Drivers’ reactions to clothing/colors.
06-14-18, 06:04 PM
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Drivers’ reactions to clothing/colors.
I have two high-vis tees I wear, one lime green and one orange. After months of wearing them it is obvious drivers treat me differently depending on the color - everything else is exactly the same. I live in southern Florida, which has the most aggressive drivers I’ve ever seen. When I wear the green I am constantly getting passed at high speed, deliberately challenged, cut-off, they refuse to yield, etc. When I wear the orange, I almost never have a problem. Obviously, orange is a safety color, but it’s like the green actually annoys them. I’ve decided to stop wearing the green.
Has anyone noticed the same thing? What are your experiences? Not just colors. It could be anything: patterns, logos, baggy shorts vs. lycra, street cloths vs. athletic, etc.
Has anyone noticed the same thing? What are your experiences? Not just colors. It could be anything: patterns, logos, baggy shorts vs. lycra, street cloths vs. athletic, etc.
06-15-18, 04:46 AM
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They hate all my Borat thongs.
06-15-18, 05:02 AM
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Nope.
But, it is a good idea to be seen as soon as possible. I've thought fluorescent yellows were easy to see, but perhaps oranges are better.
But, it is a good idea to be seen as soon as possible. I've thought fluorescent yellows were easy to see, but perhaps oranges are better.
06-15-18, 05:17 AM
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I have not noticed a difference color wise, but have noticed a difference wearing a high vis vest and looking like a dork vs a "wife beater" and spandex shorts. Looking like a punk will not get any sympathy 
06-15-18, 06:08 AM
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There is a certain psychology in all of this I am certain. I ride MUPs for the most part now. When I do ride on the road I am treated generally well. But this one shirt nets me the best results by far. Wide berths, slow passes, patience in waiting to pass and honks with friendly waves. I think in the minds of too many motorists, a bicyclist is processed immediately as ANNOYANCE, Something about the goofy flag shirt has them mentally processing me a HUMAN. If you could control all of the variables and make but one change, that being a child trailer attached to the bike, I'll bet you'd get much more favorable results with the child trailer. Why? It humanizes the encounter.
06-15-18, 07:19 AM
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I've not really noticed a difference. I have both Hi Vis orange and Hi Vis yellow, though I more often ride in the yellow. Sometimes with matching socks because I'm into high fashion.
Maybe try pink.
Maybe try pink.
06-15-18, 08:27 AM
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Suicide vest.
06-15-18, 09:16 AM
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I haven't noticed any difference between neon green and neon orange, have a shirt in each color. So far, with only one exception when I first started riding, everyone has given me plenty of room.
06-15-18, 10:34 AM
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I've heard of good results with fairly simple Texas flag jerseys, (even outside Texas) but can't seem to find one in a full-zip style. Closest seems to be the Canari "Texas Retro" which just doesn't have the long-range recognizability of a simple flag or large Texas silhouette like the Voler and Primal Wear ones that are only 3/4 zip. (Sometimes after a long ride, an old shoulder injury hurts to the point where pulling a jersey over my head is painful-to-near-impossible.)
You could also try this one:
You could also try this one:
06-15-18, 10:46 AM
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I wear a yellow high viz mesh vest and am generally treated well by drivers, and get a wide berth, but I think having two lights on the back of the bike probably has more to do with that. Most of my riding is done on public roads.
06-15-18, 11:33 AM
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The biggest problem with high-vis vests is that I keep getting stopped in stores by people asking if I an an employee.
06-15-18, 11:43 AM
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I haven't noticed a difference in the color of clothing, but when I first started riding regularly I noticed that drivers were much more aggressive when I wore roadie kit as opposed to baggy shorts & a T-shirt. The difference was shocking!
That was just under 10 years ago, but there are many more cyclists around now and I find it very rare to encounter aggressive drivers under any circumstances.
That was just under 10 years ago, but there are many more cyclists around now and I find it very rare to encounter aggressive drivers under any circumstances.
