Which Hi-Viz Color Is The Highest Hi-Viz?

[RedLdr1]

I am going to be replacing one of my summer Mesh Jackets soon and have a color choice question. I have a choice between Hi-Viz Orange and Hi-Viz Yellow as the base color in the jackets I'm considering. I have seen both colors on the road, the local DOT uses both, and they seem to be fairly interchangeable as far as most safety publications are concerned. Which color do you think is more visible in traffic?

 

[Mellow]

I think there's now a neon hi-viz green now as well.

 

[RedLdr1]

I think there's now a neon hi-viz green now as well.

Hmm, Go Team Green! The perfect excuse to get a C14!

I have also seen on-line pictures of a supposed Hi-Viz Red... It just doesn't look that "hi-viz" in the catalog photos... For riding on military installations I'm stuck with Yellow or Orange anyway....

 

[Mellow]

I had a hi viz red from olympia for a while but didn't like the style of jacket so I sold it... it was very hi-viz IMO.. and olympia is now combining the red and yellow in some jackets.

 

[tawilke46]

Some states are using the Hi Viz yellow on school zone signs........makes them extremely visible to drivers.
IIRC some color studies have indicated the bright yellow is the most visible to the human eye.

 

[Rob]

it depends on the time of day. high viz yellow that is slightly greenish is the most visible during daylight hours. as the sun starts to go down, hi-viz orange is seen first by the eye. i wish i could remember the report where i read this.

so in my opinion, high viz yellow that has good reflective areas would be the best all around. unless of course you just like orange more - which i actually do, but i can't seem to find a lot of hi-viz orange offerings compared to yellow!

i ride with a hi-viz yellow scorpion commander jacket when it's 75 degrees or less (roughly) and a hi-viz yellow tourmaster air intake 2 mesh jacket for 75+.

 

[tawilke46]

I remember when the Air Force used a high visibility orange paint on some of their transport aircraft.

 

[vzshadow]

I vote yellow!

 

[RedLdr1]

unless of course you just like orange more - which i actually do, but i can't seem to find a lot of hi-viz orange offerings compared to yellow!

Go to your local Harley-Davidson dealer for lots of Hi-Viz Orange offerings... Then sew a couple Triumph and Rat patches over any Hundred-Dollar logos you can't remove and you'll be good to go...but a lot poorer...

 

[Warren]

Most of my jackets are the yellow/green. I do have one orange one. I think the yellow/green stand out more than the orange. They are both better than the black and gray that most riding gear comes in.

 

[Rob]

Yeah Wayne, I'm not so sure about paying the premium for HD-branded clothing!

I didn't consider that for orange though. Might be worth taking a look once in awhile...clearance racks and whatnot. I wonder if they carry non-logo'd clothing.

The local Harley dealership is a HUGE building with lots of product inside. It could house the entire Honda/Kawasaki dealer, the Triumph/Ducati dealer, and the BMW dealer probably twice over. Must say something about what most people ride around here.

 

[fltsfshr]

I like the t mobile ad girl in hi-viz pink.

fltsfshr

 

[RedLdr1]

I wonder if they carry non-logo'd clothing.

Not around here...I have three dealers within around 20 miles and all the clothing they carry is branded. I truly believe the "boutique" side of the dealership brings in more money than the bike sales...

 

[CommuterNT]

My vote is yellow. It does show the dirt more though. I wear the Olympia AST 2 Hi-Viz yellow jacket and after 1 year of wearing it year round it definitely looks dirty on the arms where it gets the most exposure to road grime. Doesn't wash completely out. I think it just makes me look like a tougher rider I even had a salesman from the dealership where I bought it from ask me how it got so dirty..."I ride year round unless snow or ice man!"

 

[XmarkF]

My vote goes the reddest. As our brains are hard wired for red (Blood) being a sign of danger and the signal travels faster in the brain, hence red stop signs, red tail lights etc.
I'd say yellow appears most visible. But I would put a fiver on orange getting a better reaction.

 

[ken]

I have a neon yellow/green Hi-Viz riding suit and aHi-Viz Orange helmet. My wife often follows me in the car when we travel, andsays she can see me even in heavy traffic for nearly a mile: the helmet is mostnoticeable during bright daylight, and the suit is more noticeable just afterdawn and during dusk. People always comment about how bright my outfit is, and I take that as a good thing.

Ken

 

[Phil Tarman]

I like the t mobile ad girl in hi-viz pink.

Amen to that!

 

[Warren]

I have a neon yellow/green Hi-Viz riding suit and aHi-Viz Orange helmet. My wife often follows me in the car when we travel, andsays she can see me even in heavy traffic for nearly a mile: the helmet is mostnoticeable during bright daylight, and the suit is more noticeable just afterdawn and during dusk. People always comment about how bright my outfit is, and I take that as a good thing.

Ken

Good comment about the helmet color. I have both hi-viz and white helmets and I think the white has better visibility. From the rear especially with a top box your helmet is more easily seen than your jacket. I see a lot of riders wearing the traditional black or silver helmets that do not show up very well at all.