That's Flashy

I love all things reflective. Sneakers with reflective sections, reflective-painted road stripes, reflective paint on police cars, road signs, safety vests, dog collars, regular old bike reflectors.

Why? I really couldn't say. I just find it cool as hell. The other day I was riding in a car and someone was a couple of blocks in front of us on a bike. I saw the reflectors on the pedals -- left up/right down, right up/left down -- way before I could see the bike or the person. I reminds me of summertime back when me and my posse of bike riding friends would be racing home for dinner with sunset hot on our heels. Occasionally someone will be walking in front of me and I will be at just the right angle to catch the glare from reflective stripes on the back of their shoes.

I love that shit. It is almost hypnotizing.

I sometimes think of working for 3M, just so I could learn the ways of reflective materials manufacturing. Who invents it? How is it made? How is it tested?

I especially enjoy stuff like illumiNITE or Safe Reflections which looks pretty normal during daylight hours, but becomes reflective once the light fades away.

Call me Mr. Safety if you wish, but it isn't really the safety issue that caused this obsession. It is more of the genius and intrigue behind that glowing flash of reflected light that sucks me in.