# Why do people wear black clothing outdoors at night? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [December 8, 2017, 4:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-do-people-wear-black-clothing-outdoors-at-night/110124 "2017-12-08T16:56:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BillRussell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/billrussell/32/3179_2.png) [@BillRussell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BillRussell)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 4:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-do-people-wear-black-clothing-outdoors-at-night/110124/1 "2017-12-08T16:56:03Z")
I’m talking about walking along the highway or crossing the street. Now that winter hours are on us, and I’m driving more at night, I’m amazed at the number of people wearing all black clothing. Some are barely visible where there are no streetlights. Yes, I know it’s style, but shouldn’t safety override style? All of my coats are red (I don’t like black), BTW. And you can get orange “hunter’s vests” for a few dollars… end rant. ---
**Author:** ![sgtrock21](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/sgtrock21/32/246_2.png) [@sgtrock21](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sgtrock21)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 5:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-do-people-wear-black-clothing-outdoors-at-night/110124/2 "2017-12-08T17:44:05Z")
I have never figured it out. I call them “Ninjas”. Perhaps it’s one of nature’s ways to cleanse the gene pool. ---
**Author:** ![pyrolord314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@pyrolord314](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pyrolord314)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 5:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-do-people-wear-black-clothing-outdoors-at-night/110124/3 "2017-12-08T17:47:35Z")
Drives me nuts when people do this…even our local Amish community wears the bright yellow construction vests over their black cloaks when they bike or walk at night time…The others? Darwin Award nominees ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 6:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-do-people-wear-black-clothing-outdoors-at-night/110124/4 "2017-12-08T18:23:56Z")
If you ever figure out why people do dumb things, I suggest writing a book. I’d love to read it. Compared to understanding people, understanding physics is downright easy! ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 6:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-do-people-wear-black-clothing-outdoors-at-night/110124/5 "2017-12-08T18:43:22Z")
When you think about it, in order to become the planet’s dominant species, we only had to be smarter than the most dangerous thing that was trying to eat us. That’s right, folks. To be smart enough to be a human allowed to freely roam the nighttime streets in whatever color clothing you want, you only have to out-brain this guy: ![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/2X/4/41807bede641ef547874b5e393e909b8a88a2bdb.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 7:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-do-people-wear-black-clothing-outdoors-at-night/110124/6 "2017-12-08T19:04:47Z")
If they are easy to see, it I should harder for them to break into your house. ---
**Author:** ![pyrolord314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@pyrolord314](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pyrolord314)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 7:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-do-people-wear-black-clothing-outdoors-at-night/110124/7 "2017-12-08T19:30:40Z")
> [@shadowfax](#): > > you only have to out-brain this guy: Or outrun whomever else the lion is chasing! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BillRussell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/billrussell/32/3179_2.png) [@BillRussell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BillRussell)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 7:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-do-people-wear-black-clothing-outdoors-at-night/110124/8 "2017-12-08T19:56:57Z")
> [@pyrolord314](#): > > The others? Darwin Award nominees yeah, except if I hit them, I wind up in trouble or broke. ---
**Author:** ![pyrolord314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@pyrolord314](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pyrolord314)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 8:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-do-people-wear-black-clothing-outdoors-at-night/110124/9 "2017-12-08T20:05:32Z")
> [@BillRussell](#): > > yeah, except if I hit them, I wind up in trouble or broke. I know, I’ve heard some places have reflective clothing rules, but I bet that that is rare instead of commonplace. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 8:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-do-people-wear-black-clothing-outdoors-at-night/110124/10 "2017-12-08T20:18:33Z")
You can’t fix stupid. Where I live people J-walk in black at night routinely. ---
