Interesting video, as a volunteer instructor we advise trainees on this subject as early in their training as CBT. We also teach about peripheral vision. When a car is wanting to pull out into a major road from a minor road the driver will look left and right (well should do) there may be a car, van or lorry approaching and decide they have time to pull out but not notice the bike in front of it, their vision is fixated on the larger vehicle in the distance. When I see a car wanting to pull out from my left I change my riding position to position 3 from 2, I.E. from centre of my lane to closer to the central line in the road. That way the driver doesn't have to turn there head as much to see you, they first catch a glimpse out the corner of their eye and then full vision as their head continues to turn.
Treat all Cagers as possible assassins..……work on the assumption Cagers don’t see you, even if you’re lit up like a Christmas tree they don’t….worked for me for nearly sixty years
As a former Roads Policing Officer my opinion is, if by wearing high viz you get a sense of self reassurance then wear high viz but never become complacent. The general standard of driving in the UK is alarming. Ride defensively, always ride your own ride and do not be coerced by others to exceed your ability.
I absolutely agree. UK drivers are some of the most careless I have seen in any country. I did my "Standard Car Course" with the Kent Police. While learning on that course, we saw hundreds of careless manoeuvres from regular motorists every day, most were harmless, but it really did make me re-evaluate how I drove myself and it has translated into my motorcycling in my retirement. Expect "The Others" to do something careless and you will be prepared!
In 70s I read that using lights in day made you 7 times less lickley tobe in accident, I once looked at best colour for motorbikes after my green van got hit in rear at green grass roundabout. White was top, yellow and red came next I expect same with clothing
Hi vis on other bikers caught my eye while those that didn't would disappear, as myself who has all black gear and mostly ride at night I realised how invisible I really was and now use hi vis. I think today's world listens to what a screen says over current events, get out and read the road
For me I wear a white helmet, I wear a hi-viz/reflective vest in low light or night riding, I ride assuming I am invisible at all times, when approaching a junction with vehicle(s) pulling out, I glance at the wheels to see if they are moving, I also like to get brief eye contact with the driver(s) if possible. Another important discipline is to not drive too close to the vehicle in front. Bottom line is to use every means to anticipate, which will enable yourself every opportunity to avoid or stop. Ride safe all
I've heard good things about white helmets to be fair! I have heard that they work really well for visibility but I haven't researched anything in particular
@@SaffySprocket I remember seeing a video where they had a rider in a white helmet, then showed the same rider in a black helmet and the white helmet stood out against the urban background better.
The gorilla test is a perfect comparison. Car drivers aren't scanning for motorbikes. They are scanning for cars. When my brother was learning to drive a car, I taught him NOT to scan for cars, but only for bicycles. That technique makes you scan all of the road, including the gutter channels. It's also a good technique for pedestrians.
You can never eliminate all accidents, but you can reduce the number, and outcome of them. People still die in car accidents despite wearing a seat belt, but not in the same number as without.
I work in breakdown and accident recovery and a lot of the time the first thing you will hear at an accident is either I wasn't spending. Or i didn't see it/ them/ that . Human error is nearly always the top reason usually in combination with conditions, road surface light weather natural or other obstructions to visibility. Working at the side of a motorway we obviously have to use hi viz, h & S , insurance etc and yet we still get close calls normally people rubber necking. There is no doubt a clean hi viz jacket or vest makes you stand out but once a person jumps in a car sets the heat and which music to listen too, taking to passengers or thinking about anything rather than concentrating on driving Then accidents happen , hiviz or not. ridiculing a rider for using it is a bit childish as is telling others they should If they don't, it's a personal choice if you feel safer go for it if you don't, don't. Like any thing in life when you break it down, living is a dangerous occupation .
RyanF9 on FortNine channel did a video about the crashes in junctions a couple months ago; "How Pigeons Explain a Common Motorcycle Crash". Interesting watch in itself. Apparently there are two big reasons. First, a lot of drivers turn their heads so little that they actually see the crossing road with only one eye, making noticing and evaluating distance and speed of approaching objects harder. Second, motorcycles are tall and narrow shaped when looked from the front which makes them harder to spot to begin with, but also makes their size appear pretty much the same until they are close.
The copper teaching the BikeSafe session I attended made an interesting point. If you are going to wear high-viz, then make it big. Like a rain jacket that is just one big block of colour. Vests, belts and multi-coloured clothing break up your outline, and can make you less visible. He also recommended pink rather than yellow or green. He showed photos to prove it. He also said that If you want to make yourself seen, make sure you are moving across the car driver's line of sight - so you are moving across the background as he sees it. The way you do that is to make sure, from your perspective, that the background behind him is moving relative to his position. If this is already the case, do nothing. If his background is static, start moving across the lane. Also, the first clue you have that he is pulling out is when you see his wheels start to rotate. You will notice this before you notice the general motion of the car. If you don't have time to get all this sorted in a particular situation, you are riding too fast. All that said, most people will see you whatever. Some people won't. Maybe high-viz shifts that number in your favour, but it won't be 100%. So, everyone, get on that advanced riding course anyway. You know, the one you've been thinking of for the last few months....
On a Bike Safe course a trainer told me one of simplest ways to be seen by emerging cars is to move your position on approach. A static positioned bike gets looked past, if you alter your position, a car is more likely to spot the movement. The other issue I have encountered in my job is that a lot of older drivers just can’t see properly, as a glasses wearer I have my eyes tested every two years, this should be mandatory for all road users
For me I notice many workers on the road due to their reflective gear way far compared to plane clothes. I understand that real world problems are multi dimensional and translating them to statistics are not as easy. However the Hi-Vis did help me notice others on the road, so I wear it thinking others will have a higher chance to notice me.
From what I was taught when I did some advanced driving lessons was that, drivers don't look for hazards they just don't see a car. They see a gap in the road and don't look. After I had learned this, I adjusted my riding to counter the unexpected. Coming to pass a junction, I would back off the throttle, prepare to brake and give myself as much clear line of sight as possible. If I wasn't sure a car had seen me, I'd use my horn after all that's what it's for. I know this isn't fool proof but being prepared for a situation gives you more time to react and hopefully escape to safety.
Another good thing to google is dazzle camouflage which was used on ships during the war, they didn’t make any attempt to hide the ships, instead they used bright colours. This was to used to confuse the enemy as to the size of the ship, it’s speed and also it’s direction. The same can be applied to being too brightly coloured and using headlamps on motorcycles. It is very difficult to accurately judge distance on vehicles with bright headlamps. Maybe those that were hit confused the bikes speed. Another thing that was noted during the war with pilots was that they saw things better if they moved their eyes rather than their heads to keep their eyes peeled as when you look at something directly if it is approaching it remains in your vision for a long time, which could be interpreted by your brain that it is a actually going slower than it really is.
Another good thing to google is dazzle camouflage which was used on ships during the war, they didn’t make any attempt to hide the ships, instead they used bright colours. This was to used to confuse the enemy as to the size of the ship, it’s speed and also it’s direction. The same can be applied to being too brightly coloured and using headlamps on motorcycles. It is very difficult to accurately judge distance on vehicles with bright headlamps. Maybe those that were hit confused the bikes speed. Another thing that was noted during the war with pilots was that they saw things better if they moved their eyes rather than their heads to keep their eyes peeled as when you look at something directly if it is approaching it remains in your vision for a long time, which could be interpreted by your brain that it is a actually going slower than it really is.
You don't want to be going any faster than the normal speed of traffic on that road. Even if they see you, most people won't give themselves the time to judge your speed, so if it looks like you're far away they pull out.
You are spot on Saffy. I say to myself each time I go for a ride. "No one will see me, so I have to see everyone. I'm invisible!" At least it works for me, just to remember. 🙂
Hi Saffy, I have an Oxford High Visibility Waistcoat with elasticated sides and a front zip, with an airtex lining. It hugs my body shape, doesn't flap about and it feels 'snug'. I find the cheaper ones annoying when they blow about and they must annoy other road users as well. I wear textile jackets which tend to have grey or red panels on a black base colour. If the kit makes me more visible it is a bonus, especially from the side or flank and I move about on the road to increase my visibility when approaching hazards. After 50 years of riding, all I can say is it works for me. Hi Vis has not always been available. It's a matter of personal choice that I would never wear all black. If what I do helps others to see me, the effort has been worth it. Stay safe.
Ultimately It takes no effort to wear a hi-vis and although the research is currently inconclusive, it doesn't mean a benefit doesn't exist, it just means we don't have the research to back it up yet. On a cost benefit basis, it makes sense to wear a hi-vis
When I first rode, I wore a black leather jacket. Within the first week I noticed cars constantly pulling out in front of me at junctions so I put a yellow high viz jacket with long sleeves (the whole jacket was high viz) over the biker jacket and the problem was immediately solved. I still slow down at junctions and expect trouble but I think high viz definitely works.
I was told not so long ago that because the yellow hi viz is so common place these days that people just don't see or ignore it and that if your going to wear any hi viz the pink one is the better option
The reasoning behind Hi-Viz is related to peoples ability to perceive difference between colours and it depends how many colour receptors a persons eyes have. The idea is that a drivers attention may be caught with Hi-Viz as the colour is very different to the surroundings and to limit how much a rider blends in to the background. Hi-Viz is not supposed to counter inattentional blindness. It can only help to prevent accidents involving difficulty seeing a motorcyclist against a the background. The reason that 12% still had accidents would be because a Hi-Viz vest does not aid prevention of all types of accident. The simple answer is that Hi-viz vests are worth wearing because they may help to prevent a specific type of accident which helps to lower overall risk but it is the riders choice whether they do or don't.
seems to me the highest point and usually the first visible is the helmet coming towards you - a bright helmet is a must. Riding lights also work for me - overall hi viz optional. My pet hate is black jacket, black trousers, black bike....
