Author Topic: Bike flags for safety  (Read 4110 times)

ourclarioncall

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Bike flags for safety
« on: December 02, 2020, 11:10:53 pm »
Having had a few close calls in traffic while commuting to work I have been thinking on and off over the months about making cycling safer for myself

After doing reading and research I have settled on a few things I think would work well for me

1. A yellow hiviz jacket for daytime which is reversible and turns into a silver reflective jacket for night time. Looks very effective in the YouTube videos I’ve watched

2. An always on front white and back red light that’s bright enough to keep me seen and not annoy or blind drivers too much. Preferably Dynamo so I always have light and don’t have to worry about batteries (possible problem there would be that they are only on when cycling at a certain speed ? So for example if I’m out in the country and stop at a junction to wait for traffic before I pull out , I have no lights on )

3. A set of front and rear lights that blink on and off , have fantastic battery life for less fuss. I like the look of the little square bontager? I think the brand was , something like that.

I hear that having both a constant light and an intermittent flashing light helps drivers gauge distances better ? Something like that

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Sadly a cyclist was killed tonight near my house in an accident with two other cars. Very sad to hear. Don’t know the details but the thoughts can’t help but come to mind whether the cyclist was well equipped for being on the road.

Anyway , I have also been also thinking about the use of flags , which I had never even heard of until a read a comment online of a guy recommending using a 7 foot flag with different patters. I kind of dismissed the idea as not for me or a bit unnecessary as well as the fact that’s it’s not common or popular over here and don’t know how it would be perceived or accepted by other road users etc. Sometimes drawing attention doesn’t always work out in your favour as road use and attitudes are quite varied and sometimes hostile

Anyway, having a look through google images , I see some folks attach flags or long plastic strips with reflectors to the side of their bike that sticks out a good 1.5 to 3 feet to “encourage” cars to keep their distance. I kinda like the idea but wonder if the length would be perceived as aggressive in a way and may entice some drivers to actually drive as close to your flag device as possible just to rebel against your “encouragement” to MOVE OVER BUDDY !!

What’s yer thoughts gentlemen ?

Danneaux

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Re: Bike flags for safety
« Reply #1 on: December 03, 2020, 01:41:20 am »
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1. A yellow hiviz jacket for daytime which is reversible and turns into a silver reflective jacket for night time...
I own one of these. It works well enough that drivers have twice asked at traffic lights if I am a "ghost cyclist" because it reflected so well in their headlights at night. Downside? It is pretty warm and unbreathable, even with some perforations intended to vent the fabric. Neon lime-green in daytime.
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2. An always on front white and back red light that’s bright enough to keep me seen and not annoy or blind drivers too much. Preferably Dynamo so I always have light and don’t have to worry about batteries (possible problem there would be that they are only on when cycling at a certain speed ?
Get dynamo-powered lights with a "standlight" function. These have a small internal capacitor that powers the light(s) for about 4 minutes after stopping so you aren't "dead in the water". Modern LED dyno headlights produce some light virtually from a standstill so even riding at low speeds, you'll show up.
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3. A set of front and rear lights that blink on and off , have fantastic battery life for less fuss.
I supplement my dyno lighting with a pair of these for visibility (to be seen, rather than to see with). Real pleased with my PlanetBike Blaze Micro headlight and PDW Radbot 1000 taillight combo I have fitted to all my bikes. The Radbot has a built-in red reflector for extra visibility and is daylight-visible. Riding with front and rear blinkys is now pretty much standard procedure for cyclists in my neck of the woods. We've collectively trained drivers that blinking white or red lights and a neon lime/yellow jacket equals "cyclist".
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Anyway , I have also been also thinking about the use of flags...
I last rode with a 2m tall flag back in 1977. I liked the apparently increased visibility especially in hilly country but hated the added wind resistance and the noise of it flapping was irritating to me. I also always managed to catch it with my foot when swinging a leg over my saddle to dis/mount. It didn't stay on the bike long.