**Author:** ![RandomTroll](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/randomtroll/32/12184_2.png) [@RandomTroll](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RandomTroll)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 10:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-do-people-wear-black-clothing-outdoors-at-night/110124/11 "2017-12-08T22:48:20Z")
When the weather gets too hot I bike the shared-use trail along the Rio Grande late at night. A slight young woman with nearly colorless blond hair walks it. She always wears black, long pants and long sleeves. If it weren’t for her hair and face I’d never see her until I ran into her. She used to carry a light. I’m usually the only other person out that late. I nearly ran into her one night. I thought about screeching to a halt, going back and telling her to get a light, but thought that might scare her. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 11:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-do-people-wear-black-clothing-outdoors-at-night/110124/12 "2017-12-08T23:41:25Z")
She might be scared of being assaulted and wears black to be less visible to the creeps that might attack her. If you happen to talk to her, suggest that she find friends to walk with. Then she might walk with lighter colored clothes and a light. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 11:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-do-people-wear-black-clothing-outdoors-at-night/110124/13 "2017-12-08T23:41:42Z")
Yet another example of common sense not being so common. ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ad7895/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan2)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2017, 6:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-do-people-wear-black-clothing-outdoors-at-night/110124/14 "2017-12-09T06:23:30Z")
I stay safe by wearing dark blue and riding in a red wheel chair with gray seat. The power chair helps me dodge the cars. I should keep the flashing green light handy. I only ride in parking lots at night. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2017, 10:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-do-people-wear-black-clothing-outdoors-at-night/110124/15 "2017-12-09T10:00:10Z")
Have a bicycle nut coworker, lights, yellow reflective vest, been out 3 months, hit by a driver from behind, sun blinded was the driver, broken leg, broken arm. Another bud hit by right turner, hematoma in the thigh, out a couple of months, gauze replaced in thigh multiple times per week, I agree with the ninja riders and walkers are asking for trouble, but there are no guarantees. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2017, 6:01am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-do-people-wear-black-clothing-outdoors-at-night/110124/16 "2017-12-10T06:01:07Z")
I agree she may be wearing black to not be noticeable late at night. She might have exchanged the light for a gun though so I wouldn’t startle her. Like I said before, you’d be surprised how many women are at the range practicing. ---
**Author:** ![Ben-T\_Spanner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/58956e/32.png) [@Ben-T\_Spanner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Ben-T_Spanner)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2017, 3:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-do-people-wear-black-clothing-outdoors-at-night/110124/17 "2017-12-10T15:24:31Z")
I attended a college foorball game with 100.000 other fans. It was a night game starting at 8 PM with a Blackout Theme. Most attendees were all in black including black hoodies. After the game, the pedestrians (everyone until they got in a car) mixed with the vehicular traffic. What a great idea. ---
**Author:** ![RandomTroll](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/randomtroll/32/12184_2.png) [@RandomTroll](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RandomTroll)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2017, 9:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-do-people-wear-black-clothing-outdoors-at-night/110124/18 "2017-12-14T21:18:06Z")
It’s a shared use trail, not a sidewalk. It has underpasses so doesn’t cross streets. Sometimes I wind it up and get to 25 mph. I’ll hurt someone pretty badly at that speed: her gun won’t help. That’s far more likely than an assault. ---
**Author:** ![yellowbal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/258eb7/32.png) [@yellowbal](https://community.cartalk.com/u/yellowbal)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2017, 9:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-do-people-wear-black-clothing-outdoors-at-night/110124/19 "2017-12-14T21:34:33Z")
They may have started the day wearing the same dark clothes. Either way, why does it matter? Cars have headlights and shouldn’t drive on sidewalks or shoulders. It’s similar to complaining about people in your blindspot… it’s the driver’s responsibility to check. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2017, 9:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-do-people-wear-black-clothing-outdoors-at-night/110124/20 "2017-12-14T21:58:44Z")
> [@yellowbal](#): > > Either way, why does it matter? Cars have headlights and shouldn’t drive on sidewalks or shoulders. Boy , are you ever missing the point . In the area where I live we have had auto pedestrian accidents because of people crossing between intersections , walking in the road with back to traffic and according to the news report all were wearing dark clothing. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-do-people-wear-black-clothing-outdoors-at-night/110124.md?page=2)