Anyone else thinks it's really dumb how many EUC content creators wear dark or low visibility clothes that blend in with everything while aggressively riding, lane splitting, and rolling through stop lights/signs?

[tenofnine]

...and then they get angry or talk shit about how a car almost cut them off or didn't see them? Seems so counter-intuitive and hypocritical to me.
 

Why are you wearing all black or plain clothes that literally blend in the streets and sky?

There is already the pigeon effect on such a slim fast moving object. We are hard to see already; when approaching it looks like we are going half our actual speed then when we zip past it looks like we are flying at 50% faster speed than we are.

Every time I ride I always at least have a bright/reflective piece of clothing/vest/harness/pants and a bright or reflective backpack or covering on my back.

I just don't understand the thought process of wearing basically urban camo while riding a 25-45 mph tiny device. Are you trying to get hit?

[Funky]

28 minutes ago, tenofnine said:

Are you trying to get hit?

Yes.  All for the content..  

Edited July 5, 2022 by Funky

[OldFartRides]

Don’t forget style points.

[The Brahan Seer]

 

[Tawpie]

Yeah, it is important to look brave and adventurous and a little bit dangerous for the video, that's part of the entertainment right? Not my style, the dark color palette is all wrong for my skin type.

[Funky]

48 minutes ago, The Brahan Seer said:

 

That's Racist!!! Poor monkey.

[Lets Do Science]

37 minutes ago, Tawpie said:

Yeah, it is important to look brave and adventurous and a little bit dangerous for the video, that's part of the entertainment right? 

I won't speak for anyone else but I ride gear-light (knee, slolam helmet, goggles) because it's a much more enjoyable experience for me. Being able to really feel the elements, the speed, is a huge part of the joy of EUC riding. I see people decked out in motorcycle jackets, heavy helmets and goofy looking wrist guards - are y'all just always riding in fear? 

[OldFartRides]

7 minutes ago, Lets Do Science said:

 I see people decked out in….and goofy looking wrist guards…

Wrist guards are,  IMHO probably the essential piece of gear, after the brainbucket.

But hey, y’all do y’all.

[litewave]

I have often poked fun at the EUC all-black aesthetic. I agree with the OP but think we should go a step further and call out EUC YouTubers and brands who/which promote mostly black-colored equipment and gear.

I nominate @Ben Hatfield for strutting a great look in several of his videos. Also, mild applause for OG @Marty Backe aka the Dark Lord who had a fashion makeover a couple years ago and now wears (some) colorful gear.

Here's my brand wish (hit) list:

• Demon United (all black body gear, wrist/elbow/knee guards, and most helmets). Their logo would look much cooler in a bright red or flame gradient.
• Leatt (all black body gear - boring)
• POC, Fox (boring helmets and body gear)
• All EUC manufacturers (kudos to KS for adding some ninja flare and color to the S22, even if the red parts don't match )

Almost all helmet brands offer color varieties, yet most are just monochrome flavors. I'm calling out TSG (are the Swiss really too lazy or cheap to do any design work?) and Fox for underwhelming options. Thanks to Martha Stewart for inspiring TSG's pastel line-up for 2022 .

Shout out to Troy Lee Designs and a few no-name Chinese brands for having colorful if not outrageous artwork, even if some are gawdy or kitsch .

 

Edited July 5, 2022 by litewave

[yoos]

Ah, the perfect opportunity for an essay!

Fashion is important in the city and there are important connotations to certain clothing styles. The stereotypical NYC lane splitter wears a mix of sleek motorcycle clothing and streetwear. A perfect example is evx [disclaimer: I don't know Mickey personally, my commentary is intended in good fun]. Mostly black with some colorful accents, a mix of streetwear staples (e.g. alpha industries bomber jacket), techwear cargo pants and a black helmet. All in line with his chosen cyberpunk style. EUCs in a megalopolis perfectly fit the cyberpunk theme so this is a perfectly reasonable choice and I personally follow suit to an extent.

Black is the default city color in western culture. It has also the right connotations for someone who considers themselves a rebel/free person, i.e. the young target of motorcycle ads. Basically, black is both conformist and rebellious, black is both simple and sophisticated, black is easy to mix and match, yet black fits in most occasions. In the end, why are most EUCs black?

Luckily black gear is salvable from a safety perspective as long as you add some bright accents and, most importantly, active lights. Once you are swaddled in reflective cloth and decorated with neon LEDs like a christmas tree, you will be perfectly visible. Fortunately, such funky abundance is well within cyberpunk traditions and is therefore most welcome.

Let me confess: I wear black dual axis, black elbow pads, black wrist guards (by the way, non-black ones are epically rare), a black-gray IXS Trigger FF helmet, an olive green TSG Pass, a dark blue mc jacket and a grey-black mesh mc jacket with yellow accents. However, I have added reflective tape to my EUC, my dual axis, my helmet and my backpack; I mounted an extra headlight on the EUC and four blinking lights on the backpack (two whites in front and two reds on the back). I believe this has made me properly visible (yet cool enough to impress the kindergarten on my commute).