When it is absolute horrid weather, yes they work, my waterproof is completely yellow from a mountain shop, two sizes up and fits well over my motorcycle jackets
my experience with hi=viz is from 30 years ago. Before I got a bike (leather) jacket I rode in whatever. Then one day I put on my wind breaker and it was neon green....i saw and experienced the cars acting differently around me. After taking bike safety classes they didn't mention hi-viz at all (again, 30 years ago). BUT they did bring up the point, from a study if I recall, that to be more visible on a bike be more 'one color' - a bike like yours - white, black, pink, etc is essentially camoflage compared to you and the bike being all one color.
That’s really interesting, Chris! 😄 I’ve heard mixed things about hi-viz, but it’s cool you noticed a difference with that neon green jacket! Sounds like you were ahead of the curve! 🚦
The bikers super power of invisibility! A quick experiment to try at home, hold your hand straight out in front of your face (in your line of sight) now, without moving your hand, turn your head to look to your left, next turn your head to look to your right. The question is when scanning from left to right did you really see your hand? Exactly what a car driver sees (or doesn't) when looking to pull out from a junction. I know scary isn't it?
@@SaffySprocket If you're not sure about a blind spot you can move your head forwards and backwards to help you see better. The A pillar, or as some people call it, the windscreen pillar is the blind spot that causes most accidents on roundabouts. That's an ideal one where moving backwards and forwards helps. I was a driving instructor for 10 years and I seen countless cars pulling onto roundabouts because the driver just glanced to the right instead of having a good look.
There is a great Fortnine TH-cam video on “why” motorists don’t see bikes, I’d suggest everyone watches it. My view on it as a 35 year commuter into London is that they cannot hurt therefore I wear one. If it stops one traffic cop noting “not wearing hi-viz” in his notebook as you are carted away in an ambulance and the subsequent insurance questions, that’s good enough for me.
Ultimately It takes no effort to wear a hi-vis and although the research is currently inconclusive, it doesn't mean a benefit doesn't exist, it just means we don't have the research to back it up yet. On a cost benefit basis, it makes sense to wear a hi-vis
Very interesting. Loads of essentially poor quality research out there. Also some questionable conclusions made on the basis of poor research. For example the misunderstanding and misinterpretation of statistics. One example being the quoted 12% of bikers who were hit in spite of high vis clothing. To draw any meaningful conclusions to that we must first know what proportion in the sample of bikers were or were not wearing high-vis in the first place. It may be that 12% of all riders at that time wore high-vis, thus meaning the clothing was irrelevant; it may be that 99% of riders were in high-vis, thus showing high vis was highly protective. We don’t know that either way. It’s dangerous to even begin to interpret poor research. It’s essentially the very lowest level of scientific evidence amounting to anecdotes and conjecture. Just sayin. I enjoy your videos very much.
If you can be seen you are invisible. If you are invisible you can be seen 🤷♂️ I’m 6’6 and wore a hi-viz jacket in winter on my walk to get the train for work, every morning 6am I would get to the zebra crossing by the station and drivers would not see me waiting to cross. But if I was in full black they would stop every time? 🤷♂️
I ride a white BMW r1200rt with hi vis vest and white helmet. It looks like a police bike. ...and car drivers are so very much more delicate about how they drive....They actually drive properly...and nd drive slower and pull over. It's not hi vis...its looking like a police bike
Honestly this was painful to listen to. You’re completely overthinking it. People make mistakes, that’s part of what being a human means. People will always get in accidents so long as there are motorbikes and riders. Ride accordingly - expect people to not see you, move your bike about in your lane to create lateral motion for people in front and behind of you, don’t stay in other vehicles blind spots. Expect people to pull out in front of you. Humans are hard-wired for threat perception. A car looks small in people’s convex mirrors, a motorbike almost doesn’t exist. Visibility, sound and movement are all your friends. Riding bikes is dangerous, do what you can to reduce the risk, the end.
I agree that the surveys are confusing, so I go by what my brain processes; I tend to see fluorescent jackets when I am navigating landscapes - one worker wearing one in a group will stand out from the rest. For this reason, I always wear a yellow or orange fluorescent jacket when riding, as well as a white or yellow helmet. But, such is my confidence of other road users to see me, I always ride as if am wearing black clothes on a bike with no lights...and use the other techniques mentioned in the comments. I think the statistics make it worth wearing a fluorescent jacket.
If all car drivers were bikers first then it would be a safer place for bike riders. The concentration and observation required to ride a bike is far greater than in a car. It is not just about visibility but about The connection with your vehicle. In a car you have multiple non functional distractions AIr conditioning ,radio, phone etc. on a bike you have none of that just the controls and the environment you are in, like looking for diesel patches or off camber corners or car drivers who don’t even look for you yet alone see you. I will post a video of an accident I had a few years ago when after I was helped up by a passer by and accused by them that I would have been ok if I was in hi vis. The video showed the driver did not even look my way so even if I was lite up like Blackpool illuminations they would not have seen me.
There is a phenomenon called "Hi-Vis clutter" which says that there are so many road users, Police, Ambulance, Fire, Road Workers, Road Signs etc, etc that are dressed up in Hi Vis that we as motorcyclists become effectively invisible amongst it all.
Not only road users, how many people do you see everyday doing their normal duties, it could even be delivering mail, wearing a hi-viz. WHY ???? We have become PPE lazy, that is, wear every god damn bit of PPE you can find and nothing can surely happen to you.
The HSE has an article on "hi vis blindness" in relation to workplaces over using hi vis in lieu of proper risk assessments and processes. With the first question usually asked after an incident "were you wearing your hi vis?" like it's some sort of magical forcefield.
As a former police motorcycle officer I found that driving with my highbeams during daytime did lower the amount of cars pulling out in front of me. Also I found having additional rear & side lighting helped tremendously, especially if you are riding a bike that has the traditional single rear taillight.
A recent study showed that two rear signal lights that were also used as running lights confused auto drivers into thinking it was a auto in the distance and they rear ended the motorcycle that was much closer than perceived to be!
Another excellent video, thanks. It is well worth having a look at “Invisibility Training for Motorcyclists” by the wonderful Ryan Fnine: th-cam.com/video/x94PGgYKHQ0/w-d-xo.html When I started riding a long, long time ago I was introduced to the notion of “risk compensation” whereby the safer people feel, the more risks they take. With ever-more driver aids and protection, as well as the proliferation of car “infotainment systems” and other distractions, it is not perhaps surprising that the standard of road safety has fallen. Long-term studies rarely take account of changes in such factors, as well as increased levels of traffic and rapidly deteriorating road surfaces. I think the best advice I have had is to move across the road when approaching junctions, don’t hesitate to use your horn and, above all else, always assume the worst.
I'd say the best thing is ride with your lights on at all times. if you're riding a bike with a fairing, your body is not that visible from the front. I find that car drivers are looking for cars, not bikes, and even if they see you, it somehow doesn't seem to register with them.
ORANGE hi vis works better for bikes. Especially in Europe with its leafy surroundings. Yellow can blend in. As many lights as are legal on your bike A white helmet Change position if approaching cars coming out of junctions (a driver is more likely to see an object move out of position in peripheral vision) As loud an exhaust as is legal/you can get away with. Keep your distance from vehicles Give WAY more distance than you think you need to stop while braking Assume NOBODY can see you If filtering, do so very slowly, you’ll still get where you’re going faster than any car in the line of traffic. You do not need to speed. You’re not Rossi, you don’t need to be travelling at ridiculous speeds , don’t need 58degree lean angles etc.
If you are easier to see, you are less likely to be hit. Conjecture means zero. There is a reason why police bikers do what they do. As well as blood bikers. They are easier to see, but easier does not mean 100% safe. Any specularity catches the eye. Black looks cool, but who cares when you're at home by yourself in your wheelchair because cool was first on your list? Everyone dies alone. Please don't make it sooner than you have to.
Hey, thanks for sharing your perspective! I totally get where you're coming from. It's crucial to prioritize safety, especially when it comes to being visible on the road.✨🚴♀️ #SafetyFirst
I speak from the perspective of a former driver instructor, and police officer who has attended to numerous traffic collisions. I heard a rumour, once, on some internet moto forum, that if one wears a hi vis jacket, and a white helmet, on a motorcycle, the vast majority of drivers in the western world take a second, third, and fourth look at you... Because they are programmed to look out for the motorcycle traffic cop. I have no idea on the any stats behind this, but I can speak to my anecdotal observations: Car drivers think I'm the police, and slow down near me. I will still, always, assume that I am invisible on my motorcycle, because I do understand physics, and injuries, and I want to make it home safely to my wife and child, every day. Also, should I survive a non-fatal incident vs a car, I can stand in civil court and show the "reasonable man" what I was wearing, and what my video cameras showed the other road user doing, as they hit me. Hi vis is NOT perfect, and never will be - But it is a tool in the tool box. Sent from western Canada. Ride safe, all.
I have a Hi-viz flip up helmet, I have noticed the difference when wearing it, I too think it's an initial assumption I'm Plod when drivers first look.
Ultimately It takes no effort to wear a hi-vis and although the research is currently inconclusive, it doesn't mean a benefit doesn't exist, it just means we don't have the research to back it up yet. On a cost benefit basis, it makes sense to wear a hi-vis
Ride your ride, do what makes you feel safe. There's no correct 100% safe way to ride a motorbike, we just do what works for us. I've got a mate who rides an R1 in shorts, t shirt and old trainers - he's never had an accident, so maybe he's the one who's doing it right. I'm no safety expert, you just called me by name and I answered!