There are some good alternatives some people use and love. One is the "lollypop" type horizontal reflector on an arm that attaches to a seatstay or rear rack. Herrmans makes one but there are imitators. Amazon carries a number. See: https://herrmans.eu/products/reflectors-7410/rear-7440/safety-wing/ They also appear on eBay and are pretty inexpensive. If you shop you can sometimes find them for about USD$8 complete. For example: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bicycle-Safety-Wing/293249557136?hash=item4447092290:g:wUgAAOSwApRdjPlz

I've tried mounting a brightly colored 2m long "pool noodle" across my rear rack load, extending to the side. It worked well for increasing visibility in traffic but in my case, resulted in "challenges" from drivers and some comments about me taking up too much space on the road's edge. I found it completely incompatible with other cyclists (too wide!) when used off-street on a dedicated bike path and removed it after one try. See: https://qz.com/1620913/the-best-cycling-hack-is-a-pool-noodle/?fbclid=IwAR03PvkfRn4Z5ioD_Whj3wXmV_qLC3BH4vNJBKYc29oRAlazDEp59Z9fovQ

Best,

Dan.
« Last Edit: December 03, 2020, 03:32:24 am by Danneaux »

martinf

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Re: Bike flags for safety
« Reply #2 on: December 03, 2020, 08:59:28 am »
Dan has already replied, I have some variations and comments.

1. A yellow hiviz jacket for daytime which is reversible and turns into a silver reflective jacket for night time. Looks very effective in the YouTube videos I’ve watched

For both night and day when it rains, I use either a non-reversible hiviz rain jacket with reflective patches, or a bright red cycling cape with reflective patches.

When I don't need a rain jacket, I wear a "Sam Browne Belt", which has a wide horizontal waist belt and a diagonal sash over one shoulder. I started using this in about 1977. My current Sam Browne belt is made of woven fluorescent tissue with strands of silver reflective material so suitable for both day and night. I wear it most of the time when cycling, but generally not in hot sunny weather when I consider that a bright red T-shirt is sufficiently visible. This woven tissue Sam Browne belt is slightly less visible than my previous waterproof plastic ones, but has the advantage of being more permeable so doesn't get so damp underneath with sweat. In France this has the added benefit of ressembling the reflective gear used by French motor cycle police, but I have noticed a lessened effect in the past few years as yellow fluorescent/reflective jackets have become more generalised here.

2. An always on front white and back red light that’s bright enough to keep me seen and not annoy or blind drivers too much. Preferably Dynamo so I always have light and don’t have to worry about batteries (possible problem there would be that they are only on when cycling at a certain speed ? So for example if I’m out in the country and stop at a junction to wait for traffic before I pull out , I have no lights on )

Another vote for hub dynamo, high output front lamp (for example B&M Cyo, Schmidt Edelux) and at least one rear lamp run from the hub dynamo. I have two hub driven rear lamps on my touring and utility bikes, one on the mudguard and one rack mounted. B&M "Line" rear lamp is supposed to make it easier for following drivers to judge the distance from the bike. All these lamps have the Standlight function, so keep shining for a few minutes if you are stopped at traffic lights or elsewhere.

Copying motorcycle practice, I leave the lamps on most of the time, including in daytime, except sometimes in full sunshine on routes with little motor traffic. Until recently, oncoming cars or cars waiting at side junctions generally tended to treat me as a motorcycle/moped and not pull out in front of me, but again this effect has worn off with the generalisation of bright bicycle lamps.   

3. A set of front and rear lights that blink on and off , have fantastic battery life for less fuss. I like the look of the little square bontager? I think the brand was , something like that.

I don't personally like flashing lights as I consider they can be mistaken for turn indicators, but I have a relatively big Cateye LD1100 battery lamp that I use as 2nd or 3rd rear lamp. This has an array of bright LEDs, six facing straight back, plus two on each side facing sideways at 90°. The side LEDs significantly improve lateral visibility, which I believe is particularly important on roundabouts. I generally leave it on fixed mode, but very occasionally use the half-flashing mode (5 fixed LEDs and 5 flashing) in very bad visibility conditions (heavy rain). If at all possible, I avoid riding in thick fog.

Anyway , I have also been also thinking about the use of flags , which I had never even heard of until a read a comment online of a guy recommending using a 7 foot flag with different patters. I kind of dismissed the idea as not for me or a bit unnecessary as well as the fact that’s it’s not common or popular over here and don’t know how it would be perceived or accepted by other road users etc. Sometimes drawing attention doesn’t always work out in your favour as road use and attitudes are quite varied and sometimes hostile

Except on a recumbent or a low trailer where a vertical pole flag is a good idea, I don't like the use of flags. I believe the sort that stick out sideways encourages the very small minority of idiot drivers to see if they can pass close enough to touch the flag.

