Hi viz jackets

[piebald]

We have just moved house and it is along a very dark road , my 15 yr old son likes to go and visit his mates at night, and i worry about cars not seeing him (hes too cool to carry a torch) At the moment hewears a black jacket and i am having trouble finding one which isnt a work hi viz jacket but can still look cool and hopefully light him up a bit for cars to see him. He is an adult size
Anybody got any bright (!) ideas? Or some kind of tape i could stick on him or llight sticks?

Ikea do a hi viz vest that folds up really small to shove in a pocket when not being used, and is cheap and comes in three sizes. We find they work well.

Oops. Just saw he's an adult size. They probably do an adult one. The beauty is he can take it off before he arrives and shove it in a pocket, thus removing the embarrassment factor.

Is it worth taking him in the car along that road in the dark and getting someone else to walk along in dark coat, so he can see for himself how invisible you become.

It might make him think.

Then he might wear a cheapy type viz vest (like a road worker would wear) over his coat which he can take off and stuff in his pocket when he gets there.

oops crossed post with awesomewellies

someone on telly had a dark one on this morning

which might encourage him more?

You can buy hi viz straps from cycling shops that you just slip over your head and then take off and fold up neatly into a pocket. Not very cool though.

Could ypu persuade him to carry a 'cool' hi tech wind up torch like one of those that you can buy from camping shops that can also be hung up and used as a lantern in a tent or used as a night light?

Don't know if he's a footy fan but the Liverpool FC shop sells the hi viz waistcoats with the club logo on.

would he put something like this on his coat or bag?

You can get iron-on or sticky reflective strips / pictures / logos etc that are black or white rather than bright yellow. Cycling / motorbike sites and shops often carry them.

I'd be very doubtful that kids would "remember" to wear a waistcoat / armband etc, attaching something permanently to clothing / bags but without it being life-ruiningly uncool probably the best bet.

I would love to think he would wear a vest and put it in his pocket but bearing in mind he will go out in puring rain and be too lazy to put a jacket on i doubt it!
Good idea furball to take him and show him how hard it is to see and ninjagoose those lights look good.
I got some tape off ebay which i hope to surreptiously stick on his jacket and some little coloured led keyrings that i thing he wont beable to resist fiddling with.
Ther is a footpath so hes not right on road and he claims he puts his phone torch on so thats good--i have to be careful not to make him rebel and not want to use anything, its tricky being cool and safe!!