Buggies off the road?
29-year-old Eli Borntrager was killed on the road last year in Missouri. Borntrager’s buggy was rear-ended by a driver traveling at 70 mph.
The Amish buggy is not the safest form of transport. For many reasons.
Buggies can be difficult to see. Horses can spook. With their long bodies and front-set position, horses create a tougher sight angle when attempting to cross an intersection. They also lack the acceleration “punch” of a car.
Carriage construction, compared to that of a motor vehicle, is flimsy at best. Buggies lack a means of restraint and impact absorption capacity. One buggy safety study noted that “the buggy design will eject the passengers from the cabin when struck in most positions.”
Some communities, of course, are more dangerous than others. Lancaster is packed with traffic. Holmes County’s winding roads and steep hills create visibility hazards. In contrast, a place like Arthur, Illinois has relatively low automobile traffic, few curves and flat terrain.
Both Amish and highway authorities take precautions. Amish in Lagrange County, Indiana enjoy a full lane-sized shoulder on larger highways in the community. You sometimes see dirt lanes cut through a piece of farmland, bypassing a dangerous part of the road. Or a buggy pull-over lane, like in the hilly Munfordville, Kentucky Amish community. And all Amish buggies use forms of lighting and/or reflectors. Most are fairly-to-very-well lit-up (though not all).
Amish, of course, aren’t the only ones at risk on the road. Nor are they always faultless in accidents. One study found buggy driver error to account for a number of crashes. This typically occurred when an Amish driver crossed an intersection at an unsafe time.
Non-Amish have been injured or killed. Last June, a 91-year-old man walked out of a restaurant and was fatally struck by a horse-drawn cart (in, as it happens, Arthur, Illinois). In response, a writer for a St. Louis paper claimed “the only logical conclusion” to be that “the Amish need to keep their horse-drawn buggies off the road”.
Yet motor vehicle driver behavior likely plays a much bigger role in accidents. High speeds and alcohol are often found to be contributing factors, as is “following too close”. And modern technology may only complicate things further. It’s possible the driver who struck Eli Borntrager was texting at the time.
Photo credits: Lancaster buggy-Brian/NCReedplayer; Open carriage-Scott Griffith; Buggy and semi-Cindy Seigle
first…. good morning folks in the new year (2011). i knew an amishman who’s brother was killed in a buggy by a truck in Ohio a long time ago, it effected him very much in that he never felt comfortable in a buggy, and infact tried to ride in cars as much as he could. in Lancaster which is the next county below me the population is much higher than in Lebanon county, so im sure the accident rates are alot lower than Lancaster. in Lebanon county unlike Lancaster there really are very few if even any side road attachments for the amish/old order Mennonites to ride in, so as ive rode around ive yet to see any in my county. i think for the most part Lancaster’s roads are not really that bad for the amish, its the tourist areas that i have to admit are pretty bad, and i don’t really know how the plain folks can ride around in it. so im sure those areas are a much higher risk areas compared to the rest of Lancaster. when im behind a buggy i take great care in passing, i have a relaxed style of driving anyway even when im driving my ford mustang. in Lancaster the locals can be their own worse enemy when it comes to buggy safety for the amish, some just drive like their cars are stolen, like their house is on fire or something. and when i see locals drive like that theres never a cop around to see it. if you live in Lancaster and your one of those people im talking about, can you slow the heck down before you kill someone.maybe the amish since they are adapting with time will make buggy makers improve construction and try to incorporate safety features into their buggies, as much as they can anyway. with safety comes usually increased cost so the states might have to make those changes law, as much as i hate government intruding into peoples lives this one might have to happen. and maybe the buggies should have their lights on at all times, im not sure if that will help because that was a big thing for cars in America (running lights) around 10 years ago or so, and i notice most new cars don’t have that feature anymore so maybe it really didn’t work after all. i want the amish/Mennonites to continue practicing their customs as they have done for so long, even in this time and after, and using a horse drawn carriage is very important to them because its a symbol of who they are and what they beleave in. a person who drives like a jerk most likely wont change, until he/she kills someone or are killed themselves, but atleast improving buggy safety gives maybe someone a better chance to survive an accident……….that is my 2 cents anyway folks……….. ill be back on later in the day………….. Richard from the amish community of lebanon,pa
I was born and raised in Holmes County, Ohio. As mentioned in the original post, the driving there is tenuous even for automobiles due to the many steep hills, sharp turns, and narrow secondary roads. I have personally had many “near misses” with Amish buggies although, I have not lived in Holmes County for many years. I count myself fortunate to have survived it and I worry about my family still living in the area. Driving there is a constant and paramount risk. In my youth I lost close personal friends and I can tell you absolutely that many innocents have been killed and forever maimed because of buggy traffic on the roads in Holmes, Wayne, and Tuscarawas Counties of Ohio. It is a tough question and I do not have the answer but I shall enjoy the debate.
