powerhouse

After reading various threads regarding safety accoutrements of bicycling, I thought I would contribute with the advantages of wearing a vest. The type of vest I mean is the average kind that can be purchased at department stores, bicycle shops, and some specialty stores. It consists basically of orange cored mesh with reflective yellow strips about the front, back, and frame of the vest. Attached to it is a cloth belt that is clipped around the waist as well as velcro strips that are fastened at the chest. These can be found in varying patterns. Note that they have no specific markings. The advantage to wearing one of these is as follows.

1. Greater Visibility Wearing a vest makes you much more noticeable. The reflective colors of the vest make it so that other people see you better, earlier, and farther away than they used to when you're out riding or walking. When I've worn mine, for example, people have slowed down or taken greater caution around me. I've also been told that I could be seen farther away while wearing a vest, biking or not.

2. Easy To Wear A vest fits easily and can be worn over just about anything. The vest can be pulled on and fit without difficulty. The belt at the waist and the velcro straps at the chest can be adjusted to the person's comfort, whether it's just over a cycling jersey, normal shirt, or even a warm coat. A vest can be removed just as easily.


3. Low Maintenence While we wear the "full kit" of bicycling gear, A vest can be worn over and over again without washing it, drying it, and all the other things we do maintain our gear and laundry. Between uses, just hang it up or fold it and put it where its handy for the next time.

4. Useful in a number of situations I use my vest both on and off the bike. I use mine for biking, as a pedestrian, and for hiking (especially during hunting season).


That's my contribution. I welcome yours.

mechBgon

I was at a general hardware/outdoor store and noticed a vest made of orange mesh, with a strip of yellow reflective tape simply going over each shoulder and vertically down the chest and back. It was US$5. So I said to myself hmmm, why not. If nothing else, I get two yards of reflective tape for $5. I may buy a second one just for the reflective tape. Then I can stitch a stripe of the reflective tape down each arm of my jacket, primarily so motorists can see my arm signals in the dark.

I liked the vertical orientation of the reflective tape on this one that I bought. I vaguely recall a study on bicyclist visibility, and people tend to "acquire" the object as a bicycle faster if the reflective material is oriented vertically. If nothing else, now I have reflective material all the way from the ground (reflective tape on rims, frame, cranks) up to shoulder height, not just waist height, making a bigger visual "signature."

One other attribute of a vest is packability. I crumple mine up and stuff it into my pannier, then put it on for the ride home in the dark.

Bekologist

I wear a lime yellow DOT class 2 traffic safety vest when I bicycle tour and at night in the wintertime, also foggy days and very rainy poor vis days.

I like the traffic safety specific ones because of this: Drivers are used to seeing these on construction workers, cops, etc all the time. Therefore, it spurs recognizance you are a person that merits due caution.

A bit more street cred with all the working drivers that have to wear one on their jobs too.

chipcom 

I've got an Illuminite Hi-viz safety vest and one of the orange mesh safety vests you mentioned. The mesh is for summer, the Illuminite for fall, winter and spring because it also protects my front from the wind somewhat, so I don't need some hot shell or vest.

Savas

Lots of drivers give me the right of way when I wear a reflective vest. They must think I have the power of writing citations.

michaelnel

I wear one of the mesh ANSI lime vests from www.alertshirt.com.

Remember though, if you are hunched over riding in the drops, the reflective strips won't be doing much. I have seen some cycling-specific vests that have a flap that hangs down past your ass, and the reflective stuff on that is at an angle that allows it to reflect back to vehicles behind you.

MarkS

I have a large vest from alertshirts as well. Its great, and more attractive than the photo at the site. The reflective tape will reflect fine no matter what angle its at, just as the reflective paint strips on the pavement reflect for vehicles of all different heights. Of course, the more you lean forward, the less of the tape that will be visible.

Right after I got the alertshirt, I discovered that Home Depot sells reflective vests. Not as nice as the one from Alertshirt, but a better deal than the one the local (performance) LBS sells.

Bekologist

For ANSI vests, alert shirts and flecco safety clothing, head down to your local industrial and safety supply shop. every region in america has industrial and safety shops scattered all over the industrial areas.

slvoid

One major advantage is that the vest protects you from small arms fire should you get hit in the torsol.

trackhub

In Boston, they might think you're a Big Dig construction worker, and that you're not to be messed with.


A reflective vest sounds like a good idea. I might get one myself.

