My Retrospective On RetroReflection*
I suppose that my passion to eventually become The Good Prince Of Darkness began over 50 years
ago when a rich friend, Jay, showed up in first grade with
ONE-UNBELIEVABLE-RED-SIX-PANELED-BASEBALL-CAP
that was ornated with half inch, flexible, silver, reflective tape sewn down
every seam,
including the cap button.
It's radiating star effect was as awesome in the autumn, schoolyard sunlight as it was in the dark,
late, winter afternoons in the blustery Berkshire Hills of Pittsfield in Western Massachusetts.
Boy... was I hooked on reflectivity! And boy-oh-boy... was I envious of Jay!
Such a "luxury" was not affordable at this "boy's home."
Miraculously, at the peak of my jealousy -- and the depth of elementary dispair -- the local American
Legion Post visited my grammar school to place three reflective tape strips on any kid's bike. Needless
to say, I got my strips... and in fact, cherished them more than my bike.
The strips weren't Jay's red reflective cap, but I had reflectivity...and
I was shining 'n styling!
Now, there's a couple of interesting disclosures in
the above exposition;
but to read them, you'll have to go to the next page.
 |
|
*FOOTNOTE
RETROREFLECTIVE vs REFLECTIVE
Retroreflection Has Nothing To Do With Thinking About The Past
Retroreflectivity is the proper term given to
materials having the ability to return (retro)
most of the light back to it’s originating light
source. MANY ITEMS ARE REFLECTIVE;
metal foil, a white T-shirt, even a darker colors.
BUT, the light reflecting off them
(the light that's not absorbed by the color itself)
is scattered in many directions,
because they DO NOT POSSESS the ability to refocus the
light hitting them
back to the light source.
SO, WHILE THEY MAY BE REFLECTIVE THEY ARE NOT
RETROREFLECTIVE.
|
|
|
|
|