Old-fashioned tent poles mounted sideways across the rear rack worked quite well for me when cycling in England, where cars tend to pass much closer than they do here in France, probably because that kind of tent poles can scratch paint on a car. A foam camping mat carried in the same way is also reasonably effective, as it increases the perceived width of the bicycle without provoking an agressive reaction from the idiots. 


Wheel reflectors are now compulsory here in France, and probably in many other countries as well. I consider the flat ones to be nearly useless, as they are only visible through a small angle either side of 90° and I very rarely stay stationary at a road junction at night. If moving, that kind of reflector is generally visible too late to avoid a road junction collision, if a car driver can see the reflectors I am out of his way before the car hits me, if on a collision course the driver can't yet see them.

So to comply with the rules I fit the round SekuClip spoke reflectors. While not really visible from straight ahead or straight behind these are visible at wide angles from side on, so give a bit of useful extra night time visibility in some circumstances, again especially on roundabouts. In the photo, the blue bike to the left has Sekuclips, the Brompton folding bike in the middle has a slightly less effective and older version of the Sekuclip concept (Moonline) and the red bike has the standard flat wheel reflectors, plus a tyre with reflective band.

Apart from the Sekuclips, the other reflectors that show up quite well on the photo are:

- the red rear reflector on the blue bike and the two red/orange reflective strips on the white mudflap of the same bike.  I consider these reflectors to be a useful safety aid aimed at following vehicles.
- the white front reflector on the Brompton. IMO this is useless on a bike with a decent front lamp and I only fit front reflectors on bikes because it is mandatory here. They do perhaps have limited use on my (rather wide) trailer, as they could dissuade an oncoming vehicle from overtaking when room is limited. I don't have any forward facing lamps on my trailer.
- one of the pedal reflectors on the red bike. IMO, again pretty useless and only fitted because mandatory here. Pedal reflectors are only really visible from straight behind or straight in front, but in my case often obscured from a following driver by my pannier bags. And I consider that my rear lamps and rear reflectors are sufficient for following drivers, and the best solution for oncoming divers is a decent front lamp with a wide beam.


The most important thing is to remember to take account of the fact that despite having all these lights and reflective devices, sometimes a driver won't see you simply because they haven't looked properly. This is a particular problem with large roundabouts. Rain and darkness exacerbates the problem, when visibility from a motor vehicle is drastically reduced.
« Last Edit: December 03, 2020, 09:25:08 am by martinf »

leftpoole

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Re: Bike flags for safety
« Reply #3 on: December 03, 2020, 09:44:01 am »
The above reminds me of the warning, Do not swim with Sharks!

JohnR

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Re: Bike flags for safety
« Reply #4 on: December 03, 2020, 12:49:18 pm »
I'm a strong believer in making myself visible to the vehicle drivers and have a range of high-viz clothing for use depending on the season and weather. My latest purchase is one of these https://www.wiggle.co.uk/fohn-zonda-softshell in orange. It's not designed specifically for cycling which makes it cheaper.

I've also got a Garmin Varia radar which I reckon is an excellent investment as it warns is anything is approaching from behind and also shows how many. It also includes a potent red light. For those without a compatible Garmin device on the handlebars, there's a new version of the radar which works with smartphones. I've also got a USB rechargeable front light although I don't turn that on unless there's reduced visiblity. I feel that flashing lights are more noticeable in the day time while white (on the front) and red (on the back) shouldn't be confused with indicators (orange).

Many years ago I had something similar to this https://www.amazon.co.uk/BIKE-ORIGINAL-4152-Reflector-Fastener/dp/B00CE14F3Q. It was OK when new but, as the plastic hinge wore, it would flop backwards if I moved with any speed. It didn't seem to be very effective in making drivers give me more space.

Yes, there's the matter of drivers may not look but if they end up in court for knocking me off my bike they won't be able to claim that I wasn't visible. I can never understand why so much of the cycling clothing is black. Probably 20% of drivers don't provide generous space when overtaking while 10% engage in dangerous manoeuvres so as overtaking when approaching the brow of a hill.

There was a recent consultation on proposed changes to the Highway Code to improve safety for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/review-of-the-highway-code-to-improve-road-safety-for-cyclists-pedestrians-and-horse-riders . The consultation period has closed but you can still see the proposed changes. Educating drivers, however, is another matter. If I thought that the police were keen to follow up instances of bad driving then I would have cameras front and back.

ourclarioncall

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Re: Bike flags for safety
« Reply #5 on: December 03, 2020, 01:52:57 pm »
Brilliant responses thanks guys 🙂

Lots of food for thought for me there

One other thing I never touched on is ....

