I think Hi Viz should be law...

Weezy

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on roads, for both riders and cyclists. This winter I have had more near misses with cyclists than ever before (we have had bad light this winter here and lots of low sun problems I cannot remember having before). I have always been a "your decision" kind of person, but after seeing 5 different riders on the road in the last week in bad light with not a stitch of Hi Viz on, it has clearly illustrated to me that it is a very idiotic thing to do - why not buy yourself an extra few seconds visibility
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A simple law surely will cut out accidents for cyclists and riders?
 

TGM

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Agree totally! I must say the horse riders around here are very conscientious about hi-viz, but the cyclists are terrible! The majority of them wear dark clothing and absolutely no hi-viz at all.
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ecrozier

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I agree. Why would you NOT put something high viz on? Where I kept my horse before I didn't have to hack on roads at all most of the time so must admit to not using high viz, but was diligent about putting it on when I did go out to do roadwork. Where I am now, there's no choice, as yard is in the middle of a big village. So we alwas have tabard, and leg wraps. I'll probably get a high viz exercise sheet at some point as well, mine has stripes on it but think a fluorescant one would be better.
Only problem would be policing it really, guess that would be time consuming.
 

Capriole

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i saw a cyclist with no hi viz once, going along a main road at night no lights etc., while wheeling a second bike at his side, he went right through a red light too! no sense! :0
 

AmyMay

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Interestingly a former work colleague was informed by her insurance company that her insurance would be invalidated if she did not hack out in Hi Viz.

Don't know which company it was though.
 

Weezy

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[ QUOTE ]

Only problem would be policing it really, guess that would be time consuming.

[/ QUOTE ]

Make insurance invalid if you are involved in an accident when not wearing any - that would be a good place to start IMHO.
 

WFL

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As a cyclist and a rider, I always wear hi-viz clothing and when cycling to and from work in the winter, I wear a tabard with flashing red LEDs all over it. Also, I always wear helmets for both cycling and riding.

However, I would not support making wearing helmets and hi-viz clothing mandatory. If you let this idiot government think about this, they will mandate cycle bells, cycling proficency tests, 3rd part insurance, etc.
 

AmyMay

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[ QUOTE ]
Ohhh Amy we cross posted! Glad to hear of this tho
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[/ QUOTE ]
Yes, I thought it was really interesting - and being one who holds her hand up and freely admits to not wearing Hi Viz all the time it gave me pause for thought.
 

ecrozier

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It would be, but sadly I thnk there a lot of people who wouldn't even be aware that that was the case, and even if they were, are obviously currently operating the 'it won't happen to me' umbrella, so would probably carry on doing so!!

Don't get me wrong, I am totally in support of it being a law, just unfortunately think people would still ignore it even if it was
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But even if it prevented 5% of accidents, I guess that would be better than nothing wouldn't it!!
 

tashyisaudrey

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Definitely agree totally, was driving home the other night (it is a country lane) and if these dog walkers hadn't been wearing hi viz I would never have seen them. It scared the life out of me, I slowed immediately when seeing the hi viz, but it wasn't until up close did I actually see them. Sensible dog walkers anyway!!
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fairhill

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Completely agree!
I had a go at a fellow livery (teenager) as I couldn't see her horse or her in the dusk. The next day she went out again without hi-viz, and my mum saw the horse in front of her (he has a blaze!), swerved from her, nearly went into a dog walker also invisible, and then swerved from him, and very nearly hit the livery's horse.
My mum was furious with her, but she just thought it was funny
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the watcher

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I so agree. Maybe pressure should be put on the more upmarket clothing manufacturers to design something stylish AND hi-vis. The stressage lady on the yard made me laugh a while ago, she was hacking out and I forced my waist coat on her and she commented that Kyra K don't make anything like THAT
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Capriole

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dont think it would make much difference making it law, talking to two other liveries at weekend and they had no idea about passports until i mentioned them...
 

tashyisaudrey

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Another time, had this guy not been wearing a red jumper he could have been squished by my landrover. Not a nice thought, and it scares me a lot. It would be better if it were made mandatory.
 

Capriole

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a lot of the stuff is really ugly though, isnt it...yes i do wear plenty of it...but i would definatley buy if a company made some stylish and attractive stuff, i feel like a navvy in my shapeless tabards :0

there are some new horse 'hats' now, in high viz, which look effective
 

Bettyboo1976

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I agree, but also I think runners/Joggers & Dog walkers should also wear Hi Viz (basically anyone who uses roads to walk on..

There is a Horse and pony in a field that i pass every day and I on many occaisions i have had to pass said mother & daughter combination and they have not been wearing hi viz.. at dusk etc.. I have been temped to hang some hi viz vests onto their field gate with a polite letter stating that in the intrest of safety and the fact that i nearly hit them they might want to use the vests. being seen 3 seconds earlier can save a life of a person and a horse!!
 

Toby_Zaphod

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It shouldn't really need to be law, just common sense. I doubt that making it law would make any difference to some people. If anyone is injured in an incident where the not weariong of hi viz is considered a factor I believe the claim awarded would be significantly scaled down due to it, & rightly so. The minimum that should be worn is a tabard.....they're only £2/3 so they are very cheap.
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kick_On

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i'm going to be the odd one out here - i think it should be it down to personnel preferance................
I do wear on road if visablitity bad (ie raining etc...) but i do think there should be MORE responability (sp) placed on car drivers to drive to the conditions of the road (ie not thinking that it's their personnel twisty lane!! to go as fast as poss)
Instead of us looking like yellow things (in normal bright daylight) with car drivers 'still say sorry mate didn't see you' or 'why can't you ride in a field' etc.............
 

tashyisaudrey

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In my case, I was actually driving slowly anyway. But I see your point, there are a lotof bad drivers out there. Was sad to read the other post about the horse.
 

jumpthemoon

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[ QUOTE ]
I do wear on road if visablitity bad (ie raining etc...) but i do think there should be MORE responability (sp) placed on car drivers to drive to the conditions of the road (ie not thinking that it's their personnel twisty lane!! to go as fast as poss)

[/ QUOTE ]

I know what you are saying, but we can't rely on the drivers to be sensible - we have to look out for ourlselves and MAKE SURE we are seen in plenty of time. Even on a sunny day if the driver isn't going fast, a horse can be just around the corner and high vis gives you those precious few extra seconds to stop the car.

I think the best way to get everyone wearing high-vis would be to make it fashionable. How many top rider pics do you see in H&H or other mags where they aren't wearing HV for hacking? Plenty! JW was in an article not long ago hacking out and was not wearing any.

If he had been wearing the latest 'Ariat Hi-Viz Super Dooper Jacket' or something, everyone would be out there wearing them! Their image needs to be changed, so people stop seeing them as 'boring safety items' and think of them as 'special horsie stuff that ALL the top riders have to have'
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happy_talk

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Does anybody else think opinions on hi-viz has changed a lot over the past 10 years? I remember hacking out 10yrs ago with out a 2nd thought for hi-viz, and nor did anybody else at a riding school/livery yard. I've now got a horse again and no-one goes out without hi-viz, which is great news.

Re: not wearing hi-viz - maybe it's just natural selection/ survival of the fittest for non-horse riders (not so fair on the horses who can't vote!).... has image of horse dressing itself in hi-viz before setting out!! haha!
 
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