Would like some Northwest opinions about rain jacket color

[salsabike]

I am about to replace my old yellow Burley rain jacket. I ordered a fairly bright blue Showers Pass jacket from TE (http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodSX_1256.html), and then started pondering whether drivers have a faster instinctive reaction to yellow/lime/orange jackets when they see them, whereas they might need a second or two to sort of process that the blue jacket is still a person. You know what I mean? The safety response to yellow seems to be kind of well established and maybe is faster? I'm not so worried about darkness, partly because I don't do that much night riding and because it's got plenty of reflective stuff. But I WOULD like a jacket that drivers would perceive as---Look, that's a person on a bike.

Would like some opinions about this from people who ride regularly in the rain here. Thanks.

[Grog]

Well I ride in the rain and I have both yellow and blue jackets.

I also drive in the rain, as I live in Vancouver.

As a driver, I find yellow more visible and unambiguous.

As a cyclist, I know that drivers who don't look for me don't see me, whatever I wear. The day I was hit (by a very slow car - thankfully - that "blew" a red light) I was wearing the yellow kit that makes me look like Big Bird. Makes you wonder.

[Biciclista]

I'd be afraid that blue wasn't reflective enough. I get tired of the ubiquitous yellow, but it works.

[shootingstar]

All my cycling jackets are yellow/neon lime green: 4 different ones --each of different weights, different repellencies for different seasons. I do wear them all.

Over the years, I've had people who are car-drivers, comment to me directly on elevators, etc. about the brightness of some of my neon-yellow/lime green jackets: they tell me it's an excellent colour choice for visibility. Some then proceed to complain about the cyclists who don't wear hi-vi colours for night/rain.

[OakLeaf]

+1 on yellow, in any weather.

It's not for the drivers who won't see you regardless of what you're wearing. It's for drivers who are paying attention, who will see you at least a quarter-mile sooner than if you weren't wearing hi-viz, and will have that much more time to respond to your presence.

Make a note of this next time you're in your car and see someone wearing hi-viz. Look for someone else at approximately the same distance. See how much easier it was to pick out the one in hi-viz.

[ny biker]

Having done plenty of bike rides with friends wearing blue jerseys, I noticed a long time ago that blue does not stand out well. (Neither does green.)

Yellow and orange, even when they're not a toxic hi-vis shade, are much more noticeable from a distance.

[MM_QFC!]

++1 on the hi-viz yellow/orange, with added reflecting stripes and use of blinkies!

Blue is a fave color of mine, and I too get tired of the yellow/orange/electric lime colors, but I want to be seen!
When I'm the one driving and can't see other riders who are in darker colors (even on a beautiful sunny day, you can get lost in the shade and shadows you know), it reinforces my efforts to try and wear high viz clothing while riding and/or add blinkies, reflective strips if needed.

Yes, many times, we can't do anything about drivers who are reckless, distracted or both, but I want to at least try to do what I can to be visible and catch the eye of anyone driving a vehicle on a road that I'm riding on, you know?
Mary

[Wahine]

I would definitely say that yellow is probably the most quickly noticed colour. Having said that I don't like always wearing yellow either. My compromise is a very good blinking tail light that I use all the time if it's cloudy and I'm on the road.

[LaFemmeFlora]

I live in Oly, WA...and I drive in the rain...and without a doubt the yellow and orange ar so much more visible.

Like Grog, I got hit on a sunny day. But I was all in red, dressed like a freakn' stopsign...and still got hit...at a stop sign!

[salsabike]

Well, there you go. Thanks, folks. I guess my obsessing about yellow wasn't out of place. Will exchange my Showers Pass for something bright yellow, maybe GoreTex. Too bad---I know people like Showers Pass jackets. But I know that when I see screaming yellow I instantly think "PERSON! PERSON!". When I see bright blue I have to ponder--sign? Car? House door? What? I don't want anyone pondering me on the street. So to speak.

[ny biker]

Well, there you go. Thanks, folks. I guess my obsessing about yellow wasn't out of place. Will exchange my Showers Pass for something bright yellow, maybe GoreTex. Too bad---I know people like Showers Pass jackets. But I know that when I see screaming yellow I instantly think "PERSON! PERSON!". When I see bright blue I have to ponder--sign? Car? House door? What? I don't want anyone pondering me on the street. So to speak.

But the Showers Pass jacket comes in yellow...can't you just exchange it?

[KnottedYet]

No matter what I wear, I have a screaming lime green vest over it. (and I have to admit my favorite rain jacket -Ibex softshell- is black)

Can you get the orange/yellow Showers Pass and wear a vest on top?

[salsabike]

The TE person, who's been great in talking over various jackets, said the blue is brighter than the goldenrod, which is pretty subdued--if I'm going to exchange it, it needs to be for something brighter, I think.

And Knott (Hiya, girl!), I get hot so would rather not have a vest over a jacket. Good thought, though. And I like the color of that vest you wear.

No, I want BRIGHT yellow, I think, like the GoreTex.

[beccaB]

If you like your blue a lot-could you still wear a yellow vest over it? I'm thinking about getting a blue raincoat from title 9, but I probably will hike in it more than bike. I'm not that fond of riding in the rain, and I haven't commuted to work much on my bike.

[Biciclista]

as a double showers pass family, i must say that goldenrod definitely glows and there's reflective stuff on the jackets too.
blue might be brighter in a show room, but that goldenrod is bright out on a rainy day