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Proviz releases hard-hitting interactive video highlighting benefits of its Reflect 360 jacket

Viewers can toggle between dark jacket and reflective version - but video's ending could court controversy...

Cycle clothing firm Proviz has released a hard-hitting video that aims to showcase the benefits of its Reflect 360 jacket, reviewed here on road.cc last month – but it’s one that could court controversy.

The video, which can be watched online at outofthedark.tv – the company recommends watching it full-screen on a desktop, with headphones – follows a male cyclist as he hurries home through London.

He’s been working late and is under pressure to get there as quickly as he can.

By toggling the screen at appropriate points, viewers are able to see the difference the Proviz Reflect 360 makes to his visibility, rather than a dark jacket.

The music becomes more menacing whenever he is shown in the darker jacket, but when he is shown in it there’s also a suggestion that he is perhaps taking more risks than necessary in his haste to get home.

Where the video is likely to provoke most controversy, however, is in its final sequence. Still in the dark grey jacket, he waits at a traffic light and sets off when it turns green.

He’s then struck by a car emerging from a side street. We see his bike wheel spinning, lit by a flashing blue light, and his shattered phone, next to his foot as he lies prone on the ground, flashes with an incoming call – from his partner is the implication.

Quoted on trade website BikeBiz, Proviz co-founder Anthony Langly-Smith: "Most cyclists understand the importance of being seen when cycling at night, but many cyclists are riding with little or no reflective material.

"The video highlights the Proviz Reflect 360 cycling jacket, which is made exclusively from reflective material and has been in high demand this winter.

“We hope viewers will play around with the video and share it with friends and family so that as many cyclists as possible are aware of the safety benefits of being seen at night."

Proviz says it will donate £5 from the sale of every jacket, which costs £74.99, purchased via the link in the video to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.

Michael Corley, the charity’s head of campaigns and fundraising, said: “Cycling at night can be a risky business – so it’s really important that cyclists do all they can to be seen by other road users.

He added: "Proviz’s REFLECT360 jacket is a great way to increase visibility in the dark – while also raising awareness of our charity’s vital work, because £5 from the sale of each jacket will go towards our mission to save lives and reduce injuries.”

There’s little doubt that reflective clothing does make cyclists more visible at night, when it is more effective than high-visibility clothing, let alone darker garments.

Proviz want to sell their jackets, and evidently they’ll want to highlight the benefits. But with neither high-visibility nor reflective clothing being compulsory for people on bikes, some may find the video’s conclusion in questionable taste, given the cyclist has done nothing wrong.

What do you think?

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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41 comments

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a.jumper | 9 years ago
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Utter evil. ASA complaint on its way.

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Scoob_84 | 9 years ago
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Reporting this add to ASA!!  24  24 You serious??

Some of you sensitive soles need to chill out

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Ush | 9 years ago
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The cyclists lights are pointed downwards so that he doesn't blind the poor car drivers.

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Kadinkski | 9 years ago
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Just in terms of marketing, its quite a clever idea and slick production. It certainly plays up to a fear that their target demographic/rider-type would have.

But having said that, I hate the sentiment behind the ad, I find it quite cynical. I certainly won't be buying one (also based on the ridiculous fit and what people are saying about the breathability).

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sfichele | 9 years ago
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I've sent a complaint to the ASA.....Id urge others to do the same. This is disingenuous crap...

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sfichele | 9 years ago
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I've sent a complaint to the ASA.....Id urge others to do the same. This is disingenuous crap...

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sfichele | 9 years ago
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Here's a still image from their disingenuous video. The front light is point 45 degrees downwards so it looks less bright

https://twitter.com/geckobike/status/545559969673019392/photo/1

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aslongasicycle | 9 years ago
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As someone who used to work on films like this, its very well done. I respect that.

But I'm very disappointed to see that they've reduced the brightness of his lights and perhaps other visual cues. This seems disingenuous, if I'm being nice.

I can imagine them in post production, reducing the lights down, then egging each other to go further until they're essentially only visible enough to say there were lights there. That's not right.

The most effective marketing message is an honest one, whether I disagree with it or not.

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paulrbarnard | 9 years ago
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Damm. This was on my Christmas list. If Santa has picked this I hope she, I mean he, has kept the receipt as it will be going back.

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Jimmy Ray Will | 9 years ago
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First up... that ad is awful.... however the putting together of it looks tight..

Beyond the obvious victim blaming stuff, what bothered me was just how terrified the chap looked the whole time... If I felt my life was in that much jeopardy, I'd just get in the car.

Which is my consistent arguments for all these things... if its not safe, don't do it.

That aside, I did see one of these jackets out and about the other day whilst driving, and thet are pretty damned good.

So I'd still recommend them.

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LondonDynaslow | 9 years ago
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Check out the Sugoi video http://www.probikekit.co.uk/sports-clothing/sugoi-zap-reflective-jacket-...

That's how to do it. They sound like they're on our side, and they sound like they've actually designed it for cycling.

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md6 | 9 years ago
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hmm...not sure about this. ON one hand I think it massively overstates the benefit of the jacket (unless it illuminates on its own) it wouldn't look like it does in the video the whole time. Sure when a light hits it but not the whole time. Second, as pointed out, the car would've still hit him as there wouldn't have been a light on the jacket when he was hit. Thirdly, I didn't see a rear light, and the front was woefully dim.

I won't be getting this jacket as i'm not convinced by this ad, I think bright lights and the dim green light pointed at my body from my bars that I have, are far more likely to keep me seen and therefore slightly less likely to be hit, than this.

So here's a tip, buy a dim(ish) little cheapo light and point it back into your body from the bars (not into your face as you can't see properly!).

