In my previous post – perspective of a motorist, I mentioned my biggest grievance about cyclists was that they were often difficult to see. The legal requirement is to have a light. But, a small light on its own is often difficult to pick out. There is no legal requirement for having reflective clothing, but, it could be very useful in protecting you. I would suggest that wearing reflective clothing is more effective in preventing serious injury than wearing a helmet. That is not to say I’m against wearing a helmet, but, as a rough analogy – its best to avoid getting swine flu in the first place, rather than hoping, the medicine will mitigates its effects.
Reflective Clothing and Fashion
I remember as a young boy, getting teased for putting some free Texaco reflective stickers on my state of the art mountain bike (well not really state of the art, but a definite step up from a cheap BMX). As a youngster, you are susceptible to peer pressure and that put me off reflective clothing for quite a while. Of course, you don’t need to put reflective stickers on your bike. But, as a you become an old man, the desire to look fashionable on a bike soon evaporates. True, I love the aesthetics of people wearing smart fashionable clothes (cycling in style). But, when it’s dusk / night, people aren’t really going to be noticing your D&G label. The important thing is that motorists notice you at all, let alone giving you a fashion rating out of 10.
Reflective straps are quite useful because they are light to carry around and you can put lights onto the strap. e.g Madison Reflective Straps
Stand Out from the Crowd
See how reflective clothing stands out from the crowd
Time of the Day
The most dangerous period of the day for cycling is around dusk and night, especially in the winter months. This is the time to be wearing reflective clothing. In the height of summer, that is the time to show off your fashion style (if you have any)
- Reflective Clothing at Evans Cycles
- Reflective Clothing at Wiggle
Related Posts
- Night Cycling
- Best Cycle Lights
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I’m a keen driver and becoming (again) a keen cyclist. But it wasn’t till I learned to drive that I truely understood cycling from the drivers POV.
Cycling at night without reflective clothing is suicidal, pure and simple! A single red light moving at about 10mph when I’m moving along in a big metal cage at atleast 30mph is nothing. I’ve been notacing this a lot over the past few weeks.
Rather be alive, albeit not looking cool.
agree that in the depths of a dark, unpleasant winter all sense of aesthetics go out of the window.
A motorist friend of mine once told me that my ankle reflectors were brilliant since it is really really obvious that the reflection is caused by someone cycling. I have worn at least one ever since!