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

Utter evil. ASA complaint on its way.

Reporting this add to ASA!! You serious??

Some of you sensitive soles need to chill out

The cyclists lights are pointed downwards so that he doesn't blind the poor car drivers.

http://www.betabrand.com/collections/discolab/disco-hoodie.html

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).

I've sent a complaint to the ASA.....Id urge others to do the same. This is disingenuous crap...

I've sent a complaint to the ASA.....Id urge others to do the same. This is disingenuous crap...

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!).

You lot don't half enjoy getting offended on this site.

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.

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.

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

This happens every time I don't don my Proviz.

What absolute shite.

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

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!!
.
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.

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

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.

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?