810
submitted 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) by lgsp@feddit.it to c/fuckcars@lemmy.world

Edit: to clarify: the message in the ad is actually ironic/satirical, mocking the advice for cyclists to wear high-viz at night.

It uses the same logic but inverts the parts and responsabilities, by suggesting to motorists (not cyclists) to apply bright paint on their cars.

So this ad is not pro or against high-viz, it's against victim blaming

Cross-posted from: https://mastodon.uno/users/rivoluzioneurbanamobilita/statuses/113544508246569296

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] FatCat@lemmy.world 78 points 3 weeks ago

The satire misses the mark since cars already have strict mandatory visibility requirements by law. In the EU, you must have working headlights, brake lights, turn signals, daytime running lights (since 2011), fog lights, reverse lights, and reflectors. Driving without any of these gets you fined, points on your license, and fails vehicle inspection (TÜV/MOT). These aren't optional safety suggestions like cyclist hi-viz - they're legal requirements with real penalties.

I don't know about yankee laws...

[-] roguetrick@lemmy.world 9 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

State dependent. Maryland for example legally requires a front headlamp and a rear reflector in low visibility conditions. Also must have a bell or horn but can't have a siren (?).

[-] bluewing@lemm.ee 8 points 3 weeks ago

It's less state dependent than you think. The feds have the last say in the safety equipment that comes on your car from the factory. They write the regulations on safety equipment for all highway vehicles.

What is interesting is that the NFPA, (the US National Fire Prevention Association), which writes the guidance for US public safety departments, has learned that you can have too much flashy-flashies and woo-woos and sparkles hanging on your vehicle. We used to hang as much as that stuff as we could on fire trucks and ambulances. Now, new rigs are toning it down to reflective chevrons and marker lights on the back end to prevent dazzling and confusing traffic as they approach a scene. The NFPA national tracking has shown a marked decline in tertiary accidents.

Reflectives and markers are important, but you can do too much can have worse outcomes because of it.

load more comments (3 replies)
[-] Tudsamfa@lemmy.world 7 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Huh? Could you explain once more why this doesn't work?

Keep in mind that cycling also has a lot of visibility requirements, it is illegal to drive without lights at night, you need to have reflectors front, back, in the spokes and on the pedals. This also results in fines and points on your drivers license. Keep any remarks on enforcements for yourself, car drivers don't check or even fix their headlights the moment they break either as my last few drives showed me.

Comparing the optional wearing of hi-vis west to the optional painting cars a brighter colour makes sense when the goal is to mock the immediate question "well, was the cyclist wearing hi-vis?" that always seem to pop up when a crash happens.

[-] magikmw@lemm.ee 49 points 3 weeks ago

It's funny, but as a driver and a cyclist, the amount of times I barely saw the person on the bike, because they had no hi viz, no lights and no reflectors (and black/dark clothing), even in moderately good visibility conditions is too damn high.

It's not that big of a deal in cities, but I'd be really pushing it to ride my bike out on a 70+ kmph road, and you'd have to hold me at gunpoint to do it without any lights, because I'd be as good as dead anyway.

Of course black cars are kinda the same, except here in Poland every car is required by law to have at least position lights on at all times (yes, sunny daylight too), and it makes a world of a difference no matter the paint color.

[-] JovialMicrobial@lemm.ee 14 points 3 weeks ago

I prefer when all people occupying the road, whether its a pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist, car, or horse rider be as visible as possible.

Its why I refuse to drive a gray or silver car. They blend in with the pavement at certain times in the am and pm and if it's raining really hard they disappear. In a lot of ways they are worse than black cars.

What's wrong with making sure you are visible? Why is that something to make fun of? (I'm not asking you directly, I just don't get the joke in the ad.)

[-] noxy@yiffit.net 6 points 3 weeks ago

also grey and silver are boring as fuck

load more comments (2 replies)
[-] TonyTonyChopper@mander.xyz 11 points 3 weeks ago

I think any bike intended for road use should be equipped with lights

[-] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

We have daylight running laws here as well, but those lights are different than the regular headlights and weaker.

In driving school they taught me to just put on my regular lights all the time.

They're a lot stronger than the daylight ones and make you more visible

[-] frayedpickles@lemmy.cafe 47 points 3 weeks ago

The number of dumbasses I see biking against traffic with no lights wearing black well after dark is too high for me to find this remotely serious.

Also, cars have a dozen reflectors, daytime running lights, and a ton of safety mechanisms.

Tldr: meme better, this is wrong and unsafe

[-] jabathekek@sopuli.xyz 31 points 3 weeks ago

I only wear hi-vis to take one more excuse away from the driver when they hit me. It doesn't actually help people see me in my experience.

[-] M600@lemmy.world 21 points 3 weeks ago

In my city, the roads are not lit very well so high vis helps me see bikers a lot better.

[-] SuperSpruce@lemmy.zip 28 points 3 weeks ago

When I'm on the road, I want to be visible. On my red motorcycle I wear a bright yellow helmet and a jacket with hi-viz strips. The problem is that car manufacturers only offer boring colors and charge an exorbitant fee for a cool color if they offer them at all.

[-] weker01@sh.itjust.works 21 points 3 weeks ago

I actually fully agree with the message. Bring back bright colors for cars!

Also participating in traffic at night is always a risk so wearing at least a bit of high-viz is just to minimize that. It's not like we are wearing it in jobs for the look.

[-] SapphironZA@sh.itjust.works 21 points 3 weeks ago

Cars used to have lots of reflectors on them in the 1980 and 90's. Especially I'm the head and taillight clusters.

