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Hi vis vests

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StephenBurnett

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Time of past OR future Camino
French Way + Invierno April May 2024
Hello, I’m wondering what is the legal requirement and then what happens in practice with hi visibility vests etc. on one hand, looking at many packing lists I don’t think I recall seeing any hi vis vests but then I hear that if you are walking before sunrise you need to where one and you can pick them up in service stations cheaply.

I have heard that some people put hi vis tape on their poles and I’m sure that local people don’t wear hi vis vests on their morning walks around town etc. so I’m curious, and want to comply, and be safe but I don’t want to carry an extra 100-200gm if not necessary. Would reflective tape on your pack and or other places be sufficient, or would a torch be good enough? Just wondering.
What is the requirement and then what really happens when people start well before sunrise.
 
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I had a couple of little blinky lights I attached to the back of my pack for hiking before daylight and also some aspects of my pack are reflective. I wore a headlamp when starting before daylight for the front. I bought my blinky lights at an outdoor store. There is no requirement for a hi vis vest that I am aware of and I have never seen a pilgrim wearing one.
 
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I have never heard of a requirement to wear a high-visibility vest in Spain or on any other Camino. I have several relatives who live near Santiago who do quite a bit of walking in urban areas and they've not heard of any such requirement either. Common sense and situational awareness prove effective for the vast majority of pilgrims.
 
I bought a pair of these vests for my sister and I for our autumn Camino Ingles. They fit over our ponchos and packs. I might not have bothered but we were walking in the dark most mornings and in the rain all day.
 
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Thank you all, the royal decree explained the requirement, and yes as we do here walking in the morning or in inclement conditions you do need to be seen. I not use poles so I’ll look at tape or lights in the front and back of my pack or somewhere.
 
peregrina2000 said:
Unless the law has changed since 2016, they are required by royal decree in certain situations. I translated the decree in a thread in 2016, which you can read here.
Click to expand...
My understanding is that since about that time, it has been a requirement in Spain (and elsewhere in the EU?) to wear a high viz if you are a pedestrian on a national road, day or night, and to carry one in your vehicle should you break down and have to leave the vehicle. Around the same time, there was a spanish newspaper article about the introduction of this legal requirement and the resultant consternation among sex workers by the roadside having to wear them.. they supposedly felt it wasn't a good look with stilettos and short skirts.

As pilgrims on probably every camino in Spain, we find ourselves walking on the shoulder of a national road at some point. I rarely see pilgrims wearing a high viz and do wonder if it's ever enforced.
 
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I bought reflective tape for fabric that is pretty rain-resistant (hasn't come off yet, and I live in the Pacific Northwest). I have it stuck all over my backpack (back, front straps, both sides), my rain jacket, and my dry bag/daypack. I also have a blinky light for the front-left strap (visible from front or left), and a blinky light for the rear-right of my backpack (visible from rear and left). Hopefully that's enough to meet the royal decree

Here is a picture of the back of my pack, with the two reflective tape triangles and my rear blinky light.
 

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peregrina2000 said:
Unless the law has changed since 2016, they are required by royal decree in certain situations. I translated the decree in a thread in 2016, which you can read here.
Click to expand...
Would you happen to know what the "technical requirements of Royal Decree 1407/1992 of Nov. 20" were, or have the time to translate it?
 
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Thanks! Do you think I can take that to mean that being visible from 150m away is the only requirement, unless in a group, in which case white-lights-front and red-lights back are also required?
 
I walk early and wear one or hang it on my pack and as WP says, they weigh nothing and can only help
 
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A lot of pack covers are reflective, so probably compliant. When walking on a road in the dark I wrap the strap of my headlamp around my wrist and turn it on with the red flashing setting.
 
As some folks have pointed out, laws DO require wearing a Hi-Viz safety vest when walking at night or low visibility times.

I do NOT wear such a thing because my backpack and harness would cover most of it anyway. What I do wear to offset this, and to promote visibility is:
  • I wear a safety, neon yellow-green Adidas baseball style cap - which also works well under a poncho hood.
  • A stripe of 1 inch wide, 3M reflective tape around EACH section of my hiking poles - on the upper segment. This is usually about four stripes. If you move this using just your wrist when oncoming traffic is seen, the oncoming driver sees a whirling arc, like an airplane propellor with stripes. It is VERY EFFECTIVE at getting attention. Many drivers flash their lights to let me know they saw me.
  • My Sea to Summit Sil-nylon rucksack poncho is a high contrast lemon-lime color that contrasts with all backgrounds. Subdued colors are not visible in low light conditions. Even white is preferred to black, navy, rust or dark green colors.
  • I carry, but seldom use, two ankle bands - like for a bicycle - that are reflective safety yellow.
  • I used to carry one or more, bicycle style, LED blinky lights. But then other pilgrims started "borrowing them." So I stopped.
I have never had a police stop in my six Caminos. However, some drivers may have died from laughing too hard. Sometimes, fellow pilgrims tell me I look like a big tropical bird walking down the verge / shoulder of a road.

Hope this helps,

Tom
 
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You are right. Use your own sense to assess your own risk and prepare accordingly. I live in an area which could be described as semi-rural with narrow pavements if they exist at all. When walking my dogs at any time I wear a hi-viz vest. Then again I’m 72 and don’t really care what I look like. I wouldn’t have worn one before the age of 50.
 
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I put reflective bright tape on each pole and a loop on one of my rucksack straps so that it moved with the motion of the bag. If raining our ponchos were bright red or orange.
 
I wear a high viz vest on all my Caminos when walking on dangerous roads or dual carriageways regardless of the time of day. Having read that most deaths are from vehicles it seemed prudent to wear one.
 
Listen, I walk early mornings and late nights when going to and from work in my own country. Of course I am wearing a hi viz vest and not on the back of my rucksack, because I am walking towards the traffic!
-and several blinking lights and I do not care what people think....
Same procedure when walking in Spain,observe the traffic as it approaches you, many a time I have had to swerve as cars got too close, it is my own responsibility to survive....eye contact...
an aside: I get a heart attack every time I se British pilgrims walk in the right side of the traffic on the Camino, back to oncoming traffic.
Please walk on the left side in continental Europe.. Please..!
NB using hi viz running vest, they are slimmer and not so clumsy, it is really not a problem...
 
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I didn’t say anything before but I absolutely agree with you! Some villages have been forced to put up signs for pilgrims who not only walk on the wrong side but often in group’s blocking the road! I’ve nearly been hit walking on the correct side by pilgrims on the wrong side!
 
I put reflective ribbon on my back pack. I can't understand why many back packs don't come with a reflective back area.
 
I totally agree
Having scraped many people off roads (literally) I am well aware what a fast moving vehicle will do to to flesh and bone.
The more visible that you can be the better.
Reflective hi vis tape on walking poles is good as it changes a flickers in headlights.
Reflective hi viz tape on a rucksack loop swings and does the same trick.
Bright clothing (not dark red) is good for visibility as well.

Be seen Be safe
 
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Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

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I have to say that I do carry a high vis jacket. It's made of pertex, very very light, yellow in colour and is fairly wind proof. I can assure you ,very handy when crossing the Pyrenees. Jolly handy piece of kit.
.
 
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