| Motorcycle riding, while incredibly fun, is not | | | | on safety gear, such as helmets and jackets, this |
| without its hazards. In fact, part of the joy of | | | | will be refreshingly inexpensive addition to your |
| riding is the thrill of danger. But just because the | | | | riding wardrobe. |
| sense of possible danger is exhilarating, doesn't | | | | The following is a list of things you need to look |
| mean you need to behave recklessly. There are | | | | for when selecting the right hi-vis vest for you. |
| many steps motorcyclists can take to improve | | | | - Quality construction. A quality vest is |
| their safety on the road. Smart cyclists will wear | | | | constructed of durable materials that can be |
| protective gear and learn to use their bike | | | | machine washed. Fasteners such as zippers or |
| effectively, with proper turning, braking and | | | | snaps need to be easy to manipulate while |
| evasive maneuvering. Unfortunately, even the | | | | wearing gloves. |
| most conscientious biker cannot control the | | | | - Bright colors. Vests come in all sorts of bright |
| biggest risk on the road... oblivious automobile | | | | colors and you can choose whichever suits you |
| drivers. Motorcycles are easy to miss because | | | | based on personal preference. Some believe that |
| they are smaller than cars and fit easily in the | | | | bright orange is best because motorists are |
| "blind spot". The agility of motorcycles often | | | | conditioned to look for orange vests on roadside |
| surprises unsuspecting drivers. And since | | | | workers. Others think an unexpected color is |
| motorcycles appear with less frequency on the | | | | better because it catches attention. Certain hues |
| road, they become a second thought. Many | | | | will stand out more when worn against your |
| automobile drivers operate in a state of auto-pilot | | | | jacket's color, so try on a few and select the |
| rather than heightened awareness, relying on habit | | | | best one for you. |
| to get them from point A to point B. All of these | | | | - Reflective strips. Your vest should feature |
| factors put motorcyclists at risk of being hit by | | | | reflective materials. It is recommended that you |
| an unaware driver. The best defense against | | | | also purchase reflective arm bands, since the vest |
| these drivers, is making sure they see you. | | | | will not be able to reflect light on your sides. |
| The easiest way to increase your visibility on the | | | | - Comfortable fit. The vest should be comfortably |
| road is by wearing hi-visibly safety vests. These | | | | snug. If it is loose, it should have adjustable strips |
| vests are particularly important if you ride a dark | | | | that allow you to cinch in. The vest should not |
| colored bike, as darker hues tend to blend into | | | | restrict movement, so when you try it on, |
| asphalt. Most motorcyclists notice an immediate | | | | experiment with movements and various |
| change when they start wearing a visibility vest. | | | | stretches. |
| Drivers notice you more quickly and often give | | | | - Buy two. Always carry a spare vest for |
| you more room on the road and at intersections. | | | | passengers. A reflective vest does little good if |
| And since most cyclists spend hundreds of dollars | | | | the back of it is blocked by your riding companion. |