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Why the f**k wear black?

Okay fully appreciate black carbon etc. when it comes to bikes and black bling but why are there so many numpties cycling around in black jackets, at night and in gloomy autum and winter days thinking that the can be seen?

I even got sent a £200 bike jacket to test and they sent me... black...for an autum/winter jacket?

I even got people shouting at me.

Now black does look cool but is it worth it from a safety point of view?

Agree you can add luminous strips etc. but doesn't that defeat the object.

Is it me?
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Comments

  • bulletbullet Posts: 115
    Fully agree , and also muppets that don't have proper lights only small flashing led's .
  • yep...fully agreed - an act of near suicide. the other one is when people wear a nice luminous jacket but then carry a nice dark daysack on top thereby neagting the benefitof the luminous kit!
  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    The object,be it a cyclist,bus,car,needs to stand out against the background.A cyclists red rear light will blend in to the other rear lights of the other road users,and at night the ability to measure horizontal distance by eyesight is particularly reduced,so a cyclist that is only a few metres in front of a motorist,due to its smaller red rear light will appear to be blending into a cars rear lights that are further in front.If the Government could introduce legislation to allow a cyclist to use a different colour light,say blue or green(but that would raise objections by the emergency services),maybe less cyclists would be knocked down,reducing the number of emergency vehicle lights on the road.
    Regarding the wearing of black,it doesn't matter,what the wearer needs is to utilize sharp lines and colours to make them distinctive from the background.
    If you want to stand out,go and buy some strobe lights that are used on life jackets.
  • It's probabley not very trendy, but i wear a Hi Viz vest over my cycling top. I also have one for when i run at night. I think it works quite well as the reflective strips are to high way spec and can be seen from a good distance away. Not bad for £5.
  • Simple. Black is slimming, and we all want to look good

    I have a very bright yellow cycling jacket and one of those luminous yellow hump bag things to cover my bag. Wearing black while cycling in the dark/rain/fog/British weather is plain daft. What astonished me this weekend while on an evans ride was that while a few of us were helping flavadave fix a puncture (all of us with our yellow jackets on), a group came past all in black and asked why on earth we were wearing them on a sportive??!? Seems obvious to me, but then triathletes are brighter than cyclists
  • GHarvGHarv Posts: 456
    but then triathletes are brighter than cyclists
  • nivaghnivagh Posts: 595
    On the subject of flashing LEDs, it's not legal to have them fixed to your bike. You have to have a steady light on your bike, though you're free to fasten flashing lights to your helmet, jacket, bag, whatever.

    I seem to vaguely remember that the reason for this is that it's hard to gauge the distance of a flashing LED.
  • Bradster wrote
    It's probably not very trendy, but i wear a Hi Viz vest over my cycling top.
    As Kate Moss might say:
    Nothing looks as bad as pain feels

    I'll take pain free over looking trendy/cool every time.
  • md6md6 Posts: 969
    I agree on the black issue what is even worse - and i see this regularly on my cycle comute - is the muppets who whilst wearing black/dark colours, with no lights are also listening to their f'ing ipod! On the roads! In central London! at night! in winter! madness! Well the one benefit is it may help to thin out the gene pool
  • md6md6 Posts: 969
    p.s i didn't realise that i should have a fixed light - i tend to have all of mine (1 front 2 rear) in flashing mode... the police have never said anything about it
  • The light set I recently bought is LED type and it says that they aren't road legal on the packaging. Lets face it, coppers have other priorities in our towns and cities than making sure we are well equipped with the correct gear.

    I saw a cyclist on my early morning dark commute just the other day - black bike, all black clothing including black helmet and shoes, I guess 6 foot 5 fom the size of his bike, no reflective kit whatsoever and a poxy LED light fixed to the rear of his helmet which was barely visible because he was head down pumping the pedals - suicidal!!
  • The Highway Code says:
    At night your cycle MUST have white front and red rear lights lit. It MUST also be fitted with a red rear reflector (and amber pedal reflectors, if manufactured after 1/10/85). White front reflectors and spoke reflectors will also help you to be seen. Flashing lights are permitted but it is recommended that cyclists who are riding in areas without street lighting use a steady front lamp.

    It also advises that you should wear
    * a cycle helmet which conforms to current regulations, is the correct size and securely fastened
    * appropriate clothes for cycling. Avoid clothes which may get tangled in the chain, or in a wheel or may obscure your lights
    * light-coloured or fluorescent clothing which helps other road users to see you in daylight and poor light
    * reflective clothing and/or accessories (belt, arm or ankle bands) in the dark
  • md6 wrote:
    listening to their f'ing ipod! On the roads! In central London! at night!
    Dont see the prob here? I use music/podcasts whenever I train, be it running, in the gym, at the track or on the roads. I ride safely, to the side of the road and I dont think hearing whats BEHIND me is going to be of any help. Whenever theres a car behind you do you freak out or move to the curb?? I hope not, no you just keep your trajectory as normal and stay calm.

    I remain vigilant at all times, and cover my brakes aproaching junctions etc.... music has no bearing whatsoever on my riding/running so its not a problem......
  • Firestarter wrote:
    music has no bearing whatsoever on my riding/running so its not a problem......
    I so hope that doesn't become your epitaph!

    If it has no bearing on your trainig, then why train with it, I assume you don't race with it.
  • I use music/podcasts because I prefer it.

    And my epitaph will be something far more imaginative than that shite you came up with??
  • md6md6 Posts: 969
    General road awareness is impaired by listening to music, it is a distraction which, IMO makes them less safe than without. Why remove one of your important senses when you don't need to - would you ride with your eyes closed?

