While we are on this thread I thought I would confess. I am very
uncomfortable ridding on roads, whether highway or dirt roads. And worse,
this feeling is re-enforced daily. You see, I live in Amish country and on
a daily basis I see buggies passed by motorist who give the Amish very
little thought. The motorist fail to slow down, pass very close, and at
times blow their horns. Five years ago a buggy was hit just in front of my
barn. Granted it was at night and the driver was 80 plus with limited
vision, but the buggy was hit. The buggy did have two working lanterns and
reflective tape and was seen by other drivers that I talked with after the
accident. I was not first on the seen, four other vehicles had stopped, but
I was the only one that actually was on the ground helping the elderly man,
the two Amish boys, and the horse. Thankfully the boys were OK, the horse
had not been hit, but the elderly man suffered a concussion. While
attending to all this I was amazed by the fact that other cars were still
driving by and speeds above thirty or so. Amazing since there was a wrecked
buggy, a horse and two Amish on the the side of the road. The elderly
gentleman and his car, which hit a tree after striking the buggy, were in
the ditch. In about fifteen minuets the first of the first responders
arrive. They then took charge and I worked with the horse and one of the
Amish boys. We decided to put his horse in my barn for the next couple of
days. All ended well but I still get a little anxious when I see or hear a
buggy on the road, especially at night or on foggy mornings.