POLITE gear - can it backfire?

tankgirl1

tankgirl1

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Since wearing the POLITE gear most people slow down and more than often I wave them on with a nod and a smile - I appreciate their courtesy more than they know most likely! However I've also noticed a growing trend of people who don't slow down, and speed past Big Mac - I wonder if its because they think Police horses are trained to deal with it? Even though it doesn't say Police - It says Polite! But then that's the whole thing with polite! Maybe I need to buy their neckplate and hat band, to make me look more convincing.... but then that might make them worse.....
 
I'm hoping I don't meet someone with a vendetta against the police. I save my Polite things for the summer, as I have a real ex police jacket for the winter (I found sugar packets in the pockets! made me giggle)
A policeman actually past us while riding, I saw him point, smile and wave :D So glad he had that reaction!!
 
Hmm, I wonder if drivers treat police horses with extra respect incase the coppers take down their reg? I think I'll ask next time I see one.
 
I've had a guy on top of the moors, miles from anywhere take REAL OFFENCE at the polite top I was wearing! He was a knobber - prop only just up there, with his chavvy mate, on a sunday morning at 8.30am for all the wrong reasons! :(
 
tankgirl1 said:
Since wearing the POLITE gear most people slow down and more than often I wave them on with a nod and a smile - I appreciate their courtesy more than they know most likely! However I've also noticed a growing trend of people who don't slow down, and speed past Big Mac - I wonder if its because they think Police horses are trained to deal with it? Even though it doesn't say Police - It says Polite! But then that's the whole thing with polite! Maybe I need to buy their neckplate and hat band, to make me look more convincing.... but then that might make them worse.....
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On the Pistonhead forum, linked to here recently, some motorists claimed to resent the Polite clothing as they thought riders are 'pretending to be police'. They said they deliberately speed past them as a reaction.
 
FionaM12 said:
On the Pistonhead forum, linked to here recently, some motorists claimed to resent the Polite clothing as they thought riders are 'pretending to be police'. They said they deliberately speed past them as a reaction.
Click to expand...

I tend to agree with this. Drivers could see it as an insult to their intelligence that we think we can con them into thinking we are police to make them slow down.

On a lighter note, I was riding with a friend wearing Polite clothing and a cyclist stopped and asked jokingly if she was a dyslexic police officer. I thought it was quite funny but friend was not amused.
 
I've not noticed that people slow down anymore when I wear the polite tabbard than my musto one TBH.
In fact I've stopped wearing it after I got an almighty gobfull of a hideous woman who accused me of 'impersonating a police officer' (....I did tell her that no where did it say Police) & that I was undermining the importance of the police uniform :(
 
This is my concern with the polite range. I do think it gets drivers backs up, horse riders are already considered an arrogant bunch by some and I think this just adds to that image. I have to say it annoys me to see somebody 'pretending' to be a police officer.

I have an ordinary hi-vis jacket which works just as well.
 
I have always said similar, I'm sure some people would assume you are the police and police horses are trained to deal with all sorts so motorists wouldn't slow down as much. In particular, not the speed of cars but bigger vehicles passing closer as they think police horses wouldn't bat an eyelid.
 
touchstone said:
This is my concern with the polite range. I do think it gets drivers backs up, horse riders are already considered an arrogant bunch by some and I think this just adds to that image. I have to say it annoys me to see somebody 'pretending' to be a police officer.

I have an ordinary hi-vis jacket which works just as well.
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this, Id be mortified to wear one tbh. Im sure it’s glaringly obvious to most that you aren’t actually the police and it’s bound to get people’s backs up.
 
The first time I saw it, I was pretty shocked that it's actually allowed. If you have all that on your horse, you do look like your trying to impersonate a police officer.
 
wench said:
The first time I saw it, I was pretty shocked that it's actually allowed. If you have all that on your horse, you do look like your trying to impersonate a police officer.
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Yes I was gobsmacked when I saw it in the shop. I did think it would be useful for loading livestock on the road but I wouldn't ride in it.
 
If the public/Drivers were a little more educated about how to pass a horse on the road there would be no need for wearing the polite range.
 
