Hats and Hi-Viz on the roads - compulsory? (bit of a rant too sorry)

You must have super eyes then
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Someone back me up here lol. Even my driving instructor told me about it. Now I'm being a smart arse
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I always feel nervous on one road here in summer as its sunlight, big tree, sunlight, big tree... and I'm on a bay so feel I blend in...

Maybe I'm paranoid
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Fine in winter as there is no sun or leaves
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I never wear hi viz, if its getting dark or a sh1tty dull day I dont ride
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I saw someone the other day, lovely sunny day at about lunch time, dressed up like a bright pink lightbulb
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Her horse was wearing a bright blue bridle
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Some people are OTT with it IMHO.
Oh I went to go riding the other day and forgot my hat, so I rode without one!!!!!!!!!!





*quickly runs*
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Your choice, so not having a go, but I'd be interested to hear why you don't wear it?
 
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I drive
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Cant say Ive ever had a problem seeing horses in the shady areas
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Do I sound like Im being a smart arse
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Nope, just an arse
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As I driver I find Hi viz means I see the horse sooner so have more time to slow down if I need to.
 
I wear my hi-viz tabbard for all hacking whatever time of day, (see the siggy) both on and off road, also the mare has a couple of leg bands.

I used to think it was OTT but since I nearly hit someone who wasn't wearing it, and scared myself senseless, I am never without.

I wear a hat for lunging, (normally ride after) and sometimes for fetching in and turning out, depends if I have daughter with me, if so I always set a good example.

The main advantage to the hi-viz is that where we hack out our riding is wooded leafy tracks, these are very dappled and shady, so its easier for other riders to see us in time if we are both having a canter etc. Had a few emergency braking situations before
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Like others have said making it law would at least encourage more people to do the same.
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if its getting dark or a sh1tty dull day I dont ride
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Im a fair weather rider
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But even if fair weather hi viz lets drivers see you earlier and gives them more time to slow down, swerve or whatever. Doesn't that make it worth wearing?
 
I think its just taking an extra risk to the perils of riding on the roads. As for not wearing a hat, idiotic in my opinion, but every is entitled to do what they want (as long as its only themselves they are hurting in the process).

Out of interest do you have children? I don't, but if I did, I would never dream of putting myself at risk just in case they were left without a parent.

The 'it will never happen to me' theory does not always work. Been there, done that.
 
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I think as the same as wearing a hat it should optional!

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I agree with you about it being people's choice - however, personally I can't see any good reason for not wearing either.
 
I have 1 child, she always wears a hat, like I said I hacked out last week without it as I left it at home, I sometimes school them without a hat.
But very very rarely hack without it, I could count on 2 hands the amount of times
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My life, my choice
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No. Not unless it was made compulsary for cyclists and walkers as well. (maybe not the hats for walkers but
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)

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agreed I do think it should be compulsory for anyone on a road. I always wear my vest if walking or cycling on the road.
 
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My life, my choice
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I totally agree with you, except that you have children/a child. Unfortunately when you have dependents it isn't just your life you have to take into consideration - how would she manage without her mum?

Anyway, that is off topic.

If I were to hit a horse/rider that were not wearing high-viz, then I would try and claim off of them/sue them for damages due to 'dangerous riding'. It just seems to stupid to take such a risk when there are things there that can reduce the risk.
 
I always wear hi vis. I ride a grey and wear a pink tabard. We had an unplanned hack yesterday evening - I wasn't keen on going out, but anyway... Checked with someone else on the yard that we were clearly visible from a distance and off we went. Hacked out with my OH on a bay, wearing his yellow tabard, yellow rein covers, and a yellow exercise sheet. I don't think you could have missed us!

On the other hand, I drove back from the yard this morning, in semi-dawn light, and bloody nearly took out a large dog. Woman, walking her 3 dogs, on my side of the road (ok, so she should be, but there's a pavement on the opposite side!) on those extendable leash things. No hi vis on any of them. I'm not a doggy person, but surely you can get collars and leads?? I could see her, so had pulled further into the road to safely pass her anyway (she had a light blue top on) but couldn't see any of the dogs, let alone the GSD who was walking 3 feet further into the road than I had realised
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Fortunately nothing coming the other way, so a quick swerve averted any problems. I wasn't speeding, I honestly didn't know she had dogs with her.