How to position yourself on the road

I found myself experimenting with trying to place myself in different areas of the lane and notice the effects of cars overtaking me , if they gave me more or less space etc. I can’t really remember the results but I think I noticed if I tried to be very considerate and stay as far to the left of the land as possible , there was maybe more of a temptation for cars to pass almost as if I wasn’t even in the lane and also when there is a car in the opposite lane parallel to me they will still just try to squeeze through making me one of the pieces of bread in a jam sandwich 🥪

When cars squeeze through it seems to inspire other cars to follow the leader and they just copy the actions (good or bad) of the car in front

So I wondered if this type of positioning may in fact be more dangerous as I’m not making a statement as if to say “ I’m firmly here in this lane and I am important so take me seriously”

I think I was under the impression that cars should be giving you a good 3 feet ? So basically they should be crossing over into the other lane . I could highlight and FORCE this by planting myself firmly in the middle of the lane ? But in real life it does seem to pose more of a risk and incite irritation and possible repercussions from drivers who think that cyclists should get out of “their way”

In the end I think I settled on a position about halfway between the centre of the lane and the far left line of the Lane. There always seems to be a risk no matter what you do. I remember being faced with an oncoming car that had his pedal to the metal while trying to overtake a long line of traffic which there was no way he was going to overtake. Basically I was dead unless I just stopped and pulled my bike off the road up onto the grass verge . If he didn’t kill me it would have been a tight squeeze indeed

ourclarioncall

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Re: Bike flags for safety
« Reply #6 on: December 03, 2020, 02:03:06 pm »
I never knew you could have multiple Dynamo lights at the back of the bike , that’s cool

I like the ideas of having two lights at the back

I like the idea of being perceived as WIDER than I am.

Having two lights positioned to the left and right as wide as possible would be interesting

Seems like panniers at the bag can promote this visual witness

The pool noodle sounds interesting but can see how it might be disliked or impractical at times, but the camping roll mat could be quite effective to create the wideness and not irritate drivers as it looks more normal and not like a device devised to force them to give you more space

What about a car size number plate on the bag of the bike to promote wideness and importance ?

Guess it’s maybe all a bit of trial and error to see what gives you good results

One other thought on safety is what about wearing an actual crash helmet ? Not the ones that completely cover your chin and face but sort of halfway between one of them and a typical helmet

I haven’t researched it but seems like if your going to get hit at 40mph while going downhill a more heavy duty helmet might be more effective than the typical cycling helmet ? Dunno 🤷‍♂️

I don’t actually have a helmet , partly as I couldn’t afford one , and after researching the benefits I was undecided on how effective they would be. I think now I am leaning towards getting one if I ever start cycling on the road again

martinf

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Re: Bike flags for safety
« Reply #7 on: December 03, 2020, 04:37:21 pm »
Having two lights positioned to the left and right as wide as possible would be interesting

I don't like that idea at all, for front AND rear lamps. I position my multiple rear lamps in the vertical plane.

Why ?

When I was driving buses, at night I once pulled out in front of a motorcycle with two (relatively feeble) front lamps placed side by side and fairly close together. In my wing mirror it looked just like a car a long way off.

The only exception is my bicycle trailer. On that I have two Cateye LD1100 lamps positioned as far apart as possible (about 90 cms). Even with that width, if the following vehicle doesn't notice my reflective belt and central rear lamp on the towing bicycle, the driver could think I was nearly twice as far away as I actually am (cars are a good bit wider than 90 cm).

To mark my trailer as such I have two large rear-facing triangular reflectors, as used on trailers towed by motor vehicles.

ourclarioncall

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Re: Bike flags for safety
« Reply #8 on: December 03, 2020, 05:17:07 pm »
Yeah, good points there for me to chew over

I don’t actually drive so I don’t have much experience with how I would negotiate cyclists

Well, I have my provisional from twenty year ago when I failed my test and never sat it again coz I moved down to London straight after and never got round to it 😁 my wife is the chauffeur, I bike


ourclarioncall

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Re: Bike flags for safety
« Reply #9 on: December 03, 2020, 05:25:46 pm »
One thing I noticed about those orange reflectors that stick out about a foot or so is the reflector kind of draws your eye to see the reflector as being the centre of your bike . I’m not articulating this very well

