We loved driving Holmes County's back roads and rolling hills in the heart of Ohio's Amish country this past spring. The county is home to one of the country's largest concentration of Amish residents, which makes for a relaxed pace due to the presence of many horse-drawn vehicles along the roads.
It was a pretty idyllic trip, except for one heart-stopping moment caused by an impatient driver.
We were driving along, enjoying the scenery and, as many veteran drivers in the area suggest, slowing a bit as we crested each hill in case we saw a slow-moving vehicle on the other side.
Meanwhile, the driver behind us decided to tailgate.
We crested yet another hill and spotted two young Amish women in a horse-drawn buggy starting to make a left turn from the side road onto the highway we traveled.
We had plenty of time to stop and allow the buggy to complete its turn.
The driver behind us chose that moment at the top of the hill pass us.
Visions of a horse-automobile accident, a tipped over wagon, or the passing car swerving into the side of our own car or running into the ditch alongside of the road flashed through my head as the other car's breaks squealed.
I don't think I'd ever seen a horse back up so quickly as the wagon driver tried to move to safety off of the highway.
Now, I would respectfully suggest that if you need to get from Point A to Point B in a hurry, driving the hilly back roads in Amish Country may not be the best way to get to your destination.
With that in mind, I'd like to post this reminder to slow down and enjoy the trip through Amish Country, along with a few tips about sharing the road with horse-drawn vehicles.
- Normal speed for horse-drawn buggies and wagons ranges from 5 to 8 miles per hour. Horses pulling heavy loads can move even more slowly.
- Horse-drawn wagons and buggies often back up a few feet when they stop, so be sure to leave plenty of room between you and a horse-drawn vehicle when approaching a stop.
- Many Amish people drive enclosed buggies, which can partially obstruct their field of vision. It can be especially difficult for them to see you if you are following too closely behind them.
- Many Amish buggies sport the bright orange triangular warning sign for slow traffic, although some of them eschew this precaution. An all-black buggy can be particularly difficult to spot at dusk or in the dark. Even lighted buggies can look like the back of a faster-moving truck from a distance in the dark, so exercise special caution when traveling during the evening hours.
- Horses can be unpredictable when spooked by fast moving traffic or unexpected noise. Slow down, do not blow your horn, and do not use high-beam lights when approaching or passing a horse-drawn vehicle.
- Following too closely behind a horse-drawn vehicle can drastically reduce the amount of time you have to react to any sudden stops and reduce your own field of vision should you decide to pass the buggy.
- Allow plenty of room when passing a horse-drawn vehicle. Pass only when it is safe and legal to do so.
- Allow enough room between your car and the horse-drawn vehicle ahead of you so that you can see where the rear wheels of the wagon or buggy touch the road. This should give you at least 10-12 feet of space between the two vehicles.
- And, yes, you never know when you might suddenly encounter a buggy over the next hill, so slow down, exercise caution, and do not attempt passing a buggy at the top of a hill.
The state of Ohio reports that it averages more than 140 buggy/motor vehicles crashes each year. More than 65 percent of all traffic deaths in the state happen in rural areas, with 50 percent of those deaths happening on country roads where with rocky shoulders, deep ditches alongside them, blind corners, sharp dips, and plenty of curves.
Our story has a happier ending.
The other driver skidded to a stop, glared at all of us, and gunned her car on past our stopped vehicles.
Tragedy fortunately averted, we waited for the girls in the wagon to make their turn, we all waved at each other, and we continued on our respective ways along some of the prettiest roads in the east-central Ohio countryside.
Want to learn more about the Amish and Mennonite communities in Holmes County? Check out Holmespun: An Intimate Portrait of an Amish and Mennonite Community by Laura Hurwitz.
© Dominique King 2011 All rights reserved
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