The research is interesting on hi-vis. In built-up areas the yellow hi-vis is much less effective than pink hi-vis. The reason for this is the proliferation of yellow hi-vis in these areas. It's almost become so commonplace that we cognitively disregard the cues.
It happens regardless because driving standards are piss poor these days. The biker/cyclist is more exposed, so more vulnerable & people seem to drive in a daze, relying on the safety toys in their vehicles instead of paying attention.
You can't trust any statistics that are based on statements by the car driver involved in the accident. Most car drivers will say they saw the biker but misjudged the speed (even if they didn't actually look properly) - They will do this to imply that the biker was at least partially at fault for speeding even if the biker wasn't actually speeding. If they just said that they didn't see the bike at all, they are admitting 100% fault. A car pulled out on me recently when I was doing the speed limit and the first thing he said after the accident was "you were going so fast!" - ok so why pull out if you looked and saw I was going so fast 😂
Looking but not seeing is what I've always called it. Years ago I fitted a rear fog light to my gs550 as I was fed up of cars nearly ramming me off on the way to work in low visibility.
Hello....i used to always have a yellow ( hiv ) and black motorcycle outfit and s yellow helmet... Now i have a grey ( bmw ) outfit but still a yellow helmet...if only people think i'm from the police... In Holland highway patrole were yellow helmets....so that. And i ride as safe as posible ...that is the only thing you can do...i have bin riding for 34 years and i ride every day...and in al that time i have bin nocked off 3 times.....had some close calls....but that is not bad i think...
I've been using a full hi viz jacket for years and others take the the piss out of me. I'm not saying I'm 100% safer with it but I've seen no end of drivers give me a 2nd lock before pulling out as they are not sure if it's a police bike. if it buys me a few extra seconds I'm happy for people to take the piss out of me.... so what harm does it do to use a hi viz jacket apart from so called street cred 🤔🤣🤣🤣
Tell your mates to bugger off ahahaha everyone has their own way of riding, I don't like high-vis jackets but I'd never make a comment on it if my friends wanted to wear them
If they can't see a headlight approaching, it doesn't matter what you're wearing, it might as well be a clown suit. The only way I've survived over 50 years of riding is by always assuming they haven't seen me and preparing to take evasive action. Even that hasn't always worked, as my x-rays will show.
I look at it this way. If a TMA safety wehicle can get hit with all those flashing lights and bright colour. Me wearing a Hi-Vis west on the bike makes no difference. I just put it in my sidebag for the reason of wearing it if I break down at night.
Most motorcycle accidents are due to pilot error. I've been riding motorbikes for 51 years. And yes I've had 4 accidents. Three were my fault being young and stupid.
Humans are not good at judgin speed/distances when the object is going towards them or them going towards the object. Newer and/or more luxury cars have when they slow down rapidly flashing brakelights to signal people behind that they have to pay attention.
The ones that will kill you are the ones who aren't looking so it makes sod all difference in the long run....... as many have said ........ ride as though everyone is an idiot........... p.s. its motorcyclists not bikers, its motorcycling not biking - a bike has pedals.
Don't forget that many drivers are aggressive towards cyclists that they spot and inherent in this is the fact that visibility jackets make them a more visible Target. Through personal experience I can attest to this having been the intentional Target of many and aggressive driver.
Yeah happened to me heading to work hi vis ✅ wasn’t speeding ✅ daytime running lights ✅ weather conditions and in the day ✅ and still ended up in a coma bed bound for a year wheelchair for a year zimmer and crutches a year and now just using a walking stick with nerve damage driver just chanced it being impatient then tried to say he didn’t see me
@@SaffySprocket aw thanks yeah I’m back on two wheels after 5 years recovery metal work keeping me together only permanent injury is the ciatic nerve damage can’t feel or move my right foot but I’m definitely not letting it get me down and ride to rallies around the country thanks again saffy 😊
I loathe those vest's they scream learner rider and I think give mental signals to drivers to behave like absolute Dick's and for that reason I won't wear one.
i get the point but look at how many recovery drivers get hit/killed and they are dressed up like a light house and have vans with beacons on! #slowdownmoveover
I remember when Volvo first started displaying day time running lights. My boss complained about this “stupid” New feature and each time he saw one he moaned about it. My only comment was you haven’t missed seeing one yet!
I ride a yellow bike, with a jacket that has the safety vest color strip about 3 inches wide on the torso and the arms at about chest height and then down the arms on a black background. They still don't see you, sometime people are just in a bubble when they are in a car.
as someone that had to wear hi viz at work on the railway I have found that in the countryside on long relatively straight sections especially at night it works, but the road is not the railway, hi viz is just another colour on the road amongst a multitude of colours and goes unnoticed for the most part, especially in towns and cities, also if they are not looking they are not going to see any sort of colour anyway, also whatever you wear it doesn't show up when there is a bend or objects restricting what can be seen, in other words we can't see around corners, there is also an argument that the eye picks up on black and dark objects as it stands out as a negative space to the eyes and subconscious, arguments for and against but these are my real world observations as someone who has had to use hi viz, I have always ridden with my lights on and that is enough for me, if they don't see my lights then they are not going to see anything else because they obviously aren't looking
Most people don't "judge" speed. They look for a tiny split-second, they see how far away an object is and assume whether they can or can't go. It takes about a second of observing an object to remotely figure out how fast it's coming at you (less if you have more information and training, i.e. in sports) and you just don't get that sort of time when you only allow yourself a quick glance. This is where speed limits, particularly in towns, come in handy. Contrary to what the anti-speed lobby insist on, slower isn't better. What's important is consistency. You get used to the speed of traffic in areas you frequent, so 9 times out of 10 not taking the time to judge an approaching object's speed is fine - your brain already has a map of that view and it knows where is far enough and where is too close. Same goes for roundabouts, etc. When you have a small object approaching you at say twice the usual speed on that road, your brain can't tell the difference in that split-second glance. All it knows is "far enough away - GO!". But it wasn't far enough away... Not at twice that speed. You get the same exact issue on motorways, by the way. People are expecting that if you're about to overtake them, you'll be approaching at a certain slightly higher speed than what they're doing. Typically overtaking traffic could be going up to 85mph with no issues. Any faster than that though, and one runs into the same issue - the approaching traffic appears far enough away for one to pull out into the next lane up, except that guy's doing 130 and he's right on top of you before you've completed the lane change. That's where it's the speeders' responsibility to look far enough ahead, anticipate other road users' behaviour and have a backup plan for every eventuality. And to not go faster than they can see. Most boy racers don't have that level of judgement and aren't particularly interested in learning. That'd be where the main "speed kills" issue stems from. In my opinion, a much more effective solution (than speed cameras) to this particular problem would be to introduce a "high speed" extension to the driving license, renewed every 6 or 12 months, entitling those of us who can demonstrate the required level of judgement to fully exercise the needle on the speedo where conditions permit (and there's no local speed limit in place).
Hi Saffy, just my 2p worth but I honestly feel that wearing a hi Viz jacket esp in low light/night riding. Personally I feel much more visible, safer when wearing one, tho I don't let my guard down with other motorists just incase. Also there have been many occasions when I've failed to see a pedestrian or cyclists, however I have spotted the reflective piping on their clothing etc and took appropriate action. Personally I think if something may save a life...why not use it...I mean what's the downside other than not looking cool. It doesn't help that most biking stuff is black or dark. After each ride how do you know that your hi Viz hasn't saved your life that day. Lastly when it comes to visibility its safe to say that Black Vs Hi Viz...the hi Viz is gonna win each time, but each to their own 😎 Rob 👍
Ultimately however anyone chosen to ride is their decision, if wearing a high vis makes you feel more comfortable and that means you ride more, than its the right thing to do.
I wear Hi-viz and I think it's a no brainer! I also wear a white helmet. I think most motorists think I'm a cop, as I can feel my space increasing. I don't care what anybody or any study says. I can sense that I'm being seen. Having said all that I still ride like I'm invisible.
Just an observation about the continual background music, which adds nothing to the video or message and just annoyingly gets in the way. I don't understand the apparent trend to always have accompanying music regardless of context and/or appropriateness - would have been much better without, or even if used sparingly. Enjoyed it apart from (or in spite of) that ! Hey, but that's just me.
My experience has lead me to the opinions of: avoid wearing all black, use contrasting colors, a white helmet is best, use the SMIDSY technique, and stop it with the tail tidy kits and reduction of stock lighting and reflectors just to "look cool".
Hi Saffy As an HGV Driver for 40 years Hi Viz jacket, the better you can be seen the safer the biker will be,it's human error the amount of people just drive out of side roads, they don't even look, sitting in an HGV you can see this from where we sit !!!
Sorry i didn't see you, but you looked straight at me! then pulled out ! The gorilla test is a very good example. Bikes are so small that in one glance they can be blocked by a tree in the line of site, other road users, pedestrians ect ect... What i don't like in modern cars, far too may distractions going on inside the car, sat navs shouting at you, all the apps hooked up from your phone to your car onscreen display.... Not actually paying attention to driving the car and being aware of bikes.
A couple of years ago I saw the optical illusion of a friend on an adventure bike disappear in bright sunlight against a green hedge. In my work w are are required to wear hi viz in certain areas. After this incident we went to pink hi viz. our studies showed us that pink stood out far better than any other. Oddly I’ve found that if I go into the hi viz areas at work without hi viz the H&S police always see me. I do wear a pink hi viz on my bike. There’s been a few too many smidsys in my life, one resulting in injuries, the rest just being close calls.
