Would you deliberately hack in the dark with hi vis?

[holeymoley]

I know there have been a lot of threads on hi vis at the moment so don't kill me please . However I'm curious to know whether you think it's possible or down right dangerous to go out in late afternoon at this time of year when it's dark with hi vis on? Do you think it's acceptable to think, 'oh ill hack out this afternoon and ill be fine because I have hi vis on' ?

I've always thought it a bit dangerous and have only ever used it during the day for increased visibility.

 

[Tinsel Town]

I know there have been a lot of threads on hi vis at the moment so don't kill me please . However I'm curious to know whether you think it's possible or down right dangerous to go out in late afternoon at this time of year when it's dark with hi vis on? Do you think it's acceptable to think, 'oh ill hack out this afternoon and ill be fine because I have hi vis on' ?

I've always thought it a bit dangerous and have only ever used it during the day for increased visibility.

No I wouldnt go out deliberatley at night/in the dark with just hi viz on, if I'm out on a hack (always wear hi viz) I will aim to be home before the light goes. I would say you would need lights to ride in the dark.

 

[russianhorse]

I've certainly never hacked out with hi viz on the roads etc when it is dusk or dark - and never will. I will only stick to farmland fields if I have to go out when it's getting a bit dusk, and I generally do not ride if possible, when dark

I always wear hi viz to increase visibility in daylight

 

[AmyMay]

No, never.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

No, it isn't safe because the hi viz just doesn't show up enough until the car is very close.

My daughter got caught out once returning from a hack. The weather changed and it got dark very quickly. Fortunately a livery was driving to the yard and spotted her, quite alarmed, she decided to drive slowly behind her so no one ran into the back of the horse.

I once hacked out with one of those flashing light tabards and hi viz. Also had lights on horse's bridle and tail. I didn't need to go on any public roads but returning down the farm track to the yard, I gave someone the fright of their life. Apparently, the lights made me look like a headless rider.

 

[YorksG]

No I would not. We have almost unlit roads, which are 40mph limits. One of the biggest problems IMO are the shadows cast by headlights, which would make my mare very very spooky, resulting in goodness knows what dramas!

 

[Hot2Trot]

No cos its stoopid

 

[holeymoley]

Thank you, I'm glad I wasn't being ridiculous then! I have , when winter came in, been out and got caught coming back in the dark and I didn't feel particularly safe to be honest!

 

[criso]

Have hacked in the dark with Hi Viz and flashing lights but not on the roads, only on bridlepaths and the farm.

 

[CatStew]

Would never deliberately hack out in the dark ever!

Have been caught out before though, headed back to the yard and it's starting to get slightly dark. This is when I find hi vis is most beneficial. A few weeks ago we were about 100yds away from the gate to the yard and it was starting to get dark, we saw a jogger coming from the opposite direction wearing black shorts and a dark navy blue jacket - we didn't see him until he was near us!

 

[ester]

Yes but not just with Hivis, sufficient lighting too (long list of apparel but lights include flashing tabard, head light, bike light behind and flashing leg bands), and in the mornings when it is getting light and to access off-road hacking. Whether I do in future or not would depend on my local hacking situation.

 

[mrogers]

I have. I work full time and once had a hot TB who had to be ridden most days. I would get home at 5.30 in the winter, dress both myself and her up top to toe in hi viz and hack up the side of the mountain and back. This was the only road with street lights on and only passed a car once or twice. I personally wouldn't choose to hack in the dark but in some cases you have no choice

 

[MrsNorris]

Have 2 girls next door to our yard who go out in just Hi Viz at 7am in the pitch dark. I only knew they were going yesterday because I heard them!! They are a bit more visible when in car headlights but no-where near visible enough IMO. In fact, I have been approached by several locals over the last few weeks (I live in the village) about these 2 and how dangerous it is. I don't know who they are, but think that I will have to say something next time I see them, as they seem completely unaware.

 

[monkeybum13]

No!

 

[Faro]

No, I don't - as I would have to go along a road to get anywhere, and even with lights I wouldn't feel safe. I do however, always wear hi-viz when hacking out in daylight, whatever the time/weather etc.
Just gonna do the patronising comment now - but even hi-viz on its own, although better than nothing, isn't great. I have gradually replaced all of my old hi-vis stuff with stuff which also has reflective strips, and as much of that as possible. Even the dog's coats are specially chosen because of their reflective strips, for when I'm at the farm after dark and for night time walkies!

