Helmet Color

[Nooner]

Was looking at a $500 C3 so what was it about the chin strap?

The chin strap was far too tight on my neck, similar to the problems in this thread.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=698334

the helmet is super ridiculously high quality - I had the 'globe' print. I loved the fit of the shell and the functionality, I just couldn't stand the strap and couldn't bring myself to wear the helmet with the strap as loose as I needed it to be to be comfortable.

 

[AVGeek]

This is my current helmet. It's the Shoei GT Air, and here in Phoenix, it's been the right choice!

 

[SingleTrackMind]

How do you like the GT Air? I bought one but haven't used it yet. Soon though.

 

[fredz43]

This is my current helmet. It's the Shoei GT Air, and here in Phoenix, it's been the right choice!

Somewhat similar to my Shoei RF1200. I have mostly worn Shoeis, but the GT Air didn't fit my head shape like other Shoeis. Good ventilation and a light color work for me.

 

[Poohbear]

Funny how peoples perception is that lighter (or white) helmets are more visible and even considering putting reflective tape or some such on their lids. The fact is that light helmets, light coloured bikes, high vis jackets etc make no difference to whether someone is going to pull out in front of you at a junction. The reason is that it's not that they haven't seen you. it's that they haven't looked! Oh they turned their head your way and made sure there was nothing coming that was going to hurt them, but they didn't look for a bike. There is lots of research on this subject, especially as the French government keep coming out with stupid laws like compulsory high vis jackets and compulsory reflective stickers on helmets. The fact is that none of this works because usually when someone pulls out on you the old adage "Sorry mate, I didn't see you" actually means "Sorry mate, I didn't look".

 

[pnelson]

Funny how peoples perception is that lighter (or white) helmets are more visible and even considering putting reflective tape or some such on their lids. The fact is that light helmets, light coloured bikes, high vis jackets etc make no difference to whether someone is going to pull out in front of you at a junction. The reason is that it's not that they haven't seen you. it's that they haven't looked! Oh they turned their head your way and made sure there was nothing coming that was going to hurt them, but they didn't look for a bike. There is lots of research on this subject, especially as the French government keep coming out with stupid laws like compulsory high vis jackets and compulsory reflective stickers on helmets. The fact is that none of this works because usually when someone pulls out on you the old adage "Sorry mate, I didn't see you" actually means "Sorry mate, I didn't look".

Just one second on Google to find this... http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC387473/

"After adjustment for potential confounders, drivers wearing any reflective or fluorescent clothing had a 37% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.63, 95% confidence interval 0.42 to 0.94) than other drivers. Compared with wearing a black helmet, use of a white helmet was associated with a 24% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.76, 0.57 to 0.99)."

 

[frez]

It's not that simple.

Motorists pull out in front of police motorcycles that are full on hi-viz with flashing lights and sirens. It's comforting to think our choice of clothing colour helps, but the fact is some people simply do not see you regardless, so it's best to ride on the assumption they haven't.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22062342 - Study found it depends on the ambient background (for instance, solid black is more conspicuous against a bright sky)

http://hfs.sagepub.com/content/54/1/14 - Study found a high level of contrast with background increases how conspicuous the rider is.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24291070 - This study found you are no more likely to have a car pull out from a junction on you riding a motorcycle than driving a car. However, it did find that a motorcycle is more likely to have a car turn across its path when it was oncoming.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24464593 - Study found you are more likely to be seen if there are a lot of motorcycles prevalent.

 

[AVGeek]

How do you like the GT Air? I bought one but haven't used it yet. Soon though.

Easily my favorite helmet (I've used HJC, Arai and Nolan in the past, and I have a couple of Bilt helmets, including their adv model). The interior sunshade is just the right shade, the helmet is light, and the viewport is wider than the RF1000 this replaced. The ventilation is great; I was worried it would be too much during winter (yes it does get cold in Phoenix, we had snow in Mesa on NYE!), but this winter was pretty mild and I wasn't really riding when it was the coldest.

 

[Poohbear]

Just one second on Google to find this... http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC387473/

"After adjustment for potential confounders, drivers wearing any reflective or fluorescent clothing had a 37% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.63, 95% confidence interval 0.42 to 0.94) than other drivers. Compared with wearing a black helmet, use of a white helmet was associated with a 24% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.76, 0.57 to 0.99)."

And as everyone knows, you can pretty much get something to say whatever you want on the internet but that doesn't necessarily mean that it's true

 

[snakebitten]

I know what IS true, no matter what "the internet says".

You can be wearing all the proper gear and in any color you like, and still DIE on the side of the rode.

Surviving is a result of not coming in contact with an object that threatens harm and\or injury.

The RIDER and his\her skills to operate the motorcycle at precarious moments and situations, is what determines the degree of safety while hurling ourselves down the road sitting atop an Iron Horse.

Let's ride safe out there friends.

 

[Checkswrecks]

It's not that simple.

Not arguing with you, just adding to your good references, the simplest approach is to look at the bigger picture where I believe it was Hurt who first(?) wrote that white helmets are under-represented in motorcycle accidents. Period. When I took the MSF instructor class, they were pushing this and I saw that others have confirmed it in real-world data. I think it was in Thailand and Australian data reviews. Your first two studies would support this.