Well all I have to say is motorists SLOW DOWN. You are in Amish country, you know there will be buggies, slow down. they have as much right on the road as we do. Give me a nice 2 lane country road anyday. But they keep building these 6 and 8 lane highways so motorists can go that much faster, then they wonder why there are so many accidents and deaths on todays highways.
Greetings everyone!
I live in the heart of Illinois farmland. I often take back country roads to go from one town to another. But with that comes the responsibility to watch for farmers coming out of the fields in various farming equipment.
While it is true, Illinois is relatively flat and straight, caution should not go out the window. Down near Arthur, you need to be mindful of buggies. But other areas still have things to be mindful of such as kids playing, bicyclists and farm equipment, not to mention other motorists.
People are in such a rush today they drive without caution or thinking. I have laughed so many times at people who rush by me, speeding,,, only to be sitting at the next traffic light when I arrive. What did it really gain them but to put themselves and others at risk? Running late for work? Get up a little earlier and allow yourself more time!!
Common sense seems to have gone out the window when it comes to driving any type of vehicle. Texting, talking on the cell phone and anything that can be dsitracting to the driver should be banned, period.
Blessings, Alice
I think it’s time we stopped blaming the victims. Amish buggies are no more a traffic hazard than are bicycles or pedestrians. But few people are seriously saying it’s time for bicyclists and pedestrians to get off the road. The problem is motor vehicle drivers behaving like jerks. I’ve pulled my car off the road in Ohio Amish country to take photos of farm fields. As I’ve walked along the shoulder, out of the traffic lane, cars have come whizzing by me doing probably 70 in a 55 mph zone, around curves and over hills, with no regard for a car parked on the shoulder and a person walking beside the road. Are they just trying to prove the Amish right about how the rest of us live?
I know in Lancaster County, most locals are accustomed to and careful driving around in Amish country. They are also aware of the roads where one can expect higher buggy traffic, especially on Sundays.
But, then in the summer months the tourist comes along and anything can happen. I agree with Linda. SLOW DOWN, you are in Amish country, and I agree with Damon that they have the same rights as anyone as do bikers and pedestrians. If everyone would think of the buggies as slow moving pedestrians, there might be fewer accidents. I saw an accident in front of me in Lancaster. Fortunately only the buggy wheel was damaged, the horse and driver were Okay.
my first post this morning, and from reading the few comments after my post, most of the problem falls on human error(the driver). if i killed someone because i was reckless, i couldn’t live with myself, but thats me and i know theres a few who really either don’t think about that, or they just don’t care. i know police have enough to do and being short handed, and i say this with much respect if your a police officer and you want to write tickets, maybe you should try hanging-out in the tourist areas of amish country more. you will run-out of ink in your pens because you will be writing so many tickets. so i think more police presence is needed in those tourist area, especially during peek tourist season. to sum-up my comments on this subject, more police along with better safety built-in to amish buggies i think would help save lives. the amish will be using horse and buggies long after im gone, and are here to stay. the drivers who drive like jerks most likely wont be around very long, i just hope they don’t take anyone with them……….. thats my last 2 cents on this…………. Richard from lebanon,pa
Richard appreciate your 4 cents on this (these 2 + previous 2 🙂 )…I think the question of which are worse–tourist drivers or locals–is a good one.
