RANT - hacking in the fog

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imr

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I am amazed by just how dum some people are. As I was leaving the yard this morning I passed a girl out hacking, I do see her out at this time (just before 8 am) quite frequently and I think she keeps her horse at home and she lives in one of the nearby houses. She always has hi viz on and seems sensible - until today !!!! Now by that time it is light, but this morning we had very heavy fog with visibility down to 20m or so, I rode in the school and I certainly could not see one end of it from the other. Although she has her hi viz jacket and the horse a hi viz sheet, she obviously had no lights and I just saw a blob looming up at me out of the fog when I got near. Just incredibly stupid and dangerous - if a car had run into her no doubt she would think it was their fault - but dont we have some responsibility to protect ourselves by not doing things which are blatantly foolish, which I think include hacking on the road in thick fog.
 
totally agree. I havent hacked all weekend because of the fog. We have a responsibility not only to ourselves and our horses (who rely on us to prioritise their safety) but as importantly - to other road users too.

I too saw people hacking out in it and was amazed
 
you should mention your concerns to her if you get the chance as you say she is a girl I guess it is poss she doesn't drive? I think you have a very different view of poor weather conditions once you can be behind the wheel.
 
I was driving down a lane this morning and there was a horse (dark bay) being ridden. I thought stupid idiot, no High viz at all. Only when I got right up close, did I spot she had a high viz exercise sheet on and brushing boots. No vest/jacket though and it was so foggy.

I actually stopped and opened my window and told her you couldn't spot her until you were literally on top of her. She just looked bemused and carried on riding.

Very dangerous imo for not only horse/rider but for car drivers also
 
I thought twice about hacking out myself this weekend, as I go out just after 8am and it was like pea soup Friday and Saturday. I had my flashing vest on and only went about 30m on the road (which was about the visibility) and still wondered if I should be doing it, even though I'd passed cyclists and their flashing lights showed up fine. No way would I have gone out without lights.

Should add this is a very rural lane and very few cars go along at that time - none overtook me either morning.
 
I hacked out on Sunday morning when it was just a bit foggy. I had all my hi-viz stuff on but I still questioned whether I was being stupid once I'd set off and realised the fog was a bit worse than I'd thought. I was wearing my lights so switched them on too and adjusted my route so I was as off road as possible. There were other riders out and I was reassured that I could see them very clearly in their hi-viz. The couple of cars I met obviously spotted me in plenty of time.

I did end up shouting at a friend though - I lent her my spare hi-viz exercise sheet last winter and yet yesterday she set off for her hack wearing not a stitch of hi-viz even though I had specially gone out of my way to lend her the ex sheet. I felt bad afterwards but I was only thinking of the safety of her and her pony - you just can't get through to some people.
 
i didnt hack saturday but did sunday, i waited until the fog had lifted a bit and wore my hi viz jacket, we live in a little village and go 5 minutes up an almost straight bit of country road onto the common, but i also met 3 other people with no hi viz on them or the horse! 2 were teenagers and one was an adult! if the fog hadnt lifted i wouldnt of gone out, its not worth risking my ponies or my life just for a hack.
 
Have you noticed too how so many van and car drivers are driving in fog with no lights on or little side lights, I am constantly seeing them in white, silver and grey cars that blend into the fog, they come looming out of thick fog at me and you just can't see them, how stupid is that?
If you flash them they either ignore it or wave at you thinking you know them or just don't see you!
Driving standards in this country have gone right down.
 
cremedemonthe said:
Have you noticed too how so many van and car drivers are driving in fog with no lights on or little side lights, I am constantly seeing them in white, silver and grey cars that blend into the fog, they come looming out of thick fog at me and you just can't see them, how stupid is that?
If you flash them they either ignore it or wave at you thinking you know them or just don't see you!
Driving standards in this country have gone right down.
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In other news I am fed up with being blinded by people driving round with headlights on at 3:30pm when it is in fact broad daylight and the visibility is good. (Not the last few days in the mist, obviously!). It's totally blinding and really unpleasant. Gives me a headache too. And worst of all, they have the audacity to flash - no mate, you're the twit with your headlights on in broad daylight. Or the charming people I've met the last few days driving with their full beams on in the mist and not bothering to dip them. Seriously, wtf?


I didn't ride out at the weekend or this morning. I'd rather the horses come out of winter unfit than on the bonnet of someone's car.
 
JFTD said:
In other news I am fed up with being blinded by people driving round with headlights on at 3:30pm when it is in fact broad daylight and the visibility is good. (Not the last few days in the mist, obviously!). It's totally blinding and really unpleasant. Gives me a headache too. And worst of all, they have the audacity to flash - no mate, you're the twit with your headlights on in broad daylight. Or the charming people I've met the last few days driving with their full beams on in the mist and not bothering to dip them. Seriously, wtf?


I didn't ride out at the weekend or this morning. I'd rather the horses come out of winter unfit than on the bonnet of someone's car.
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I agree as well as people driving toward you and not dipping their headlights at night before they've burnt you retinas out or driving behind you on full beam!
Sorry OP I seem to have hijacked your thread!
 
cremedemonthe said:
I agree as well as people driving toward you and not dipping their headlights at night before they've burnt you retinas out or driving behind you on full beam!
Sorry OP I seem to have hijacked your thread!
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My retinas are well and truly fried :(

It's not your fault, I'm the expert thread hijacker round here :D
 
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