High Viz

[Anemone del Camino]

We have been discussing the importance of being very visible on the Caminos lately. On my last walk when I looked bac I saw a flash of orange in the distance and thought it was a utilities worker, but it was a pilgrim. It got me thinking. And then we heard later in the year about the pilgrim(s?) getting hit by a car near Santa Irene. So the wheels have been spinning especially as I am heading out on the Portugues from Porto this spring and rumour has it there are some hair raising road bits.

So 2 purchases, and they will be the only purchases for that purpose!, were just made: 1) an Outdoor Reseach Solar Roller Sunhat in Laurel. 2) a roll of Ducklings Mini Duck Tape in pink. (Couldn't find the matching green)

Don't let "laurel" fool you, while this is not neon green it is high viz! And the pink duck tape is now covering the upper (fixed) part of my Pacer Poles. Yup, I'll the the tacky brightly clad lady everyone will be talking about, and this year it will not just be because of my sleep apnea! If you see me in the distance, head for the first albergue, let me walk on and save yourself the agravation oof sleeping in the same dorm as me.

Now, let me fight the tempatation of replacing my teal Salomons by the pink or new light but brightish green 2016 model! Good thing the pants are dark navy, the Macabi dark grey, because the Osprey is teal. Oh dear...all I need is the lipstick and matching nail polish.

And the bonus: just let matcho man try to walk off with my Pacers! (BTW, do not buy the Scotch Tape coloured tape sold next to the Duckling at Stapples, it is flimsy, unliky the Duckling which is just a mini roll of DuckTape).

 

[Bradypus]

I don't have your flair for camino haute couture but I am growing a bit anxious about road walking in my old age. My rucksack came with a bright orange rain cover. For my last camino I wore it folded in half and looped through my chest strap. I did notice a big difference in how quickly drivers took avoiding action.

 

[t2andreo]

High-visibility is all about contrast against your surroundings in a variety of lighting conditions. Any color that is "unnatural" against the background featured will provide the contrast needed. However, and as backgrounds change, industry and government organizations opted to promulgate standard "safety" colors that we not commonly found in nature and which provided the desired high-visibility across a variety of conditions.

That is why the current "standard" safety colors are international orange and lemon-lime-yellow. These colors do not exist (usually) in nature and were chosen because of that, and the extreme contrast and visibility against nearly all backgrounds and in all lighting conditions.

I experimented with blinking LED lights on an earlier Camino, but dismissed them as added deadweight...every gram counts! I now favor going with brightly colored polo shirts and outwear, as well as hats and pack covers, as they substitute for more muted colors and add no net weight. I also use reflective tape (3M) on my walking sticks. Of course, I need to ship garments in muted colors ahead to Sanitago, so I am not attacked as looking like a lunatic when I arrive.

In my experience, the lemon-lime color seems to work best. I suspect this is because road workers all over the world use this color for safety purposes, and drivers are attuned to seeing this color. They know it means "pay attention" and "do not hit this thing." It seems to work.

The international orange works best in nature, against water, sky and clouds. That is why most maritime uses feature this color. The lemon-lime color also works, but bright yellow CAN be found in an ocean environment, especially in the tropics. I recently moved from Virginia to south Florida in the States, and was surprised to see birds and foliage in very bright yellow shades.

I have also found that bright WHITE also works well in most Camino situations where you are seeking daytime contrast against woods, road, or from typical Camino backgrounds. White also works well in the dark, but not so much in fog or snowy conditions. So, walking down the road from Cruz de Ferro in a snow squall is not advisable if wearing white.

My Camino livery is like that in my avatar photo, taken in the Dutch lounge at the Sanitago pilgrim office last summer. I augment this with a "frog-green" contrasting color for fleece and rucksacks.

So, if you have a choice I recommend the bright, safety lemon-lime color, with white second, and international orange as a third choice. I use a bright rip-stop orange rain parka (Marmot) and a lime colored sil-nylon poncho (Sea-to-Sea). They contrast nicely with my frog green & yellow livery. I can be readily seen from half a kilometer away... Then again, apres walking wear in towns and villages does become a challenge...

I hope this helps.

 

[GreatDane]

My pack cover (bringing it this time in case it rains on meseta in April????) is bright neon pink. My boot laces are purple but have reflective threads that flash when light is shown on them. I may sew myself a hi viz yellow buff and bring it instead of my lovely purple merino one.

 

[dougfitz]

That is why the current "standard" safety colors are international orange and lemon-lime-yellow.