In general, I’ve probably heard Amish complain more about locals, but then again, locals aren’t stopping dead on a curve in the middle of a 45mph highway to shoot a photo of an oncoming buggy–which I witnessed (NY plates) not too long ago in Lancaster.
Why aren't Amish buggies more heavily regulated?
Damon, you’ll never find me coming down on the side of speedy drivers…especially since I play a live version of “frogger” as a car-less pedestrian for a good chunk of the year while living in Poland (a country known for its vast fleet of would-be rally-car drivers).
But given the nature of political power and the degree to which automobiles are subject to gov’t oversight, I do also sometimes scratch my head at why Amish buggies have gotten away for so long with not being more heavily regulated, even with the religious arguments and sympathies in their favor. For the record I happen to think the safety precautions (most) Amish take with their buggies are more or less sufficient and reasonable.
But I’m still waiting for the ordinance that tries to mandate all buggies be painted a bright yellow. After all they would be more visible, and we already have some Amish doing that, so why don’t the rest? 😉 (in case it’s unclear, I’m joking!)
Road dangers-Arthur IL Amish community
Alice–your comments made me remember probably the biggest challenge of driving in your neck of the woods, in the Arthur Amish community.
When I spent a summer in the area some years back, I would often drive up to rural intersections which lacked any sort of stop sign whatsoever. I didn’t get how that was supposed to work.
They were really potential killers, and a few times I didn’t manage to stop in time and just cruised right through. Luckily, there was no one coming from the other direction.
Eventually I learned to slow down at every intersection, until I learned the “bad” ones. Do you know if that’s still the case around Arthur?
A few points of clarification to my earlier post. When I mention “innocents”, I certainly include the Amish in that statement, particularly the many small children one can see any day peering out the tiny rear windows of Amish buggies. As for “rights”, that is open to debate. The Amish buy no gasoline for over the road use, therefore they do not contribute to the taxes which build our roads. If you have never seen the remnants of a buggy, or the horrible disfigurement to the horse and the occupants after a buggy/motor vehicle collision, count yourself fortunate and at least partly unschooled on this topic. Finally, in the Holmes County area there is no amount of caution or alertness which can be applied to driving which would prevent all buggy related accidents.
Holmes County OH reducing speed limits
Greg, I’ve had similar experiences–even if you drive carefully, you can come up on a buggy quickly and unexpectedly–especially in Holmes County.
Come to think of it, speed limits should probably be notched down about 10mph on a lot of these roads in areas heavily-populated by Amish.
I’ve always thought 55 or even 45 was pretty speedy on a road that could have any number of buggies turning on and off, and with roller coaster type hills blinding your vision (I am thinking especially of 77 in HC, but a number of others in the area would fit that description). Not that everyone would necessarily follow along. But some would. Which might end up making a difference, at least to someone.
Actually, I just checked, and looks like that’s happened (from The Budget):
On County Road 77, the speed limit has been reduced from 55 to 50 mph in the area from County Road 207 to the intersection of Township 628 and from 55 to 45 beginning at the Township Road 366 to County Road 207 and from 55 to 40 mph from Township Road 628 to state Route 241.
Holmes County Commissioner Joe Miller said he was glad to see the speed limits being lowered, because buggy traffic and hills are a safety concern, especially on County Road 77.
http://www.thebudgetnewspaper.com/Article.php?ArchiveID=1532
Erik, I think maybe a few more stop signs have gone up over the last couple of years but not many. It is still wise to slow down at every intersection, especially during the growing season where you might not be able to see over a corn field.
I have had people get mad at me because I come to a slow crawl when I come to an intersection but more than once that slow crawl prevented me from getting in an accident.
There was one time in particular I happen to know there was a field gate coming up, ( a field gate is where farmers enter and leave their fields). I slowed down to a crawl, the car behind me laid on the horn, and just as he did, a farm truck came up out of that gate and I narrowly missed him. Had I been going faster he would have been hit for sure, and more than like the impatient driver behind me would have hit me.
This can happen any where out here, not just in Amish country, but it should be a reminder that just like we might not see someone else, they might not see us. A little caution goes a long way!
