Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] Reflective / Safety gear

msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Mounted search and rescue

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "IRVIN LICHTENSTEIN" <ilichten1@verizon.net>
  • To: "'Mounted search and rescue'" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] Reflective / Safety gear
  • Date: Thu, 24 Aug 2006 23:50:38 -0400

Not just impaired drivers head for the lights. A look at the back of fire
and police units around the world shows that red lights attract cars like no
other. Current recommendations for stopping an emergency vehicle on the
road are to shut off all rear facing flashing or rotating lights and utilize
an amber sequential traffic director device as the eye tends to follow the
sequence and the driver follows his eyes. Previously the most effective
technique was to outline the rear of the vehicle in light, all one color.
A major problem is that industry standards call for combinations of LED
flashers, strobes, and patterns that can be very confusing to a driver. Add
flashing headlamps, and even mechanically rotated lights on the front and no
one knows what is coming at them.

Most drivers have rarely seen a horse at night and recognizing it is
therefore difficult. Wearing a vest will help and a reflective strip on the
cantle bag might help as well but the best technique is to avoid the
situation if possible by closing the road if a SAR mounted deployment route
needs it. At events with road crossings we post fire police at every
crossing to control vehicle traffic.

Irv L.





Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page