Shouldnt have bothered - road safety rant

Magicmillbrook

Magicmillbrook

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Yesterday on my way to work I passed a lady hacking out. She was on a busy road (at 08:30am), in dappled shade, dressed in muted colours on a fairly frisky looking bay horse. I wasnt going fast (I never do) but when I finaly saw her (only a few seconds away) I had to brake pretty sharply and the lady appeared miffed. I went a few miles down the roud before deciding to turn around tell her what I thought.

I caught up with her and saw a van do exactly what I had. She pulled on to a verge and I said, very politely, excuse me, I passed you earlier and you beckoned me to slow down. She replied 'the cars go along that road too fast'. I agreed saying that I often hack out on that road, but was she aware that she was completely invisible when in the shade? I said I would never dream of driving fast past a horse, however if you cant see a horse how can you slow down? I suggested that in the interests or her and her horses safety that perhaps she consider wearing a flourescent tabbard.

I felt realy patronising and a bit shaky as I drove off, but pleased that I had 'done' something rather than winge. Suffice to say, I saw the same lady this morning, on an even busier road - without any reflective clothing
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Don't understand people. I've seen pictures indicating the difference a fluorescent tabard makes and told some of the kids off on our yard for not wearing them. Thing is, what people don't realise is that its not them that will cop it if a car doesn't see them in time (heaven forbid), it is their faithful friend that they are riding who will take the brunt of it. Honestly, people pay all this money, fret about what to feed it, make sure it has got all the best stuff, school it, and then send it out onto the road invisible. Mind boggles, dunnit!
 
I agree fully. Some people take No Notice of what is said to them as "they Know it all". She should be lucky it was some one like magicmillbrook who obviously was polite et al..
 
I always wear my tabard when I'm out riding. I have nearly taken out a bay horse in the shade - I said exactly the same thing & got a mouthful of abuse. I was even told I don't know what I'm talking about. Got out of the car in my joddy boots & chaps & got my tabard out of the boot. Said to her 'no - I haven't got a f**king clue, much like yourself'.

Silly b*tch.
 
Good for you for saying something Magic
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Perhaps when you pass her next time say something again? She's asking for an accident and what do you think she'll say to others then - WEAR REFLECTIVE CLOTHING!

Idiot woman
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poor horse
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I agree, it may also be worth pointing out to some of these people that if they look at their insurance small print they are not covered for accidents on the road unless High Vis clothing is worn!!
 
That woman obviously won't get the message until she gets run down!

Well done saying something though Magic
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Its amazing that some people will think they will ok on the road with no reflective clothing.
 
I must say I never wear reflective clothing. About 2 yrs ago, I was hacking out and this man came out of his house I was hacking past and gave me a reflective waistcoat to wear and keep
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best thing about my yard - its a yard rule - they FORCE you to wear high vis and if they find out you havent - its three strikes and your out - off the yard - a great rule - to save a live IMO. they have loads of tabards lying about thay they get off the council for free - its great x
 
Good for you! I have the piss taken out of me because I wear enough hi-viz of differing colours to light up the sky. My reasoning being that if they can't see me they really shouldn't be on the road!

Feel sorry for the horse, as it will be the one injured taking the brunt of any blow from a vehicle.
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Sorry but I'm gonig to have to join in on this rant...usually try and avoid em lol!

I get so miffed off with those horse riders that don't smile, waive or say a 'thank you nod' when you pass them, manners cost nothing but the cost of all our insurance, peoples cars, loss of earnings is high and a life or horses life has no value because its irreplaceable
and it only takes one rider to not do this to annoy non horse owner drivers to not bother next time, and it could be at your expense next time.

While I'm on the band wagon, why do horse riders still remain to ride two a breast on the narrow main roads when they can clearly see there is a stream of traffic in front and a stream of traffic behind them while casually strolling along gabbing to one another without a care in the world...in some cases on blind bends too, have they got no sense do they like putting them selves there horses at risk and other road users at risk?

Yes I can understand the need to ride with a horse on your outside, for many reasons such as a getting a youngster used to being on the roads or novice rider etc etc I've accompanied people myself and in no doubt I will need the favour returning with my own young horse but it takes a few seconds to move over, let the car past rather than encouraging drivers to pass in dangerous places, making an impatient driver even more impatient and hate us horse riders even more or if a car does slowly squeeze pass more like for it to jump on your bonnet!

