---- Mitchell Nussbaum <[email protected]> wrote: > Reflective stuff is great, as long as there's a light source somewhere. > But I'm not sure reflectors will make you visible to a motorist if his/her > headlights aren't shining on you.
A few years ago, Robbie told me something that I have since noticed by direct experience as a car driver -- the most effective reflectivity is that which is located at and below seat level. That's about (as just mentioned) how car headlights' light pattern is oriented (bad riceburner aftermarkets and post-crash misdirections notwithstanding). Mitch's frame-tape idea works well for this, and I just got a pair of ANSI-approved reflective pants (yes, ANSI-pants...) to use as pseudo-rain-snow pants. (BTW, you often find ANSI gear like this at Habitat Re-Store.) Alas, most such measures are blocked by panniers. The key is to reflectify (?) the rear-most lower part of your setup -- tail end of your fender, the rear-facing surface of your pannier, whatever you can manage. I'll still wear a reflective lime green vest, but that's as much for daytime visibility as anything else. Oh, did anyone else find Bob Mionske's notion that there are some bicyclists who intentionally "ride ninja" at night a bit specious? I can "understand" being cheap, being a weight weenie, being a "purist", but intentionally NOT wanting to be seen on the road at night? Hmmm (head-scratch). Maybe I just don't know my fellow cyclist. --------------- Paul T. O'Leary Chronic Nuisance Madison, WI USA _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org
