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When someone mentions Hi-Viz, I’m sure you’ll be conjuring up all manner of un-flattering tabbards in eye-aching colours. It’s worth remembering, however, that Hi-Viz comes from “high visibility”, and this can mean different things in different situations, for example; no shade of florescent yellow is visable at night.
It goes without saying that black is the least visible colour available to cyclists, however, if it comes with reflective strips, then this will in fact be the most useful item of clothing after dark.
Now, I’m sure this seems obvious to you, but I’ve seen far less obvious fashion faux-pas that could result in a case of SMIDSY; the classic, “Sorry mate, I didn’t see you there”. So here’s a few observations I’ve made over my years as a cyclist and a driver:
Urban: Grey, black and white is the colour of your surroundings, and even red can fade into the humdrum of London’s bus lanes and traffic lights, so try something different. I recommend a bright pale blue or lime green for the fashion conscious, and florescent pink or orange for the uber-safety conscious.
dhb Commuter Waterproof jacket available at www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb/
Countryside: Blues and greens don’t work so well here, but florescent yellow is a rare and eye-catching colour. For the Hi-Viz haters, try red or even white.
Dim light: florescent colours don’t actually jump out at dusk, especially with glaring lights on cars and eyes struggling to adjust to the half light, half dark contrasts. I recommend flashing lights and reflective strips on whatever colour you want.
Altura Night Vision Evo Jacket see www.zyro.co.uk for stockists
If in doubt, think about your environment, and try not to blend in. Alternatively, move in packs and be super-aware of your surroundings. I find that giving drivers a cheeky smile is my most noticeable feature as a road cyclist. They certainly don’t expect it. In fact, research suggests that humans are very responsive to faces, unurprisingly. So go out, look good, and dish out some looks of your own to get noticed.
Feature image: Proviz Nightrider High Visability Cycling Jacket for stockists see www.moorelarge.co.uk