In the village where my horse is kept there are about 5 livery yards, there is always someone riding through the village from dusk till dawn and there has already been one fatality and many more near misses, regrettably I'd say only 1 out of every 5 riders say thank you, high viz or have the common sense to waive a fast approaching vehicle down in friendly manor which is totally pants.
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Its ok sending your children off to do road safety and pass the exam with flying colours but parents need to play a part in this and teach or insist there children are courteous to drivers....we need to work together not cause a rift.

phew...rant over ...all smiles now.
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I must say I never wear reflective clothing. About 2 yrs ago, I was hacking out and this man came out of his house I was hacking past and gave me a reflective waistcoat to wear and keep
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Why not? (just out of interest, not having a go)
 
Have to say I don't really wear reflective clothing much either unless I consider the visibility to be poor i(e, dull or low sun or I am riding on a particular road). I do wear light coloured clothing the majority of the time though and i guess we're fairly lucky that we don't have too many dangerous/narrow roads we have to hack on and the few 'dodgy' roads where idiots speed round bends to be honest it wouldn't matter whether I was wearing high viz or not!

As for the insurance comment, that is not across the board with all companies. High viz is not a legal requirement so I think is difficult for an insurance company to enforce it really.
 
I wear pink Hi viz every time on the road. I also specifically choose bright pink clothing where available (ie Shires did a bright pink winter jacket last year and joules/musto often have a strong pink colour amongst their designs). Every little bit helps I think.

I have on several occasions been told by other riders, walkers and drivers how well we stand out. Of course nothing can save you if you are in a high hedged lane and somebody belts around a blind corner but I like to give us the best chance I can.

Oh and before anyone accuses me of being cruel by putting my horse in pink, she is a dapple grey and it looks cool!


Jo x
 
I've learnt this lesson the hard way, lost my beautiful girly 5 years ago on a sunny summers day when we thought we didn't need hi-vis, just light clothes and reflective boots on the horses.
For the 2 of you who have said you don't consider you need to wear it, please think again for the sake of your horses. They only cost a few pounds. The bloke that hit us was done for dangerous driving, but I will never stop wondering if we'd been wearing tabbards would she still be with me now?
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It amazes me how little people realise that even light horses on bright days can easily not be seen. I remember being amazed that I did not see sooner a horse rider who was on a light grey on an open country road in daylight. I can’t remember what the rider was wearing, but the horse and rider blended in waaaay too well to the almost identical colour road and hedge/fields background. Ditto with horses of various light and dark colours on the roads through the forest with the patchy shades – so often the eye can mistake the horse and rider for part of the background.
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It might not be “cool” to wear high vis, and I know it’s a subject that has been done to the death on here, but like the OP I get really upset when I don’t see a horse until “nearly too late” when it is so obvious how much farther away you can see them with high viz. Personally, I am not out to meet the man of my dreams when I go on a hack, so I really don’t care if somebody sniggers at my high vis waistcoat, and I take it off and stash it in a pocket when I arrive rather than leave without it if I hack to a fun ride or lesson
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I completely sympathise Kenzo, I always thank traffic – In fact, I go completely overkill to make sure they know I’m acknowledged them! The only time I don’t thank them is if they have been dangerous and gone too close too fast. Even if they only EITHER slow down OR go wide, my logic is that at least they have made an effort, and if you thank and encourage that effort at least they should continue to make the same or greater level of effort next time - positive reinforcement!!
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The “there are idiots who go too close too fast regardless” argument is redundant – how can you be so sure it would be one of those who hit you or someone who genuinely WOULD pass Wide and Slow if only they had of seen you in time? If I can eliminate the latter cause of accidents, I’m improving mine and my horse’s chances of survival, all for the sake of a vest worth a couple of quid. To me that’s a no brainer.
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I think it's such a shame that people don't feel the need to wear hi-viz clothing, at the end of the day its their horse they are putting at risk, and themselves, particulary when there are so many more idiots on the roads these days. I always hack out now with reflective boots on the horse and a tabard on me.

I think my mum put the real fear in me re not wearing hi-viz, she works for Hampshire county council as a highways engineer and had to attend an accident involving a horse and rider - basically it was on a very straight, long stretch of road on a sunny day and apprantly the driver drove straight into the horse and killed it - no hi-viz worn. So thats not even considering shadows, bends or anything else as there weren't any!

I was driving along the lane near the yard the other weekend and spotted a flash of yellow through the hedge round a bend, slowed down thinking horse and there they were - I wouldn't have seen them until the last minute if they hadn't been wearing their tabards and no doubt would have had to have breaked hard (was only doing 30mph but it was a very tight bend).
 
Sorry I am going to have a rant now.

Can people please tell me why they do not wear high viz clothing? Sorry but surley if light coloured clothing was enough for your safety high viz and reflectives would have never been brought out.