@@brucecurtis4267 I work as a pilot, we’re required to wear hi viz anytime we’re airside, it’s often been said that we’re more visible in daylight without, but H&S forced the rule through in 1996 and we’ve been stuck with it since. The guy who “disappeared” was wearing green hi viz in bright sunlight, against a brightly lit hedge. He went from shadow, where I could see him clearly at about 300m, to bright light, where he “disappeared” including his headlight, back to shadow where he disappeared again. I went to pink hi viz as it’s an unnatural colour and stays visible in all lighting, against all backgrounds. I’m all for being as visible as possible on a bike, but really believe the green isn’t as safe as H&S, or others would have us believe.
Helmet colour is much more important to being seen than a high vis vest as the majority of the vest is seen to the rear when being worn, frontal vest visibility is generally reduced due to fairings, screens headlights etc….
Lights always work better than color, lights with color, now that could be best. I see one rider on a Ninja 400 regularly, his high beam is that ‘hyper-yellow’ color, really stands out well. Which is another thing: in daytime always use the high-beams !
I was in the UK for a couple of weeks in August (on vacation) and found that everyone and their mother are wearing hi-vis jackets, people working on roads, security “guards”, police officers. It got a bit silly, I must say. Oh, and everyone on bicycles was wearing sports gear and a helmet. Wtf. What’s next? Padding all pedestrians with a 30cm layer of rubber, having them wear airbags? Accident prevention starts with education. Drivers should be made more aware. Bikes will keep being hit, cyclists and pedestrians will keep being killed, if car drivers are not educated. Roads are not just for cars. Roads should not be designed for cars (only). Roads should be designed for people (walking, cycling, riding bikes). I was in London last weekend and it struck me again how dangerous most roads in the (inner) city are for any road users who are not inside a metal box. Roads should have fewer lanes, more speed reductions, more separated lanes for cyclists. I’ll stop ranting. It’s just a nasty, smelly, grey, asphalt jungle where millions of people have to navigate their way around these horrible cars. I saw a man being hit by a speeding asshole at a pedestrin crossing. The pedestrian light was green, the asshole was just being a typical car driver. Luckily the man was (sort of) allright.
Simple answer is people not paying attention to what's going on . That's why we are tought to ride defensive and treat other people as they out to get us so we keep vidulant .
@@SaffySprocket yeah they do help , the other problem we have is we are alot smaller and tend to blend into the back round , but the light catches our attention far better than anything else which high vis trys to help with as it's bright. Best thing is to have lights on and a high vis. Try ridding towards some one videoing you coming towards them and wear the high vi's and then not and see what you feel is the best . They need to make helmits which have lights on to help make us stand out. I wouldn't get to over worked up over it and stressed, I treat every junction the same or entrance that the car will pill out so I am ready to maneuver or stop and ride furthest away from it but not on the white lines lol .
6:50 Wearing visibility aids is not a magic trick that makes any chance of having an accident disappear, since there are multiple factors in an accident. It's about reducing the chances of having one by making yourself more visible. A good number of car drivers who follow all the rules, don't drink or use drugs, also have accidents. Should we say that the safety linked to driving sober is a hoax? Let's put it this way, re: the gorilla test, you are in a big shopping mall and a sumo wrestler dressing black and grey is energetically moving not too far from you. Do you see him? I would say you won't until you are very close since he is blended with the environment. Now the same "gorilla" is wearing fluorescent yellow. Even if you are distracted your brain will notice a big yellow ball moving around. I cannot even imagine the level of distraction (probably a clinical disorder) of someone who does not pass the gorilla test, if the gorilla wore fluorescent yellow.
See I’m going to play “that guy” If a biker says “I wasn’t speeding” they probably were if they say “ I was wearing a hi viz” they probably were not I wear a hi viz helmet for the exact reason so people can define the bike and me and it does work in my case. There is a certain sub section of bikers **summer bikers** who are more worried about how they look on a bike and how they look to their mates that tend to pick black leathers black helmets and dark coloured bike meaning during the darker days in the uk it is harder to see them. Also car driver do tend not to look either Listen to bikers on social media about their crashes car is already biased against car drivers
Good video and a topic which will split the biking community. Hi Vis is good, the problem is that everyone is so used to seeing standard Hi Vis that it no longer stands out. I ride a black bike which is not great at being spotted, however i wear a bright orange helmet and a very yellow Hi vis vest the 2 clash so badly you can not help but spot it. The more unusual the colours the more noticeable you become, having said that if you are right up the exhaust pipe of the vehicle in front of you then no matter how much hi vis you wear you are blocked from anyone else’s view. Ride defensively, give space between yourself and any other vehicles ahead of you. Change your positioning on the road, we have the advantage of being more manoeuvrable. When approaching a junction slow down, change position to allow for a driver to have a better view of you, the change in positioning should alert them to your presence. Assume no one sees you and think for them, as far as most car, van and lorry divers go they are the only users of the road. There are courses out the run you the Police (Road Safe) and the Fire Service (Fire Bike) they are worth doing and will give you lots of new information and advice. Ride safe, be seen and have fun 👍
Interesting video, basically a lot of car drivers don't bother looking, they feel safe in their own little world safely tucked up in their nice warm and comfy place so don't bother about other road users. Look at how many cars actually pull out infront of other cars, if they can't see a car they've no chance of seeing us. It's basically bad driving. Ride safe.
i cycle and drive and have had experiences with cyclists and motorcyclists while driving and with cars while im on my bicycle and in my experience its all about blindspots as a cyclist and driver im very aware of the blindspots of my car and the other cars and try to avoid being in them as much as possible and check them any time a vehicle could have snuck into mine pretend all other cars dont have side windows either youre in clear view and they have no excuse not to see you high vis or not or you were in their blind spot that they didnt look in and from their pov came from nowhere personally i think modern cars are badly designed and have awful visibility so as a driver and biker you have to be on alert maybe a hi vis helps maybe it doesnt but ride like youre invisible works for me i have reflective tyres on my bike though i like those tbh good lights help too
It used to be fun on the local roads A332 A329 A30 when you also wear a white helmet with the high viz ( better with a full yellow jacket ) here on the local roads you would see cars slow down to below the speed limit until you passed why? because they think the hi viz yellow and the white helmet means the police bikers, who are often seen on the roads in this area due to Windsor and Ascot hosting royals and the bike escorts travel through the area quite often.
Interesting video, as a volunteer instructor we advise trainees on this subject as early in their training as CBT.
We also teach about peripheral vision.
When a car is wanting to pull out into a major road from a minor road the driver will look left and right (well should do) there may be a car, van or lorry approaching and decide they have time to pull out but not notice the bike in front of it, their vision is fixated on the larger vehicle in the distance.
When I see a car wanting to pull out from my left I change my riding position to position 3 from 2, I.E. from centre of my lane to closer to the central line in the road.
That way the driver doesn't have to turn there head as much to see you, they first catch a glimpse out the corner of their eye and then full vision as their head continues to turn.
That's some really good advice 👍
Yep! Called defensive driving. Most advanced riders use it, also defensive aggressive too.
Good point I do same as well as slow and cover brakes
Very true facts. Too much sights overloading drivers.
Treat all Cagers as possible assassins..……work on the assumption Cagers don’t see you, even if you’re lit up like a Christmas tree they don’t….worked for me for nearly sixty years
As a former Roads Policing Officer my opinion is, if by wearing high viz you get a sense of self reassurance then wear high viz but never become complacent. The general standard of driving in the UK is alarming. Ride defensively, always ride your own ride and do not be coerced by others to exceed your ability.
Awesome advise
@@bigbaza30 Much appreciated thanks 👍
I absolutely agree. UK drivers are some of the most careless I have seen in any country. I did my "Standard Car Course" with the Kent Police. While learning on that course, we saw hundreds of careless manoeuvres from regular motorists every day, most were harmless, but it really did make me re-evaluate how I drove myself and it has translated into my motorcycling in my retirement. Expect "The Others" to do something careless and you will be prepared!
@@speedfinder1 The advanced driving course and my subsequent time on traffic was the best part of my career, I was a FLO as well. 👍
IMO the line between self assurance and complacency is very, very thin.
I'm Steve & I've never worn a Hi Viz since passing my test .
In 70s I read that using lights in day made you 7 times less lickley tobe in accident, I once looked at best colour for motorbikes after my green van got hit in rear at green grass roundabout. White was top, yellow and red came next I expect same with clothing
Daytime running lights reduce the risk of an accident a lot! It really is true!
A can of worms if ever there was one.
Hi vis on other bikers caught my eye while those that didn't would disappear, as myself who has all black gear and mostly ride at night I realised how invisible I really was and now use hi vis.
I think today's world listens to what a screen says over current events, get out and read the road
For me I wear a white helmet, I wear a hi-viz/reflective vest in low light or night riding, I ride assuming I am invisible at all times, when approaching a junction with vehicle(s) pulling out, I glance at the wheels to see if they are moving, I also like to get brief eye contact with the driver(s) if possible. Another important discipline is to not drive too close to the vehicle in front. Bottom line is to use every means to anticipate, which will enable yourself every opportunity to avoid or stop. Ride safe all
I've heard good things about white helmets to be fair! I have heard that they work really well for visibility but I haven't researched anything in particular
@@SaffySprocket I remember seeing a video where they had a rider in a white helmet, then showed the same rider in a black helmet and the white helmet stood out against the urban background better.