 

[thatsmygirl]

I do, I hack around our local lanes and have no trouble at all, in fact I have actually found it safer than during the day when the cars try to push me on or push past me. Iv found that dressed in my hi viz and flashing waist coat and head torch etc they stay well back and keep putting their lights on full than dip again trying to work out what I am. And tbh iv had no problems the cars have been so much better than day time and iv got no problem with it if your dressed properly

 

[Ibblebibble]

no, have seen it done though and scared the heebiejeebies out of me as a driver! 60mph country lane, merrily pootling along and all of a sudden a rider in lots of hi viz appears in my headlights had no idea they were there until i was close and it felt like i was almost on top of them i felt terrible as i always try to slow right down and pass as wide as the lane allows but very hard to when you can't even see them.
Highway code advises the use of an armband light as a minimum, personally i think it should be made law.

 

[posie_honey]

yes - but not on roads (luckily round here i can hack off road so i do hack in the dark if i have to)

 

[Pearlsasinger]

IMO, hi-viz, even with reflective strips isn't good enough if the cars need to have their lights on, never mind actually in the dark. I have occasionally made sure that I have lights on, if likely to be returning to the yard at dusk along our very quiet road. Neighbour has commented that we look like a Christmas tree.

 

[unbalanced]

Yes, frequently. It depends what you mean by 'hi-viz' though. I wouldn't go out after dark with just a tabard on. I have a fluorescent/reflective sheet/neckstrap/coat/hatband to start with and find that reflects headlights very well. i also wear flashing arm lights, stirrup lights, a tail light on my horse, and leg lights that are white to the front and red to the rear.
The road where I keep my horse is national speed limit but has a great wide verge to ride on (as wide as a lane of traffic or wider in places) on each side and by the time the verge stops it is a residential area where traffic slows to 30mph. It is all covered by street lights.
I was however driving home from the farm the other night and traffic was moving very slowly on the other side of the road to me. As I got closer I could see the hold-up - a girl leading a horse in the road. It was 4.40pm so of course completely dark. She had no hi-viz at all. The only reason I saw her was the backlog of cars behind her. I was travelling at 30mph on my side of the road and I am frightened that had she been on my side of the road I could have hit her horse. Please don't get caught out without lights after dark.

 

[JenJ]

Just to point out that hi vis is a term used for materials that give higher visibility than most. If it is dark, there is *no* visibility, so hi vis is as useless as no vis. Yes, when you get up close with headlights, light colours such as white or hi vis will be seen a fraction sooner than dark colours, but if you need to be seen by headlights in the dark, you need reflectives and lights.

Hi vis is a must for hacking out, but is still only properly effective in daylight.

 

[Orangehorse]

Everyone seems to have covered all the points! A horse takes up nearly as much road space as a car, and in the dark a car driver is not expecting a very slow moving obstacle in its path.

What people have said about being well covered in lights, reflective this that and the other and riding where there are good verges and you can probably get away with it.

By all means speak to the 7.00a.m. riders, but don't expect them to be grateful!

 

[splashjack]

Definitely not lol

 

[goatbabies]

No, but I did get caught out and it got dark very quickly one afternoon, so we panic trotted home haha

 

[Sophstar]

No but I caught out last night and it was only 4pm when we were frantically marching back to the yard! I did not feel safe at all even though it wasn't pitch black but cars were still too close for comfort.

 

[Annette4]

I've done it around a quiet estate, where its all lit. I was head to toe in high viz with lights too.

 

[ester]

might I suggest that those hacking in late afternoon (and you never know what might happen to catch you out) get an LED vest to wear over a hi vis jacket (the led vests dont usually have sufficient hi vis surface area for my likeing). There are loads of different types about quite cheaply. We wear ours if we think we might be late/poor visibility due to rain etc and they are there to turn on if we need them. Once cars have their lights on you do find as a driver you are looking for lights not hi vis/reflectives.

 

[amandaco2]

Only with lights and reflective wear.lots of it.

 

[Emma27]

Sadly it is a common occurrence on the road to my house.

I have 2 yards in close proximity and riders from both are regularly out on the roads with NO hi viz, reflectives or lights!

I found that out the hard way when I came across a stupid young girl on a black pony with her wearing head to toe black clothing, standing...yes, standing, sideways in the middle of the road around a sweeping corner? It was dark enough that night for me to have my full beam lights on.

How I did not hit that girl and her pony is beyond me. I always drive slowly down my road but a young lad from further down the road seems to go faster in the dark, I think he thinks he should see car headlights round the blind bends in the dark!

I would never take the risk of hacking in the dark, regardless of reflective gear or lights, I'm sure there are many more people like my idiotic neighbour around.

 

[Jess Hoss]

I have access to offroad hacking so I do sometimes go out when it's getting dark. My horse & I get smothered in hi viz & reflective stuff - the horse leg wraps are a really good idea & do pick up headlights well. I also have 2 of those anklelites which I wear on my arms, & a head torch on my hat over the hat band just incase of emergencies - remember your horse has good peripheral vision & a bright torch will affect her/him ! It's really exhillerating going out for a moonlit ride. And it didn't faze my trusty cob. A lovely experience ! Good for the soul. . . . .