High Viz

[azoomm]

This is from a good friend of mine... I thought I would pass along his message. I believe in what he does.

Originally posted by pat.hahn@state.mn.us
Short version: Very cool site, built it myself: http://www.HighViz.org . Lots of ideas there to make yourself more visible to other drivers. Check it out and if you think it's good info, tell your friends.

Long version <deep breath>:



Ask any rider, and they will probably tell you their biggest safety concern is being cut off, run over, or otherwise violated by another driver in traffic. Other drivers are the biggest wild card we face out there. All they have to do is make one little mistake, one moment of inattention, misjudge our speed and/or distance, and BAM! Ride's over.

And there's absolutely nothing we can do about it. Right?

Wrong.

As a rider, take control of your destiny by making yourself as visible as possible. Doing so will reduce the number of surprises you face every day and help you avoid getting blindsided by someone else’s last-minute decision.

So what does that mean? What do people say when they talk about visibility? "Wear brightly colored gear and position yourself so people can see you." Well, duh. "Gee, thanks, great, that's all I need to know...I guess." Unfortunately, this advice leaves an awful lot to the imagination.

But hopefully, not any more. I've just posted a Web site with 20 ways to be more visible in traffic at http://www.HighViz.org . There's a little something for everyone.

The Top 10 High-Viz tips will give you the most bang for the buck. Ten More High-Viz Tips are some additional ways, not quite as effective as the Top 10, but worth mentioning. Each tip has a point value: mix and match and add them into your riding system until you reach 10 points. There's an interactive quiz ("Be a Perfect 10") that will give you a baseline idea of how conspicuous you are, then give you recommendations for what you can do to be more visible. There are also additional resources (links to info, research, products) and a reflective sticker contest to boot.

Anybody looking to improve their riding strategy, maybe buy some new gear this year, or possibly make some modifications to the bike, please check it out and see if there's something you can do to make make your ride safer and more enjoyable--and help people see you.

And if you like what you see there, please tell your friends! Feel free to cross-post this message to whatever forums or Web sites you think might benefit.

Go High-Viz!

Pat

P.S. Go High-Viz! is the new 2008-2009 public information and education campaign sponsored by the Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center. To learn more about the campaign itself, visit here: http://www.dps.state.mn.us/mmsc/late...Home.asp?cid=4 If you cross-post this message to another site, please let me know: e-mail pat.hahn@state.mn.us.