We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.

This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

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

Bob63
Bob63 Posts: 1,320 Forumite
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

Comments

  • rdwarr
    rdwarr Posts: 6,159 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker Photogenic
    Thanks Mike. There are things that are better saved than money ;)
    BTW Freewheelers is a superb organisation.:beer:
    Can I help?
  • barnabee
    barnabee Posts: 1,210 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    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
    waterbaby Posts: 500 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    I got one from ICU-UCMe as well, after a presentation to our Advanced Motorists group. I don' have any for passengers though.
  • gingerdad
    gingerdad Posts: 1,920 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    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.
    The futures bright the future is Ginger
  • Lob_Rockster
    Lob_Rockster Posts: 225 Forumite
    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 ;)
    In the United Kingdom 200,000 people are bitten by dogs every year and some people will die as a result. Of those bitten, 70% are children... So the question has to be asked....... Has the time come to ban children?
  • redux
    redux Posts: 23,051 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    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
    highguyuk Posts: 2,763 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    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...
    -highguyuk-



  • kiwigirl
    kiwigirl Posts: 383 Forumite
    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
    nearlyrich Posts: 13,698 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Hung up my suit!
    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....
    Free impartial debt advice from: National Debtline or Stepchange[/CENTER]
  • Bob63
    Bob63 Posts: 1,320 Forumite
    nearlyrich wrote:
    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
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 354.8K Banking & Borrowing
  • 254.5K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 455.6K Spending & Discounts
  • 247.7K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 604.6K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 178.7K Life & Family
  • 262.3K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.7K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.