Do you ride out in reflective gear?

welshiewhiskers

welshiewhiskers

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Does anyone use reflective stuff in summer and winter? what do you use?
I just use a tabard and reflective leg wear in winter! the neck band looks quite good from v-bandz though!
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OMG absolutely, to do without is asking for trouble. Only the other day I met two riders in our lane, it was nice and sunny but both were wearing tabbards that were old and grubby.

As they passed under the trees and into shade they became invisible near as damit, a less 'aware' driver would not have seen them til far too late.

I think a tabbard is good as car drivers can see you over the tops of hedges, putting stuff just on the horses is useless IMO Leg bands/boots aren't as effective as people think either.

I think the secret is the tabbard needs to have some contrast on it. I saw a woman with one not long ago that was flourescent but with black panels and it was really effective, pity I never asked her where she got it.......
 
I wear a jacket, gloves and hat band, he wears a exercise sheet, browband, noseband, stirrup reflectors, neckband and boots if its bad weather. Like this (my mum, not me):
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I like hi-viz stuff, I don't think Chex does
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. I barely ride on the road too lol
 
OMG absolutely, to do without is asking for trouble. Only the other day I met two riders in our lane, it was nice and sunny but both were wearing tabbards that were old and grubby.

As they passed under the trees and into shade they became invisible near as damit, a less 'aware' driver would not have seen them til far too late.

I think a tabbard is good as car drivers can see you over the tops of hedges, putting stuff just on the horse is useless IMO Leg bands/boots aren't as effective as people think either.

I think the secret is the tabbard needs to have some contrast on it. I saw a woman with one not long ago that was flourescent but with black panels and it was really effective, pity I never asked her where she got it.......
 
Yes I do......own a dark horse and wear it all the time when I hack out,normally a tabard with'Pass wide and slow',sometimes add the bits to my bridle....TBH I think it should be compulsory,end of!
 
I'm a pratt for posting twice but commendable turnout Chex. At least if you're unlucky enough to have an accident they'll have a job claiming they didn't see you. Makes prosecutions easier as well
 
yes i do always mostly i wear a tabard & hat band, linx wears leg bands & a bridle part sometimes he wears a neck strap with bridle parts on & an ex sheet. i feel very saddened when i see riders without as its common sense to make yourself visable to drivers & other road users!

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^ hes not wearing leg bands as they came off in the mud!
 
chex looks like hes off to a rave bless him

joking aside, i wear a tabard everytime i hack out and in cold weather put my fleece lined flourescent sheet on too. it really does shock me whilst driving out and about how well riders blend into hedge rows wearing normal clothes, particularly if driving up a quiet but 'fast moving' road!
 
Yes ALWAYS and I don't do a lot of road work either really. My thought on it is we are in the woods with lots of bike riders and runners. It gives them a fighting chance at seeing us and slowing down too. Also we get a lot of helicopters flying over and jets.

And if I fall off at least they might be able to find me a little easier in the undergrowth
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When the BHS did the safety survey after several people had been killed by low flying heliciopters they found that even in nomral visibility a driver will become aware of you two seconds earlier if you are wearing hi viz. If you think that cars go at about 50 down the small country lane I generally hack on they will be travelling quite a distance in that 2 secs and I would rather they were able to react to me quicker
 
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The car drivers can claim you are negligent if you don't wear it.

Bright sunny days with shadows are particularly dangerous. Hi Viz is not just for winter.

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Absolutely, plus in summer you are even more likely to encounter idiots out for a jolly on a nice day.
 
My o/h & I hack out together with him in front on a mountain bike. I've always worn hi-viz, but recently we got some fluorescent vest things with flashing LEDs & have noticed that people slow down a lot better. Maybe their thinking is that if we've made the effort to be visible, they'll make the effort not to scare the living daylights out of us. (Not that Adrian gives a f anyway, but it's the principle...)

Also wear leg bands all round, a tail wrap & a martingaley type thing. I think I'd be visible from space!!

http://s154.photobucket.com/albums/s258/catembi/?action=view&current=SP_A0117.jpg
 
I always wear at least a tabard in summer and winter, in winter the high viz excerise sheet and brushing boots come out too. I have all yellow gear and my friend that I hack out with has all pink gear - we look a right pair!! But I think its so important to be seen, I think insurance companies should make it a clause in their policies that for you to be covered when riding on the roads you must wear at least a high viz tabard.
 
[ QUOTE ]
When the BHS did the safety survey after several people had been killed by low flying heliciopters they found that even in nomral visibility a driver will become aware of you two seconds earlier if you are wearing hi viz. If you think that cars go at about 50 down the small country lane I generally hack on they will be travelling quite a distance in that 2 secs and I would rather they were able to react to me quicker

[/ QUOTE ]

To add to that the BHS (& many Hi-Viz manufacturers) recommend wearing atleast 4 items of Hi-Viz gear!

heres the link(s) to the V-Bandz (originally from the BHS) website that shows riders (in a controlled road setting) wearing various degrees of Hi-Viz, the main page also shows what Hi-Viz is essential

scroll down to bottom - click on the 1 you want to watch
 
I always wear a tabard, even when I'm going in the woods and not on the roads. A friend of mine fell off in the woods and the only reason she was found in the undergrowth was because she had a tabard on. Only one person today didn't slow down for me while hacking out on the roads, he had no excuse as it was a straight bit of road and I had my tabard but he was just being a prat! All the rest slowed down, it really does make a difference.
In winter I will have the tabard, a leg band on me, leg bands on the horse (all four legs), rein strips and a noseband thing. If I hack out at a walk/ walk and slow trot I will also use a reflective and fluorescent exercise sheet, or if I have a fully clipped horse I'll use one all the time when hacking. Even if I only go into the woods, which involves about 300yds road work there and 300yds back in winter, and in summer we have direct access (but I'll still wear my tabard!)
As someone said, if you don't wear one you'll have no come-back if a driver says he couldn't see you!
 
i have to say that i dont normally wear anything, bad me... i ride out on dartmoor, and in the summer when visibility is giood etc, i just never think about reflectives...wear them in winter, if its mistly, rainy, foggy etc...
 
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