I have an unpredictable hacker and I cannot afford not to be seen by drivers if he is having a hissy fit in the road. I value mine and my horse's lives and i wonder if people who do not wear high viz value theirs? Since when are people happy to pay for vanity with their lives or their horses? As for people with quiet roads, yes people may have quiet roads, so do I but it only takes one car to take you down!

On the yard at uni we HAVE to wear a high viz tabard or we are thrown off, I personally think all yards should bring this rule in if possible. I also think all children should wear something too. I have three children with horses near my house all under the age of 15 and none of them ever hack out with any highviz clothing on, they all hack out on bays aswell and far too many times I have come across them turned around on their horses chatting to each other without and not paying attention to the roads.
 
Well done for going back and speaking nicely with advice. Maybe she has taken it in, just not had time to get anything yet.
 
I personally think that a tabard is not enough. If a car is coming towards you and your horse is carrying his head high, ou may as well not be wearing any hi viz at all.

I covered my last gelding in hi viz every time we stepped onto a road as they were fairly busy roads. I always used a tabard, hat band, noseband cover, tail cover, leg wraps and an exercise sheet (waterproof in winter, mesh in summer). Drivers had no excuse of not seeing us then, seeing as we looked like a christmas tree!
 
I always wear hi viz clothing. I had a very near miss on the road with my old mare where the driver was going too fast and saw us, slammed on his brakes and ended up in the hedge rather than plough into the back of us. The police said without my horse and I would'nt have been seen... I hate it when people say "Oh I feel such a **** when wearing it" Better that than dead. I'm always aware of horses on the road but I cannot see them if they have no viz clothing on.
 
I agree totally. The more hi viz the better.

I have a natty velcro tail thing, stirrup reflectors, a tabard, 4 leg wraps and two long bits that fit on my martingale.

People at the yard are under the impression it takes ages to put it all on. It's just habit. I would feel even more vulnerable without it.

For really dull days I also have an led flashing tabard and leg light, but the icing on the cake is my waterproof hi viz sheet. I honestly don't care how stupid we look. I would rather stand a better chance of getting back in one piece!

Jo x
 
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I personally think that a tabard is not enough. If a car is coming towards you and your horse is carrying his head high, ou may as well not be wearing any hi viz at all.

I covered my last gelding in hi viz every time we stepped onto a road as they were fairly busy roads. I always used a tabard, hat band, noseband cover, tail cover, leg wraps and an exercise sheet (waterproof in winter, mesh in summer). Drivers had no excuse of not seeing us then, seeing as we looked like a christmas tree!

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I agree that a tabard is not enough, I wear a tabard (full high viz coat in winter), leg wraps, and exercise sheet. I never see anyone out near me with any sort of high viz on and at uni no-one seems to go out with anything more than the tabard that they MUST wear under the yard rules.
 
Just this afternoon I had a car come at me at what was probably 50 miles an hour. I wear a pink hat band, yellow tabard (large) and pink leg bands on pony,(and yes, he's a gelding). He tried to slow and hit gravel on verge, not much help really.

I am fast losing my nerve on roads, not because of my boy but, because of the crazy driving I see almost every time I hack out.

Jane
 
Has it not occured to you that the reason they are riding two abreast is to give the young horse confidence with traffic passing? - therefore taking the experienced horse away could actually cause an accident. Horses have to learn somehow. Rather people in their cars have a little patience than end up with a horse through their windscreen
 
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Has it not occured to you that the reason they are riding two abreast is to give the young horse confidence with traffic passing? - therefore taking the experienced horse away could actually cause an accident. Horses have to learn somehow. Rather people in their cars have a little patience than end up with a horse through their windscreen

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Of course I am fully aware of the importance of riders needing to ride two a breast, I stated in my post (I have a 4 year old horse myself at the moment and previously escorted other horses out with my previous horse for many years) I think you may of taken what I was saying in the wrong light.

Its does annoy drivers when riders are ambling along chattering with no concern for the stream of traffic behind them, making no effort to waive them past or slip into a verge or entrance when riding through villages etc that's a known fact, which I was just merely stating.

I personally make an effort where safe to do so (when riding two a breast) to either get into an entrance or slip in front or behind to let drivers carefully pass, perhaps that's just me but I want to keep on the good side of drivers rather them passing totting and waiving their heads etc.

I am not having a go at anyone who rides two a a breast if they need to, of course not, but I think it should be avoided if there is no reason for it on certain roads at busy times.

Sorry if I offended anyone.:)
 
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