Hi-viz jackets - do you carry them in the car?

[Bob63]

I carry a few hi-visibility jackets in the car. I always have done since I started biking. In some countries it is mandatory and I think it should be the same here. When your car breaks down on a motorway, or on a dark country lane, wearing a high-viz reflective jacket could save your life and your passengers' lives as well.

You can buy high-viz waistcoats or better still hi-viz sleeved jackets almost anywhere in shops such as Halfords and any farmers store like Mole Valley Farmers or Countrywide or a workwear shop. And they are cheap - typically £15 or less. If your car has 4 seats then carry 4 jackets. I recently came across a company called ICU-UCMe who sponsored the blood bike charity that I ride for ( http://www.freewheelers.org.uk ). A member of ours contacted ICU-UCMe and they donated a number of jackets to us with our logo and the word "BLOOD" printed on the back. When I looked on their website I saw that they do a car specific pack consisting of one jacket for the driver and three waistcoats for the passengers for just £32.01 including postage. That seems like a fantastic deal to me and may just save your life.

http://www.icu-ucme.com/shop1.php

Apart from the blood bike jackets which they donated and a separate jacket which I subsequently bought for my own use, I have no link with this company. The link above is not a referral link so please take this post in the spirit it is made - in the interests of road safety.

Mike

[rdwarr]

Thanks Mike. There are things that are better saved than money ;)
BTW Freewheelers is a superb organisation.:beer:

[barnabee]

Yep - I keep a hi vis vest in the boot - proved useful twice this year.
Best buy is at Poundland ...... £1 (of course) each.

[waterbaby]

I got one from ICU-UCMe as well, after a presentation to our Advanced Motorists group. I don' have any for passengers though.

[gingerdad]

I do carry a couple, but i do volunteer with a search and rescue charity so they are part of the kit, i always carry.

[Lob Rockster]

I have two that cost £1 each in the cabin of the car. Pointless carrying them if you get smacked on the way to the boot ;)

[redux]

I've bought six in the last few months, giving four to friends (2 kids-size) who used my car for a couple of days

Slightly reassuring when changing an offside wheel in the dark or pouring rain - I've done both in the last few weeks

In countries where they are mandatory, they must be in the car not the boot, and this is sensible anyway

[highguyuk]

Just as a note.

I carry one in my car, but I need it for my job. Alot of the cheaper Hi-Vis Vests are not actually to current safety standards as they need to have full arms as opposed to a Vest.

I suppose even a vest is better than nothing in an emergency though...

[kiwigirl]

I got mine as a freebie from a previous employer who had some spare and it only fitted me and none of the men in the dept anyway! :j

Have used it once in around 5 years when I had to call AA out to fix my car - saved my own coat from being soaked through and good in case you do need to use it one day in a proper emergency.

[nearlyrich]

I got one as part of my emergency kit with my new company car last year, it's still in the car (boot) I have not needed it so far....

[Bob63]

I got one as part of my emergency kit with my new company car last year, it's still in the car (boot) I have not needed it so far....
Do yourself a favour and move it inside the car. You never know when you need it and to be honest you are most at risk when getting out of the car to go around to the boot to get the jacket out.

Mike