The gorilla test is a perfect comparison. Car drivers aren't scanning for motorbikes. They are scanning for cars. When my brother was learning to drive a car, I taught him NOT to scan for cars, but only for bicycles. That technique makes you scan all of the road, including the gutter channels. It's also a good technique for pedestrians.
You can never eliminate all accidents, but you can reduce the number, and outcome of them. People still die in car accidents despite wearing a seat belt, but not in the same number as without.
I work in breakdown and accident recovery and a lot of the time the first thing you will hear at an accident is either
I wasn't spending.
Or i didn't see it/ them/ that .
Human error is nearly always the top reason usually in combination with conditions, road surface light weather natural or other obstructions to visibility.
Working at the side of a motorway we obviously have to use hi viz, h & S , insurance etc and yet we still get close calls normally people rubber necking.
There is no doubt a clean hi viz jacket or vest makes you stand out but once a person jumps in a car sets the heat and which music to listen too, taking to passengers or thinking about anything rather than concentrating on driving
Then accidents happen , hiviz or not.
ridiculing a rider for using it is a bit childish as is telling others they should
If they don't, it's a personal choice if you feel safer go for it if you don't, don't.
Like any thing in life when you break it down, living is a dangerous occupation .
It’s actually lethal
RyanF9 on FortNine channel did a video about the crashes in junctions a couple months ago; "How Pigeons Explain a Common Motorcycle Crash". Interesting watch in itself.
Apparently there are two big reasons. First, a lot of drivers turn their heads so little that they actually see the crossing road with only one eye, making noticing and evaluating distance and speed of approaching objects harder. Second, motorcycles are tall and narrow shaped when looked from the front which makes them harder to spot to begin with, but also makes their size appear pretty much the same until they are close.
The copper teaching the BikeSafe session I attended made an interesting point. If you are going to wear high-viz, then make it big. Like a rain jacket that is just one big block of colour. Vests, belts and multi-coloured clothing break up your outline, and can make you less visible. He also recommended pink rather than yellow or green. He showed photos to prove it.
He also said that If you want to make yourself seen, make sure you are moving across the car driver's line of sight - so you are moving across the background as he sees it. The way you do that is to make sure, from your perspective, that the background behind him is moving relative to his position. If this is already the case, do nothing. If his background is static, start moving across the lane.
Also, the first clue you have that he is pulling out is when you see his wheels start to rotate. You will notice this before you notice the general motion of the car.
If you don't have time to get all this sorted in a particular situation, you are riding too fast.
All that said, most people will see you whatever. Some people won't. Maybe high-viz shifts that number in your favour, but it won't be 100%. So, everyone, get on that advanced riding course anyway. You know, the one you've been thinking of for the last few months....
Yup, pink and blue are apparently the best colours to see
On a Bike Safe course a trainer told me one of simplest ways to be seen by emerging cars is to move your position on approach. A static positioned bike gets looked past, if you alter your position, a car is more likely to spot the movement. The other issue I have encountered in my job is that a lot of older drivers just can’t see properly, as a glasses wearer I have my eyes tested every two years, this should be mandatory for all road users
For me I notice many workers on the road due to their reflective gear way far compared to plane clothes.
I understand that real world problems are multi dimensional and translating them to statistics are not as easy.
However the Hi-Vis did help me notice others on the road, so I wear it thinking others will have a higher chance to notice me.
From what I was taught when I did some advanced driving lessons was that, drivers don't look for hazards they just don't see a car. They see a gap in the road and don't look. After I had learned this, I adjusted my riding to counter the unexpected. Coming to pass a junction, I would back off the throttle, prepare to brake and give myself as much clear line of sight as possible. If I wasn't sure a car had seen me, I'd use my horn after all that's what it's for. I know this isn't fool proof but being prepared for a situation gives you more time to react and hopefully escape to safety.
"drivers don't look for hazards, they look for a GAP IN THE ROAD"
On point
Yep, I always roll off, tap rear brake and move out.
Another good thing to google is dazzle camouflage which was used on ships during the war, they didn’t make any attempt to hide the ships, instead they used bright colours. This was to used to confuse the enemy as to the size of the ship, it’s speed and also it’s direction. The same can be applied to being too brightly coloured and using headlamps on motorcycles. It is very difficult to accurately judge distance on vehicles with bright headlamps. Maybe those that were hit confused the bikes speed. Another thing that was noted during the war with pilots was that they saw things better if they moved their eyes rather than their heads to keep their eyes peeled as when you look at something directly if it is approaching it remains in your vision for a long time, which could be interpreted by your brain that it is a actually going slower than it really is.
Another good thing to google is dazzle camouflage which was used on ships during the war, they didn’t make any attempt to hide the ships, instead they used bright colours. This was to used to confuse the enemy as to the size of the ship, it’s speed and also it’s direction. The same can be applied to being too brightly coloured and using headlamps on motorcycles. It is very difficult to accurately judge distance on vehicles with bright headlamps. Maybe those that were hit confused the bikes speed. Another thing that was noted during the war with pilots was that they saw things better if they moved their eyes rather than their heads to keep their eyes peeled as when you look at something directly if it is approaching it remains in your vision for a long time, which could be interpreted by your brain that it is a actually going slower than it really is.
You don't want to be going any faster than the normal speed of traffic on that road. Even if they see you, most people won't give themselves the time to judge your speed, so if it looks like you're far away they pull out.
You are spot on Saffy. I say to myself each time I go for a ride. "No one will see me, so I have to see everyone. I'm invisible!" At least it works for me, just to remember. 🙂
Hi Saffy, I have an Oxford High Visibility Waistcoat with elasticated sides and a front zip, with an airtex lining. It hugs my body shape, doesn't flap about and it feels 'snug'. I find the cheaper ones annoying when they blow about and they must annoy other road users as well. I wear textile jackets which tend to have grey or red panels on a black base colour. If the kit makes me more visible it is a bonus, especially from the side or flank and I move about on the road to increase my visibility when approaching hazards.
After 50 years of riding, all I can say is it works for me. Hi Vis has not always been available. It's a matter of personal choice that I would never wear all black. If what I do helps others to see me, the effort has been worth it. Stay safe.
Ultimately It takes no effort to wear a hi-vis and although the research is currently inconclusive, it doesn't mean a benefit doesn't exist, it just means we don't have the research to back it up yet. On a cost benefit basis, it makes sense to wear a hi-vis
@@SaffySprocket And....just like your bike wearing your favourite tyre. It gives you confidence.
I purposely bought a riding jacket that was hi viz, and have a white helmet. Anything to help.
When I first rode, I wore a black leather jacket. Within the first week I noticed cars constantly pulling out in front of me at junctions so I put a yellow high viz jacket with long sleeves (the whole jacket was high viz) over the biker jacket and the problem was immediately solved. I still slow down at junctions and expect trouble but I think high viz definitely works.
I was told not so long ago that because the yellow hi viz is so common place these days that people just don't see or ignore it and that if your going to wear any hi viz the pink one is the better option
Someone else mentioned this, they called it 'hi-vis clutter'
The reasoning behind Hi-Viz is related to peoples ability to perceive difference between colours and it depends how many colour receptors a persons eyes have. The idea is that a drivers attention may be caught with Hi-Viz as the colour is very different to the surroundings and to limit how much a rider blends in to the background. Hi-Viz is not supposed to counter inattentional blindness. It can only help to prevent accidents involving difficulty seeing a motorcyclist against a the background. The reason that 12% still had accidents would be because a Hi-Viz vest does not aid prevention of all types of accident. The simple answer is that Hi-viz vests are worth wearing because they may help to prevent a specific type of accident which helps to lower overall risk but it is the riders choice whether they do or don't.
The car driver is looking for a car not a bike. Simple as that
seems to me the highest point and usually the first visible is the helmet coming towards you - a bright helmet is a must. Riding lights also work for me - overall hi viz optional. My pet hate is black jacket, black trousers, black bike....
When it is absolute horrid weather, yes they work, my waterproof is completely yellow from a mountain shop, two sizes up and fits well over my motorcycle jackets
my experience with hi=viz is from 30 years ago. Before I got a bike (leather) jacket I rode in whatever. Then one day I put on my wind breaker and it was neon green....i saw and experienced the cars acting differently around me.
After taking bike safety classes they didn't mention hi-viz at all (again, 30 years ago). BUT they did bring up the point, from a study if I recall, that to be more visible on a bike be more 'one color' - a bike like yours - white, black, pink, etc is essentially camoflage compared to you and the bike being all one color.
That’s really interesting, Chris! 😄 I’ve heard mixed things about hi-viz, but it’s cool you noticed a difference with that neon green jacket! Sounds like you were ahead of the curve! 🚦
I think CBT training should be part of a car license.
100%
The bikers super power of invisibility! A quick experiment to try at home, hold your hand straight out in front of your face (in your line of sight) now, without moving your hand, turn your head to look to your left, next turn your head to look to your right. The question is when scanning from left to right did you really see your hand? Exactly what a car driver sees (or doesn't) when looking to pull out from a junction. I know scary isn't it?
Blind spots freak me out in the car, constant paranoia about hitting a biker
@@SaffySprocket
If you're not sure about a blind spot you can move your head forwards and backwards to help you see better.
The A pillar, or as some people call it, the windscreen pillar is the blind spot that causes most accidents on roundabouts.
That's an ideal one where moving backwards and forwards helps.
I was a driving instructor for 10 years and I seen countless cars pulling onto roundabouts because the driver just glanced to the right instead of having a good look.
There is a great Fortnine TH-cam video on “why” motorists don’t see bikes, I’d suggest everyone watches it. My view on it as a 35 year commuter into London is that they cannot hurt therefore I wear one. If it stops one traffic cop noting “not wearing hi-viz” in his notebook as you are carted away in an ambulance and the subsequent insurance questions, that’s good enough for me.