06-16-18, 05:21 AM
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I always stuff a yellow or orange bandana in my left jersey pocket leaving more than half hanging out to flap in the breeze...I agree that the extra movement alerts drivers earlier. I wear a hi-viz yellow helmet and in addition, I wear a hi-viz yellow long sleeve poly shirt under my bike jersey, so drivers see the sleeves and the tail (which in my case should be stenciled "wide load"). The drivers I seem to have near misses with are in a desperate hurry, or are towing trailers and cut back in too soon forgetting the trailer behind them.. My training rides are on rural blacktop with no shoulders...that said, a lot of the drivers on my route have seen me before and tolerate my presence well. On group rides, I sometimes substitute a white long sleeve shirt depending on jersey color. My neighbors say they can see the helmet a mile away and the glow keeps them awake if I leave it on the seat of my truck.
06-16-18, 05:30 AM
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I always stuff a yellow or orange bandana in my left jersey pocket leaving more than half hanging out to flap in the breeze...I agree that the extra movement alerts drivers earlier. I wear a hi-viz yellow helmet and in addition, I wear a hi-viz yellow long sleeve poly shirt under my bike jersey, so drivers see the sleeves and the tail (which in my case should be stenciled "wide load"). The drivers I seem to have near misses with are in a desperate hurry, or are towing trailers and cut back in too soon forgetting the trailer behind them.. My training rides are on rural blacktop with no shoulders...that said, a lot of the drivers on my route have seen me before and tolerate my presence well. On group rides, I sometimes substitute a white long sleeve shirt depending on jersey color. My neighbors say they can see the helmet a mile away and the glow keeps them awake if I leave it on the seat of my truck.
06-16-18, 05:34 AM
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06-16-18, 08:20 AM
#19
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There is a certain psychology in all of this I am certain. I ride MUPs for the most part now. When I do ride on the road I am treated generally well. But this one shirt nets me the best results by far. Wide berths, slow passes, patience in waiting to pass and honks with friendly waves. I think in the minds of too many motorists, a bicyclist is processed immediately as ANNOYANCE, Something about the goofy flag shirt has them mentally processing me a HUMAN. If you could control all of the variables and make but one change, that being a child trailer attached to the bike, I'll bet you'd get much more favorable results with the child trailer. Why? It humanizes the encounter.
I like that design with big stripes.
Where'd you get it?
06-16-18, 10:02 AM
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I got that shirt at Wal-Mart of all places two years ago. It's just a cheap poly T shirt.
06-17-18, 03:19 AM
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Then again, when I went to my final decree hearing in a suit, the judge asked if my client was running late. Apparently nobody even bothers with a suit to go to court anymore. I figured the divorce was even more worthy of dressing up for than the wedding was.
07-01-18, 07:23 AM
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I never thought about this. I’ll try to pay attention and see what happens here in cheese land.
07-05-18, 09:02 PM
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Cycleway town
And in this town of extensive combined pedesyrian/cycleway routes, the same is the case with pedestrians! They're happy to get in my way to test my resolve, only to zone-in on my stoker (once i've had to act) and step out the way and apologise.
07-06-18, 07:52 AM
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I've heard of sitations where a cyclist pulling a baby trailer is stopped by motorists and berated for "daring" to bring a child onto dangerous roads.
As far as clothing itself, I often commuted in orange, while wearing bright yellow vest... with a bright orange cloth over my left pannier. I felt it helped, but I have no data to show one way or the other. My philosophy was to work to be seen, then act as if they probably didn't see me. (Not act as a ninja, but don't make movements based on the assumption that I am seen.)
As far as clothing itself, I often commuted in orange, while wearing bright yellow vest... with a bright orange cloth over my left pannier. I felt it helped, but I have no data to show one way or the other. My philosophy was to work to be seen, then act as if they probably didn't see me. (Not act as a ninja, but don't make movements based on the assumption that I am seen.)
07-08-18, 05:43 PM
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There is a certain psychology in all of this I am certain. I ride MUPs for the most part now. When I do ride on the road I am treated generally well. But this one shirt nets me the best results by far. Wide berths, slow passes, patience in waiting to pass and honks with friendly waves. I think in the minds of too many motorists, a bicyclist is processed immediately as ANNOYANCE, Something about the goofy flag shirt has them mentally processing me a HUMAN. If you could control all of the variables and make but one change, that being a child trailer attached to the bike, I'll bet you'd get much more favorable results with the child trailer. Why? It humanizes the encounter.