Nearly an accident

[DD]

today OH was driving a lorry Nr Landovery..When it was too late he noticed a woman riding a bay horse against a hedge wearing camouflage. he couldn't pass wide and slow as she wasn't seen until he was way too close . WEAR HI VIZ and don't be an idiot peeps. He is a horse owner and rider. he simply could not believe it. drivers can only react if they can see the horse, and in good time, so don't hide, wear bright colours and BE SEEN.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Good advice!

 

[Tiddlypom]

Good advice. There are far too many horse riders who make no attempt to make themselves visible as they reckon that is not necessary if the driver is paying due attention to the road. They are oblivous of how in some lighting conditions it is almost impossible to make them out until it is too late.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Yep, saw a woman out leading a child on a black pony when driving to the yard with another child walking beside, none of them in hi viz and barely said thank you for slowing down.

 

[Nasicus]

Wearing CAMOUFLAGE? Bloody hell, where's common sense when you need it!

 

[tankgirl1]

Hi viz is uncool, makes you look like a novice, etc etc blah blah blah

 

[poiuytrewq]

I actually used to think high viz looked stupid 😳
I went to a livery yard where the YO wouldn’t let us hack out without a vest on. She had millions and would appear waving one and shrieking out of the tack room if anyone tried 😂
She did me a favour, it’s now firmly installed in my brain!
There was a lady at the yard who always ignored her claiming she wished she could wear one but high viz clashed badly with chestnut horses 🤬😳

 

[Tiddlypom]

I posted these dash cam stills a while back. It was only their shadows on the road and the riders' heads bobbing above the hedge that alerted us to the two horses up ahead (OH driving, me front seat passenger). Even when we knew there must be horses there we weren't able to distinguish them until we were almost level with them. The lead rider did at least have a hi viz tabard on.

 

[tallyho!]

Can't even see that hi-viz

 

[DD]

its looking lie pink is the way to go for hi viz. interestingly my son who is in the armed forces tells me that from the air blue is the most visable colour. maybe a flouescsnt bright blue would be good against walls and hedges too.

 

[Tiddlypom]

That's interesting about blue being especially visible from the air. It was nearly 1pm on a glorious winter day in the dash cam stills above, with a very bright but low yellow sun reflecting off wet roads. The yellow tabard can't compete with it and appears washed out.

 

[Fluffypiglet]

I go out festooned in pink with a red flashing light facing backwards on my right ankle and a very bright white light on a neck strap facing forwards. He's a big grey horse so we're ok against hedges etc but we frequently meet a lady in dark clothes on a dark bay horse and her 'hi viz' is a narrow yellow band around her hat! Seriously it's about an inch of yellow! Goodness knows what she thinks of us! 😁😁

 

[Louby]

The low bright Sun at this time of year is awful too! We have to drive through a village to get to the yard and its scary when the Sun is so low as visability isnt great. Theres a lady who rides a lovely black horse and Ive never seen her wear Hi Viz, I keep thinking should I stop and say something or will she tell me to sod off!

 

[tallyho!]

Yes I think LEDs/lights are the way to go in winter with low lights etc. I really do not understand the "no hi-viz" brigade, I mean, seriously. To me they are the "idiots" brigade. Makes you look like a novice?? Lets see how novicey you look flattened by a van shall we?

I really like the polite stuff, hugh contrast. To be honest, I wear all colours, orange, pink, yellow... not considered blue. What hue of blue please?

 

[ameeyal]

my horses wear vbandz leg bands in pink and yellow on a bright glaring day they really dazzle, or if its raining and dull if a car has its lights on they really stand out

 

[JennBags]

I go out festooned in pink with a red flashing light facing backwards on my right ankle and a very bright white light on a neck strap facing forwards. He's a big grey horse so we're ok against hedges etc but we frequently meet a lady in dark clothes on a dark bay horse and her 'hi viz' is a narrow yellow band around her hat! Seriously it's about an inch of yellow! Goodness knows what she thinks of us! 😁😁

Are they just cycle lights you're using? I always wear high-viz but have just moved and I'll have more lane hacking and want to be more visible, I ride early so lights would be a good plan.

 

[C1airey]

I have a pair of lights that go on my boots, where spurs would usually sit. They’re at drivers’ eye-level when we’re out and really stand out in situations like the pics above, when the horse is in the shadow of a hedge. Obv. Only useful to motorists behind you though.

One of my bug-bears is people wearing faded hi-viz and I think the tabards are particularly prone to it. My hi-viz softshell jacket (best purchase ever!) has a warning on the label that it is only good for 25 washes, then it should be replaced.

 

[Tiddlypom]

my horses wear vbandz leg bands in pink and yellow on a bright glaring day they really dazzle, or if its raining and dull if a car has its lights on they really stand out

I have them in orange and yellow - they are very eyecatching because of the movement, and because they're low down they might be the first thing a driver sees. I've had lorry drivers stop and wind their window down to comment on how good they are.

You can't see from this angle but I have a hiz viz v bandz breast plate, too.
ETA Though in the dashcam stills above, I think illuminated lights of some kind would have been an invaluable addition in the very dark shadows next to the hedge.

 

[tallyho!]

Aim for something like this then?

 

[DD]

Yes I think LEDs/lights are the way to go in winter with low lights etc. I really do not understand the "no hi-viz" brigade, I mean, seriously. To me they are the "idiots" brigade. Makes you look like a novice?? Lets see how novicey you look flattened by a van shall we?

I really like the polite stuff, hugh contrast. To be honest, I wear all colours, orange, pink, yellow... not considered blue. What hue of blue please?

not sure but i'm guessing a bright mid sort of colour

 

[Fluffypiglet]

Are they just cycle lights you're using? I always wear high-viz but have just moved and I'll have more lane hacking and want to be more visible, I ride early so lights would be a good plan.

Yes, cycle lights on my ankle, husband bought them for me, sorry can’t remember the make. I put it on a hi vis elastic band thing and it has various flashing options. Front light is from eBay, not as good but does the job. I did see a flashing browband which was awful but bright but he’s 16.3 and usually imitating a giraffe on hacks so not really in anyone’s eyeline!