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

First of all I am well over retirement age and I now always use Hi Viz so being older is not a good reason for not using it. There have been several occasions in the past when I have come upon riders and horses who were not wearing any and haven't seen them until I was nearly upon them so I soon saw the value of using it. I also agree with one of the previous posters who said about the value of using reflective leg wraps. A non riding friend said that when driving it was the first thing he noticed as it was more in his eye line than a reflective sheet. I also agree with the point that cyclist, walkers and motor cyclists should use them as well. When we had a dog a neighbor pointed out how far away he had seen me when I was taking her for a walk down a dark country lane at dusk. Living where I do in the country with no other lighting it make sense to me to make yourself as visible as possible when out on the roads. Yes as others have said the will always be idiots who take no notice whatever you are wearing but for the majority it will make a difference.
 
I personally dont wear it because my yard has direct access to miles of offroad hacking so I never ride on the roads. Ive never really given it much thought.
Also regarding exercise sheets, there is no way I would put one on my pair. My gelding isn't clipped as he lives out all year so would bake, and my mare has a chaser clip and only needs to do a bit of trotting before shes sweating so I doubt she'd appreciate an extra layer.
 
dreamcometrue said:
As I have said on the other thread about hi-viz, you would be unlikely to get much compensation even for life changing injuries if you are not wearing hi-viz. Fact.
You had the choice and you chose not to. Therefore not due care and attention.
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Yes but as I stated on this thread the horse rider will be partly to blame if there is an accident with a horse if not wearing hi viz. Fact.

The police will deter the rider from pressing charges or going further if no hi viz worn by the horse or rider due to the driver will say they did not see the horse regardless of the day time accident.
 
The Xmas Furry said:
Yup, seems like 'personal choice' in the first dozen posts, but looking back its clear that they are :
A, mostly older riders and B, far better riders than most.........
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I am neither (I just feel it) well pushing 30 odd. And i certainly would have a questionable ability onboard most animals. I just choose not to wear anything than a hi-viz vest and even then it's because I feel I should not because I want to.
 
Reading this thread has made me wonder why, if there is no decent research on the effect of wearing high vis/reflective clothing, so many jobs demand it as a standard part of PPE equipment? For example, highways, construction, railways, police, fire, etc?

I am completely comfortable with high vis, wearing it during my working life as well as on my horse (and sometimes having to wash it in a rush first if we've had a particularly splatty ride). The excuse of bad designs/cuts simply doesn't work when there are so many styles, sizes and types available. Search any decent workwear website.

This morning on my way to the horses I passed two sets of dog walkers in the dark on the same stretch of national speed limit country lane. One lot had high vis/reflective coats on both them and their dogs and the second did not. I saw the first lot far sooner, even though they were much further away from me than the second lot. That is the only reason I need to be in favour. I was doing about 30mph due to the weather conditions and driving pretty carefully. I was in no danger of hitting the second group of dogs walkers because of that but definitely did not have the same amount of time to react as I did to those further up the road.

Yes, it is completely personal choice but I would always want to give my animals as much protection as possible. For the same reason I walk my own dogs wearing hi vis on our unlit country lane.
 
I think we are all going to have to agree to disagree on this one. It's clear that to some people exercising their personal freedom is more important than protecting themselves, their animals and other road users.
I would just like to say that I really hope I don't have to live with the consequences of hitting someone who chooses to express their freedom of choice in this way...the group of local hackers who ride out until dusk on bays in dark clothing...my neighbour who runs before dawn dressed in black...or the dog walker in the nearby village who I literally didn't see until I passed them, disguised in the grass on the verge. Sure, its your choice not to wear hi vis, but if I can see you I can slow down and anticipate that spook, that dog jumping on its lead, that runner slipping on the ice. I just don't want to have to pick up the pieces. Literally. At least give me a choice too.
 
Times have changed and there is so much more traffic on the roads these days and it's that fact that seems to dictate that hi viz is now needed. As to suggest that people who chose not to wear it thinking we are better riders as someone has suggested us ridiculous That's like me saying you are a better rider because you wear it. Makes no sense at all. I don't wear it becsuse I don't have to do any road work. Simple.
 
interesting thread!

A couple of things that haven't been mentioned.

I have never seen the Hunt go past dressed in hi-viz, and they definitely go on the roads. I am not sure what reception one would get if one turned up in hi viz to hunt - does anyone know? Therefore is it a valid reason not to wear one because you are hunting?

second point is, air jackets. If you put something on top of them it can interfere with them operating. in the past I have had to not wear a hi viz tabard in order not to interfere with my air jacket.