Ultimately It takes no effort to wear a hi-vis and although the research is currently inconclusive, it doesn't mean a benefit doesn't exist, it just means we don't have the research to back it up yet. On a cost benefit basis, it makes sense to wear a hi-vis
TL:DR - Accidents happen even if you are wearing hi-vis.
You're welcome.
I wish you gave me the TLDR before I wasted so much time on this topic 🤣😭🤣😭🤣😭
Very interesting. Loads of essentially poor quality research out there. Also some questionable conclusions made on the basis of poor research. For example the misunderstanding and misinterpretation of statistics. One example being the quoted 12% of bikers who were hit in spite of high vis clothing. To draw any meaningful conclusions to that we must first know what proportion in the sample of bikers were or were not wearing high-vis in the first place. It may be that 12% of all riders at that time wore high-vis, thus meaning the clothing was irrelevant; it may be that 99% of riders were in high-vis, thus showing high vis was highly protective. We don’t know that either way. It’s dangerous to even begin to interpret poor research. It’s essentially the very lowest level of scientific evidence amounting to anecdotes and conjecture.
Just sayin.
I enjoy your videos very much.
If you can be seen you are invisible. If you are invisible you can be seen 🤷♂️
I’m 6’6 and wore a hi-viz jacket in winter on my walk to get the train for work, every morning 6am I would get to the zebra crossing by the station and drivers would not see me waiting to cross. But if I was in full black they would stop every time? 🤷♂️
I ride a white BMW r1200rt with hi vis vest and white helmet. It looks like a police bike. ...and car drivers are so very much more delicate about how they drive....They actually drive properly...and nd drive slower and pull over. It's not hi vis...its looking like a police bike
Honestly this was painful to listen to. You’re completely overthinking it. People make mistakes, that’s part of what being a human means. People will always get in accidents so long as there are motorbikes and riders. Ride accordingly - expect people to not see you, move your bike about in your lane to create lateral motion for people in front and behind of you, don’t stay in other vehicles blind spots. Expect people to pull out in front of you. Humans are hard-wired for threat perception. A car looks small in people’s convex mirrors, a motorbike almost doesn’t exist. Visibility, sound and movement are all your friends. Riding bikes is dangerous, do what you can to reduce the risk, the end.
You really really need to watch every FORTNINE TH-cam vid.
Especially the one about how to become invisible.
Fascinating.
I agree that the surveys are confusing, so I go by what my brain processes; I tend to see fluorescent jackets when I am navigating landscapes - one worker wearing one in a group will stand out from the rest. For this reason, I always wear a yellow or orange fluorescent jacket when riding, as well as a white or yellow helmet. But, such is my confidence of other road users to see me, I always ride as if am wearing black clothes on a bike with no lights...and use the other techniques mentioned in the comments. I think the statistics make it worth wearing a fluorescent jacket.
If all car drivers were bikers first then it would be a safer place for bike riders. The concentration and observation required to ride a bike is far greater than in a car. It is not just about visibility but about The connection with your vehicle. In a car you have multiple non functional distractions AIr conditioning ,radio, phone etc. on a bike you have none of that just the controls and the environment you are in, like looking for diesel patches or off camber corners or car drivers who don’t even look for you yet alone see you. I will post a video of an accident I had a few years ago when after I was helped up by a passer by and accused by them that I would have been ok if I was in hi vis. The video showed the driver did not even look my way so even if I was lite up like Blackpool illuminations they would not have seen me.
There is a phenomenon called "Hi-Vis clutter" which says that there are so many road users, Police, Ambulance, Fire, Road Workers, Road Signs etc, etc that are dressed up in Hi Vis that we as motorcyclists become effectively invisible amongst it all.
Hi-vis clutter 👀Don't send me down another rabbit hole 😭 I can't copppppeeee ☠️☠️☠️☠️
Yes i agree, its the same as orange beacons on vehicles, and alarms. People take no notice
Not only road users, how many people do you see everyday doing their normal duties, it could even be delivering mail, wearing a hi-viz. WHY ???? We have become PPE lazy, that is, wear every god damn bit of PPE you can find and nothing can surely happen to you.
The HSE has an article on "hi vis blindness" in relation to workplaces over using hi vis in lieu of proper risk assessments and processes.
With the first question usually asked after an incident "were you wearing your hi vis?" like it's some sort of magical forcefield.
@@_Steven_S I doubt there’s not even proper (sensible, realistic, true) Risk Assessments carried out.
I have been riding bike for 47yrs+and have never worn a hi-viz jacket....and never will !!
You are obviously alive since you commented, but how many close calls did you have😮🫣
As a former police motorcycle officer I found that driving with my highbeams during daytime did lower the amount of cars pulling out in front of me. Also I found having additional rear & side lighting helped tremendously, especially if you are riding a bike that has the traditional single rear taillight.
The research did show that daylight running lights were great collision prevention aid!
Also a brightly marked up police bike helped I bet 😉
A recent study showed that two rear signal lights that were also used as running lights confused auto drivers into thinking it was a auto in the distance and they rear ended the motorcycle that was much closer than perceived to be!
Is it legal to ride on high beam in daylight ?
@@ronaldthomas9396 Rumors are this may be what Tesla's autopilot did when killing two riders recently
Another excellent video, thanks. It is well worth having a look at “Invisibility Training for Motorcyclists” by the wonderful Ryan Fnine: th-cam.com/video/x94PGgYKHQ0/w-d-xo.html
When I started riding a long, long time ago I was introduced to the notion of “risk compensation” whereby the safer people feel, the more risks they take. With ever-more driver aids and protection, as well as the proliferation of car “infotainment systems” and other distractions, it is not perhaps surprising that the standard of road safety has fallen. Long-term studies rarely take account of changes in such factors, as well as increased levels of traffic and rapidly deteriorating road surfaces.
I think the best advice I have had is to move across the road when approaching junctions, don’t hesitate to use your horn and, above all else, always assume the worst.
I'd say the best thing is ride with your lights on at all times. if you're riding a bike with a fairing, your body is not that visible from the front. I find that car drivers are looking for cars, not bikes, and even if they see you, it somehow doesn't seem to register with them.
ORANGE hi vis works better for bikes. Especially in Europe with its leafy surroundings. Yellow can blend in.
As many lights as are legal on your bike
A white helmet
Change position if approaching cars coming out of junctions (a driver is more likely to see an object move out of position in peripheral vision)
As loud an exhaust as is legal/you can get away with.
Keep your distance from vehicles
Give WAY more distance than you think you need to stop while braking
Assume NOBODY can see you
If filtering, do so very slowly, you’ll still get where you’re going faster than any car in the line of traffic. You do not need to speed.
You’re not Rossi, you don’t need to be travelling at ridiculous speeds , don’t need 58degree lean angles etc.
Lights are the biggest safety resource! Really underrated!
If you are easier to see, you are less likely to be hit. Conjecture means zero. There is a reason why police bikers do what they do. As well as blood bikers. They are easier to see, but easier does not mean 100% safe. Any specularity catches the eye. Black looks cool, but who cares when you're at home by yourself in your wheelchair because cool was first on your list? Everyone dies alone. Please don't make it sooner than you have to.
Hey, thanks for sharing your perspective! I totally get where you're coming from. It's crucial to prioritize safety, especially when it comes to being visible on the road.✨🚴♀️ #SafetyFirst
I speak from the perspective of a former driver instructor, and police officer who has attended to numerous traffic collisions.
I heard a rumour, once, on some internet moto forum, that if one wears a hi vis jacket, and a white helmet, on a motorcycle, the vast majority of drivers in the western world take a second, third, and fourth look at you... Because they are programmed to look out for the motorcycle traffic cop.
I have no idea on the any stats behind this, but I can speak to my anecdotal observations: Car drivers think I'm the police, and slow down near me.
I will still, always, assume that I am invisible on my motorcycle, because I do understand physics, and injuries, and I want to make it home safely to my wife and child, every day.
Also, should I survive a non-fatal incident vs a car, I can stand in civil court and show the "reasonable man" what I was wearing, and what my video cameras showed the other road user doing, as they hit me.
Hi vis is NOT perfect, and never will be - But it is a tool in the tool box.
Sent from western Canada.
Ride safe, all.
I have a Hi-viz flip up helmet, I have noticed the difference when wearing it, I too think it's an initial assumption I'm Plod when drivers first look.
Ryan at Fortnine did a great video a few months ago on why driver dont see motorcyclists
I always wear one just incase ;-)
Ultimately It takes no effort to wear a hi-vis and although the research is currently inconclusive, it doesn't mean a benefit doesn't exist, it just means we don't have the research to back it up yet. On a cost benefit basis, it makes sense to wear a hi-vis
@@SaffySprocket If it saves you once it a good wear;-)
Ride your ride, do what makes you feel safe. There's no correct 100% safe way to ride a motorbike, we just do what works for us. I've got a mate who rides an R1 in shorts, t shirt and old trainers - he's never had an accident, so maybe he's the one who's doing it right. I'm no safety expert, you just called me by name and I answered!
The research is interesting on hi-vis. In built-up areas the yellow hi-vis is much less effective than pink hi-vis. The reason for this is the proliferation of yellow hi-vis in these areas. It's almost become so commonplace that we cognitively disregard the cues.
It happens regardless because driving standards are piss poor these days. The biker/cyclist is more exposed, so more vulnerable & people seem to drive in a daze, relying on the safety toys in their vehicles instead of paying attention.
also more people driving today than before, and some being distracted by their infotainment or phone.