The European standard for visibility clothing for non-professional use defines eight colours, ranging from a fluorescent green through to fluorescent pink. I think the standard also requires a minimum area of retro-reflective tape on each surface. I haven't checked the details, but I suspect that the measures that pilgrims use like bright clothing and small amounts of retro-reflective tape won't meet the minimum requirements of the standard. They might give us a measure of comfort, but should the Spanish authorities require pilgrims to wear suitable PPE for road walking, it seems to me that we will all be wearing high visibility vests or the like that are designed to comply with the standard.

 

[Bradypus]

They might give us a measure of comfort, but should the Spanish authorities require pilgrims to wear suitable PPE for road walking, it seems to me that we will all be wearing high visibility vests or the like that are designed to comply with the standard.

Difficult to see how it could be made a legal requirement for pilgrims but not other pedestrians. Wouldn't it be necessary to make wearing standardised hi-viz compulsory for all pedestrians? And to specify on what classes of roads? Bit of a pain to don the vest for a 200m stroll down the village street for a caña.

 

[dougfitz]

Difficult to see how it could made a legal requirement for pilgrims but not other pedestrians. Wouldn't it be necessary to make wearing standardised hi-viz compulsory for all pedestrians? And to specify on what classes of roads? Bit of a pain to don the vest for a 200m stroll down the village street for a caña.

The requirement exists already for certain types of roads, and it is not about pilgrims, but people who are present on those roads, whether they are road workers, people who get out of their cars at the side of the road or other pedestrians. Its not about pilgrims, its about pedestrian safety in higher risk environments.

 

[wayne smith]

We have been discussing the importance of being very visible on the Caminos lately. On my last walk when I looked bac I saw a flash of orange in the distance and thought it was a utilities worker, but it was a pilgrim. It got me thinking. And then we heard later in the year about the pilgrim(s?) getting hit by a car near Santa Irene. So the wheels have been spinning especially as I am heading out on the Portugues from Porto this spring and rumour has it there are some hair raising road bits.

So 2 purchases, and they will be the only purchases for that purpose!, were just made: 1) an Outdoor Reseach Solar Roller Sunhat in Laurel. 2) a roll of Ducklings Mini Duck Tape in pink. (Couldn't find the matching green)

Don't let "laurel" fool you, while this is not neon green it is high viz! And the pink duck tape is now covering the upper (fixed) part of my Pacer Poles. Yup, I'll the the tacky brightly clad lady everyone will be talking about, and this year it will not just be because of my sleep apnea! If you see me in the distance, head for the first albergue, let me walk on and save yourself the agravation oof sleeping in the same dorm as me.

Now, let me fight the tempatation of replacing my teal Salomons by the pink or new light but brightish green 2016 model! Good thing the pants are dark navy, the Macabi dark grey, because the Osprey is teal. Oh dear...all I need is the lipstick and matching nail polish.

And the bonus: just let matcho man try to walk off with my Pacers! (BTW, do not buy the Scotch Tape coloured tape sold next to the Duckling at Stapples, it is flimsy, unliky the Duckling which is just a mini roll of DuckTape).

Volvo make a HiViz spray paint called Life spray. It is invisible in the day but reacts when you shine lights on it. You can spray if on anything

 

[t2andreo]

The paint looks very clever, but it appears to be only sold in the UK. I searched the US web site for the term "Life Paint" and drew NADA. I am traveling to Europe (Belgium) this week to visit friends. I might stop into a local Volvo dealer to see if they have it. I just hope I can bring it home on the plane in checked baggage, spray can.

Also, the key to being seen is TO BE SEEN. One does not have to be illuminated like a Christmas tree, or the Ginza in Tokyo to accomplish this.

Over the years, I have progressed from the former, to a position of trying to integrate high-contrast, bright colors into the items and gear I would wear or carry anyway. I am also mindful of not getting too obsessive about this, however I sound.

The result is that, while walking I do look colorful. In fact, when I stop at Hotel Garcas in Lavacolla just before entering Santiago, I always confuse the heck out of the resident parrot. My bright/green/yellow livery is more colorful than his plumage. I do not think he likes this. However, I also have more muted garments so I do not look like a clown / payaso at all times.

Remember, that road walking is not a daily occurrence on the Camino. In the end, who cares? I just do not want to be hit by a distracted driver who "did not see me."

I hope this helps.

 

[dougfitz]

Remember, that road walking is not a daily occurrence on the Camino.

I'm not sure about other routes, but on the Frances, Ingles, and from Santiago to Muxia and Fomosterre , I recall there being some road walking on every single day. While there seems to have been much done to use quieter tracks, there is still quite a lot of all these routes which require walking on roads.

 

[Kiwi-family]

A little square of bright fabric on the back of my pack is always visible - and when walking from Porto I also wore a high vis vest for comfort - Portuguese drivers are a breed different to Spanish ones (this is not intended to be a racist statement, but a matter of observation)