Do High Viz vests make you invisible?

Actually never thought of the learner thing, but I have stopped wearing it and the nesr misses have stopped... very strange, however, one day last week, I did wear it again and sufferred another two near misses, one on the A6 where a young lad in a corsa just moved from the inside lane into my lane, he only stopped, because I sounded my horn.... at least he put his hand up to say sorry. Steve

Back to the it doen't matter that it is there fault you have to presum thay haven't or can't see you and make as many allowances as possible. A completed journey is only a number of risky situations that you have survived. The Tall One

Hi Steve. it doesnt matter what u wear or if u have ur lights on I have realised that about 20% of drivers do not look right first at junctions. I dont know why that is but i think its true and many more will follow this dangerous practise as they come in from the continent. The motorway truck experience is nothing new, they come out with impunity no matter whats there. cars cutting in is probably caused a lot by the fact that the outside mirrors give a false view of the distance of the vehicle passed i know my car a vauxhall the exterior mirror shows the same vehicle at least twice as far away as the interior. i never pull in unless i can see all the vehicle behind me. i know this doesnt excuse bad driving but if most drivers accept the above maybe we motorcyclists will be safer on the roads best of luck.

Do High Viz vests make you invisible?.... Let me explain…. With the bad weather this week, and in particular the wind (must stop eating so many beans), I decided that I had better start wearing a high viz vest, rather than just my usual black leathers. That way I thought, other road users would be able to see me better…. NOT! In two days, I have had three, yes three! Near misses, all as a result of people not seeing me! Despite me wearing a high viz vest. In fact I am sure that its not a high viz vest, rather an alien cloaking device that should belong in Torchwood! The first of my trio of near misses, occurred 1 mile from home. I was riding slowly (20 mph) along a road when a blind lady driving a silver escort kust pulled right out in front of me. I know she was blind, as her guide dog was sat in the front seat giving her directions. I think that Labrador needs new glasses. Anyway I pulled a perfect emergency stop (in the rain I might add) and the bike came to s halt 1 foot from her rear door. I really thought I was going to hit her and that the car behind me was going to hit me as well. As you can imagine, I was shaking my boots off and my legs were like jelly. OK Number two and three both occurred last night on the way home. Again it was very windy on the M6, (too many beans again) and I was mostly in the inside lane, taking it easy, riding at between 55 and 65 mph. I was approaching a group of lorry’s so I indicated, lifesaver and moved into a clear middle lane. I overtook the first lorry, and as I was approaching the second, it decided to indicate and pull straight out into the middle lane, just where I was! I knew that the outside lane was empty so I made a swift move out of the way of the lorry. OK number three…. Having overtaken the lorry’s, I pulled into the inside lane and continued for a few miles. A car caught up with me and decided to pull into the inside lane behind me, no problem with that. A few miles further on, I could see a car gaining on us in the inside lane, he came level with the car behind me and as he passed, he got level with me and moved over onto the inside lane, I had to move to the hard shoulder!. So do high viz vests make you invisible? I think so. Oh and it gets better…. I needed petrol last night, and on my way to the station, I have to ride along one of the main dual carriageways into Warrington. I was in the outside lane as I was approaching a roundabout, at which I needed to turn right. A car was travelling on the opposite carriageway, again in the outside lane. It had been raining heavily, though it was not raining at that time, and a large puddle must have formed. Just as me and the car passed each other a huge bow wave shot over the central reservation and landed on top of me, I was soaked, I could feel water peculating down into my boots! All in all not a bad week for biking I think! Steve