You can't trust any statistics that are based on statements by the car driver involved in the accident. Most car drivers will say they saw the biker but misjudged the speed (even if they didn't actually look properly) - They will do this to imply that the biker was at least partially at fault for speeding even if the biker wasn't actually speeding. If they just said that they didn't see the bike at all, they are admitting 100% fault. A car pulled out on me recently when I was doing the speed limit and the first thing he said after the accident was "you were going so fast!" - ok so why pull out if you looked and saw I was going so fast 😂
Cagers are the worst 😭
Looking but not seeing is what I've always called it. Years ago I fitted a rear fog light to my gs550 as I was fed up of cars nearly ramming me off on the way to work in low visibility.
Hello....i used to always have a yellow ( hiv ) and black motorcycle outfit and s yellow helmet...
Now i have a grey ( bmw ) outfit but still a yellow helmet...if only people think i'm from the police...
In Holland highway patrole were yellow helmets....so that.
And i ride as safe as posible ...that is the only thing you can do...i have bin riding for 34 years and i ride every day...and in al that time i have bin nocked off 3 times.....had some close calls....but that is not bad i think...
That's a clever move
I've been using a full hi viz jacket for years and others take the the piss out of me. I'm not saying I'm 100% safer with it but I've seen no end of drivers give me a 2nd lock before pulling out as they are not sure if it's a police bike.
if it buys me a few extra seconds I'm happy for people to take the piss out of me....
so what harm does it do to use a hi viz jacket apart from so called street cred 🤔🤣🤣🤣
Tell your mates to bugger off ahahaha everyone has their own way of riding, I don't like high-vis jackets but I'd never make a comment on it if my friends wanted to wear them
If they can't see a headlight approaching, it doesn't matter what you're wearing, it might as well be a clown suit. The only way I've survived over 50 years of riding is by always assuming they haven't seen me and preparing to take evasive action. Even that hasn't always worked, as my x-rays will show.
I read strong day-time running lights were super effective as preventing accidents!
I look at it this way. If a TMA safety wehicle can get hit with all those flashing lights and bright colour. Me wearing a Hi-Vis west on the bike makes no difference. I just put it in my sidebag for the reason of wearing it if I break down at night.
Interesting point!
Most motorcycle accidents are due to pilot error. I've been riding motorbikes for 51 years. And yes I've had 4 accidents. Three were my fault being young and stupid.
That is 100% true, rider error is the leading cause of bike accidents but I was specifically only interested in accidents that were a visibility issue
Humans are not good at judgin speed/distances when the object is going towards them or them going towards the object.
Newer and/or more luxury cars have when they slow down rapidly flashing brakelights to signal people behind that they have to pay attention.
Funnily enough the research did indicate that lights are one of they're effective visibility aids in preventing an accident
The ones that will kill you are the ones who aren't looking so it makes sod all difference in the long run....... as many have said ........ ride as though everyone is an idiot........... p.s. its motorcyclists not bikers, its motorcycling not biking - a bike has pedals.
Aha maybe just a regional thing, but we call it biking and bikers around here 😉
Fort9 did a great video about rider visibility.
Whatever you wear assume your invisible
Everyone wanting to take to the road should have to take a CBT and ride a motorbike fore minimum 12 months before driving a car
I agree!!!
A driver on their phone can't see anything!
Don't forget that many drivers are aggressive towards cyclists that they spot and inherent in this is the fact that visibility jackets make them a more visible Target. Through personal experience I can attest to this having been the intentional Target of many and aggressive driver.
Aggressive drivers are terrifying and need to get off the road
Yeah happened to me heading to work hi vis ✅ wasn’t speeding ✅ daytime running lights ✅ weather conditions and in the day ✅ and still ended up in a coma bed bound for a year wheelchair for a year zimmer and crutches a year and now just using a walking stick with nerve damage driver just chanced it being impatient then tried to say he didn’t see me
I'm so sorry to hear that 😔 hope you're doing well!
@@SaffySprocket aw thanks yeah I’m back on two wheels after 5 years recovery metal work keeping me together only permanent injury is the ciatic nerve damage can’t feel or move my right foot but I’m definitely not letting it get me down and ride to rallies around the country thanks again saffy 😊
Good material.
But the best method in my opinion is to observe how the driver's are driving.
And be always ready for that one who wants to hit me.
I prefer to go on graveley paths where cars can't go 🤣🤣🤣
@@SaffySprocket true but there is not always option to do this.
All the best.
And safety road's for you.
I loathe those vest's they scream learner rider and I think give mental signals to drivers to behave like absolute Dick's and for that reason I won't wear one.
I must confess, I'm not fond of them either
i get the point but look at how many recovery drivers get hit/killed and they are dressed up like a light house and have vans with beacons on!
#slowdownmoveover
😪 that sucks
I remember when Volvo first started displaying day time running lights. My boss complained about this “stupid”
New feature and each time he saw one he moaned about it. My only comment was you haven’t missed seeing one yet!
Exactly, and now ALL cars have daytime running lights. Hi-viz works, but you still need to ride like you're invisible.
I ride a yellow bike, with a jacket that has the safety vest color strip about 3 inches wide on the torso and the arms at about chest height and then down the arms on a black background. They still don't see you, sometime people are just in a bubble when they are in a car.
as someone that had to wear hi viz at work on the railway I have found that in the countryside on long relatively straight sections especially at night it works, but the road is not the railway, hi viz is just another colour on the road amongst a multitude of colours and goes unnoticed for the most part, especially in towns and cities, also if they are not looking they are not going to see any sort of colour anyway, also whatever you wear it doesn't show up when there is a bend or objects restricting what can be seen, in other words we can't see around corners, there is also an argument that the eye picks up on black and dark objects as it stands out as a negative space to the eyes and subconscious, arguments for and against but these are my real world observations as someone who has had to use hi viz, I have always ridden with my lights on and that is enough for me, if they don't see my lights then they are not going to see anything else because they obviously aren't looking
You should wear a plain white helmet and wear high vis with POLITE written on the back and act like a bike copper then everyone will see you 🤣
😂
Saffy, why don't bikers use those tiny flashing white lights that the pedal cyclists use?
I'm sure I once read that flashing lights were actually illegal somewhere, even on bicycles, but I'd need to check it out
Eye saccades. That’s the thing to research. Fighter pilots get taught how to look for things.
This led me down a weird TH-cam rabbit hole and now eyeballs creep me out ahaha
Most people don't "judge" speed. They look for a tiny split-second, they see how far away an object is and assume whether they can or can't go. It takes about a second of observing an object to remotely figure out how fast it's coming at you (less if you have more information and training, i.e. in sports) and you just don't get that sort of time when you only allow yourself a quick glance.
This is where speed limits, particularly in towns, come in handy. Contrary to what the anti-speed lobby insist on, slower isn't better. What's important is consistency. You get used to the speed of traffic in areas you frequent, so 9 times out of 10 not taking the time to judge an approaching object's speed is fine - your brain already has a map of that view and it knows where is far enough and where is too close. Same goes for roundabouts, etc. When you have a small object approaching you at say twice the usual speed on that road, your brain can't tell the difference in that split-second glance. All it knows is "far enough away - GO!". But it wasn't far enough away... Not at twice that speed.
You get the same exact issue on motorways, by the way. People are expecting that if you're about to overtake them, you'll be approaching at a certain slightly higher speed than what they're doing. Typically overtaking traffic could be going up to 85mph with no issues. Any faster than that though, and one runs into the same issue - the approaching traffic appears far enough away for one to pull out into the next lane up, except that guy's doing 130 and he's right on top of you before you've completed the lane change.
That's where it's the speeders' responsibility to look far enough ahead, anticipate other road users' behaviour and have a backup plan for every eventuality. And to not go faster than they can see.
Most boy racers don't have that level of judgement and aren't particularly interested in learning. That'd be where the main "speed kills" issue stems from. In my opinion, a much more effective solution (than speed cameras) to this particular problem would be to introduce a "high speed" extension to the driving license, renewed every 6 or 12 months, entitling those of us who can demonstrate the required level of judgement to fully exercise the needle on the speedo where conditions permit (and there's no local speed limit in place).
I've learned something today. Glasses on = prepare for statistics!!
🤣🤣🤣🤣😭😭😭😭😭😭
Hi Saffy, just my 2p worth but I honestly feel that wearing a hi Viz jacket esp in low light/night riding.
Personally I feel much more visible, safer when wearing one, tho I don't let my guard down with other motorists just incase.
Also there have been many occasions when I've failed to see a pedestrian or cyclists, however I have spotted the reflective piping on their clothing etc and took appropriate action.
Personally I think if something may save a life...why not use it...I mean what's the downside other than not looking cool. It doesn't help that most biking stuff is black or dark.
After each ride how do you know that your hi Viz hasn't saved your life that day.
Lastly when it comes to visibility its safe to say that Black Vs Hi Viz...the hi Viz is gonna win each time, but each to their own 😎
Rob 👍
Ultimately however anyone chosen to ride is their decision, if wearing a high vis makes you feel more comfortable and that means you ride more, than its the right thing to do.
I wear Hi-viz and I think it's a no brainer!
I also wear a white helmet.
I think most motorists think I'm a cop, as I can feel my space increasing.
I don't care what anybody or any study says. I can sense that I'm being seen.
Having said all that I still ride like I'm invisible.
Just assume that the auto driver either doesn't see you or sees you and doesn't care.
100%
Just an observation about the continual background music, which adds nothing to the video or message and just annoyingly gets in the way. I don't understand the apparent trend to always have accompanying music regardless of context and/or appropriateness - would have been much better without, or even if used sparingly. Enjoyed it apart from (or in spite of) that ! Hey, but that's just me.
