HY VIS, WHY DO I NEED HY VIS?? CARS HAVE HEADLIGHTS DONT THEY?

[thatsmygirl]

Honestly this was the answer when I asked " where's your hy viz" when a livery On the yard came back from riding just gone 5.30pm tonight. I wasn't the only one shocked as she rode back up the track on a dark horse in dark clothes. So I thought maybe if I sent her a link to this she may think twice!!! So please see if you can leave a message to drum it into her, also she has no 3rd party insurance which I also think is stupid but that's problem.
Oh and it was country lanes she was riding round

 

[SamanthaUK]

And breath...

 

[Echo Bravo]

Sorry but if they have no brain or commonsense,ain't going to work.

 

[jennyf]

Ah yes, cars have headlights, that's why we should all wear hi viz, so the car lights can pick it out and see you!!!

 

[niagaraduval]

Agreed. Let's just hope they survive.

 

[Shantara]

Well, me and my brother were driving home this evening after work and narrowly (literally by inches) avoided hitting someone walking. They were not on the path and there was another car coming in the other direction. Even with both headlights we were not able to see them until we were almost on them. Had they had hi-viz or we had full beam on, we may have seen them earlier.
It occourred to me that even though cars had headlights, they may have to dip them, like we had to today and therefore not be able to see as well. I hope your friend does decide to get hi-viz. It's not expensive on ebay!

 

[flying solo]

Fook sake, clearly never seen the damage that can be done to horses after being hit by a car!

 

[SamanthaUK]

Anyway, show them some pictures, videos of horses who have being hit by cars and people who have too. Scare her into wearing hi-viz. Or tell her not to ride so late.

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

Darwinism - its alive and well - for now.......

 

[hcm88]

Does she drive a car herself?!

How stupid of her. Headlights (especially dipped) don't often pick up people/horses/etc until the very last minute - of which it is often too late.

I really hope she doesn't have to learn this the hard way.

 

[thatsmygirl]

I'm going to bring it up again tomoz as I am worried about her and her horse. I know it sounds nasty but maybe a near miss is what she needs,

 

[BillyBob-Sleigh]

The amount of times that I have narrowly missed a cyclist because they were wearing dark clothes with no lights in the dark is scary!

I must confess that I don't actually have high-viz, however I NEVER go out when it's getting dark or poor visibility. It's not just her own life at stake it's her horse too.

 

[thatsmygirl]

No she doesn't drive

 

[Echo Bravo]

Yes but don't you realise, some owners don't really care. About their horses welfare etc:-

 

[Tammytoo]

If it wasn't for the fact that her horse would probably be more badly hurt than she would be in a traffic accident - I would say let her get on with it and reflect (no pun intended) on the benefits of hi-viz in hospital.

I was driving in bright sunshine on an A road a few weeks ago. As I went under a road bridge I nearly ran into the back of a lady in dark clothing on a black horse. She was invisible in the shade of the bridge and I actually clipped her foot as I made a desperate attempt to avoid her without hitting the car coming the other way. I did stop and explain to a very shocked rider why I had nearly hit her and it turned out she had, for the first time, forgotten to put on her hi-viz waistcoat.

 

[MiCsarah]

Thought she couldnt of driven. You dont realise how poorly you do see people until you drive

 

[sula]

And breath...

The word is breathe but even then it`s inappropriate.

I think it`s near insanity not to wear hi viz when riding on the roads, whether in daylight or dark. Apart from the odd idiots like the person on your yard, it is generally dark-clad cyclists or walkers who have given me the biggest frights when driving along unlit lanes. They seem to think they are immune from being hit and therefore have no reason to wear light or reflective clothing. Sheer madness!

 

[thatsmygirl]

Echo bravo this is what I don't understand, she's so careful with how she cares for her horse and loves her to bits but can't get her head round hy viz.

 

[SamanthaUK]

The word is breathe but even then it`s inappropriate.

I think it`s near insanity not to wear hi viz when riding on the roads, whether in daylight or dark. Apart from the odd idiots like the person on your yard, it is generally dark-clad cyclists or walkers who have given me the biggest frights when driving along unlit lanes. They seem to think they are immune from being hit and therefore have no reason to wear light or reflective clothing. Sheer madness!

As you can read from my motto, I'm not fab at spelling. And I was only trying to lighten the mood.

 

[Kaylum]

Tell the brain of britain its reflective you need as its reflective off headlights at dusk.

 

[tallyho!]

Aaahhhhh don't worry about it.... natural selection is very under-rated

 

[Orangehorse]

OP - why not suggest that it is a Yard Rule that every horse and rider go out in High Viz.
The rider is obviously not a driver or she wouldn't have said such a stupid thing - I hope.

 

[juliette]

In my opinion it should be mandatory to wear hi viz whatever the time of day or night when hacking. I NEVER leave the yard without it and to be honest would suggest it is more important than a hat.......

 

[piebaldsparkle]

OK what do you see the hivis or the horse?

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Headlights only really work by reflecting off things.

 

[Holzdweaver]

Idiot thats all i can say. Sure in summer on a bright day iv gone out before without hi viz, whereas usually we are both lit up like xmas trees, but in poor light??! Total and utter stupidity not to at night. I have to ride in the dark as i work full time and have my horse covered ears to tail in reflectives and superbright led lights. Had loads of comments and well dones on how visible i am from a great distance, wouldnt ever dream of putting my horse at risk by not putting it all on him.

Spending thousands on a horse, hundreds each month keeping him and then kill him by not wearing hiviz you can buy for £1 from poundland? Makes me wonder at the sanity of these people. Surely they cant dislike there horse that much?

 

[tallyho!]

oooooooo nice 'orse!!!!

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

OP - why not suggest that it is a Yard Rule that every horse and rider go out in High Viz.

Agree with this. This is what our yard has (although not all liveries do )

Also agree with those who have nearly hit cyclists- i nearly hit one coming out of work the other day as he was dressed all in black and had v dim light on the bike. He cycled off rather sheepishly!

Also it isnt like hi- vis is unattractive any more as you can get all sorts of colours/ varieties. Although even then I would still wear it rather than add to the risk of anything happening to me or the horse.

 

[Ali2]

See my signature!

Wearing Hi viz allows those headlights to pick you up and may very well save a life! I wouldn't leave the yard without minimum hat band & tabard on me and leg bands on horse. At the mo it's hatband, Blaithwaite jacket, leg bands, 360 visibility exercise sheet (Equisafety are fab!). Parsons Rumps are good for summer visibility without adding a warming layer

 

[Kiristamm]

I hae been lead to beliee that any road user, using the road (interesting gramma...!) after dusk needs to be lit up. That means lights as well as high viz.

We look like Xmas trees when we ride out at night.