Cars should also be required to have high vis strips like commercial vehicles.

[-] pHr34kY@lemmy.world 17 points 3 weeks ago

Can confirm. My car is that colour. Am yet to collide with a cyclist.

[-] Sibbo@sopuli.xyz 17 points 3 weeks ago

Arguably, if everything is high-viz, then cyclists may just blend in between the cars and be overlooked again. It does make sense that weaker participants in traffic are more visible, as long as everyone else is also visible.

[-] Spezi@feddit.org 14 points 3 weeks ago

I drive a Smart 451 which was silver initially. I can‘t count the amount of times that trucks and cars on the highway cut me off. At first I thought they were just assholes, but now I think its partly because its such a small car that the silver blends in with the street.

Two years ago, I wrapped my car in bright neon orange as part of an ad campaign from my company and it feels like I‘m getting noticed much more often. It‘s literally like a high vis west for my car.

[-] Randelung@lemmy.world 14 points 3 weeks ago

Seeing as many people drive WITHOUT LIGHTS

load more comments (1 replies)
[-] DarkSirrush@lemmy.ca 14 points 3 weeks ago

I thought I bought a blue car. It was advertised as blue, paint job clearly said blue, the rendered image of the color was blue. My insurance paperwork states it is blue (as that's what the NVIS calls it).

In real life, i have a black car. The blue pigment is so dark that is black, except in very specific, harsh lighting at certain angles. And then you can see it sparkles blue.

[-] Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 3 weeks ago

If only it had lights

(I know what community I’m in and that the original post is satire)

[-] Windex007@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago

I mean, OP says it's satire but then says they're mocking the advice to wear hiviz. As if it isn't the law pretty much everywhere to have functioning lights on a vehicle.

[-] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 14 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Cars should be bright as fuck. A bright red, orange, green, or yellow car stands out way more than the black, white, beige and gray shit that dominates the road.

load more comments (1 replies)
[-] ThatWeirdGuy1001@lemmy.world 12 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

I get the sentiment here but as I'll always say the car wins.

You can't call it a death machine and then act like it's not one.

Cars have lights built in. Humans don't. Wear the fucking highvis and save your life.

Either that or start wearing light strips all over yourself.

[-] FireRetardant@lemmy.world 11 points 3 weeks ago

Okay but hear me out here, we design streets where bikes and cars don't have to share a lane. Crazy idea i know.

We should design streets for the cyclists and drivers we have, not the ones we want.

[-] DV8@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago

Fair point that roads should be designed a lot better, but in the mean time, if you're going to be driving on roads that got put down originally 50 years ago without cycling paths and no lights in the middle of farmland. Wear the high Viz gear or make sure you have working lights and reflectors.

[-] desktop_user 5 points 3 weeks ago

I personally prefer the option of equipping a comically bright headlight to the bike to emulate a lifted truck.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (3 replies)
[-] FireRetardant@lemmy.world 11 points 3 weeks ago

We can't even make blacking out essential safety equipment like headlights and tail lights illegal, apparently a driver's personality and style should come before functional lights.

[-] DV8@lemmy.world 10 points 3 weeks ago

What? Where is this? In Belgium you'd get pulled over for sure. Depending on if the car could get made road legal again it could get towed too.

[-] FireRetardant@lemmy.world 7 points 3 weeks ago

North America. Very common on sports cars or with people who like to modify their cars. They do still light up when the bulb is on although not as bright. My bigger issue is that light won't reflect off blacked out lights the same way it does off a regular tail light. It is a massive safety hazard but "my freedom" seems to be a valid reason for it.

[-] Treczoks@lemmy.world 10 points 3 weeks ago

I never understood people buying black cars. Not just because of visibility, but they turn into f-ing ovens in the summer.

load more comments (3 replies)
[-] pixxelkick@lemmy.world 8 points 3 weeks ago

It should be noted most models of cars have high-vis parts on them, usually on the rear, that work the same way.

[-] doggle@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 3 weeks ago

That bimmer looks sick

Not sure if the intended message is really coming through...

[-] thatKamGuy@sh.itjust.works 4 points 3 weeks ago

Seconding this opinion; I really wish non-commercial vehicles were prohibited from defaulting to black/white/silver/grey - being back the skittles colour palette!

load more comments (4 replies)
[-] LovableSidekick@lemmy.world 5 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Because if too many people and things use hi-viz, that will make it regular-viz.

[-] pyre@lemmy.world 11 points 3 weeks ago

so some cyclist should wear black to help their fellow cyclists

load more comments
view more: next ›
this post was submitted on 26 Nov 2024
810 points (100.0% liked)

Fuck Cars

9787 readers
523 users here now

A place to discuss problems of car centric infrastructure or how it hurts us all. Let's explore the bad world of Cars!

Rules

1. Be CivilYou may not agree on ideas, but please do not be needlessly rude or insulting to other people in this community.

2. No hate speechDon't discriminate or disparage people on the basis of sex, gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, or sexuality.

3. Don't harass peopleDon't follow people you disagree with into multiple threads or into PMs to insult, disparage, or otherwise attack them. And certainly don't doxx any non-public figures.

4. Stay on topicThis community is about cars, their externalities in society, car-dependency, and solutions to these.

5. No repostsDo not repost content that has already been posted in this community.

Moderator discretion will be used to judge reports with regard to the above rules.

Posting Guidelines

In the absence of a flair system on lemmy yet, let’s try to make it easier to scan through posts by type in here by using tags:

Recommended communities:

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS