Orange vest reduces harrassment

[Eden]

I kind of like the jerseys that say Police in really big letters - and support your local.... in really small ones. You want to bet me that wearers of those jerseys get less harrasment.

My team kit has big easy eye green (that flourescent yellow/green color) stripes on it and though its not the whole shirt or shorts, I know from experience that I can spot my teammates a mile away because of it. I don't find that drivers are any nicer... just gives them a better target to aim at...

traveling somewhat behind a guy the other day I did notice that cars were much more willing to pass me very close than they were him - do they think that I won't leave a very big dent or something (and no I don't ride in the gutter casue I don't like to encourage people to pass that close - I did have the TT bike out and I wonder if that made me look smaller and easier to pass)

[Jolt]

I also wear a screaming yellow vest with reflective stripes on it, and I do look like a dork in it! Especially with the purple helmet, the gloves and the red plastic crate on the back of the bike . With very few exceptions, drivers give me plenty of clearance when passing. I haven't had any real problems with rude drivers in general, the worst I've had is comments/catcalls from guys on the sidewalk (and those are sometimes funny). The only time I don't wear the vest is if it's a bright sunny day and I happen to be wearing a really bright top such as my shocking pink t-shirt.

[lauraelmore1033]

I have a Performance jersy in the ugliest screaming shade of orange that you can imagine. It actually took me a long time to work up the courage to wear it, but it does seem that cars give me more room and there are fewer cat-calls. People always comment on it and say that it is a good idea to be so highly visible on a bike--but I haven't seen any rush of people buying these gawd awful things. Hubby has one 'cause bought it for him, but his actually looks kinda nice on him...

[Trek420]

I kind of like the jerseys that say Police in really big letters - and support your local.... in really small ones. You want to bet me that wearers of those jerseys get less harrasment.

I duuno, and trade it for the harassment cops get? I would not want the attention of anyone with a chip on their shoulder towards cops unless the jersey comes with kevlar lining ;-)

My LBS though has one of these jerseys from the Police Unity Tour in his window. He works on the bikes for the local bike cops.

[Eden]

I don't think the real cops mind at all - I think they get a kick out of it more than anything. Bike cops, I think, around here feel a bit of unity with the rest of us

[Jenerator]

I duuno, and trade it for the harassment cops get? I would not want the attention of anyone with a chip on their shoulder towards cops unless the jersey comes with kevlar lining ;-)

My LBS though has one of these jerseys from the Police Unity Tour in his window. He works on the bikes for the local bike cops.

That's the non-kevlar version. The kevlar version is much hotter and much heavier. It stops some random bullets, but not all and does nothing to stop random acts of stupidity. If people see "POLICE" on a jersey, get used to being flagged down for help & flipped off too. If I do something stupid in that jersey people will generalize it to 'all cops' too, and we certainly don't need any more stereotypes or bad press. Even though it's a really nice jersey, other than 4-5 days in May, I don't wear mine much. I generally prefer a subtle white or loud hi-viz green.

[Zen]

Well, I had to think about this.
If I didn't know them I would call them a poseur but you've given some very valid reasons. There are people who grew up all their lives in the army so they are in effect veterans too.

Permission granted

[Starfish]

Permission granted

Um...do I still have to drop and crank out that 20?

[Zen]

For you, ten.
You can do it.

[Geonz]

We had our public safety director in for a meeting yesterday to review the college's "all hazards emergency operations plan." Mostly we talked about college stuff but we also talked a bit about all that stuff about not "walking like a victim." I think people still tend to think "but I"m not *thinking* like a victim" ... but that doesn't mean that you're not presenting the opportunity to become one...
... anyway... I realized as he described how he proceeds in public that an awful lot of those same "body language" things are exactly what I do on the bicycle... basically "be very very PRESENT THANK YOU!!" and interactive with the humans. WHen he added that an effect of this is that people are very frequently greeting him (because that automatic interact-with-you pattern invites it) I realized, "that's what's going on with the bicycle, too!" It's not just being mildly infamous (with my weird bike and occasional airtime for cycling stuff). I realized that yup, the habit has carried over into the way I walk down the hall, too... even if I'm not consciously looking people in the eye, I've just got a more interactive facial expression. In previous jobs, the assorted staff folks I'd pass here and there didn't all greet me, etc... I thought it was the climate here but now I realize that it's probably because I'm behaving differently (and it's why people confuse me for an extravert when I'm really a Very Shy Person who just Walks Around With a Grin.)

Which is a convoluted way of saying that riding safely makes me safer 24-7.