Originally Posted by
tarwheel
I think you are reading a little too much into this study. Fluorescent clothing isn't useless, it just that reflective items on moving parts are more effective for catching someone's eye. Personally, I depend on all of the help I can get in making myself visible -- headlights, taillights, bright clothes, and reflective ankle bands, tires, etc.
Numerous studies have found that fluourescent/neon yellow-green is the most visible color to the human eye. If you don't believe me, Google it. This subject has been well studied by highway departments, etc. It is also borne out by simple observation. I can spot a jogger wearing a neon green jacket at least a half-mile away, but the ninjas wearing black you sometimes don't see until you almost hit them. There is a reason why highway departments use neon green for worker vests, traffic signs, etc.
in the daytime, the flouro stuff is great. at nighttime it is, for all practical purposes, useless. read the study -
Cyclist visibility at night - perceptions of visibility do not necessarily match reality -
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1079188/Stud...at%20night.pdf
at night it makes little difference whether someone is wearing black or flouro. reflectives make a huge difference.