Orange vest reduces harrassment

[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

[Laterider21958]

A local discount store has some awfully bright yellow or green (can't actually really tell you the colour - need sunnies to look at it) thin polo fleece shapeless jumpers on sale at the moment. I looked at them, noting how dreadful they were, but I may go back and get one. I'm handy on the sewing machine. Perhaps I could tailor it a bit, tweak it a bit, and add a bit of black tape for a contrast (my attempt at making it a bit more stylish) and then, possibly then, wear it on my next ride. You have given me courage. The first ride will be the worst. I'd rather be alive than the alternative.

[Crankin]

I don't know, I haven't found that color makes any difference in the way I am treated. I haven't been yelled at for many years, but I do notice that when I ride my Voodoo (a bright yellow hard tail with lights, a rack, and pannier) around town, I get treated a bit more politely by motorists in that they might stop and let me go first in certain situations. Usually I am wearing slightly different clothing, too; like a skort or terry Spinnakers, mtb shorts instead of regular cycling shorts. I think it's that we look more like "regular" people to motorists when we are not in full roadie gear, but honestly, I don't care what they think. I commuted on my road bike and I didn't notice any difference in the treatment I got during commutes than when i just go out on a "ride."

[KnottedYet]

Yeah, panniers seem to make a difference,too.

Maybe when drivers see you loaded down with a pannier they trust that you will be holding your line and not hopping curbs or splitting traffic. You're haulin' that luggage on your rack, so you won't be likely to do any circus tricks!

When I'm driving and see someone who is clearly a commuter, I feel safer about their potential riding behaviour. Like I can trust them to behave like a vehicle, cuz they look more serious?

[Trek420]

Robyn Maislin sed "I think it's that we look more like "regular" people to motorists when we are not in full roadie gear, but honestly, I don't care what they think."

Exactly.

I don't care what they think as long as they treat me well and don't hit me.

Around here when I commute on my road bike the reaction/looks range from hostility (along the range of "WTF is THAT doing here, she should be in Woodside". I'm obviously very much seen as "other".) to curiosity which would be ok if they did not run across the BART station to grab my bike (in the "oooooh, it's so pretty" type of thing, true story).

When I'm on the MTB I'm just regular people, often waved through intersections and I like that.

I think there are some class issues involved is part of my theory. Since I'm not a sociologist I'll leave that be. And like Robyn says "I don't care what they think" if wearing a propeller beanie on my head makes me safer, I'd get one

[Torrilin]

I seem to have about the same harassment level on my bike as I do on foot. The odd male idiot screaming something, the occasional honk to make me jump. I'd estimate the numbers as less than one incident of harassment per day, vs 3-5 traffic violations per day. I wear street clothes (jeans, khakis, lightweight cotton tops) for both activities. Usually my top is a bright color - pink, red, or bright blue.

In LA there was definitely a class element to the harassment... black and Hispanic men in cars would be a *lot* more comfortable yelling at me. In an Angeleno's mind, only poor people walk. If you're in a car you have more money than the person who walks. I haven't noticed anything quite so obvious here in Madison.

In general tho I class the harassment I receive on the streets as sexual harassment. I take a lot more **** when I'm wearing something a bit bare, even if it's hot and a bit bare is a good idea. If the comments are intelligible, they're sexual. Given that, I'd suspect the reduced harassment from the bright vests and jerseys is that men don't see them as sexy. They may see a construction worker style vest as "work clothes" too, for a double whammy of "not ok to harass this one".

[Python]

Then she informed me that I am under no risk, with or without the vest, of ever being fashionable roadkill!

Reminds me of my daughter some years ago. She found some old pics of me in the 1970's wearing platform shoes - inch high platforms and 4 inch block heels and very flared jeans (lovely ). "Wouldn't be seen dead in those" exclaims daughter. A few months later daughter comes in wearing...platform shoes and flared jeans. "Thought you wouldn't be seen dead in those" says I. Quick as a flash she replies "Oh, well. It's the fashion"

Bigger insult was I bought a new bra. A Wondabra. Not a cheap bra. It disappeared. Couldn't find it anywhere. About a year later I'm loading the washing machine and daughter had been clearing out her bedroom. "Oh. You can have this back now" tossing the missing bra into the wash. "It's no good to me. Doesn't fit me now. Too small!!!"

Grrr....

[HappyAnika]

red white and blue anything, I have one red white and blue jersey (rails to trails) and it seems to help.

I was wondering about that as I saw a guy this morning wearing a jersey that more or less looked like the American flag.

[TsPoet]

I've been wearling "alertshirts" for years. I get teased when I walk into work about blinding people. These shirts are designed for road construction workers, they are made out of thick coolmax (tm) material and wick sweat very well. they are also cheap - but shipping is expensive, so get a group together to order if possible.
http://alertshirt.com/

[Velobambina]

...
Last year, Terry had a really obnoxious "Yellow lava" print for their jerseys - I see they still have a mesh tank in their sale section - that I wanted to get (but didn't) for it's shock factor. But then, I worried...would it make drivers sooooo woozy, that they's lose control of their car and swerve into me??

LOL, I got thatyellow/orange one in the sleeveless version (also got the green/blue one--it's a bit more placid but is still bright).

[eofelis]

I have a bright neon pink Hind cycling jersey. Pink is not my favorite color at all, but I like it because I'm sure it's quite visible for drivers.

I also have a PI Podium jersey with screaming yellow on the front and back and a Canari (?) jersey that is a bright yellow flower print.

I also have a bright powder blue jersey. I wore it on a ride with some friends and were were all strung out along a wide open straight hilly highway. A gal that was half a mile or more behind me for a while said later that my shirt was very visible from far away.

In contrast, my favorite mtn biking jersey is olive green and grey. It matches the sage and juniper around here very nicely!

[Zen]

Thinking along the lines of wearing the red, white, and blue, I opted for the
U.S. Army jersey.
I like the graphic design and no, I'm not a poseur, I'm a veteran.
Now drop and give me twenty.

[Geonz]

I think for the most part it's not that they are thinking consciously and passing judgements ("oh, that is a recreational rider... doesn't *need* to be on the road... why should I give her more room") though it is possible. I agree with whoever posted way back wherever that it's more the visibility that actually penetrates the "automatic pilot" before it's an "where di d *that* come from?!" moment. I can say that drivers *should* treat me better regardless, and I could be "proud" and not change what I"m wearing... but in this case if pride goeth before a fall it's one that I don't want to make.

I am pretty sure people have thought I was a fragile type special human a couple of times (that driver that said, so kindly, "it's okay, I was watching you...") ... and I figure that if we all thought we were fragile creatures needing our special care... that would not be a bad thing.

[Starfish]

Thinking along the lines of wearing the red, white, and blue, I opted for the
U.S. Army jersey.
I like the graphic design and no, I'm not a poseur, I'm a veteran.
Now drop and give me twenty.

I love the jersey! Out of curiosity, how would you feel about a non-veteran wearing that jersey?

I have a lot of respect for all veterans, and would not want to offend any veterans by wearing that sort of jersey. On the other hand, people wear Discovery jerseys, for instance, out of admiration for the team, not trying to pose as a Disco team member!

What would you think, Zen?