I would say that I am pretty safety conscious, but I don't normally wear hi viz, mainly because I am not normally far from home or on the roads, as we have lovely off road hacking on the farm where I keep my horse. I do go on the roads maybe once a week for up to 50 yards, and wouldn't go in poor visibility whether I had hi viz on or not.

I don't put hi viz sheets on my horse because he would get too hot.

Those seem to me like reasonable reasons not to wear hi viz (apart from the hunting one which I don't really understand still!)
 
I always wear hi-viz and won't hack out with anyone who isn't also wearing it. I also make a point of stopping my car (if safe to do so) and having word with anyone I see riding without it. Yes, I have had abuse and am very happy to accept that but take the view if I stop only one person from being hit by a car then it's worthwhile. Most people say they normally do wear it but just forgot!
 
Whilst I agree that its a good idea to wear hi viz and always do, I don't think it should be made a legal requirement that all riders should do so all the time.
I have in the past had to lead stray horses along a road to get them to a safe field - this would be illegal. I can imagine that someone out hacking may lose some hi viz, (i.e. horses leg wraps come off), would it be illegal to go home on the road without it? You have an accident, you weren't going on the road so you haven't got hi vis, can you go to the road to go home or wait there to be collected?
All these scenarios are solvable atm by our common sense approach of "wear it because its the right thing to do", but it's not illegal not to.
It would be even more complicated if all non motorised road users had to wear hi viz. it is OK if you are intending to walk along the road, but a nightmare if you have an accident or emergency, or even if someone parks their car on the pavement. Are you allowed to step into the road to pass it without a fluorescent jacket on?
The Highway code already advises you to wear hi viz. I also note that in the dark, and i presume low light, that we should be wearing lights on our arms and/or stirrups showing white forwards and red back. Any one do this?
 
Tobiano said:
interesting thread!

A couple of things that haven't been mentioned.

I have never seen the Hunt go past dressed in hi-viz, and they definitely go on the roads. I am not sure what reception one would get if one turned up in hi viz to hunt - does anyone know? Therefore is it a valid reason not to wear one because you are hunting?

second point is, air jackets. If you put something on top of them it can interfere with them operating. in the past I have had to not wear a hi viz tabard in order not to interfere with my air jacket.

I would say that I am pretty safety conscious, but I don't normally wear hi viz, mainly because I am not normally far from home or on the roads, as we have lovely off road hacking on the farm where I keep my horse. I do go on the roads maybe once a week for up to 50 yards, and wouldn't go in poor visibility whether I had hi viz on or not.

I don't put hi viz sheets on my horse because he would get too hot.

Those seem to me like reasonable reasons not to wear hi viz (apart from the hunting one which I don't really understand still!)
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When hunt are around this way they completely block the road, there are so many horses and followers it would be impossible to miss them, you generally hear them first anyway. They are not the same as one bay horse on a miserable day or in the shadow of trees.
 
Tobiano said:
second point is, air jackets. If you put something on top of them it can interfere with them operating. in the past I have had to not wear a hi viz tabard in order not to interfere with my air jacket.
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I wear mine under. Not ideal, but better than nothing.

NeroHack_zps0b6dc041.jpg
 
The HIt-Air jackets I recently got for Sis and me are both in Fluro yellow and go over our fluro Joyriderz jackets, so it is possible to wear airjackets and Hi-Viz
 
Goldenstar said:
Well I am older than CC and I wear a hi vis coat .
However you can't argue that a horse wearing a hi vis sheet is not visible just because the rider had not got hi vis on the torso.
And as an older rider I do find it impossible to find a coat where I am comfortable with the cut .
I can not wear running and cycling stuff it does not fit me and I look awful I need well made well cut riding clothing why oh why isn't there any ?
The quality and choice in riding wear has got worse all I can find is relatively cheap rubbish .
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TBH, I *think* I am older than you GS. I have a JoyRiderz hi-viz jacket for winter riding, which was not cheap and a tabard/waistcoat for warmer weather. I do wear cyclying tee-shirts in summer sometimes but then, so long as I am comfortable, I do not care what I look like.
 
Goldenstar said:
Well I am older than CC and I wear a hi vis coat .
However you can't argue that a horse wearing a hi vis sheet is not visible just because the rider had not got hi vis on the torso.
And as an older rider I do find it impossible to find a coat where I am comfortable with the cut .
I can not wear running and cycling stuff it does not fit me and I look awful I need well made well cut riding clothing why oh why isn't there any ?
The quality and choice in riding wear has got worse all I can find is relatively cheap rubbish .
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I wear my every day coat and put a full sleeve work wear vest over the top, (less than a fiver on ebay) but I'm another who couldn't care less what I look like as long as the car speeding round the blind bend stops before he hits me. It's also much easier than changing coats to ride out in. I don't find hi viz a practical colour for dirty stable work.
 