[The Brahan Seer]

I wear hi-viz if its very dull/close to dark or very wet but I don't go out at night. I don't see black as an issue during the day as there is no black in the surroundings I am at. I do have a white helmet deliberately to give contrast. I prefer not to be all black but sometimes am. My thinking is if I wore very visible clothing I would then expect people to see me but they won't. Wearing black and being camouflaged means I know there is a chance they won't see me so I ride with this in mind, defensively. [Also EUC's are illegal here so I don't want to attract attention to myself].  The way the brain processes visual information also has an impact on why people don't see you. Irrespective of what you wear or having lights on. (Remember how sometimes you have entered a room familiar to you only to find out some time later that something had changed but you hadn't noticed?) This is because once you are in a familiar setting the brain recalls the surroundings from memory. This also explains why when you first enter a new place you look at everything and take it all in but the next time you go in you don't. It all just appears. This can also happen if you are on a road very familiar to you and is how accidents often occur when we suddenly see something too late that wasn't there before. 

2 hours ago, Lets Do Science said:

are y'all just always riding in fear? 

I think the people who would be scared are the ones who don't ride EUC's. For me I wear all the gear because I have hurt myself a few times on M/C's not wearing the appropriate gear when I was younger and its just not worth the hassle/pain when wearing the right gear prevents it. I also enjoy dressing up and in some ways think cars on the road will take me more seriously looking that way. 

[mike_bike_kite]

"Anyone else thinks it's really dumb how many EUC content creators..."

It's the folk that ride with no consideration for others that get to me. Then there's those that ride at high speed on the sidewalk (or on walking trails) and expect people to just jump out their way. Finally there's those that obviously have very little idea of the rules of the road but still ride along at a relatively high speed. I'll admit some folk make some very entertaining videos but, if they're encouraging others to ride like this (because it looks cool), then I don't think they do anything positive for the sport.

[Funky]

57 minutes ago, mike_bike_kite said:

"Anyone else thinks it's really dumb how many EUC content creators..."

It's the folk that ride with no consideration for others that get to me. Then there's those that ride at high speed on the sidewalk (or on walking trails) and expect people to just jump out their way. Finally there's those that obviously have very little idea of the rules of the road but still ride along at a relatively high speed. I'll admit some folk make some very entertaining videos but, if they're encouraging others to ride like this (because it looks cool), then I don't think they do anything positive for the sport.

Fuck the rest - I'm the MC in this story. Now bow down to me peasants.  

At least it's somewhat true? 

[.....]

I like my dark colors... tbf, I'm pretty damn white, so the less gear I wear the easier it is to see me.  As for the rest... I plead the fifth and my video editting supports this....

Edited July 5, 2022 by ShanesPlanet

[tenofnine]

To anyone saying black and white are fine and don't blend in with an urban environment....you serious?

Look at construction workers or anyone who works in a hazardous environment, required to be seen to avoid accidents....are they wearing black and white clothing and safety gear? These are people that are basically standing still (not moving at 25-45 mph) and they still wear very bright primary colors with reflective accents to avoid being hit or squished.

When is the last time you saw a black and white traffic cone or reflective signage, there is a reason why Zebras have a bold black and white contrast and it's still considered a very functional camouflage. Humans may be able to perceive color very well but black and white disappear into all the other de-saturated colors of a street environment. Wearing black and white you may as well be invisible at the speeds you are going considering reaction times and peripheral vision.

I notice a significant difference in how drivers treat me when I'm wearing hi-viz clothing. There is a lot more respect and care given, they tend to share the road more freely. The people that used to be the worst (dudes in big lifted pick up trucks) become polite and wave me on. That's just been my experience at least, obviously everyone has differing opinions. I just don't understand how the content creators are surprised that no one sees them or pays them respect, like it's some big mystery.

[Xodarap1]

I don't really care what people wear when they ride.  If they get jacked up it's on them and it was their choice - and it should be!

The part that does make me wonder though is the potential negative impact it "could" have for the sport that we all love if they bite it hurting themselves or others or contributes to causing a major accident claiming more than their life.  That plastered on the news thankfully hasn't happened that I'm aware of.   I understand that there are plenty of people that don't think of that kinda thing, but I do.  The last thing I want is a negative spin in communities and media changing the vibe of our sport..so I try not to feed those beasts.  Yeah, the gear is hot, heavy and expensive and looks like a power ranger on drugs.  Yes, it takes away from the neat feel and experience and enjoyment of each ride.  I'd much rather not wear it.  But, I made the decision to wear the stuff.  The choice is each of ours to make and it will all end up being what it will be down the road.

