Unbelieveable! Riding on roads!

I often see a girl riding along a busy dual carriageway close to where I live, no hat, no hi-viz and often talking on her mobile phone!
 
i know someone who quite regulary ride on the WRONG SIDE of a main road coming off a motorway- usually on thefootpath but still.. if that horse spooked in to an oncoming car ><
 
There's a guy near us who trains young cobs, quite often you see his daughters and their friends riding youngsters (sometimes two on one) with no saddle, no hats and definitely no hi viz... total madness!
 
We ride past a large livery yard down the road from us and not one of those riders wear Hi-Viz - we amble past plastered head to toe in fluorescent yellow and I'm sure they look at us like we are a couple of horse riding loons, especially with my POLITE tabard.....I'd rather that, than a car failing to stop it time.....
 
Lots of people around here seem to ride on the busy main road with no hat or hi viz, you tend to notice more if you see one WITH these things. I insist on both for my daughters.
I told one kid who used to ride our 12.2 that if i saw her out on the road again with no hi viz (it was provided) i would stop her riding the pony, her mother went mad at me but at the end of the day i was thinking of her safety as well as the pony, and it wasnt the first time she had done it.
 
Lippyx said:
Just driving along country road and saw two riders, who not only didn't have a thread of hi viz on but both of them weren't even wearing proper hats. They had the strapless hats. Just made me shudder thinking of what could happen.
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As in 'proper hats', you mean not skull caps? Plenty of strapless hats to be seen in the hunting field, and hi viz is not compulsory. Each to their own.
 
I think hi viz and hats should be compulsory on roads not just for riders but those on bikes too, my hubbys friend was knocked off his bike and it was only his cycle helmet that saved him.
 
Annielusian said:
I'm really not sure anymore. It said it was the law in the handbook I have, but I looked on http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_069853 and it said the under 14yrs thing...I don't know!
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Logical I guess that the turban rule applies to horse-riders as well.

If it's on the government website, then it must be right, one hopes....

Maybe I should email horsemart and ask them where they got THEIR information with it being a legal requirement to wear a hat....!
 
lhotse said:
As in 'proper hats', you mean not skull caps? Plenty of strapless hats to be seen in the hunting field, and hi viz is not compulsory. Each to their own.
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you wouldnt be saying that if you had seen a horse get killed all because the rider was too ignorant to put hi vis on, and if you have an accident on the roads, most insurance companies wont cover you if you dont have hi vis on that conforms to the new safety standards...all in the policy small prints
 
JenTaz said:
you wouldnt be saying that if you had seen a horse get killed all because the rider was too ignorant to put hi vis on, and if you have an accident on the roads, most insurance companies wont cover you if you dont have hi vis on that conforms to the new safety standards...all in the policy small prints
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Each person is allowed their own opinion - me included, who thinks that people should live and let live!

If something is NOT required by law, then you can't berate them for that.

Thats why we live in the society we do, we are allowed to make those choices, because we can.

Of course no-one wants bad things to happen, but they do.

There are a few billion people on this earth, and none are perfect.
 
Pod77 said:
It's not about being perfect though is it? It's about being sensible and kitting yourselves out for being seen clearer on a busy road.
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Of course it's about being sensible, I always wear a hat and Hi-viz....what I'm is saying is if it's not the law, then people are allowed to make the choice, even if you think it's a bad one.

Let them get on with it, because it is down to them.
 
I would rather pass riders without Hi Viz that thank me for slowing down, rather than the vizzed up that dont acknowledge me. It is something that drives me mad when riders dont thank drivers, viz does not mean that manners have to be left at home. I dont personally deck myself out in it, but I dont ride on busy roads, thank god. I am of an age where I feel that I can please myself. I do however wear a hat. Now.:cool:
 
JenTaz said:
you wouldnt be saying that if you had seen a horse get killed all because the rider was too ignorant to put hi vis on, and if you have an accident on the roads, most insurance companies wont cover you if you dont have hi vis on that conforms to the new safety standards...all in the policy small prints
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Where did I say that I approve or disapprove of hi-vis? Personally, I wear it, but I don't frown upon those who choose not to wear it either. As for accidents involving horses, I think you will find that plenty happen to horses with hi-vis as well. You can't account for ignorant drivers. As for insurance companies, which ones? Doesn't say so in mine.
 
Personally I ride out with hi viz on myself and my horse (should we part company my horse should get noticed easier). I always wear my hat and body protector(have had major spinal surgery so body protector is a must have). As it's not the law to wear hi viz it is up to the individual rider to decide whether or not they want a vehicle driver to have those extra seconds to see them. To me it's a no brainer..............
 
FPErin said:
Personally I ride out with hi viz on myself and my horse (should we part company my horse should get noticed easier). I always wear my hat and body protector(have had major spinal surgery so body protector is a must have). As it's not the law to wear hi viz it is up to the individual rider to decide whether or not they want a vehicle driver to have those extra seconds to see them. To me it's a no brainer..............
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I think that if I and my horse parted company he would make himself very visible without the HV. I tend to not to dwell of the pitfalls of riding out and armouring myself against every eventuality. If I thought too hard I wouldnt get on a horse again. It is up to the individual, for the moment anyway.
 
At the end of the day, if someone comes round a bend on a country lane too fast, it's unlikely to matter if there is hi-viz or not. There needs to be a campaign to educate drivers, but alas many drivers will still not slow down, hi-vis or not, as there seem to be a breed of riders these days who find it impossible to even acknowledge that the car is there. I passed a group the other day, all with hi-vis, not a single smile or nod to my careful driving. So maybe there needs to be a campaign to teach a few manners as well!!!
 
Personally............ I wear Hi Viz walking the dog let alone out with horses. I dont think that it should be a choice , I had a scare recently on a not busy road through the forest with a rider in dark clothes on a dark horse. I wasnt speeding but was driving normally and I nearly didnt see them. If I had hit them it would have been devastating. It isnt only the poor horse that isnt protected what about other peoples llives who get affected. Not wearing a hat can be devastating for the family and friends of that person if they have an accident, is that selfish ??
 
I personally choose to wear hi-viz + hat.

HOWEVER - I often wonder about the zeal for cyclists and horse riders to wear hi-viz, saying that drivers can't see them. So where is the responsibility of keeping an eye open to the driver? On a country road you'll get deer and badgers, foxes and rabbits. Also walkers. On the way to one yard we were at it was like kamikaze rabbits for the whole stretch - not nice! None of those have hi-viz and I've always kept a GOOD eye out for the deer - right mess of your car they'll make! Or a parked car on an urban street, kids on bmxs with no brakes or helmet or hi-viz.... You CAN see them. If you look hard enough.

I've managed to see kids walking to school all dressed in black from shoes, trousers, coat with hood up. Not easy, but I'd hate to hurt someone for lack of keeping an eye open.
 
People don't wear it because they live with the thinking that "it will never happen to them" and think that accidents always happen to other people. I never ride out without hi-viz, or a hat, and when I'm riding the mare, I also wear a body protector.
As a driver I feel that I have more respect for the riders that have made an effort to put a hi vis vest on so that they can be seen.
 
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