Hi Viz Vests - Ireland vs UK

[Jasperz]

I was struck by a post on a thread today about weirdest things you pack for a holiday... a poster mentioned that a hi viz vest ended up being packed by their dc, but they didn't know where it even came from. Made me realise that having at least 1 hi viz per person is normal here wherever you go.

And it jogged my memory of visiting a friend's village in the UK where there were very few street lights, but folks (even children) did not wear hi viz vests despite being almost invisible to drivers. I remember being quite shocked.

Got me wondering about why there's a big difference. Almost everyone in rural or small town Ireland wears a hi viz vest when out walking. Lots of people wear them even in daylight, but after dark it's rare to see folks out in towns and villages without a hi viz. We have at least 20 hi viz vests of various sizes in the house currently. I usually have a few in the car too.

Is it really not the done thing to wear a hi viz when walking after dark in the UK?
Do you not have a basket of hi viz vests alongside the hats and scarves at home like I do?

No. It isn't usual. I have one, but it is for the charity I fundraise for and I wear it for marshalling traffic or other fundraising activities when mixing with the general public. It has the charity's name on.

It's normal to have running kit with reflective stripes, but that's usually for running in winter. otherwise the only time I wear hi viz is if I'm volunteering at parkrun

Yes it's normal to wear it for running.

I personally think all cyclists and pedestrians should wear it once the clocks go back in October until the beginning of March (when in my view the clocks should go forward again).

My DS wears one at nursery when they go out on trips/for a walk. Other than that, no. But I live in London so there's not much need.

I have a high viz jacket when I cycle

Both of my DC in Ireland were given a high-vis vest as part of a road safety thing in primary school, which have lingered in the coat cupboard ever since. I've never managed to get them to wear one, however we live in a suburban area which has pavements and street lighting so it's not too bad. DS cycles a lot and has lights on his bike and usually wears a reflective puffer jacket.

I've noticed that there is a lot more outwear available these days that looks ordinary but is intrinsically reflective without needing to add a vest. I also see a lot of backpacks wearing a vest, which is effective so long as the car is coming from behind but less so if the walker/cyclist is facing oncoming traffic.

Isn't it because they announce the road deaths in Ireland on the radio?

FWIW I used to live in South Dub and never saw this high vis thing. I sometimes wore an orange running jacket but didn't see people coming home from the pub in high vis.

I'm 42 and have never worn a hi Viz in my life (England), and I grew up in a small village with no street lights. I didn't realise they were so common in Ireland, I wonder why it's so different?

We have pavements so no need though the very mean council turns off the street lights at 11pm, what good is that when the pub shuts at 1am! I own high vis for taking to france where it's a legal requirement if you break down. My waterproof jackets all have reflective strips built in as does my main winter coat

I did a bit of googling, and a few people have hit on it, I think. The RSA - Road Safety Authority - was set up in 2006 with a remit to reduce road deaths. As someone said above, all road deaths are announced on the news here, and the RSA runs a lot of targeted campaigns to reduce fatalities.

One of them is 'Be Safe Be Seen' which started as an annual campaign in 2010ish usually run in Sept/Oct when the evenings are getting darker. It targets all motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians with a very simple message to wear reflective clothing or devices when out so they can be seen. The RSA distributes thousands of free hi viz vests, arm bands and other devices every year - including small sizes in schools. I remember first getting some at a baby event of some kind, and we have gotten more during national bike safety week over the years.

They're also distributed as part of other community initiatives, like annual clean up campaigns. And on those days you see hundreds of people wearing the hi viz while taking part.

My dad is a member of a local org that regularly walk together and arrange days out together. I'd say 50% of them (rural men aged 50+) wear their hi viz for all activities - summer or winter, city or country, footpath or not. I think part of it is the habit - if you wear it habitually, you won't forget when it is dark.

There's also this annual campaign called 'Ireland Lights Up' so people can walk safely in winter. For this one, local GAA sports facilities get funding to turn on their floodlights through the dark evenings of Jan/Feb/March and open their gates to anyone who wants to walk. It's very popular and heavily promoted as part of an annual get healthy and change your life tv show. Even though people often drive to the sports facility and then walk in an enclosed fully-lit area, you see lots of people wearing hi viz clothing too.

I haven't lived in a big city for a long time, but in the towns and villages of Ireland you're likely to see lots of people wearing hi viz vests when out walking. Even in broad daylight, even in parks /paved areas.

So interesting to think about what a huge cultural shift that has been over a short period of time.

No it's not usual I'm the UK, but it sounds like a really good idea. I think pedestrians and cyclists wearing black at night perhaps don't realise how invisible they can be to drivers, especially if they don't drive themselves.

Do you mean island of Ireland as a whole or the Republic of Ireland?

I don't know anyone in Northern Ireland who has a basket of hi viz clothing! It's not routine, in my experience.

I think she means the country called Ireland.

I'm in small town Ireland and have never worn a high viz but a serious amount of people do. I find it a bit bizarre sometimes to be honest. People park up at our local park which is lit by street lights and pedestrian only pull on their high viz and sometimes headtorches and wall around the park a few times and then back into their cars

My Dad’s village pub keeps a big stock of them behind the bar and hands then out to people at closing time .

(Rural Ireland)

I have one I keep with my cycling gear and two in the car for breakdown situations. I wouldn't think of wearing one under other situations.

It's not always obvious, hence question. That's why disambiguation is very handy!

Apart from a hi viz being part of my uniform for work, I don't wear them. I do have a storm jacket hi viz in my car boot in case of breakdown though - sensible.

But I don't think routine wearing of hi viz clothing for walking will catch on in Northern Ireland.

The situation you spoke of there is very odd! Surely no-one needs a hi viz in a well lit area such as a park?

Definitely not common in the UK. Lots of children’s coats do have hi-vis strips on them (I think all M&S and John Lewis ones do), and many cycling and running jackets are fluorescent or silver with hi-vis strips. But the average pedestrian, no. And I’ve never seen anyone except a workman in the vests.

Agree OP it was very much a funded project, just goes to show how a social policy can really change behaviour. We have a basket under the hall table here (irish). My kids got free vests for Beep Beep day and they are small now but still fit. I work in pre school and Beep Beep day is incorporated into the calendar as a special day to highlight road safety.

My kids got school bag covers recently too, free in school, high viz with elastic to loop around your bag. Its a brilliant idea.

I live in a city in the suburbs and most people out walking on the footpaths wear hi vis jackets once it's dusk.

Last autumn DH and myself were out walking on a main road footpath and the gardai were stopping pedestrians and giving out free hi vis jackets and keyring torches so we got some and were advised to use them.

The little torch is great for finding the keyhole if I come home and the outside lights aren't on.

I have one in the boot of my car just incase I ever break down when it’s dark.

when I used to run I wore hi vis if I was out after dusk

I should add I'm in a suburb, in a big housing development with defined footpaths stepped in from the road with a grass verge and street lighting and most people still wear them!

We don't need to wear hi-viz over here as British drivers are well known to be courteous and respectful to other road users.

I find this fascinating! We have some in the car - vests in the main body of the car in case of breakdown, and also some warmer hi-vis outerwear that lives in the boot so we can layer up if waiting for a recovery vehicle. It wouldn’t occur to me to wear one as a pedestrian though.

I work in a school and the fire safety talks in KS1 always includes telling the children about hi-vis/reflective strips. They also encourage the children to have brightly coloured coats rather than black/navy so that they are easier to spot in poor weather.

Hahahahahahahahaha, nice try at stirring