About 2 years ago I started wearing a Hi-Viz waistcoat over my bike jacket as i was getting fed up with being invisible and having cars pull out in front of me all the time.
I think its helped.But another thing I immediately noticed is that when in tailbacks or traffic queues at junctions ,I often filter carefully through the lines of staitonary traffic.I am now aware that car drivers see me coming and often deliberately pull over to let me by.Sometimes, one does it and it seems to start all the others off
At first i thought this was due to the commanding and dignified figure I cut on the A10. This is clearly untrue because most car drivers dont give a damn about motorcyclists. But now I suspect people look in their mirror and think its a policeman. Not that I look like a copper in the slightest.but I think the upright riding position open face helmet ,hi-viz jacket and my steely expression conjour up some mental "heartbeat" image of a m/c cop, or how they think they should look.
Maybe i should pull one over and ask.
What ever it is im sure it speeds my progress in heavy traffic.
Mike
Note;For overseas readers "heartbeat" is a television police drama thats been on for about 20 years now and is set permanently in the sixties (a bit like me).
