Polite tabards and your horse

I'm sorry - but I'm not scare mongering - I started this thread with a phone call that I received from Your Horse magazine this afternoon.

And also that H&H news article is 2 months old. Much can happen in 2 months.

I'm not saying either way - just what I'd been told on the phone this afternoon
 
Really? I wear mine all the time when i hack and have been passed a number of time by Police cars. None of them have ever stopped me or made any comment about my Polite tabard. Will keep on wearing it as it certainly makes a difference
 
Kaylum said:
No it does not void insurance, it's a myth. You can have what you like written on the back. You can take a young horse on the road and warn people you are doing it or take a young horse on the road and not warn people, either way it doesn't matter.

What could void your insurance is not wearing hi viz. you could be had for causing a road accident if you weren't visible to road users.
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Correct, it doesn't void insurance but if an accident happens, the driver, their solicitor and insurance company are all going to be trying to find any little thing to show that the horse rider was negligent in some way and that their actions contributed to the accident.

If they can show that the horse was inexperienced, nervous or unreliable on the roads and the rider went on the roads knowing that, then they have ammunition.
 
I've had my equafleece gilet for 8 years now and it still looks brand new it washes that well. Has pockets for keys and phone, and goes over quite a lot of layers. It's not great for those hot days we get in summer, but how many of those do we actually get?! Lol

I'm going to buy some running t shirt hi vis for summer riding, hopefully with a back pocket :)
 
My hubby is a copper and has received notification iro the polite horse and cycling gear. You can get done for impersonating a policeman using them and also using tabards with the blue checker markings so be careful. I ride out in a yellow tabard with young horse on it...even though there are loads of yellow jackets in my cupboard with the blue checker on it with having a hubby in the job lol!
 
As far as I know the Polite range is approved by the Police . Call her on Monday and ask . Im sure if there was a problem they would of been removed from shelves etc . But maybe the phonecall you have had is the start of a recall ?
 
topstripelucy said:
My hubby is a copper and has received notification iro the polite horse and cycling gear. You can get done for impersonating a policeman using them and also using tabards with the blue checker markings so be careful. I ride out in a yellow tabard with young horse on it...even though there are loads of yellow jackets in my cupboard with the blue checker on it with having a hubby in the job lol!
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I spoke to the police officer at work who assured me as long as the wording was removed it was okay to wear the blue checkers.

Seems there is a lot of differing opinion on the matter, which doesnt surprise me, it is a difficult one to call.
 
I would have thought that North Yorks police would have had better things to do, than go looking for 'crimes' such as waiting to spot riders 'impersonating' a police officer :eek: Rural crime anyone?
 
Herts05 said:
Really? I wear mine all the time when i hack and have been passed a number of time by Police cars. None of them have ever stopped me or made any comment about my Polite tabard. Will keep on wearing it as it certainly makes a difference
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You will not be stopped & spoken to by Police Officers because you are committing no offence whatsoever!!

If people take the time to read the Act & section regarding impersonating a Police Officer they will see that the wearing of a 'Polite Tabard' is not an offence under that act.
 
How annoying - I just bought one of these after not doing so for ages because I was concerned the police might not like it but seeing they have been on the Market for ages I bought one and actually it's worked better than any of the various tabards I have ever had. I'd be annoyed if I have to stop wearing it. Agree police might have better things to do than stop riders who are simply trying not to get killed by idiot drivers who are the people the police should be targeting - frankly I don't think it's very polite of them!
 
Toby_Zaphod said:
You will not be stopped & spoken to by Police Officers because you are committing no offence whatsoever!!

If people take the time to read the Act & section regarding impersonating a Police Officer they will see that the wearing of a 'Polite Tabard' is not an offence under that act.
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It's only an offence if you are intending to be mistaken for a police officer, or if you are wearing an article of police uniform in circumstances where you could be perceived to be a police officer. So you're right, it isn't obviously an offence. If someone is intending to be seen as a police officer by wearing it is a matter for debate (although I struggle to see why you'd choose those tabards if you didn't want drivers to be mistaken into thinking you're a police officer since other high is does every other job).

However, around me cyclists have been stopped by police for the cyclist version of the police tabards, as well as motorcyclists, so it is clearly a cause for concern.

Personally I think they're naff :D I much prefer standard high vis.

And the "Caution Young Horse" or "young horse in training ones" can be used against you if an accident occurs. It's like you're already accepting that your horse is going to be difficult or silly or dangerous. I know because I've used it myself in cases :D
 
The Crown Prosecution Service would not entertain taking the wearing of these tabards to courtas impersonating a Police Officer because it would be a waste of money as the possibility of a satisfactory prosecution is nil.

As for Your Horse magasine not w\nti ng to give them out or condone the wearing of them due to 'impersonating a Police Officer' this is a knee jerk reaction by them just incase the weasring of one could be against the law & obviously they don't want to be seen to condone the breaking of the law. Really they should refer the matter to their solicitors & get professional advice because they clearly haven't at the moment.
 
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I shall still wear mine, I cant see the police stopping people for this and if they did what would happen?? they don't do anything much when we have dangerous drivers, fly tippers, rapists etc so I think my one tabard should not cause me a stint in jail or fine ! I also don't understand the checkered thing... some clothing is very similar but is everyday wear ? if it stops one driver ramming up my horses behind then ill take my chance.

Have heard the rumour about young horse tabards but then again not convinced..i have a right to be on the road and would have thought that young or old horses shouldn't matter..either a horse will spook etc or wont regardless of age !

