ARGH!!! People with no road sense

[Cop-Pop]

On the way back from picking up the dog I passed two people out riding on black horses in dark blue clothes. It was 7:30 so not exactly light, the road had a 60mph limit and they very nearly met a sticky end

When I stopped and suggested they wear hi-viz they informed me they 'didn't believe in it as it didn't work'

Several deep breaths later I set off and less than 5 minutes later I came across another pair!! These two were riding two abreast, trotting, one had no hat, both had no hi-viz and they were determined not to let cars passed them

I have never been tempted to use my horn before but I was so close

They were both just being rude - both horses were impecibly behaved, the road was plenty wide enough to pass with a wide berth and I had approached very slowly. When they finally let me pass I stopped and asked why they had done what they did and they said they liked to remind car drivers that horses have right of way on roads. I told them that people like them give horse riders a bad name and could they please learn some manners

I was rather angry by this point so I drove off....

 

[DipseyDeb]

I wasn't aware that horses had 'right of way'

 

[katie_southwest]

I dont understand some people. I religously wear my tabard at least. Whatever time, whatever the weather, it makes no difference to me whether its on over my top. It makes a difference to drivers though, many a time Iv nearly not seen my friends on their horses coming through a lane with trees and the sun light is blinding

 

[Donkeymad]

Yes, horses do have right of way, but that does not excuse such idiocy, and certainly these people were not doing the horse world any favours!

 

[dwi]

Sounds like accident waiting to happen. How anyone can believe that they know better than the BHS etc who can prove that it DOES make a difference I don't know.

I'm tempted to say it ought to be compulsory to have at least something on, the same as hats on children

 

[Happytohack]

They obviously don't give a damn about their horses

. Horses do not have right of way over other road users - this is a complete myth. Pedestrians have right of way. Perhaps they should read up on their Highway Code. People like this give the rest of us a bad name and also endanger other horseriders. It won't be too long before wearing Hi Viz whilst riding on the roads becomes a requirement for insurance and legal purposes and not a moment too soon.

 

[Orangehorse]

If you were involved in a road accident and NOT wearing High Viz then you might be thought partially liable.

By the way, in the new Highway Code it is recommended that riders use High Viz anyway, so both sets of riders need to read a copy.

If I can I always pull up and let cars go past me, rather than make them wait for ages to get past, or if I can't pull in I trot to the nearest suitable passing place.

 

[fatpiggy]

I've seen people just like this from a "posh" yard near the farm where I keep my horse. Even nearly hit one in just th same light conditions and I was LOOKING OUT for riders! Even if I'm leading my horse on the road I always wear a hi-viz. To people who think they don't work, I could see two horses being ridden along the lane about quarter of a mile away. One was wearing a fluorescent, the other wasn't. You could barely make out the actual horses but the colourful rider was clearly visible, not so the drab one.

Wasn't there something in H&H a couple of years ago about insurance companies refusing to pay out in road accidents where the riders weren't wearing hi-viz as they had made themselves liable?

 

[jesterfaerie]

I HATE (strong word but I feel it is needed) people who are so arrogant not to wear it.
Not only but they run the risk of endangering their own lives but the lives of drivers and their own horses.
Well done to you for keeping your cool.
It is getting to the point now where I may buy high viz tabards in bulk and staple them to riders who do not wear them as I pass.

I really do think high viz should be made mandatory and insurance should be void without it.

 

[Bugly]

I just don't get it: why are people to arrogant? I also religiously wear my high viz and dont care who cares takes the piss out of me: i'm seen!

I was out riding last night in the dusk on a short 5 minute road link between two bridle ways and wore a new tabard and flashing light. I don't care if I look like a plonker.....

 

[muffinino]

I thought the most vunerable road user has right of way, in which case car v. horse, it would be the horse.

Regardless, I always ride as if it is my right of way and politely ask cars to slow down/stop if I need to and ride in the middle of the road rather than hug the side, partly to control traffic and partkly so the drivers have a better cahnce of seeing me. All, I must add, with high viz on me and the horse!

 

[BigBird146]

They might start to 'believe in it' if they have an accident and their insurance won't pay out because they contributed to the accident by negligently not wearing Hi-Viz.
I think it should be made law now for all horse riders and cyclists to wear flourescent & reflect tbards as a minimum. (Can't understand why they haven't when it is so over the top in work places!)

 

[Magicmillbrook]

Grrrrr - it makes me fume, no one in my village wears hi viz apart from me and my daughter. I even wear high viz when leading out and walking the dog - I consider both myslef and my animals worthy of the best protection possible

I stopped a womean a few weeks ago and did the same thing, she wasnt rude, but the next day I saw her again - minus hi viz.

 

[xnaughtybutnicex]

I thought they had new laws about riders riding next to each other on roads now. Alot of drivers are completely ignorant but it doesn't give the riders an excuse to do that aswell. They would probably be completely pi***d off if a rider did that to them while they were driving.

 

[Fransurrey]

[ QUOTE ]
They might start to 'believe in it' if they have an accident and their insurance won't pay out because they contributed to the accident by negligently not wearing Hi-Viz.
I think it should be made law now for all horse riders and cyclists to wear flourescent & reflect tbards as a minimum. (Can't understand why they haven't when it is so over the top in work places!)

[/ QUOTE ]

There was a case about 6 years ago of a rider's compensation being halved because she was not wearing Hi-Viz and therefore the insurance company assigned some liability to her. It was in the news.

 

[OWLIE185]

Good on you for telling these riders how foolish they are.

My advice is to wear Hi-Viz as it has been scientifically proved that drivers see you 5 seconds earlier.

With people working on the roads wearing Hi-Viz, cyclists wearing Hi-Viz and sensible horse riders wearing Hi-Viz motorists expect people to be wearing Hi-Viz and without it riders and their horses are at a disadvantage.

However please be aware that when there is bright low sunshine motorists can be blinded by the sun so avoid riding out in these conditions.

Wear long sleaved Hi-Viz jackets as it makes your hand signals more visible to motorists.

It is true that when horse related accidents go to court that they award less money if the rider was not wearing Hi-Viz gear.

 

[WishfulThinker]

I dont get why folk wont wear it! if they dont want a tabbard over their jacket - buy a yellow jacket!! I have a bright yellow hoodie for hacking out in the summer.

I will admit I used to not wear it, but since I started driving and had an incident where I came accross a rider with no high viz in the twighlight and almost crapping myself with fright I dont og on the road without it.

Also - I dont go out at dusk as even though my horse is a saint - god knows what could be thought to be lurking in the bushes to get him