MarkS

Another vest thought.

My old vest, sold by a bike shop, had to be put on by throwing it over your head and then attaching with velcro tabs on the two sides. This turned out to be inconvenient when trying to re-layer on cold outings. The vest had to be completely removed in order to pull off the underlying jackets/clothes, but would catch on the helmet (especially with the mirror attached). A vest that works like jacket, opening from the front, is a lot easier to take on and off.

If you get a large or extra-large, you can also wear it right over your backpack or messenger bag.

michaelnel

I've noticed that too. It's worth wearing it if only for that reason!

Dogbait

The DOT level 2 traffic vest came to be as a result of a lot of research into on the job fatalities among my former co-workers. I am now retired but used to spend most of my workday in traffic. The level 2 vest will have a reflective strip running over each shoulder from the waist in front to the waist in back. It will also have 2 more reflective strips that run completely around the vest, one just above waist level and one just below. These reflective strips are 1.375" wide and can be seen from 100 yards away when illuminated with a vehicle's headlights. The layout of the reflective material is supposed to be visible irregardless of the body posture of the wearer. The vests are available in mesh and solid fabric and the Hi-Viz yellow and International Orange are both approved colors for highway use, IMO, the Hi-Viz is the best choice. The one I have is Hi-Viz mesh, closes with a zipper in front and weighs in at 6.5 oz.

Those who have noticed that motorists will give them the right of way while wearing a vest should not assume that they have donned "the mantle of authority". What is more likely is that you have merely been seen.... the research done in the development of these vests showed that the most common excuse given by motorists who had hit a road worker was "I didn't see him".

The best place to buy a DOT level 2 traffic vest is at your local industrial supply house.

Dogbait

foible

Another advantage of a vest is that if you get the urge to start opening up the manhole covers everyone just assumes you have the right.

LittleBigMan

You got me thinking, Powerhouse.

On the way to work, I ride up one particularly tall hill at about 6:20 a.m. There is a young couple that are also walking up that hill about that time, and they are both wearing reflective vests. My bike light lights them up like Christmas trees, even from about 1/4 mile away. Imagine how far away they are visible to motorists.

Bekologist

Aside from getting dressed up like Robert Redford in the Electric Horseman,


In bad vis, snowstorms, fog, dark of night, tunnels, etc. NOTHING a bicyclist wears will spur a driver's recognizance you are a PERSON more than a DOT approved traffic safety vest.

noisebeam

What about ones arms? I want my arms to be fully reflective to make signalling (especially for left merges) more noticable.

Al

LittleBigMan

He, he...once I clipped cheap (but bright) blinkies to the backs of my wrists to show my signalling better in the dark. I flung my arm out and, well, you can guess what happened.

Ya, reflecting material on the arms is a much better idea...

Bekologist

DOT workmans' gloves with super flecco knuckle stripes, 15 bucks.

eubi

My new bike gloves have reflective material in them. They actually reflect a lot of light for their size. I didn't even notice it when I bought them.

Yes, I wear a reflective vest too.

Feldman

I splurged a few years ago, bought Performance's reflective, cycling tailored vest. I hadn't worn a vest before, found it keeps my body core as warm as long sleeves with less restriction of movement. The real rain jacket only comes out for really cold weather or heavy rain anymore.

dynaryder

I wore Alertshirts through the summer,and now wear a bright yellow technical jacket with reflective tape on the back. This is in addition to front/rear blinkies,reflectors,reflective tape,and a 1W headlight.

YMMV,but most of the close calls I've had weren't from people not seeing me,but from their bad driving. I get buzzed by folks who are trying to squeeze by with other traffic present,crowded by people trying to use their larger mass to intimidate me,and cut off by obliviots who are so wrapped up in their cell phone conversations that they don't notice other cars.

I'm not suggesting that you not wear a vest,just making the point that they're not magic. Don't assume drivers will always see you,and don't assume that just cause they do they won't act like jerks.

sbhikes

I have a recumbent bike and sitting in the seat covers up much of my lime green jacket. I bought a jacket not a vest so that at least my arms would show. I've found I can actually make my seat wear my jacket instead of me and lots of people in cars have told me how visible that is.

Savas

Big box hardware stores have those illuminating straps that velcro on. You can wear these on your wrists.

Trek Al

What about those vests that have blinking lights, they look very visible to me.

https://www.ledtronics.com/ds/VST-1006/default.asp

Al