After all they are the original 4x4
 
Umm. Having just spoken with the police, this is all rubbish and plain old scare mongering by the original OP the other day. Polite tabards are fine.
 
Paint me proud - those ex police tactical hi viz vests look awesome! Sooo many pockets lol

I suspect until there is some official release from equisafety / police forces then there is going to be continued debate.

As I was planning to use mine in the summer (!!!) I will hold fire on attacking it with a marker pen just yet!
 
Well the Polite range has been out for a couple of years. Seeing as the police only decided to start issuing their hi-viz as standard last September, I think Equisafety should make a citizens arrest to THEM for impersonating a horse-rider!!! :p
 
My main concern was Equisafety was featured on a BBC programme 'Fake Britain' where they conducted tests on the safety and reflectiveness of the product, and it failed the tests and that their products do not reflect enough light, nor have the right amount of fluorescent / tape to be safe. Equisafety went on about how they were going to release a statement about it. I asked them a while ago when they were planning on doing so, and got blocked! Would still like to know what they have to say!
 
Brontie said:
My main concern was Equisafety was featured on a BBC programme 'Fake Britain' where they conducted tests on the safety and reflectiveness of the product, and it failed the tests and that their products do not reflect enough light, nor have the right amount of fluorescent / tape to be safe. Equisafety went on about how they were going to release a statement about it. I asked them a while ago when they were planning on doing so, and got blocked! Would still like to know what they have to say!
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Saw that programme. That's what put me off but then my current tabard wouldn't pass by any stretch of the imagination!
As a side note Ikea sell hivis vests (also in kids sizes) really cheep (worth applying for an ikea family card at least).

No I don't work for Ikea either. Just try to keep me safe on the road because car drivers just don't see me on half ton of beast nor 1/4 ton of motorbike....
 
s4sugar said:
I want one that says - Caution, Camera in use.
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I used to have one which said "Caution - Disabled Rider" (perfectly legit in my case) and it worked a treat. Cars used to give me such a wide berth that they were practically driving through the gardens of the houses on the far side of the road!! Got it from Robinsons, I think, and I've ever seen one for years.

I now use the un-messaged ones I got from from Ikea which cost under a fiver rather than the expensive ones from the horse shops.
 
Brontie said:
My main concern was Equisafety was featured on a BBC programme 'Fake Britain' where they conducted tests on the safety and reflectiveness of the product, and it failed the tests and that their products do not reflect enough light, nor have the right amount of fluorescent / tape to be safe. Equisafety went on about how they were going to release a statement about it. I asked them a while ago when they were planning on doing so, and got blocked! Would still like to know what they have to say!
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that's not exactly what the programme said.
The material equisafety used does meet all the guidelines, what they hadn't done was get the individual designs approved. If there was too much writing on it, it would hide the reflective material and no longer be effective.
They also did reflective tests on a waistcoat. That wasn't an equisafety one but bought cheap from somewhere like a pound shop. In that case the reflective material simply wasn't.

The programme didn't mention names and used hi viz from a few sources but the polite range is recognisable.

The lesson I took from the programme was don't buy the cheap ones you see in pound shops and even if it does have the correct safety standard tagged, go for designs with less writing on it so it doesn't obscure the reflective material.
 
Toby_Zaphod said:
You will not be stopped & spoken to by Police Officers because you are committing no offence whatsoever!!

If people take the time to read the Act & section regarding impersonating a Police Officer they will see that the wearing of a 'Polite Tabard' is not an offence under that act.
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They would have to prove intent and they will have to prove it in a court , AFAIK there is no case law at this time so no one can say wearing one of these vests is illegal as the law has never been tested.
If you have one of these jackets and you are worried score out polite ( or put an IM in front !!) and use it up.
If the police have recieved a memo telling them to harass rider wearing these shame on them my repect for them diminishes makes me wish if I had one ,And that they would stop me and I would delight in telling them to prove it and I would have a whale of a time with the media.
 
I just have a plain reflective jacket for my RDA carriage driving work. In summer when its warmer, I wear a reflective vest again just plain. When I first saw those polite reflective gear, it does make you look like the police with the stripes as well as the word polite. After all, its only one letter difference.
 
Just beware with these, I've read on the car forums that some drivers are annoyed with riders 'pretending to be like the police' and so speed past v close. It will probably work for ignorant drivers once but when they realize they've been fooled they'll be worse next time.

Just stick to standard high vis.
 
Brontie said:
My main concern was Equisafety was featured on a BBC programme 'Fake Britain' where they conducted tests on the safety and reflectiveness of the product, and it failed the tests and that their products do not reflect enough light, nor have the right amount of fluorescent / tape to be safe. Equisafety went on about how they were going to release a statement about it. I asked them a while ago when they were planning on doing so, and got blocked! Would still like to know what they have to say!
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well yes.. there was not enough fluorescent because too much of it is obscured by the writing (the material was the right quality)... which is the reason most people have bought it :rolleyes: I don't really think equisafety had any case to answer on that one.
 
Can I just ask, for all you 'polite' owners who are pooh - poohing the claim of impersonating a police officer - why did you buy your tabards in the first place? Because at first glance it makes you appear to be the police and so makes drivers slow down?

I have also seen the car drivers reactions to these tabards. It causes annoyance.

NO amount of polite tabards can make up for plain common sense. If you can move onto a verge - do, if you can trot to a passing place, do. And thank drivers who DO slow down. I know many of you say you do say thanks, but on an average drive round the countryside 90% of riders DON'T!

(PS love equisafety's replies on this thread - gives a ve]ry good impression of the company :eek:)
 
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