So if it's going to be compulsory for horse riders (and I agree it should be), it should also be compulsory for other vulnerable road users.

Sorry for hijacking with my own rant
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Zoe I dont think you could claim against a rider if you hit them, if they were just going out for a mid day mooch on a quiet road and the horse was half asleep, fair enough if the horse is jumping all over the road and kicking out. I would personally fight back to high heaven if someone tried to sue me because THEY hit ME!

To me you put your life at risk walking out your front door, if I thought my horse was a loony tune then maybe I would take higher risks but he isn't, actually none of my ridden horses are. You can put complete novices on any of them and they will look after them
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My horse was hit and killed by a driver on a bright sunny day. We weren't wearing tabards (just white t-shirts & reflective boots) as it was summer and broad daylight. I don't know if wearing Hi-Vis would have made any difference in our circumstances (he claims he was dazzled by the sun but we were on a straight section of road) but I don't EVER again want to be asking myself if I could have done something more to protect my precious horse.
Yes it should be made a legal requirement for horse riders and cyclists to wear hi-vis... its so much better and more available now than it used to be so there is no excuse not to IMHO.
As for people who ride on roads without hats.... well the term 'natural selection' springs to mind!!
 
I hack out a lot and always wear hi viz I have both pink which I use on my grey mare and yellow plus orange as well....but I actually get laughed at because I wear it by a lady who is 58 she keeps her horse up the road, she does think she knows everything, and says I look ridiculous wearing hi vis out riding and would never wear it, yet came home in tears when her black horse, she was also wearing black nearly got took out by a motorbike whilst she was out hacking and now she will only take him out up the bridleway. Now I would rather be lauged at and seen than hit by another road user.
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SE, please where the pink, yellow and orange all at the same time
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I wear mine all the time (yellow on chestnut) but I do actually think the pink on light colours might be right, I do think the palo would look more visible in pink.
 
Yes, it should be cumpulsory. But then it should be for cyclists and motorbikers too, infact, anyone on the road...

My own personal experience has proved that when we go out in Hi Viz people slow down, when we don't, they don't.

Must admit, I can't find decent Hi Viz small enough for my daughter and her ponio so have had to adapt alot....
 
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Zoe I dont think you could claim against a rider if you hit them, if they were just going out for a mid day mooch on a quiet road and the horse was half asleep, fair enough if the horse is jumping all over the road and kicking out.

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It has happened before, and the driver won - as long as you can prove you were not driving dangerously (have witnesses etc) and that the other road user was at fault, you would be able to claim. If the other road user was not wearing high viz, thereby making them difficult to see, it could be construed as their fault for not taking precautions, ie, putting themselves and other road users in danger.

I get where you are coming fom - life is a risk, but why make it any riskier than it needs to be?
 
I can also see where your coming from, but I would not let someone try and sue me by saying I/we were dangerous on the road if we were just riding along a road minding our own business.
Gotta go on the school run and go feed my babies in this cold windy weather now
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Actually under current Health and Safety Legislation the employer of anyone working wth horses is obliged to provide them with Hi-Viz to wear to the correct PPE standard EN471 when riding off the yard.

Therefore a yard or even an individual that employs someone or even has someone on a a self-employed bases and allows them out of the yard on a horse without providing them with Hi-Viz to the correct PPE standard is contrevening Health and Safety Legislation. The rider is also obliged to wear the Hi-Viz. garments that are provided for them.

If an accident was to occur and the employee was not wearing Hi-Viz then the employer can be taken to court.

Therefore if you employ anyone to ride horses for you then you must provide them with Hi-Viz Personal Protective Equipment to EN471. If you fail to do so you face the possibility of being taken to the cleaners. You must also ensure that they wear it correctly.
 
This should be along with this all car drivers should be made to carry Hi-viz for the number of pasengers in the car as the number of people I have seen broken down at the side of busy road and wearing dark clothing it would help others see them clearly. I know it is now advised that one stands away from the car if on a motorway behind the crash barrier (all very well if there is one). Only yesterday on the A1 chap was there trying to change the wheel righthand front wheel. No hi-viz and no hard shoulder. Number of very close near misses.
 