Normally when you look at a bike from behind you have light which I suppose is a focal point of which a driver navigates around . With a reflector that sticks out or even a light , possibly the driver now interprets that offset reflector as being the centre of the bike and navigates his way around that as if it was the centre of the bike


Just a theory and il be happy for you guys to blow it out of the water with your experience haha

Maybe not a reflector but I wonder if one offset light say a foot to the side of your bikes cebtrewould be effective . One light helping to let the driver know your still a cyclist

JohnR

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Re: Bike flags for safety
« Reply #10 on: December 03, 2020, 05:32:01 pm »
In addition to the Highway Code which mixes guidance (eg "should") and legal requirements (eg "must"), this recent design guidance https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cycle-infrastructure-design-ltn-120 contains a lot of good information. I think it might have been written by people who are cyclists.

For lights, another addition is one on the helmet https://shop.sustrans.org.uk/helmet-light-topeak-headlux. I believe that they are legal as a supplementary light but the main lights must be on the bicycle. Also, don't forget the reflectors front, back and on your pedals if cycling at night https://www.cyclinguk.org/lighting-regulations.

lewis noble

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Re: Bike flags for safety
« Reply #11 on: December 03, 2020, 06:35:51 pm »
Some very interesting and useful points in this thread, thanks everyone.

I do not use a flag, only used one once on holiday when towing a dog trailer. I found the flag (and the rented trailer) a real pain (dog not much better), no plans to repeat.  Wind resistance and flexing the main problems.

I’ve been pretty lucky, with no real carve-ups for several years.  Yes, keeping a clear line about 1 metre or more from the kerb is essential in my view; you are clearly establishing yourself, easier to avoid damaged drains and so on, and if there is a problem, some room to manoeuvre.

My daughter in law has not been so lucky - she commutes across Sheffield, UK, 3 days a week, drop bars, a strong and fast rider.  2 carve-ups in the last 2 years, both in the winter.  The first time, a driver pulled out in front of her from a side road - heavy rain, we reckon his visibility obscured by rain on side windows, failed to see her despite her lights.  Badly bruised, broken shoulder blade. 

The second time, just a few weeks ago, a driver overtook her, then swerved across her path to turn left. Her hydr discs stopped her in time, but she was badly shaken.  Driver did not stop, but another one did, seeing her distressed and shaken on the pavement!

I think part of the problem, but not an excuse for careless driving, is that many younger people are riding very fast bikes, and drivers have not adapted to this, expecting they have room to leave a side road, for example.  I am not a fast rider - far from it! - but I do see people starting off, changing their mind, often ending up nose out into the road.  If people do reconsider and stop, I try and give a thankyou wave or at least a nod. 

I always have lights on at all times, often a steady and a blinkie, and make sure that all family bikes are well-equipped.  For a long time I used the cheap and simple blinkies from Knog or Decathlon, powered by 2 x CR2032 batteries - the advantage in my view of these types is that you can see if the batteries are running down, no sudden loss of light that can happen with rechargeables.  But the technology is changing and improving all the time, many usb rechargeable lights no seem to have some sort of warning indicator. 

Recently, I have moved to a small Cateye as a blinkie light -

https://www.cateye.com/intl/products/safety_lights/SL-LD160-F/

I think this gives a larger surface area.  I often have this on blink, and a steady light as well.

Some cyclists seem to use very strong and intense lights, often quite a small surface area.  As a driver, I sometimes find these distracting / uncomfortable, even in daylight - I prefer a less intense front light but with a bigger surface area - I’ve recently bought one of these

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Lezyne-Zecto-Drive-250-80-USB-Rechargeable-Light-Set_111998.htm

(front light only) but not tried out yet.

At the rear, my Audax has a Moon Pulsar - best light available I thought when I bought the bike 3 years ago and fits on Airey rack very well.  But, as noted above, I now would prefer something with a larger area - might get something to go on the seatpost as well, probably from Cateye range.

No link to any of these companies, purely my preferences. 