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Scoob_84 | 9 years ago
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You lot don't half enjoy getting offended on this site.  24

The main issue for me is the fact these are waterproof, not breathable and loose fitting. The vast majority of commuting days (here in London particularly) are dry and mild. When it does rain, it very rarely rains hard enough to warrant a full water proof. I'd snap this product up if they managed to produce a breathable soft shell version designed for dry and mild conditions.

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LondonDynaslow | 9 years ago
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Someone rode me with the other day in one of these. Quite visible in a weird ghostly sort of way, but absolutely terrible cut.

I'm glad this advert has come out because it has solved my dilemma about whether I could buy something so visible and yet so baggy. No is the answer, because I won't give money to people who advertise in this manner. Big mistake, Proviz.

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jmaccelari | 9 years ago
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Ridiculous. The problem is impatient, unobservant drivers and until they are sorted out no amount of reflective clothing is going to help.

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Threeh | 9 years ago
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This happens every time I don't don my Proviz.

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andyp | 9 years ago
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What absolute shite.

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Northernbike | 9 years ago
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if this contemptible video reflects the kind of people who work at the company, and presumably as an advertising video that is exactly what it aims to do, I would say it would be best to avoid having anything to do with them or their products if at all possible

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alotronic | 9 years ago
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I have one. Total sweat box but ok for cold at the moment with only a baselayer - not going to be using in spring, that's for sure, back to dayglo.

As above:

Video is just dumb an, after all, an instrument of sales not a doco - some stupid London agency idea? All kinds of points you could pick out - where's the smooth white light coming from all the time? Where are his lights? Victim blaming. Advancing myth that all london cyclists ride fixies etc

BUT (study not withstanding, I'll have a good read of that) people *seem* to give you more room. Riding it for two weeks I have seen asked a few times where to get them. A motorcyclist even made the effort to stop me (I thought he was cross) and ask about it. It takes a lot to break the cyclist/motorcyclist divide.

In order of priority I would get decent lights first (I have a ton of those too and don't understand comment above that implies you either have safety gear OR lights) but this does what it does well.

Ultimately it's going to depend on your disposition. In London I am an 'all in' commuter - I am certainly a lot more cautious and less militant than I was when I was younger. I am fully confident in traffic, know when to take a lane, when to back down, so this jacket is not compensating for bad riding or setup, it's just another thing in the arsenal of active and passive aids.

Apropos of nothing, this was also the only piece of cycling kit I have EVER bought that my wife ORDERED me to buy in 25 years!

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alotronic replied to alotronic | 9 years ago
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doh, tried to edit but quoted... can't delete your own posts?

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J90 | 9 years ago
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I'd be questioning how shit your lights are if the jacket is the first thing people see. One for the Hi-Viz brigade, I'll stick to decent lights thanks.

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Jonny_Trousers | 9 years ago
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Just watched the video after reading the comments and IMHO some of you guys are getting a little too worked up. I honestly don't see any victim blaming going on. It's just an advert for a product that they are trying to convince us will make us more visible at night, and thus hopefully reduce the risk of smidsy incidents.

I'd actually be intrigued to see one on the road now, but the comments above about breathability have already put me off buying one.

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Leviathan | 9 years ago
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What next? Will they scream 'Wiggle! You sell black jackets, you are complicit in peoples deaths!'
Ah well, it is National Victim Blaming Week after all.

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Leviathan | 9 years ago
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USE OUR PRODUCT OR YOU WILL DIE!!!!
Classy.

Apart from being a despicable plug for their product this idea was done much better by the recent Honda ad. Also the Sugoi Zap Jacket* is available in multiple 'ambient' colours and looks like it is cut for cycling, not for carrying potatoes.
I am all for being seen and have added retroflective tape to my bike, but being told I HAVE TO wear anything is not on. If this jacket was a panacea, they should lobby the government to make it compulsory. But it would just be the latest panacea. Wisely cyclists are only compelled to have lights.

http://startcycles.co.uk/sugoi-zap-jacket-70729u-616.html?gclid=Cj0KEQiA...
*Check this bargain, The zap jacket in orange only £30 smackeroonies. If you really want to be seen don't wear yellow or you will just be ignored through habituation. Orange and reflective! Buy it quick before I persuade myself!

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GrahamH | 9 years ago
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Mmmm... rehash of the Rohan 'Flash Back' jacket I was using 30 years ago.

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banzicyclist2 | 9 years ago
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Victim blaming .. well they can go f**k themselves I'm playing that game. Is it a good idea and does it work? Seems to!
.
Breathability... big problem! Unless your want to amble along in zone 0, I certainly don't!!
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Ulitmalety a big in y'face back light and defensive riding seems to be the best policy. Ultimately it does not matter what you do, it will never change the attitude of some dickheads.

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tonylen | 9 years ago
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Bottom line-its a great product and may help you get seen at night and therefore may stop you getting killed-of course it may not but make your own mind up on the jacket,not on the supposed ideology or politics of the makers

Or just don't buy one-I have and its excellent -I get given far more room than my Altura Night Vision-for me if it stops just one careless myopic knob close passing me then money well spent

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bikedad | 9 years ago
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Not watched the video or looked at the research BUT I do commute in one of these jackets through central Manchester. They have many faults, cut is poor, breathability is non existent to name but two. However I get more space on the road in this jacket at night than I do in a standard high vis during daylight. On unlit roads I often get the entire lane in this and get close passed wearing another jacket with standard levels of reflective. For all the faults, I for one won't be without this or something similar for any winter commuting in the future.

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spen | 9 years ago
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Judging by the material used for the back the main body of the jacket isn't even slightly breathable. Ok for a short commute but not any longer?

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