Tinkerbee. I "so" agree with you. My friends moaned at me so much for not wearing hi-viz. In the end they bought me a tabbard and made me wear it. I noticed from then onwards that yes, the motorists could see me much earlier but that meant as they could see me they didnt have to slow down. When they dont have as much time to see me they slow down very quickly! I do wear my tabbard tho but I dont think it makes any difference, not for the better anyway!
 
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Zoe I dont think you could claim against a rider if you hit them, if they were just going out for a mid day mooch on a quiet road and the horse was half asleep, fair enough if the horse is jumping all over the road and kicking out.

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It has happened before, and the driver won - as long as you can prove you were not driving dangerously (have witnesses etc) and that the other road user was at fault, you would be able to claim. If the other road user was not wearing high viz, thereby making them difficult to see, it could be construed as their fault for not taking precautions, ie, putting themselves and other road users in danger.

I get where you are coming fom - life is a risk, but why make it any riskier than it needs to be?

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Please give the name of the case and the citation (where to find it), as it would seem to turn English law upside down, and as a lawyer, I have never heard of such a case.

Are you sure you are not confusing it with the defence of contributory negligence? ie the driver being sued for hitting said horse and rider and the damages being reduced by a small percentage due to contributory negligence? Perhaps arising out of a counter claim even. This is what happens if a car passenger is not wearing a seat belt, for example. Its usually around a 15 % reduction, so not that massive.

I would find it very astonishing if there were a case where a driver had successfully sued a horserider for his negligence in hitting them. It is the driver that owes the duty of care to drive their vehicle in such a way as not to hit road users, whether wearing high viz or not, not the duty of the road user to avoid being hit by drivers.

Or are you perhaps confusing the law with what insurance companies do, or try to do? Its always worth remembering that insurance companies do not draft and promulgate laws - Parliament does that, and the courts also do it by deciding cases.
 
There was a case reported in H&H some time ago about a drier sueing a rider for damages, although I think that time the horse was misbehaving, which helped his case.

I have read of incidents in our local paper, and in the national press, whereby drivers have successfully claimed against horse riders, cyclists etc where accidents have been deemed as their fault for whatever reason.

I am a biologist, and as a biologist there are many things in the world of science I am unaware of. As a lawyer, surely you are not aware of every single case in the UK that has happened or is currently happening? I will talk to my sister (also a lawyer) and see if she can find out the details of the cases I have heard about.

Anyway, that is slightly off topic, and the point of this thread was more to get people's responses to attitudes about wearing high viz, whether it should be legal or not etc.
 
I'm lucky that at my yard, safety is taken very seriously (as it's a RS, there are always kids around who need to be taught how to be safe). Anyone under 17 MUST wear a hat when they're anywhere near the horses, and those of us who are older will wear one when fetching in/turning out horses that can be difficult (I wear one to bring Scoobs in, because he shares his field with a couple of rowdy boys who occasionally guard the gate and try to attack us on our way out
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). Everyone on the yard has hi-viz for hacking, so it's just normal - nobody would think not to. So I don't have to worry about choosing between looking cool and being safe!
 
I am in two minds on this one. I hate the nanny state treating me as an idiot and do not like to be forced.

I do always wear a hat when riding and I wear hi viz when out on the roads riding my horse in all weathers.

I do not wear it on my motorcycle as a matter of course - my bike has powerful headlights, ABS brakes and a very loud horn and I would personally hate to be forced to wear it when on my Harley on a sunny afternoon poodle (Harley is my fair weather toy).

That said, if it is foggy or bad weather conditions, then I do put the vest on when on my other bike but not in normal conditions.

I hate being on the bike in London, too many people are on push bikes with no lights and in dark clothes, after dark! You just can't see them when they do the usual idiot thing of change direction, pull or or swerve without looking first and having Ipods in their ears and hoods pulled up so they are effectively blind, deaf (and dumb - so very very dumb).

So whilst I wear hats and hi viz by choice - and I do strongly think freedom of choice is important. There will always be idiots and it is terribly sad that they put their animals at risk, personally I don't care about them, but I do care about animals being put in dangerous situations when care should be taken to avoid it.
 
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