[yoos]

I agree with @tenofnine that black and white does not stand out and it takes much more to truly be consistently noticed by drivers. Yet people resist safety rules - just look at bicyclists. They don't bother too much either. A bicyclist sporting a headlight, rearlight and helmet is as responsible as we can hope. Content creators have it much worse, if they are serious about their content and its success. Just look at motorcycle chases in movies: Only non-descript goons get to wear a helmet, anyone with a name must show their face (and typically wear a suit or black leather at best). Another example is Game of Thrones where heroes in the coldest north wear layers of fur but forego headwear like capricious toddlers. 

I recommend being visible but forgive all those content creators that take their helmet off to give a speech while riding or wear a questionable gear setup. 

On a more meta scale I believe it is cities that have to change from car-centricity in favor of pedestrians, trams and compact, individual mobility devices: bicycles, scooters, EUCs etc. This seems especially problematic in the US which is particularly car-centric. Trying to look like a poisonous frog just to get noticed and spared by car drivers is a bit backwards -- it is them that should adapt: go slower, be more vigilant, train to recognize smaller traffic participants. A curious example: russian legislators at some point suggested enforcing pedestrians to wear clothing with reflective elements during the night so cars can notice them better. That's an extreme example of blame-shifting or victim-blaming (I am a bit insecure with those terms). It's infrastructure and traffic rules that should be changed, not pedestrian behaviour -- the most basic, fundamental category of human movement that should always be protected and prioritized.

I understand that we have what we have and visibility does increase safety. Yet, like a short skirt on a rape victim, lack of hi-viz clothing is not enough to blame a rider for an accident.

[bracky72]

I’ve been riding motorcycles a long time. A white helmet is more visible with more contrast then hi viz helmets. Hi viz can blend into natural colors. White sticks out like a sore thumb. Take note of motorcyclists and which helmet you see way up ahead. It isn’t the yellow or orange. It’s the white.

An example. Hi viz yellow vs white. Which do you see first?

 

 

Edited July 6, 2022 by bracky72

[tenofnine]

1 hour ago, yoos said:

Yet, like a short skirt on a rape victim, lack of hi-viz clothing is not enough to blame a rider for an accident.

Yea but wearing a short skirt isn't illegal, and women who wear short skirts are allowed to walk on the sidewalks. We currently all ride vehicles that are either illegal or not sanctioned. So your analogy doesn't make sense. What would make more sense is the extremely similar analogy I already gave: If construction workers, etc just stopped wearing hi-viz clothing and it being their fault for getting hit or injured more often. Technically it would be their fault according to OSHA standards and laws and they could be fired.

 

 

34 minutes ago, bracky72 said:

I’ve been riding motorcycles a long time. A white helmet is more visible with more contrast then hi viz helmets. Hi viz can blend into natural colors. White sticks out like a sore thumb. Take note of motorcyclists and which helmet you see way up ahead. It isn’t the yellow or orange. It’s the white.

 

This whole statement is just categorically false and contradictory. "Hi viz can blend into natural colors", are you sure you know what Hi-viz even means?

edit - you added the picture, okay still doesn't make any sense. The white blends in more than bright yellow or orange still.

Edited July 6, 2022 by tenofnine

[bracky72]

Look at the picture dude. It can’t be anymore clear. 
 

Show me a picture that proves your point?  Cause I can show you lots that prove mine. 

Edited July 6, 2022 by bracky72

[Funky]

37 minutes ago, bracky72 said:

I’ve been riding motorcycles a long time. A white helmet is more visible with more contrast then hi viz helmets. Hi viz can blend into natural colors. White sticks out like a sore thumb. Take note of motorcyclists and which helmet you see way up ahead. It isn’t the yellow or orange. It’s the white.

An example. Hi viz yellow vs white. Which do you see first?

 

 

I saw "rock" first.

[tenofnine]

13 minutes ago, bracky72 said:

Look at the picture dude. It can’t be anymore clear. 

So your head when you're riding is at ground level perfectly contrasted against green grass as you ride all the time? You are literally 0 feet tall?

Your head is at 6-6.5 fit riding an EUC and it's more likely against a city back drop or light and shadow or a blown out sky that is bright blue or white (sun or clouds)?

Even in your above example the unnatural bright yellow or orange is still more visible, it's a color that doesn't exists in most environments where you are likely to encounter a lot of other cars. You tried to give a very specific example above to bias to your point.

Edited July 6, 2022 by tenofnine

[bracky72]

Full high viz suit plus helmet vs white jacket and helmet. It’s subjective but that high viz is no cure all.

 

You’re making excuses and creating conditions.  Show me examples.  I can keep going with more examples.

Edited July 6, 2022 by bracky72

[tenofnine]

check out this picture for example and there are so many other similar ones....the helmet just blends white into the sky. (<- see what I did there)
This is why you'll mostly see yellow or orange construction helmets, they are much more popular than this white one.

Edited July 6, 2022 by tenofnine

[bracky72]

It’s extremely rare the backdrop behind a rider is sky. It’s usually pavement, city scape or natural setting. But whatever.