Lewis

 

JohnR

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Re: Bike flags for safety
« Reply #12 on: December 03, 2020, 07:00:22 pm »
I think part of the problem, but not an excuse for careless driving, is that many younger people are riding very fast bikes, and drivers have not adapted to this, expecting they have room to leave a side road, for example.  I am not a fast rider - far from it! - but I do see people starting off, changing their mind, often ending up nose out into the road.  If people do reconsider and stop, I try and give a thankyou wave or at least a nod. 
I think people should not be allowed behind a driving wheel until they have clocked up a significant number of hours cycling on roads. Ditto cyclists need to spend time as pedestrians before they use shared paths. It's good to experience the situation from other users' perspectives. Many drivers are quite respectful of cyclists, particularly on narrower roads where it's not easy to pass. If they are going in my direction then I'll look for a place to stop and wave them on.

Some cyclists seem to use very strong and intense lights, often quite a small surface area.  As a driver, I sometimes find these distracting / uncomfortable, even in daylight - I prefer a less intense front light but with a bigger surface area - I’ve recently bought one of these

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Lezyne-Zecto-Drive-250-80-USB-Rechargeable-Light-Set_111998.htm

(front light only) but not tried out yet.
I've just put a Lezyne Femto light on my bike https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Lezyne-Femto-USB-Rechargeable-Front-Light_216227.htm. It's designed to help with visibility when I interpret as me being seen by others as the beam isn't focussed enough to find my way down a dark road.

StuntPilot

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Re: Bike flags for safety
« Reply #13 on: December 04, 2020, 02:12:07 pm »
Some great information and advice here! I would probably only use a flag if towing a trailer. A reflective vest is a must in poor weather or at night.

I thought quite a bit about cycle safety. A dynamo system is the ideal solution as you can run it constantly day or night without having to recharge frequently or spend a fortune on batteries. I ended up adding a Top Line Brake Plus on the rear and a AXA Blueline 50 Switch on the front. Both incorporate reflectors in their design. The bonus with the Top Line Brake Plus is that it increases in brightness when you brake acting like a car brake light which registers well with drivers.

https://www.axasecurity.com/bike-security/en-gb/products/lights/7/93952495SB/axa-blueline-50-switch
http://en.bumm.de/produkte/dynamo-ruecklicht/toplight-line-plus.html

I also have an Alpina Campialio helmet that can neatly incorporate their triangular LED light (flashing or steady) allowing better visibility for drivers due to it being higher up.

On my longer tours I attach the Hermanns 'lollypop" as Dan mentioned. I think its very effective coupled with the general bulk of the rear panniers. I have also attached pedal reflectors. The Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres have a very effective reflective band on the sidewall which I understand negates the need for spoke reflectors.

An absolute must is a mirror especially when fully loaded where it can be destabilising looking over your shoulder. As to road position I agree that about a metre out from the kerb works well. With a mirror you can see traffic approaching from behind, move out slightly towards the middle of the road, and if the driver is not slowing down or pulling out you have that margin to dodge back in nearer to the kerb just before the driver passes!

Using mixed cycle/walking paths a bell is essential to give plenty warning to pedestrians. A few times when I forgot to use the bell, and even when giving pedestrians a wide berth, some have shouted (probably as they got a fright) as they didn't hear you coming.

Here is Scotland, and other parts of the UK recently, there has been a clamp down by police if they see any motorists not slowing down and giving cyclists sufficient space when passing. Generally an education warning but fines have been issued too.

https://www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q967.htm
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-48181424
« Last Edit: December 04, 2020, 02:23:47 pm by StuntPilot »

steve216c

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Re: Bike flags for safety
« Reply #14 on: December 04, 2020, 06:07:48 pm »
+1 on hub dynamos and 24/7 always on when riding. As a car driver I am acutely aware of how easy it is to overlook cyclist and pedestrians in dark colours. On a bike I am belt and braces with additional passive and active lighting improvements when riding.

I only buy tyres with the reflex stripe. I bought some Scotchlite sticky tape and put multiple stripes on various parts of bike including mudguards, crank arms and on chainglider as well as on frame. My Ortlieb bag has reflective details. I have a neon yellow and an orange Karrimore jacket from Sportsdirect with reflective details in design. If too warm for a jacket I have an IKEA family hi viz waistcoat in neon yellow with reflective detail.

I have had several helmets over past years, and am currently happy with my Lidl Crivit helmet with rear blinkie integrated. I run blinker additional to the Dynamo lights as soon as it is dark.

Despite making sure I am visible, I am still wary of car drivers missing seeing me. But my wife overtakes me on the school run in the car says she can always spot me from a long way off and the kids are also happy to wear uncool bright clothes too just like papa, so I guess I’m not a bad role model.
If only my bike shed were bigger on the inside...