SOME FACTORS AFFECTING MOTORCYCLISTS CONSPICUOUSNESS

Three experiments examined some of the factors that might affect motor cyclists' conspicuity to other road users, In each case, subjects saw a sequence of slides showing traffic, some of which contained a motorc yclist. A record was taken of their reaction times to decide whether o r not a motorcyclist was present in each slide. Experiments 1 and 2 ex amined the effects on conspicuity of headlight use. type of clothing, distance of motorcyclist from viewer, and driving Situation (urban or semi-rural). Experiment 3 looked more closely at environmental influen ces on motorcyclist conspicuity, systematically varying the level of b ackground 'clutter behind the motorcyclist. All three experiments indi cate that the effectiveness of the conspicuity aids used. especially c lothing, may depend on the situation in which the motorcyclist was loc ated: bright clothing and headlight use may not be infallible aids to conspicuity. Brightness contrast between the motorcyclist and the surr oundings may be more important as a determinant of conspicuity than th e motorcyclist's brightness per se. Motorcyclists' conspicuity is a mo re complex issue than has hitherto been acknowledged.