Nudibranch said:
This. I believe, once upon a time, driving whilst drunk was also a choice....
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Hang on, how on earth can you equate drink driving with not wearing hi viz?! Are you mad?!

If the stats for not wearing hi viz are anything close to those that drink driving used to be, there'd be an uproar were people to even leave the house without hi viz on, never mind on a horse!

Sometimes I really think there are people on this forum who are so stuck up high on their high horse that they completely forget there's a normal world out there.

1) I'd very much like to see the stats on horses and riders getting killed for not wearing hi viz
2) I'd like to know what insurance companies wouldn't cover you if you weren't wearing hi viz (because mine isn't one of them!)
3) you can't berate people for freedom of choice
4) hi viz does not give you actual invincibility, just more chance of being seen

I'd like to remind posters that driving with due consideration is the law and whilst obviously wearing hi viz (which I do btw) ensures a driver sees you earlier, it is no guarantee that you will not be hit by an idiot driver.

Honestly, sometimes I wonder about this forum. Some people on it can be so irrational. I'd also like to reiterate (as there will be those that wouldn't have read my post properly) that yes, I do tend hack out in hi viz, because it is my choice to do so, just as it is to occasionally not.
 
spacie1977 said:
I was just about to post this too. It was produced by the BHS and there are lots of similar government posters targeting motorcyclists. The phrase 'wouldn't be seen dead in it' is rather fitting!
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I also smile when I see the motorcycle safety posters around here.

They say "Shiny side up"

:)
 
ycbm said:
I wear my every day coat and put a full sleeve work wear vest over the top, (less than a fiver on ebay) but I'm another who couldn't care less what I look like as long as the car speeding round the blind bend stops before he hits me. It's also much easier than changing coats to ride out in. I don't find hi viz a practical colour for dirty stable work.
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Well good for you just because you have found an acceptable way forward does not mean I have .
I want well cut purpose made riding clothes and no one is making it I ride every day in breeches and long leather boots and I cannot find hi vis clothing that does not restrict and is comfortable .
While running and cycling stuff works fine in summer it's not suitable for hacking on horses in winter .
 
Goldenstar said:
Well good for you just because you have found an acceptable way forward does not mean I have .
I want well cut purpose made riding clothes and no one is making it I ride every day in breeches and long leather boots and I cannot find hi vis clothing that does not restrict and is comfortable .
While running and cycling stuff works fine in summer it's not suitable for hacking on horses in winter .
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Was that sarcasm? All I'm doing is sharing my cheap solution with others. You've already made it abundantly clear that you aren't interested in cheap solutions, why do you keep posting saying the same thing over and over again?


I ride every day in Mountain Whorehouse coats from the sales, fifteen quid jodphurs, and Decathlon rubber riding boots :D But if I did want a well cut, expensive hi viz coat and there wasn't one available, it wouldn't stop me wearing hi viz because my experience is that it improves my safety on the road by a big margin.
 
ycbm said:
Was that sarcasm? All I'm doing is sharing my cheap solution with others. You've already made it abundantly clear that you aren't interested in cheap solutions, why do you keep posting saying the same thing over and over again?


I ride every day in Mountain Whorehouse coats from the sales, fifteen quid jodphurs, and Decathlon rubber riding boots :D But if I did want a well cut, expensive hi viz coat and there wasn't one available, it wouldn't stop me wearing hi viz because my experience is that it improves my safety on the road by a big margin.
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Where have I said it stops me wearing Hi Vis .
 
Can't read all the way through these posts, as some seem downright rude and stupid, but what I would say is the following:
Wear as much hi viz as you want, and I would seriously encourage it (have been a BHS Riding and Road safety trainer/examiner) but that doesn't mean you then have the right to ride two or three abreast down a country lane gossiping. Secondly, put some hi viz on the horse's legs - it's all very well the rider having a tabard on but in the gloaming down lanes with high banks and pot holes you're looking more at the road and slightly down, you don't see the rider, you see the horse first.
It's rather like people putting a red ribbon on their horse's tail because it kicks - that doesn't absolve you from the responsbility of keeping your horse out of the way of others. Wearing hiviz won't make you immortal, you need to ride correctly too.
 
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