Would you deliberately hack in the dark with hi vis?

[FfionWinnie]

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.

Same here. Lit up like a Christmas tree and find people slow a lot more than they do in daylight. My mare is only 4 as well and not bothered by it (she was a bit spooky the first time!). I just have a short straight bit of road to negotiate and its rare to see traffic.

 

[Lexie81]

Definitely not on the roads, no. We have off road hacking round the farm where I keep my horses, I haven't ridden out round there in the dark but others at the yard do, I am undecided as to whether I want to try!

 

[Blythe Spirit]

Years ago had a horse at a yard in suburban London we all used to ride round the well lit housing estate streets with lights and reflective gear on winter nights it was what we did when the school was too wet/ frozen etc. Now though living somewhere much more rural there is no way I would hack down the a road or Country roads at night with any amount of lights - it would be suicide on our roads I think!

 

[weesophz]

never ever.

couple of years ago we went out a massive hack, left about 1pm and forgot it got dark around 4. ended up having to get my dad following me up the back roads using his lights from the car so i could see where i was going in the pitch black. the amount of cars that sped by even with my dad there was unreal dont even want to think if it wasnt for him..

wont make that mistake again!

 

[Heilo]

At least hi viz is better than the rider that went out late afternoon in the dark with nothing on. Now that truly is downright dangerous

 

[weesophz]

At least hi viz is better than the rider that went out late afternoon in the dark with nothing on. Now that truly is downright dangerous

like i said it was a mistake.. we didnt intend to go as far as we did and yes it was stupid and we were very lucky to actually make it back. and it hasnt and wont happen again..

 

[Heilo]

like i said it was a mistake.. we didnt intend to go as far as we did and yes it was stupid and we were very lucky to actually make it back. and it hasnt and wont happen again..

Sorry hadn't actually read this far and was talking about a rider from yard doesn't road last week that a friend at my yard nearly hit with her car. Oh and that was her just heading out on hack

 

[dressedkez]

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.

It depends on time of day, and knowledge of traffic movements in your area........I used to ride out frequently at 6am exercising pointers before work - often we would leave in the pitch dark, and sometimes return before day break - but we chose our routes well, and generally got away with it (because the roads were quiet) but had the odd near miss - afternoons are different, roads are generally busier, and High Viz in half light, is not as effective as very dark......

 

[Floxie]

I used to at my old yard - didn't go as far as the village, just stuck to the farm roads. It was very flat there so you could see a car coming for ages and get into a field- also the only people likely to be there were family. So it depends where I guess - I'd never do it on 'real' roads but I expect hacking like I had there isn't too common.