Quote~Today | 09:22 AM
BookWorm
If the public/Drivers were a little more educated about how to pass a horse on the road there would be no need for wearing the polite range.~quote

I agree, I dread the roads sometimes, and the small country lanes with idiot (usually horsey :confused:) drivers thinking they are clever :mad:
 
I personally wouldn't feel comfortable wearing it, for the very reason someone might take offense if they thought I was impersonating a police officer. Although my 13.3 Haffy might not be quite what the police would consider a suitable mount!

I just wear a plain hi viz tabbard and have never had any problems at all. I like to think people would slow down for mine and my pony's safety and not because they think I am the police. xx
 
Personally I don't like the POLITE gear mainly because the whole point of it is for drivers to be fooled into initially thinking you are police to make them slow down and then as they get closer realise you are not police afterall, at which point they may just speed up again.

I dont hack on the roads very often but when i do I prefer to wear a high viz that speaks more plainly such as "please pass wide and slow".
 
touchstone said:
This is my concern with the polite range. I do think it gets drivers backs up, horse riders are already considered an arrogant bunch by some and I think this just adds to that image. I have to say it annoys me to see somebody 'pretending' to be a police officer.
Click to expand...

Agree. I wouldn't dare wear it around here!
 
I stopped wearing mine, I had a nasty incident in which a man in a van slowed right down, I put my hand up, he then stopped in front of me wound his window down and started ranting at me. He was shouting that I wasn't the effing police, I shouldn't be giving the impression I was etc etc. I was quite taken aback and didn't get the chance to say anything. He sped off startling my horse.
 
None of the drivers I have been out with over the years have EVER thought that it was the word POLICE on the hi-viz

How many can say that the drivers they know think it does say police?
 
I don't like the range for the same reasons already mentioned, its irritating and is designed to fool motorists into thinking its the police. Sure way to antagonise other people on the road.

I wear a plain long sleeved hi viz jacket. A well trained horse and a rider who smiles and thanks drivers works well enough.
 
FionaM12 said:
On the Pistonhead forum, linked to here recently, some motorists claimed to resent the Polite clothing as they thought riders are 'pretending to be police'. They said they deliberately speed past them as a reaction.
Click to expand...

Sealine said:
I tend to agree with this. Drivers could see it as an insult to their intelligence that we think we can con them into thinking we are police to make them slow down.

On a lighter note, I was riding with a friend wearing Polite clothing and a cyclist stopped and asked jokingly if she was a dyslexic police officer. I thought it was quite funny but friend was not amused.
Click to expand...

This is why I don't have any. Whist I think it's a good idea, something just doesn't sit right with me about it. I'll stick to my plain hi viz

Loved the dyslexic police comment! :D
 
i have and wear one - and people round here slow down more for it - but saying that most know who i am anyway and slow and wave as i ALWAYS thank by hand up and saying it out loud - i think that's something that gets folk back up more
prob is i've had 2 folk ask for directions and one ask how to report a lost mobile phone :rolleyes:
 
I have found it works better, & I defo do not look like police as I have the pink jacket! But then in a couple of hours I probably only pass about 10 cars (all roadwork).

Best way to slow the cars is ride & lead. Instead of them thinking they can squeeze past they have to start thinking about gateways & passing places.
 
Someone round here wears it and the reaction of every driver I know who has seen her is a very irritated "who the hell does she think she is" and certainly does not encourage drivers to be more respectful!! Quite the opposite IMO.
 
I agree on all of the thoughts against this gear and have always found my simple 'please pass wide and slow' tabard, acompanied by relevant manouvres (trotting up to laybys, moving over etc) and hand gestures, pretty effective. After all it gives a polite clear request to drivers... However If I suspect that a driver isn't going to slow down I move my horse towards the middle of the road, while signalling for them to slow down and then move back over and thank the driver when they do. Simples. Works 99% of the time.

I don't see the point in tabards that say 'horse and rider' cos that is quite obvious.

and I think the wording 'Polite Notice' is a bit impersonal and comes across quite snooty.
 
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