On Being Visible

I ride. I'm used to looking for bikes. My car has eurospec H4 headlights. I had the high beams on. It lights up the road nicely.

It's about 4:30 in the morning as I'm cruising alone through the darkened town on the way to work. Approaching the red traffic light, slowing down. It changes to green and I let off the brakes to continue.

Something is off. Something is wrong. Did that shadow move? What the hell is that?

SON OF A !!!! Quick lane change and I cleared him.

Sitting at that light was a running bike. Flat black. No tail light. No reflectors. Somehow his licence plate didn't reflect light. He's in a black poncho, with a black helmet black pants and black shoes. No reflective gear.

I never saw him until he moved when the light turned green. At that, all I saw was something odd about the shadows up ahead. When I got way too close, I finally picked up his license plate, barely (spray painted with flat clear?).

I didn't even realize it was a motorcycle until I was actually passing him. I didn't know what it was, just that there was something there.

Sounded like an old thumper as I passed him. Flickering yellow headlight feebly lighting the road in front of him. If it's like my old thumper, it doesn't even work when idling. Just the faintest hint of red on the back as I looked at him from the side. His head didn't turn as I passed, so I don't think he even knew how close he came to getting hit.

Yea, I get it. Black is cool. I have a lot of black myself. I also have reflectors and lights. Being invisible, especially at night... that's not cool, or smart.

Do make yourself visible, especially on a bike, and especially in the dark of night.

This reminds me to hit my helmet with a few reflective stickers before I start riding again. I hate how much riding gear is available in black only (or black only for tall sized stuff when it's available). I'm thinking about LED head & tail lights just to take some weight off of the charge circuit on my bike; I think something like that would be an excellent change for older bikes with weaker systems.

I had a frighteningly similar experience many years ago.

Coming home from work about 3 am, on a dark lonely country road with no lights. As I came over the top of a hill, the town drunk, known as "Bicycle Bob" was weaving his bicycle through the dashes on the center line of the road. No reflectors, no lights, no bright clothes. I didn't see him until less than 25' away.

http://www.reflectivedecals.com/haloebay.htm

This is the same mentality that will ride in 40 degree weather with no helmet.

"Some people...you just can't reach."

I'm a big fan of hi vis colors for cycling gear for this reason. You may see me as a clown, but at least you see me.

Do you wear glasses? I haven't had that happen since I got them a few years ago.

$5 at Harbor Freight. Jus' sayin'.

I try to do my best to be seen. My Tourmaster jacket is a very bright white with lots of reflective piping. When it's raining, night or day, I wear the aforementioned high visibility jacket over my rain gear. My backpack that is mounted to the sissy bar has a couple small reflective patches on it.

The bike is flat black and my helmet is black so there are some areas that could use some improvement. I really need to add some more light in the back, all I have now is the two stock lights.

I keep a careful watch in the mirrors when sitting and I'm pretty sure I've not had any close calls yet, but you never know if they are going to see you or not. All you can do is be as visible as possible.

My gear is black but it's got 3M reflective panels on the back and shoulders so I don't have to look like a Hi-Viz clown to glow in the dark. I also have 3M red outlining the panniers.

I'm easy to spot... but I do worry that someone needs to actually be looking out the windshield to see me. When I ride I feel most exposed when stopped. I may or may not actually sit at a stop light... sometimes at night if there is no cross traffic I treat them like stop signs and GTFO of there. Especially weekend nights around bar closing time.

In reply to EvanR:

Yeah, that won't flap like an unsecured tarp on a dump truck or anything.

In reply to Giant Purple Snorklewacker:

I don't have that issue. Then again, I ride a Honda C70

In reply to EvanR:

I've speed tested it up to about 80 and haven't had a flapping problem. It may not do anything but make me look like a tool, but in poor visibility conditions it makes me feel better.

Of course the general population already thinks I'm a tool because I ride a motorcycle, and the general motorcyclist thinks I'm a tool because I ride a Harley, and the general Harley rider thinks I'm a tool because I ride a Sportster. So, I really couldn't give a flying berkeley as long as they see me.

3M Scotchlite is impressive stuff. I always thought the high viz yellow jackets were sort of lame, but I've come around to the idea of them. Reflectors and stuff work great at night, but the day glow yellow jackets work in the daytime. I'm thinking of selling a few of my jackets and getting the Klim Induction in yellow.

http://www.atomic-moto.com/Klim-Induction-Jacket_p_1565.html

I bought a bunch of used gear. All black. At least I'll look cool when they eventually kill me.

I'm the kind of dork who wears a hi-viz jacket all the time. I wanted a hi-viz helmet to match, but in the bigger sizes needed to fit my noggin, the choices were black or silver! I've since gone crazy with this stuff on the back of the bike (swing arm, underfender, battery box, grab rail) and on the back of my helmet.

Badass lightweight black reflective tape

May also be found at your local bicycle shop.

Reminds me of the time I about rear ended a riced out civic in broad daylight that was painted flat black, and by that I mean the whole car, including the tail lights.

Goes for cars too. Assume everything is out to kill you and look ahead. Was just side swiped by a jeep yesterday in the miata who as he was passing me must have forgot I was there/said he didn't see me.

My saddle bags on my Ducati have a black sticker of a Cow on them...At light hit it with a light its reflective cows!

I wear a hibiz green jacket most of the time.....its a bit brighter than my '04 zx10's paint, but it helps.

Oh, and I also make sure I have working lights.

One of the things I've learned in almost 50 years of motorcycling is that I'd rather be a live,visible tool than a cool looking stiff.

This reminds me I really need to start running the LED flashers I bought on my road bike... front and rear...

I do wonder if it's better to be standing out brightly in broad daylight - it might lure the car in like a shiny Hunkerfish is irresistible to Bass I'm only half kidding here. When I teach people how to drive race cars it takes time to get the point across that you should look where you want to go and NOT look at the things you do not want to hit. Ever stared at a pothole or a dead skunk and then run it over despite what you thought was your best effort not to? I don't think I want common rabble in cages fixating on my jacket. I just want them to see "something" occupying a space so they don't try to fill it day or night.

Whatever you are wearing, ride like you are invisible to everyone.

In reply to Giant Purple Snorklewacker:

I've often had that thought, too, about target fixation and HiViz clothing and super bright "see-me" kind of lighting.

RealMiniDriver wrote: In reply to Giant Purple Snorklewacker: I've often had that thought, too, about target fixation and HiViz clothing and super bright "see-me" kind of lighting.

That's why my jacket only is hiviz....it has no reflectors, I refuse to add pimpy led glow lights, and I wear white gloves so I can be seen giving the finger to people at night.....