Motorists pull out in front of police motorcycles that are full on hi-viz with flashing lights and sirens. It's comforting to think our choice of clothing colour helps, but the fact is some people simply do not see you regardless, so it's best to ride on the assumption they haven't.

I totally agree that our safety is on us, but this misses that this is all about rates of collisions. We have so much traffic that people run into bridge casings, buildings, trees, and other fixed objects too. But high conspicuity through either brightness, movement, or observed width (size) does cut the rate of hitting pretty much anything. Again, this fits with both accident data and your first two studies.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24291070 - This study found you are no more likely to have a car pull out from a junction on you riding a motorcycle than driving a car. However, it did find that a motorcycle is more likely to have a car turn across its path when it was oncoming.

This fits again into the conspicuity, in that when oriented straight-on versus sideways, the angular field of view of the motorcycle is substantially different. When viewed sideways, the angular field of view of the motorcycle is not that far smaller than a car, and the vertical orientation of the motorcyclist may offset the size difference, because the cars are primarily horizontal lines.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24464593 - Study found you are more likely to be seen if there are a lot of motorcycles prevalent.

There are several ways this is common-sense. Awareness, recent active recognition vs stored passive memory, etc.

 

[Checkswrecks]

 

[SingleTrackMind]

Unfortunately, when it comes to distracted drivers it doesn't matter what you're wearing. Black, white or orange.

 

[shrekonwheels]

Unfortunately, when it comes to distracted drivers it doesn't matter what you're wearing. Black, white or orange.

It is all about odds, even the distracted driver has a higher chance of getting glimpse of a bright color, over a dark one.




I really cannot for the life of me understand why this argument even exists, if reflective bright colors did not work then our signs would not be certain colors with reflective surfaces.
Construction would not be using high vis colors.

I know it is not a guarantee of my safety, but I have, even though I am a very offensive/defensive driver noticed a substantial decrease in the amount of people who come into my lane.

I rode wearing black for 13 years on the street, you litterally could not pay me to do so again.

To each their own.

 

[SingleTrackMind]

It is all about odds, even the distracted driver has a higher chance of getting glimpse of a bright color, over a dark one.




I really cannot for the life of me understand why this argument even exists, if reflective bright colors did not work then our signs would not be certain colors with reflective surfaces.
Construction would not be using high vis colors.

I know it is not a guarantee of my safety, but I have, even though I am a very offensive/defensive driver noticed a substantial decrease in the amount of people who come into my lane.

I rode wearing black for 13 years on the street, you litterally could not pay me to do so again.

To each their own.

Absolutely agree. My point is when people have their heads down and not paying attention they become unpredictable. I personally have Klim gear with reflective patterns that enhance visibility. Riding is dangerous enough and anything that may turn things in our favour, why not use it.

 

[tomatocity]

Love thread arguments... and how others respond. Some get angry some state their case. The angry ones usually don't let go and the state your case ones are usually content. That said...

AVGeek, you convinced me to try a Shoei GT Air. The color will be my choice... whatever that is. What sold me on the GT Air was that is is Slightly Narrow. Surprise because Shoei is usually more round. And has a Drop Down Tinted Visor tough I need to check it with my prescription glasses. Thanks AVGeek.

 

[frez]

My daughter has one and she wears prescription glasses sometimes and contacts at others and finds it fine. She did say she found it more difficult to spot traffic lights on red with the sun visor down. I tried it out when I changed my helmet last year, and always having had Shoeis I was surprised it didn't fit right. It's a slightly different shape than their usual and I felt pressure on the crown of my head. I got a Neotec instead which has the same in built sun visor, I don't find it a problem spotting traffic lights on red (maybe it was her excuse for jumping one).

 

[Madhatter]

yesterday, as i approached a red light that had a dark colored car waiting. i did not notice at first (a second or two, which is a lot of time in traffic) the motor cycle sitting behind it. the bike rider was in all black and black helmet. totally blended in with the car, what i finnally noticed was that the car seemed to have two tail lights on one side and not the other.... the good news was the rider had on all the gear, but he may need it sooner than most. he needed some thing to break up or put some contast in his out fit, camoflage is for hunting and combat. hi-viz, yellow , orange ,white are the best. i wear a black nolan helmet, and black m/c over pants, my jacket is hi-viz with black trim.... people see me but its the jacket they see first...

 

[AVGeek]

Love thread arguments... and how others respond. Some get angry some state their case. The angry ones usually don't let go and the state your case ones are usually content. That said...

AVGeek, you convinced me to try a Shoei GT Air. The color will be my choice... whatever that is. What sold me on the GT Air was that is is Slightly Narrow. Surprise because Shoei is usually more round. And has a Drop Down Tinted Visor tough I need to check it with my prescription glasses. Thanks AVGeek.

You're welcome tomatocity! I went to my local Cycle Gear for the helmet; they didn't have this color in stock at the time, but I was able to test fit another one. I wound up changing the cheek pads to the thinner (31mm); standard is 35mm.

 

[lapi]

thanks to you guys I am running a white helemet and retiring my silver. I feel weird.
:-\