To stick reflective strips on DD's sports bag?

[OverReflectiveMum]

DD started Yr7 3 weeks ago. Once a week she goes by bike as she doesn't have time to come back at lunch before going to her sports club. It's getting dark in the mornings when she leaves now. She's still wearing children's sizes so her coat has reflective strips on it, but these are covered by her sports backpack, which is bright blue with a black base. When she's on her bike, all you see is the black base. WIBU to cut a couple of strips of reflective tape to stick across the base of the bag so she's more visible?

Her bike is kitted out properly with lights/ pedal reflectors and once it gets colder and she starts wearing trousers to school, she's got some reflective bands for her ankles.

YABU - no, don't do it, you'll embarrass the poor child!
YANBU - yes, it's the sensible thing to do.

How on earth is this even a question? Just do it, or if she's that worried get one of those waterproof bag covers and stick reflective strips to that

I did that to my child's instrument case. It was black as night otherwise. The reflective strip has made a huge difference.

You could also get a couple of reflected key rings, but yes she needs to be seen

I don't know why you'd question yourself. Why wouldn't you make her more visible?

Why would it be embarrassing?

When I was at secondary, wearing a helmet was seen as fair game...

When my husband cycled to work, he had a nylon rucksack cover. It was hivis and also had reflective strips on, it placed so that they showed from the back, bottom and sides. It's very effective. It was elasticated all round, so it was easy to just pull off and stuff in the bag when he got to work. They're not expensive. Like wearing a helmet and having decent lights, it should be a non-negotiable.

I don't understand why you would ask this question. What is so embarrassing about reflective strips? And did you even ask your child if she has a problem with it? Would have been a better use of time than posting here.
I grew up in a country where you legally have to wear a reflector on your closing or your bag in winter months. I always had reflector badges as a child even before it became a legal requirement.

Provis do a great range of fully reflective jackets. Don’t know if they do smaller sizes but they’re thin and would fit over a normal coat easily.

What about a reflective bag? Something like this...

provizsports.com/products/reflect360-cycling-backpack?variant=45033508274487&country=GB&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwiuC2BhDSARIsALOVfBL4LajPQQ_2aQ32ABgSm97E2OmhuPWTIPtQUTPev346P30oQZZpAuAaAv0uEALw_wcB

You can get cheaper alternatives.

What a strange thing to need to ask, do you usually find every day decisions hard?

Dh used to put the stickers they use on hgv's, it wasn't really very noticeable in the day it was a grey colour, but in low light and dark it was very bright. He'd cut thin strips and follow the seams across the backpacks.
I saw a couple walking a dog in jackets that glowed like the stickers her used.

I would rather have an embarrassed child, then an injured/dead child.

Amazon

I don't understand why you're questioning it

Because I remember how awful secondary was for the kids who were deemed to be different or whose stuff was too "babyish". You often see older kids wobbling along the side of the main road as they try to take their helmets off before turning into the road where the school is.

Thanks for the tip about the rucksack cover, I've found one that would fit her normal school bag. Her sport bag is waterproof already so I'll go for the tape on that.

I haven't asked her yet, I thought about it as she left for school this morning.

@OverReflectiveMum

my friends son was surprisingly happy to go mad with reflective tape on his bag & to attach a couple of those extremely bright LED dog collars to it too!

try asking how she'd like to make her bag more visible, you might be surprised!

OP I completely understand why you would ask this question.
Could you research some options with your daughter and then get her to pick.
I like the idea of the backpack cover with reflective on it.
Some funky reflective stickers here
https://bookmanvisibility.com/collections/reflectors

If they arrive with no helmet on at our school they get a detention.

@longdistanceclaraclara our school doesn't give detention and the way to school is seen as the parent's responsibility and nothing to do with the school. The only time they would step in is if it's a school trip.

Do it. It's better to be embarrassed than to be hit by a car.

When she was at college my daughter had a reflective jacket from a company called Proviz for cycling. It was expensive but worth it for the country lanes.

Make sure she is using daytime lights as well. https://www.trekbikes.com/gb/en_GB/daytime_running_lights/

the problem with a jacket is it's hidden by her bag! Her bike lights work whenever she uses it so we don't need to worry about her remembering to charge and take them.

I'll offer her a choice rather than do you want to!