 Police Complaints? I was nearly taken out by a police car this morning that accelerated up to me with the clear intention of cutting in front to make a left turn. When it became apparent that such a manoevre would be impossible without a collision the driver had to brake hard to make the turn behind me.
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 NO COMMENT - as advised by the brief.
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were you wearing black Richard?
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Where I live there is a long straight road where you can see 2 miles up ahead. Turning onto the road recently on a dull cloudy day I could immediately make out a cyclist from 2 miles away. He was wearing a yellow top. I drove it recently - same conditions, same time of day and it wasn't until much closer I noticed a cyclist who was dressed dark clothing. Yes, you should wear what you want and its a driver's responsibility to pay attention to road traffic, but environmental factors dictate that you'll always be more visible in bright clothing.
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Broad daylight and I was wearing a Solo blue top with white band around the midriff.
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a prime example of someone who doesnt realise how fast cyclist can travel!!
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there was a photographer a while back that wanted to be inconspicuous in london & take pics of people behaving naturally. but whenever he got his camera out people reacted - staring, walking off, whatever. his solution - wear a bright yellow builders jacket. no one even noticed he was there. happy snapper. they are so common especially in towns these days, its like putting on camoflage.
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a prime example of someone who doesnt realise how fast cyclist can travel!! Yeah, even me on fixed wheel...
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 I have to say I wear black in dry winter conditions. My overshoes are black, leg warmers black, shorts black and my winter jersey is black. I always have at least one rear light clipped on though which I turn on if the conditions become overcast. At night and in the wet I wear my Altura Reflex jacket in yellow. So much kit is black as standard
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 So.....Black socks should be OK from a fashion point of view as they are actually invisible due to the "Ninja Effect". Adam, is M@ dressed in all black and training in Italy/Mexico by any chance?
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 "they are so common especially in towns these days, its like putting on camoflage". But surely no less visible, camouflage blends into the background, these bright fluorescent tops certainly don't do that !!
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I wear a suit to get between my office in Threadneedle street and my clients, dispersed around the city. I have never seen a fluorescent suit outside of the circus, so tend towards dark blue or black, with inconspicuous pinstripes. Never had a problem being seen.
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I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest you are either a personal banker or accountant.
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Cyclist first, Lawyer second. Ninja last
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"Never had a problem being seen". By whom ?. Most people in town wear dark suits. they hardly stand out visually. Wear black when cycling in the snow only.
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It snowed today on the way to work in Sheffield - still only had black tights on though.
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bear chest, no shoes and socks... and gloves there for wimps were hard up north!!!
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Most ccylist wear dark trousers or black lycra so we are really only discussing the jacket here. Other than the fact that all jackets, like catrs, are black in the dark, the onlyactual black jacket I know is the Rapha one and it has lots of reflective surfaces. During the day there are lots of parts to be visible, bike, helmet, bags so not so sure that jacket adn trousers should not be much of an issue. If colour were really an issue, black motorbikes and cars should also be banned. In fact they are in lower insurance categories, (it is the red and yellow cars that attract premiums becasue they are go go colours bought by go go drivers). Cars and motorbikes rely on normal visibility in full daylight and lights in hours of darkness, twilight, and rain and fog. Wish more bicyclists would use their lights in bad whether and twilight though.
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 I love my black cycling wear - it's MY choice! I use lights at night and a flasher during the rush hour (even in good day light conditions) Personally I think a black top with a 3m white flash is very effective in car head lights. As for banning black cycle clothing or forcing manufactures not to make it - well you just need to get a life and learn to make your own choices, it's quite a liberating experaince - not being told what you can and can't do - you should try it!
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I wear a black Altura jacket, but it has reflective patches and logos and so on all over. I almost always have a red backpack (Deuter Race) on, which also has a reflector (and a light) on it. My orange (I am Dutch ) Diadora shoes have reflectors built in as well. I have lights on during the day as well. Like everyone else cycling in London I experience the usual dXckheads that just do not pay any attention at all and cut you up/turn without looking/indicating etc, but never have I felt I was not visible enough. I do feel very strongly everyone should be able to wear what they want, and the excuse of 'I didn't see you' should be thrown out; if you look you will see. The problem is that drivers can't be bothered to look. And even if they do look they may not give a shXt anyway. Last year summer during the day in bright conditions wearing a yellow shirt and with lights on a police car cut me off even though he looked, saw me and still proceeded. No lights, no hurry, just too impatient too wait for a space in traffic. What does annoy the hell out of me is cyclists that cannot be bothered to have lights on their bike. On my usual daily 50k commute from Surrey into central London 90% do not have any lights. And no reflective material either. If you ride like that you can wait for an accident to happen. Regardless of the colour jacket you wear.
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