Has anyone a valid reason...................

T

Toby_Zaphod

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 August 2005
Messages
9,301
Location
Midlands
Visit site
why they don't wear hi viz?

I drive around an area where the majority of riders I see along the lanes do not wear hi viz of any kind either on themselves or on their horses. I just wondered what the reasons are for not wearing it?
 
I am always banging on about this. I very very rarely hack out on roads but I always go up hi vizzed. Should you have an accident being able.to be spotted easily could save minutes & your life. No excuse imo
 
Goldenstar said:
Yes , the way people go on on here any one would think drivers can only see lurid coloured things .
Some people don't wear hats their choice .
Click to expand...

Not quite the same thing though, is it? You don't wear a hat, it's only your head at risk. You don't wear hi-vis, a driver doesn't see you, and you could end up killing yourself, your horse, and people in the car. And I doubt your insurance would cover you.

But never mind, it's your choice.
 
Toby_Zaphod said:
why they don't wear hi viz?

I drive around an area where the majority of riders I see along the lanes do not wear hi viz of any kind either on themselves or on their horses. I just wondered what the reasons are for not wearing it?
Click to expand...
I had some livery owners said they would not wear any because it looks stupid.


What gets me is the people who wear a tabard and nothing else, so from a driver view with horse head in the way they see nothing, also if you fall off what good is your tabard going to do if the horse gallops away and is wearing nothing.
 
dibbin said:
Not quite the same thing though, is it? You don't wear a hat, it's only your head at risk. You don't wear hi-vis, a driver doesn't see you, and you could end up killing yourself, your horse, and people in the car. And I doubt your insurance would cover you.

But never mind, it's your choice.
Click to expand...

We are not discussing my choices thank you very much .I did not share them.
It's a adults freedom of choice I see people riding on the road all the time with positions so poor I would not let them off the lunge let alone loose on the road in control of an horse but again that's their choice .
 
Goldenstar said:
Yes , the way people go on on here any one would think drivers can only see lurid coloured things .
Some people don't wear hats their choice .[/QUOTE
riding round the country lanes its surprising how much more reaction time you get if a pedestrian/cyclist or rider is wearing hi viz. I see it as a safety issue for other road users, whereas not wearing a riding hat is a personal safety issue.
Click to expand...
 
luckyoldme said:
Goldenstar said:
Yes , the way people go on on here any one would think drivers can only see lurid coloured things .
Some people don't wear hats their choice .[/QUOTE
riding round the country lanes its surprising how much more reaction time you get if a pedestrian/cyclist or rider is wearing hi viz. I see it as a safety issue for other road users, whereas not wearing a riding hat is a personal safety issue.
Click to expand...

You can see it however to choose but you can't impose your choice on others .
Click to expand...
 
luckyoldme .[/QUOTE riding round the country lanes its surprising how much more reaction time you get if a pedestrian/cyclist or rider is wearing hi viz. I see it as a safety issue for other road users said:
Just trying again that's what I was trying to quote .
Click to expand...
 
Goldenstar said:
Yes , the way people go on on here any one would think drivers can only see lurid coloured things .
.
Click to expand...

Well I prefer to see it this way. The way people go on about it on here, you would think that high viz gave the driver/rider an extra three seconds reaction time, which could easily be the difference between life and death of driver/bike rider/horse rider/horse. Oh, hold on, it does :D
 
Goldenstar said:
We are not discussing my choices thank you very much .I did not share them.
It's a adults freedom of choice I see people riding on the road all the time with positions so poor I would not let them off the lunge let alone loose on the road in control of an horse but again that's their choice .
Click to expand...

I meant "you" in reference to people generally, not you specifically.
 
ycbm said:
Well I prefer to see it this way. The way people go on about it on here, you would think that high viz gave the driver/rider an extra three seconds reaction time, which could easily be the difference between life and death of driver/bike rider/horse rider/horse. Oh, hold on, it does :D
Click to expand...

Again it's your choice .
Others take a different view like I say I have a big issue with the people who ride on the road with truly awful positions I think it poses a huge risk to other road users .
 
Rowreach said:
Freedom of choice maybe. But the OP asked if anyone had a valid reason to choose not to wear hi-viz ............ anyone??
Click to expand...


Nope.

When put on the road we're hi-vized as are our horses.

I work on the basis that a) my choice to have my neds on the road, so I'll do everything I can to protect them; and b) had two rescue teams (helicopter and ambulance) thank me for wearing high viz as it made me easy to find, which was of benefit to me, them, and their next job.
 
I DO wear High Viz out hacking. Usually both me and my horse. Did not help us one day when a drink driver whooped us up the backside, over the bonnet and through the windscreen, but I still wear it.

