Pictures Have we lost safety/common sense?

[Gloi]

Round here the boys cycling home from school are lethal in winter. No lights , usually in black, sometimes in groups racing each other, going from road to pavement and back without looking. The teachers should play hell if the see and recognize them.

 

[Ratface]

Previous years of dog walking (now no longer - RIP, BeBe and Jota. ) saw me dressed in Hi-viz from head to foot, plus flashing arm bands, offside flashing leg bands, head torches and monster hand torches.
Now, I walk out in huge Hi-viz coats, flashing leg bands, ditto arm bands and rear and front head torches on my hat. And that's to go up a short public foot path and down a private drive into the private sandschool used occasionally by two - three other people from our tiny private yard.
I do it to warn others that Mr. H and I are pottering about in there, and to enable others to find me if I fall off.
Mr. H wears a reflective quarter sheet and reflective leg bands as well as having reflective brow and tail bands.
I carry an intensely loud and piercing dog training whistle on a neck lanyard in case I'm lying in a heap and people have got Mr. H but can't find me.
It is possible that we can both be seen from space.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

I’m going against the grain here, I was expecting total blackout of fog, I don’t think that is at all bad, in fact it’s like that a lot where I live and I ride out in it.

I could have stopped in the thickest of it for better effect however then I’d have been putting myself, my dad and other drivers at risk so I picked a couple of places it was thick but not 3ft in front of you thick. Trust me it was horrendous driving conditions and if I hadn’t needed to be out in it I wouldn’t have been.

 

[marmalade76]

My yard is down a single track road that lots of idiot drivers use as a short cut. They drive too fast. I fear for most of the dog walkers at dawn / dusk because they don't wear anything visible.

I drive slowly because I know there's a load of foot and bridle paths plus I know how big the water filled potholes are, so I have time to react when I spot movement in my lights, but most of the drivers doing 50/60mph will have hit something before they've clocked it's there

The younger crowd who run along there will usually be in bright colours but the dog walkers favour shades of "blend in with the hedgerows"

I used to pass the same dog walker regularly on my way home from the yard on a lane in the dark, no hi vis but he'd shine a touch right in my face so I'd give him full beam AND fogs!

Agree with the OP, we all should be responsible for the safety of ourselves and our animals, my pet hates are runners & walkers with ear buds and those who walk their dogs off lead on roads, often giving drivers dirty looks for the inconvenience of having to get hold of the collar.

 

[NinjaPony]

It’s total madness. Bare minimum have a head torch for a dark country lane!

I would never hack in thick fog, it’s far too risky even with hi viz on. Just don’t ride or stick to the school, roads are dangerous enough in optimum conditions.

 

[Orangehorse]

Its because they can see perfectly well. They are walking, they are going slowly, their eyes are adapted to the conditions. They are not thinking about cars travelling at 30 mph.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Its because they can see perfectly well. They are walking, they are going slowly, their eyes are adapted to the conditions. They are not thinking about cars travelling at 30 mph.

This is what I was thinking. They don't seem to realise that with us being sat back behind glass we don't have the same vision as someone walking or cycling. I would rather walkers didn't shine torches in my face as then I am dazzled and it confuses me as to which side of the road I/they are on.

 

[ester]

Id be surprised if many were shining torches in drivers faces intentionally, they’re just also trying to see. And even my beast of a bike light is no where a normal headlight let alone main beam.
I think sometimes what happens (because I do it and consciously stop myself) is that drivers do tend to look at an approaching light, that if walking/ running does have a wobble to it and they find it disorientating. I just slow down or stop if I’m not sure what is approaching on an unlit road, especially if narrow.

 

[marmalade76]

Id be surprised if many were shining torches in drivers faces intentionally, they’re just also trying to see. And even my beast of a bike light is no where a normal headlight let alone main beam.
I think sometimes what happens (because I do it and consciously stop myself) is that drivers do tend to look at an approaching light, that if walking/ running does have a wobble to it and they find it disorientating. I just slow down or stop if I’m not sure what is approaching on an unlit road, especially if narrow.

This bloke did, he'd hold it up and shine it right at you.

 

[ester]

I didn’t say no one did

 

[YorksG]

Yesterday, in the dark, on a road with a 40mph limit, two terriers with led collars, but no leads, belonging to a chap in all black clothes, seemed annoyed that I had the temerity to drive on the public road and expect him to move his dogs!

 

[canteron]

My (snotty) neighbour who used to mock my hi- viz, guess what, now rides out in the brightest hi-viz ever!!!

So at least some people grow up!

 

[Getbackboys]

i came across similar last saturday except the sky was also grey and lo an behold i came across to people going hunting in all their attire neither them nor the horses had any hi viz, i nearly said something but i was so amazed that those who you would think would know better chose not to wear any reflective, they werent even youngsters, no offence to young people but us of an older age should know better

 

[Errin Paddywack]

And even my beast of a bike light is no where a normal headlight let alone main beam.

On my way to agility training this week driving on narrow country roads I turned a corner and met a very bright light. I wasn't sure what it was, could have been a car with a headlight down or a motorbike, turned out to be a cyclist who had an equally good back light. My only quibble with a light as good as this is the fact it blazes straight at you, wish there was some way they could be tilted down very slightly. I wish my motorbike had had as good a light, it was really excellent.

 

[Abacus]

i came across similar last saturday except the sky was also grey and lo an behold i came across to people going hunting in all their attire neither them nor the horses had any hi viz, i nearly said something but i was so amazed that those who you would think would know better chose not to wear any reflective, they werent even youngsters, no offence to young people but us of an older age should know better

I have never seen anyone wearing high viz for hunting, I realise they are on the road a little but not most of the time, and tend to be en masse and rather more visible. It may be safer to wear high viz even hunting but frankly can't see anyone doing it.

 

[Getbackboys]

they should in current climate, this particular hunt go a lot on the roads, country side, also no harm in wearing a tail guard hi viz, times have changed. i dont want a horse or a rider on my bonnet thanks, lots of tractors on the roads too they dont stop that quickly.