Originally Posted by
proileri
That's a great video.
If I'm looking at it correctly, you pass the camera at 0:08, you can still be identified a cyclist at 0:30, and the reflectors stop being visible at around 0:40 mark. A car passes the camera at 0:42, and it reaches you around 0:55, so I'd say the driver sees the first glint of reflectors about 13 seconds out.
If you're doing about 15 MPH, you'd be about 235 yards away at 0:40. Sounds about right for reflector performance. The "identification distance" would be about 150 yards.
You seem to think that the range at which I could technically be seen is the actual concious recognition range. For a driver to see a "first glint" of a reflective item is an entirely different thing from them conciously knowing "ok, I'm overtaking a slow-moving vehicle of some sort, so this will require adjusting my approach to my highway exit lane, and here is my plan." The more time they have for that process, the better. 2000-3000 feet suits me fine, particularly on ice...
Don't get me wrong, not many people love reflective stuff more than I do. But I think it's irresponsible to start threads claiming reflectors are better than lights.
