But the dark nights and mornings are coming (in fact, for me they have already started), and I decided to make the bike a little more visible, even if that little strand of wire gives way and I am left invisible. But I wanted to be discreet. There's nothing that shouts 'bearded safety expert with no sense of adventure' more than a bike plastered in chevrons and extra brake lights. And on eBay I found this:
25mm REFLECTIVE BLACK TAPE per metre * REFLECTS WHITEHmmm. Sounds like something I could use - especially at two quid a metre. So I ordered two metres. A fiver, all in, including postage. Bargain.
REFLECTIVE BLACK STEALTH TAPE
REFLECTS WHITE! EXCELLENT FOR BLACK VEHICLES!
25MM DEEP
PRICED PER METRE. MULTIPLE PURCHASES SENT IN A CONTINUOUS LENGTH.
TOP QUALITY 5 YEAR OUTDOOR DURABLE
SELF ADHESIVE
SUITABLE FOR MOST SMOOTH CLEAN SOLID SURFACES.
CAN BE REMOVED AT A LATER DATE WITH NO DAMAGE TO SURFACE.
It arrived quickly, beautifully packaged in a proper box, and seller cheekybloke666 deserves a thumbs-up for his service. It really is black. In fact, it looks exactly like insulating tape, only a little wider and thicker. I took my time and used a craft knife to cut it very precisely, as I didn't want the end result to look a bodge. I think I succeeded, as it's hardly noticeable - until you shine a light on it, when it lights up like a road sign.
I put a strip of it round the Yam's top box, where there is a flat band that might have been made for it, and two more infills for the hand guards, following the line of the moulding round the edge. Here's the side view ...
... and here's the front.
Discreet, I hope, but bright enough to catch the eye. In daylight, the strips really are just plain black.
I recall another incident from way back, when I was in the car and came to a country crossroads in similar weather, to find a young lad who had fallen off a moped, sprawled across the centre of the junction. The sky was black, the rain was black, the road was black, his gear was black. His white crash helmet was the only thing I saw, and I saw it in time to slam on the brakes and miss him. If he'd had a black one, I am not sure I would have noticed until I was picking his constituent parts from my front suspension.
What I think I am saying here is that, for all normal purposes, I believe firmly in defensive riding and not relying on the skill and goodwill of others to keep out of trouble. But sometimes, especially if you go down, a bit of passive high-viz may not be a bad thing. My usual helmet is grey with a white and black pattern, and I have overlaid some of the black with this tape too. It doesn't alter the pattern at all, but in a strong light it makes quite a difference. Here's what it looks like, in normal light (sorry for the blur) ...
...and by flash.
(What looks like rough edges is where I trimmed it around the air vents.)
I don't think it looks too bad. My commute is on rural roads, some fast A-roads and some small country lanes, but all of it unlit. I will feel just a tiny bit safer with this kit.
Next episode: Richard goes shopping for a new jacket and trousers.
" It made me wonder what my chances would be against a speeding car if I were to be stranded by the side of that road with no lights on."
ReplyDeleteYou could always carry one of those 'glow sticks' They're small and portable, and throw out a decent light when activated. They're usually neon colours too, so should - in theory- attract more attention than plain white light.
A good and cogent argument, all round.
ReplyDeleteUnder normal vehicular circumstances, I would firmly argue that hi-vis or equivalent is - and should be - a complete irrelevance. Ride so that it doesn't matter whether others've seen you or not. And whatever you do, don't rely on your assumed obviousness to prevent people getting it all wrong.
However, a couple of similar experiences, most recently pushing my spectacularly-expired TDM home by the side of a busy but dark minor A-road with no hard shoulder with only some similar (but white) piping on the back of my jacket to attract attention...well, there are times when the situation is, simply, out of your hands.
This looks like an excellent way of improving one's chances at such moments where one has a reduced armoury of evasive options, without looking horrible the rest of the time. (Nice, neat work there btw). So cheers for the steer - I shall be hunting some of that down on the Bay of e forthwith.
@Julia - that is a very good idea, and I will look into it. The only drawback is that it needs the rider to a) be able and b) have the time to activate it. The 'passive' tape is there even if the rider is down and staying down, like the poor chap I almost ran over. But a good thing to add to the armoury, in any case. Thanks.
ReplyDelete@Endo - you put your finger on it, I think - it's when the situation is out of your hands, either through a breakdown or a crash. Also, it will hopefully show up a lot better in headlights than the XT's rather feeble rear light at a distance. I'm thinking of it as a last resort, rather than as part of my everyday safety kit. As you rightly say, visibility should be irrelevant if you are riding properly.
I may well be ordering another couple of metres from the chap on eBay. There may be a few places on the Sprint where it could be discreetly applied. But discreet's the word - nothing says 'sixteener with his first moped' than some badly-applied tapes and stickers.
Good discovery!
ReplyDeleteI might stick some of this on the cat.
*lightbulb*
ReplyDeleteOf course!
I'm hoping the corollary there is that nothing says 'ultra-cool individualist motorcycling veteran' better than lots of well-applied decals and stickers...
ReplyDelete...otherwise I'm just going to have to live with being mistaken for a spoddy yoof!