I do, however, agree with Goldenstar that it worries me MUCH more when riders with a low skill level ride out. It is not just the position, I know I am "plugged in" to my horse, as in his brain, even if I have a relaxed rein as I sit with the horse, and the horse is soft to my aids. I can feel an issue before...it is an issue. My horse is then trained to respond to the leg/ rein. It is not infallible, he is a horse after all, but it is as safe as I can make it.

I see people riding out with no connection, the horse is hard to the leg and hand, the rider has little connection or control. If it shies the horse is non responsive.

That to me is as much or more danger.
 
/I've come round the corner on a few occasions recently and found people not wearing hi viz, I literally couldn't see them until I was very close!

lucky for them I was driving slowly because I expect to see horses there!

however, other road users aren't so kind! I was out today, in hi viz and had a couple of twits that refused to slow down and tried to over take me on a corner and at the same time splashed through a massive puddle! luckily for me my horse didn't react, which surprised me as he's very green still! bless him
 
A girl on my old yard had a very valid reason for never wearing high viz (even though our livery yard owner actually tried to enforce it as a yard rule- everyone else accepted it!)
Wait for it...... Her horse was chestnut and high viz clashes awfully with chestnut 😳
I thought she was joking at first but soon realised she was deadly serious!
 
If its bright day time chances are most people see no need to wear high-vis clothing since the light levels are such that they don't have any difficulty seeing. It's the same reason people walk, take the dog, jog, etc.... all in plain clothes during the day. Sure get the wrong sun angle (very easy at this time of the year) and a drivers vision can be obscured significantly; of course they should slow down but it still means that a person animal or rider and horse can be a silhouette against the black background.

Thing is the person doesn't fully realise that. Sure if they went out in dull/dark or evening times they might consider high vis a more viable option because then their own vision is getting impaired partly so they see a reason for it.



The fashion side I would also argue is a valid consideration. Like it or not people like to look good; they also like to be "free" from "the man" and wearing high-vis can sometimes feel like its more a chore than a life-saver (esp if the person has never had a risky situation before). If high-vis were made into more casual clothing or heck just functional affordable jackets/tops/trousers for work around a yard it would feel less like being told to put something on and more like just putting on your favourite top to go out for a ride -bonus that it could also save your life.
 
Quite often see cyclists at the last second and get a fright, because they are wearing black clothing. Often they have lights yet no reflective hi viz. When there is an oncoming car with their lights on, you can hardly see the cyclist.

My neighbour wears hi viz with reflective strips and no lights for walking his dogs. You cannot miss him. The dogs have reflective strips on their coats as well. It makes such a difference, especially in poor light conditions, why wouldn't you.
 
JanetGeorge said:
Yeah! Freedom to get their horse badly injured or killed! Freedom to cause serious injury or death to car driver and his/her passengers! And freedom to negate ALL insurance! (It's quite hard to insure against being a bloody idiot!)
Click to expand...

I find that interesting. Which companies do not insure if not wearing high viz? I am surprised as it is not a legal requirement. My insurance is through Shearwater, don't think they have that exclusion. I also have insurance through the BHS, I have not seen that as being a reason not to pay out?
 
JanetGeorge said:
Yeah! Freedom to get their horse badly injured or killed! Freedom to cause serious injury or death to car driver and his/her passengers! And freedom to negate ALL insurance! (It's quite hard to insure against being a bloody idiot!)
Click to expand...

This. I believe, once upon a time, driving whilst drunk was also a choice....
 
The ones round my area that don't use hi viz on the roads (there are very few who go without) are also mostly those who don't wear hats........ Must be a correlation somewhere.

In MY opinion, those who don't use it really don't give a s h i t about their horses safety in being seen by faster moving traffic. Please shoot me for having the freedom of choice to place this post :)
 
Overread said:
The fashion side I would also argue is a valid consideration. Like it or not people like to look good; they also like to be "free" from "the man" and wearing high-vis can sometimes feel like its more a chore than a life-saver (esp if the person has never had a risky situation before). If high-vis were made into more casual clothing or heck just functional affordable jackets/tops/trousers for work around a yard it would feel less like being told to put something on and more like just putting on your favourite top to go out for a ride -bonus that it could also save your life.
Click to expand...

I can't see this as a valid reason!

my horse looks the height of fashion in his hi viz! I might be sad but I actually think he looks good!


 
Weird, in here we get some posters defending blatant stupidity, and in the gas installers forum we get some installers defending dangerous practices, some being gas related, but one being using a mobile phone whilst driving driving an enormous van, amazing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top