18 February 2011

Friday Videos: 3M - No White at Night

Many of us commute by bicycle, or enjoy a nice run early in the morning, or after the kidlets have been put to bed for the night. We squeeze in our training when we can, and often that means going out before the sun is up, or after it has gone down.

At those times when visibility is low, we are at the greatest risk. Cars may not be able to see us.

I visited the 3M booth during the Outdoor Retailer show, and talked to them about their Scotchlite™ Reflective Material. They were showing this video, which demonstrates how far an approaching car can see you at night.


3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material uses retroflection technology. This means it is specifically designed to return light directly back to its original source. Think about cat’s eyes or a deer’s eyes in headlights shining in the night. 3M products feature retroreflection through the use of glass bead and prismatic technologies.

I was surprised at exactly how much of a difference there is in distances between the white shirts and the Scotchlite material. The most easily seen parts of the runners were where the reflective material was applied to areas that were movin, and the movement draws your eyes to it.

Be careful out there while training. Don't become part of the statistic.

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