Great video Saffy, well researched.❤
Thank you so much 😊😊😊
My experience has lead me to the opinions of: avoid wearing all black, use contrasting colors, a white helmet is best, use the SMIDSY technique, and stop it with the tail tidy kits and reduction of stock lighting and reflectors just to "look cool".
Hi Saffy
As an HGV Driver for 40 years Hi Viz jacket, the better you can be seen the safer the biker will be,it's human error the amount of people just drive out of side roads, they don't even look, sitting in an HGV you can see this from where we sit !!!
good vid saffy and well said i also think some car drivers just don't care they pull out etc knowing full well they have cut the bike up
It would be interesting to theorise how many car drivers said they didn't see the biker, but actually they did and just didn't care
@@SaffySprocket thats a very good point
Sorry i didn't see you, but you looked straight at me! then pulled out !
The gorilla test is a very good example.
Bikes are so small that in one glance they can be blocked by a tree in the line of site, other road users, pedestrians ect ect...
What i don't like in modern cars, far too may distractions going on inside the car, sat navs shouting at you, all the apps hooked up from your phone to your car onscreen display....
Not actually paying attention to driving the car and being aware of bikes.
First time I watched the gorilla test i was like daaaayuummmmm
@@SaffySprocket goes to show how easily your brain is distracted, focused on one thing when something blindingly obvious is right in front of you !
Just ride defensively, that's got me by for years. PS your background music is annoying sometimes, I guess it's your safety blanket. 😉
The annoying music hides my annoying personality 🤣😭🤣😭🤣😭
@@SaffySprocket yep, full respect
In France bike riders have to have a high viz jacket.
Yep
Great Hair.
Good video topic too, as well, also..
Thank you!
A couple of years ago I saw the optical illusion of a friend on an adventure bike disappear in bright sunlight against a green hedge. In my work w are are required to wear hi viz in certain areas. After this incident we went to pink hi viz. our studies showed us that pink stood out far better than any other.
Oddly I’ve found that if I go into the hi viz areas at work without hi viz the H&S police always see me.
I do wear a pink hi viz on my bike. There’s been a few too many smidsys in my life, one resulting in injuries, the rest just being close calls.
So not wearing hi vis is more noticeable than wearing it.
I’d call that ironic.
And a bit sick.
@@brucecurtis4267 I work as a pilot, we’re required to wear hi viz anytime we’re airside, it’s often been said that we’re more visible in daylight without, but H&S forced the rule through in 1996 and we’ve been stuck with it since.
The guy who “disappeared” was wearing green hi viz in bright sunlight, against a brightly lit hedge. He went from shadow, where I could see him clearly at about 300m, to bright light, where he “disappeared” including his headlight, back to shadow where he disappeared again. I went to pink hi viz as it’s an unnatural colour and stays visible in all lighting, against all backgrounds.
I’m all for being as visible as possible on a bike, but really believe the green isn’t as safe as H&S, or others would have us believe.
Helmet colour is much more important to being seen than a high vis vest as the majority of the vest is seen to the rear when being worn, frontal vest visibility is generally reduced due to fairings, screens headlights etc….
I've heard white helelmets do quite well on the road
@@SaffySprocket I saw a guy with a solid yellow colour helmet earlier today, really stood out …
Banksy - the well known stealth artist, says that one way to avoid people noticing you (important in his occupation) is to wear a hi-vis jacket.
I've heard it's the easier way to break into shows and places where you shouldn't be 🤣
@@SaffySprocket and carry a clipboard as well.
@rickconstant: sounds legit.
Lights always work better than color, lights with color, now that could be best. I see one rider on a Ninja 400 regularly, his high beam is that ‘hyper-yellow’ color, really stands out well. Which is another thing: in daytime always use the high-beams !
The problem is statistics. Statistics don’t show the people that don’t get into accidents
Sprocket In Wonderland.....!!! If Carlsberg did Rabbithole videos.......!!! Excellent stuff Inspector Saffy...
Need more lights at the front, so hopefully, the blind will see you.
I was in the UK for a couple of weeks in August (on vacation) and found that everyone and their mother are wearing hi-vis jackets, people working on roads, security “guards”, police officers. It got a bit silly, I must say. Oh, and everyone on bicycles was wearing sports gear and a helmet. Wtf. What’s next? Padding all pedestrians with a 30cm layer of rubber, having them wear airbags?
Accident prevention starts with education. Drivers should be made more aware. Bikes will keep being hit, cyclists and pedestrians will keep being killed, if car drivers are not educated. Roads are not just for cars. Roads should not be designed for cars (only). Roads should be designed for people (walking, cycling, riding bikes). I was in London last weekend and it struck me again how dangerous most roads in the (inner) city are for any road users who are not inside a metal box. Roads should have fewer lanes, more speed reductions, more separated lanes for cyclists. I’ll stop ranting. It’s just a nasty, smelly, grey, asphalt jungle where millions of people have to navigate their way around these horrible cars. I saw a man being hit by a speeding asshole at a pedestrin crossing. The pedestrian light was green, the asshole was just being a typical car driver. Luckily the man was (sort of) allright.
Simple answer is people not paying attention to what's going on . That's why we are tought to ride defensive and treat other people as they out to get us so we keep vidulant .
Yes :^) although the research did incident that day time running lights were quite effective!
@@SaffySprocket yeah they do help , the other problem we have is we are alot smaller and tend to blend into the back round , but the light catches our attention far better than anything else which high vis trys to help with as it's bright. Best thing is to have lights on and a high vis. Try ridding towards some one videoing you coming towards them and wear the high vi's and then not and see what you feel is the best . They need to make helmits which have lights on to help make us stand out. I wouldn't get to over worked up over it and stressed, I treat every junction the same or entrance that the car will pill out so I am ready to maneuver or stop and ride furthest away from it but not on the white lines lol .
6:50 Wearing visibility aids is not a magic trick that makes any chance of having an accident disappear, since there are multiple factors in an accident. It's about reducing the chances of having one by making yourself more visible.
A good number of car drivers who follow all the rules, don't drink or use drugs, also have accidents. Should we say that the safety linked to driving sober is a hoax?
Let's put it this way, re: the gorilla test, you are in a big shopping mall and a sumo wrestler dressing black and grey is energetically moving not too far from you. Do you see him? I would say you won't until you are very close since he is blended with the environment.
Now the same "gorilla" is wearing fluorescent yellow. Even if you are distracted your brain will notice a big yellow ball moving around.
I cannot even imagine the level of distraction (probably a clinical disorder) of someone who does not pass the gorilla test, if the gorilla wore fluorescent yellow.
See I’m going to play “that guy”
If a biker says “I wasn’t speeding” they probably were if they say “ I was wearing a hi viz” they probably were not
I wear a hi viz helmet for the exact reason so people can define the bike and me and it does work in my case.
There is a certain sub section of bikers **summer bikers** who are more worried about how they look on a bike and how they look to their mates that tend to pick black leathers black helmets and dark coloured bike meaning during the darker days in the uk it is harder to see them. Also car driver do tend not to look either
Listen to bikers on social media about their crashes car is already biased against car drivers
They just don't see us. It is a simple as that.
Unfortunately yes, inattentional driving means we just physically don't exist in a drivers eyes
Good video and a topic which will split the biking community. Hi Vis is good, the problem is that everyone is so used to seeing standard Hi Vis that it no longer stands out. I ride a black bike which is not great at being spotted, however i wear a bright orange helmet and a very yellow Hi vis vest the 2 clash so badly you can not help but spot it. The more unusual the colours the more noticeable you become, having said that if you are right up the exhaust pipe of the vehicle in front of you then no matter how much hi vis you wear you are blocked from anyone else’s view. Ride defensively, give space between yourself and any other vehicles ahead of you. Change your positioning on the road, we have the advantage of being more manoeuvrable. When approaching a junction slow down, change position to allow for a driver to have a better view of you, the change in positioning should alert them to your presence. Assume no one sees you and think for them, as far as most car, van and lorry divers go they are the only users of the road. There are courses out the run you the Police (Road Safe) and the Fire Service (Fire Bike) they are worth doing and will give you lots of new information and advice. Ride safe, be seen and have fun 👍
Interesting video, basically a lot of car drivers don't bother looking, they feel safe in their own little world safely tucked up in their nice warm and comfy place so don't bother about other road users. Look at how many cars actually pull out infront of other cars, if they can't see a car they've no chance of seeing us. It's basically bad driving. Ride safe.
i cycle and drive and have had experiences with cyclists and motorcyclists while driving and with cars while im on my bicycle and in my experience its all about blindspots
as a cyclist and driver im very aware of the blindspots of my car and the other cars and try to avoid being in them as much as possible and check them any time a vehicle could have snuck into mine
pretend all other cars dont have side windows
either youre in clear view and they have no excuse not to see you high vis or not or you were in their blind spot that they didnt look in and from their pov came from nowhere
personally i think modern cars are badly designed and have awful visibility so as a driver and biker you have to be on alert
maybe a hi vis helps maybe it doesnt but ride like youre invisible works for me
i have reflective tyres on my bike though i like those tbh
good lights help too
It used to be fun on the local roads A332 A329 A30 when you also wear a white helmet with the high viz ( better with a full yellow jacket ) here on the local roads you would see cars slow down to below the speed limit until you passed why? because they think the hi viz yellow and the white helmet means the police bikers, who are often seen on the roads in this area due to Windsor and Ascot hosting royals and the bike escorts travel through the area quite often.