    Mainly my point was that combined with being dressed in all dark clothes with no lights, they were much more likely to be killed than say, someone with lights, a fluro jacket and who can hear the trafic arround them.

    re the epitaph, fwiw - the 'shite' was a statement you made.
  • jacjac Posts: 452
    I agree on the black issue what is even worse - and i see this regularly on my cycle comute - is the muppets who whilst wearing black/dark colours, with no lights are also listening to their f'ing ipod! On the roads! In central London! at night! in winter! madness!
    What surprises me is how md6 can: a/ see these cyclists b/ know they are using ipods c/ cycle safely while recording all this information?
  • md6md6 Posts: 969
    jac is it when you pull up at lights next to them and they are bobbing their head along with the music (i think one guy was humming along too)
  • md6 wrote:
    Why remove one of your important senses when you don't need to - would you ride with your eyes closed?
    OH GOD NOOOOOOO!!! I rode with a bit of a cold the other day so in essance I was riding without my sence of TASTE, SMELL AND my hearing OH FUCK lock me up!!!
    md6 wrote:

    Mainly my point was that combined with being dressed in all dark clothes with no lights
    I wasnt disputing that...
    md6 wrote:

    re the epitaph, fwiw - the 'shite' was a statement you made.
    OOOOHHHHHH!!!! No, thats a shit epitaph aswell!! Try again broseph......
  • jacjac Posts: 452
    Well, do you rebuke these folk for all their misdemeanours ? Or just take notes and have a good whinge about it afterwards..
    Once again, sounds like you see a problem and do nothing about it.
  • md6md6 Posts: 969
    no jac you know me i love a bit of agro , so i shouted at this bloke at the lights but he couldn't hear me
  • md6md6 Posts: 969
    Firestarter wrote:
    [quote="md6":tmcnbcfg] Why remove one of your important senses when you don't need to - would you ride with your eyes closed?
    OH GOD NOOOOOOO!!! I rode with a bit of a cold the other day so in essance I was riding without my sence of TASTE, SMELL AND my hearing OH FUCK lock me up!!!
    md6 wrote:

    Mainly my point was that combined with being dressed in all dark clothes with no lights
    I wasnt disputing that...
    md6 wrote:

    re the epitaph, fwiw - the 'shite' was a statement you made.
    OOOOHHHHHH!!!! No, thats a shit epitaph aswell!! Try again broseph......[/quote:tmcnbcfg]

    wow - do you work for the sun or another tabloid? if not your talent for partial quotes to back up your point is probably well in demand.
  • md6 wrote:

    wow, your talent is probably well in demand.
    Dunno what you mean mate..........
  • shadowone1shadowone1 Posts: 1,408
    holy christ.... I've not read this thread for a few days and its descended into anarchy.... that doesn't involve willy waving

    I've got to say there is a general problem with cyclists who as CH puts wear sniper style clothes and have bikes that are so blacked out that pimp my ride would love it.

    However, some onus does need to go to the driver to on the watch at all times, (and before I get shot down here I'm not excusing them). Bear also in mind that they are trying to change the law so that even if the cyclist is dressed all in black with shoe polish on the face and a pair of black tights over the head, and a driver hits them then the driver is at fault. Is it fair. no but neither is joe public bailing out the banks but its happened.
  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    The onus should be on ALL road users.
    There should be more Draconian sentances to the miscreats who fail to obey the traffic regulations.
    Drink driving........instant lifetime ban.
    Injury through fault.......10+year ban minimum.
    Death through inconsiderate road use....minimum 15 year jail sentance due manslaughter.

    cyclists ,and other none motorised road users again tougher sentances that are ENFORCED,and not just token slap on wrists.
    Maybe that might encourage road users to be more considerate.
  • MowfMowf Posts: 272
    Great thread! It's like reading the comments on Youtube. Soon you'll be threatening to beat each others 'faggot asses'. Keep it up.

    With you on the black/no lights issue. Don't see the problem with an iPod. I did a long bike once listening to Tritalk and it was great. In fact the only problem i had was that the wind was so bloody loud in my ears i couldnt hear what Warden was saying the whole time.
  • Mowf wrote:
    the only problem i had was that the wind was so bloody loud in my ears i couldnt hear what Warden was saying the whole time.
    Some might say that's the best way
  • MowfMowf Posts: 272
    he onus should be on ALL road users.
    There should be more Draconian sentances to the miscreats who fail to obey the traffic regulations.
    Drink driving........instant lifetime ban.
    Injury through fault.......10+year ban minimum.
    Death through inconsiderate road use....minimum 15 year jail sentance due manslaughter.

    cyclists ,and other none motorised road users again tougher sentances that are ENFORCED,and not just token slap on wrists.
    Maybe that might encourage road users to be more considerate.
    Agree entirely, but i think the same should apply to cyclists. Lets face it some cyclists are absolute twats and cause accidents. But because they are seen as more vulnerable, the onus is always on car drivers to avoid them. It's the same with motor bike riders - those signs on the motorway that say 'Think Bike' should be replaced with 'Stop riding like a twat, you leather clad prick. Maybe you'll live a bit longer'.
  • MowfMowf Posts: 272
    Some might say that's the best way
    I kind of like him. Although the stuff he said about not rotating when you swim was utter bollock and deserved the slating he got.
  • Mowf wrote:
    those signs on the motorway that say 'Think Bike' should be replaced with 'Stop riding like a twat, you leather clad prick. Maybe you'll live a bit longer'.
    I propose Mowf to become Secretary of State for Transport
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