04/11/18 at 05:08:06

No matter how "visible" you are, you will still be invisible to someone.
My wife always wants me as visible as possible. She figures the more visible I was, the more she can get in an insurance or court settlement!

I wear a red jacket, or hi-vis vest over my leather jacket, a cab yellow helmet, hi-vis gloves. And I ride with the high beam on unless it is night.
Even then.. near misses are the order of the day.
I've even had "didn't see you" events when I was flying a full size US flag on the bike!

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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Hi viz safety vest Reply #12 - 04/11/18 at 05:26:19 I was behind a modern ambulance, basically a small garage on wheels, painted up like they are, with stripes and reflective stuff, just rolling, no lights/sirens, and a guy pulled out right in front of him. He had to swerve and hit the horn. THAT'S the moment when I understood, you'll never be visible to everyone.
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Gary_in_NJ Serious Thumper Offline LS650 Cafe Racer Posts: 2633 Amongst the Twisty Roads	Re: Hi viz safety vest Reply #13 - 04/11/18 at 09:44:07 All of the reflective tape in the world isn't gonna get the attention of a cage driver with her/his head down looking at their iPhone. Ride like everyone is out to kill you, otherwise someone will.
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JLC

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Re: Hi viz safety vest
Reply #14 - 04/12/18 at 04:42:09

I am well aware of the risks. I stopped riding a long time ago when too many of my friends were dying on their motorcycle. Five dead in less than a year to be precise.

Now that I am riding again, I am way more careful than in the past. We have safer motorcycles (better brakes, tires, etc) and better gear, but many car drivers are more distracted than ever. I know that.

PS: I follow the ATGATT rule, and that includes the Hi Vis vest now.

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