Winter Visibility

It's cold, wet, and cold. It gets dark earlier, and it's cold. There's a lot of cloud cover which cuts down on winter visibility, not to mention that it's cold. I think you get the general idea.

It seems that the winter months bring out the stupid in people, so we intrepid few who still ride in the frigid weather must take extra care to be visible and watch for those who think we aren't. Lights are good if you can afford to mod your bike, but if not, reflective strips and tape help some. Bright colors are a big plus.

I had a strip of tape across the back of my brown jacket, but it began to crumble and came off in pieces. I do have some on my helmet still and it has held up better since my helmet is a solid object. I've taken to wearing an orange hunting vest which serves a dual purpose. Not only is it "blaze orange" but it's also an extra layer of warmth over my torso. I've found that if my chest is warm, the rest of my body is warm as well. This is simple biology since the most important systems of the body are found in the chest and head and will draw heat to themselves from the extremities if they begin to feel cold. If they are warm, the rest of the body does not have to give up as much of its heat, though some capilaries in the fingers and toes may constrict still, causing them to become a little cold.

In any event, stay safe if you're out there in these colder dreary months. There's still a bunch of nimrods out there who seem to think the road belongs to them, so ride safe.