Low-visibility Stop signs in Amish Country
Alice good point on vegetation and crops, which people who live in those areas are probably aware of, but city types less so 🙂
I actually remember another time an overgrown tree had covered up a stop sign in Lancaster County. I caught it in my peripheral vision in the last second. After slamming on the brakes, I paid the farmer whose home it was a visit with the kind request to trim his branches 🙂 I was lucky there again, I guess.
But to not even have stop signs at all like around Arthur–in an area where most if not all roads are paved–really surprised me. Maybe that is some kind of natural tourist deterrent.
Erik,,,, it is that way even further north where I live. If you get out on the paved country roads, there are very few stop signs. And the locals, who should know better will drive like the seat of their pants is on fire, LOL.
I don’t think that is a tourist deterrent as there are plenty of tourist coming in, LOL.
I’m not sure how many accidents happen down there but I think perhaps the rate is lower because things are so spread out and if you are not familiar with the area you go slow to try to read the road signs as well as the tiny signs most Amish use for their home businesses.
Beachy’s which is actually a good sized store now, and quite popular, has such a small sign you might miss it if you are in a hurry, even when looking for it.
I go a lot slower too just simply because I feel so much more relaxed in that area and don’t want to be in a hurry.
Richard, I agree with you, I could never live with myself if I killed someone.
hey greg, you make some good points i think, the only one i dont agree with is about the amish not paying a road use tax. from what i can find your right on that, but nor do people who ride bikes either. keep in mind they do pay state, local, and land/home taxes. and most pay into the social security system even though most will never tap into it. im not even sure the money will be there for me when the time comes……… my 5 cents worth…..hello alice, thought id say that before i was done….. richard
In Ontario County near Canandaigua, New York there have been two Mennonite horse and buggie accidents with cars last year. Car drivers said they had sun in their eyes. Of course the Mennonites were injured and the car drivers weren’t. I was traveling one of these back routes once and a horse and buggy Mennonite Couple pulled right out in front of me from their driveway. They were talking to each other and weren’t paying attention to where they were going. I went to the furthest lane and took to the ditch-I missed them. No one was hurt. The man came to my car. I was shaking like a leaf. We all ended up in their kitchen drinking tea and eatting pie while I calmed down. I wasn’t going that fast as I saw them and slowed down. I hope that never happens again.
Awe Richard you just made me smile from ear to ear,, and a fine hello to you too my dear friend. 😀
Marilyn, I am so happy no one was hurt although you were shook up pretty bad. It just goes to show, that EVERYONE on the road needs to be mindful of others, including the horse and buggy people, bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists.
That was very kind of them to take you into their home to calm down. I am sure they felt bad they pulled out in front of you.
Blessings, Alice
I had a amish cousin that was killed in a buggy wreck in the Arthur area in 1957. There was a lot of Speculation.The truck driver said he didn’t see any lights on as it was dark, but people in town said he had lights when leaving town. His parents were budget scribes at the time. I have the column from the budget. About road use tax farmer’s don’t pay road use tax on farm tractor’s and equipment. I used to get upset with bycycles, but now i just look at them as saving fuel.An Amish saying-the faster I go the behinder I get. Marcus Yoder
As I mentioned, the taxes issue is open to debate. The Amish are productive self sufficient citizens who never look for a handout from the government. Good points are made by all here and I do appreciate a good debate. I am proud to be a direct decendent of the first permanent settler in Holmes County, OH. I have many close Amish relatives and a deep appreciation for the Amish and Mennonites. (Ironically, pride is one thing which Amish truly frown upon.) 🙂
If interested, check out Jonas Stutzman here: http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=24493
The Amish have accidentally become very much in vogue through no overt effort whatsoever. They accomplished this by living a green existence and stamping out a tiny carbon footprint just as they always have. Not by design but by living their faith and family beliefs. It is truly admirable that they manage in this world by riding bicycles, driving buggies, and walking much more than the average American. I would never advocate removing bikes or buggies from the roadways. I very much appreciate the story about ending up in an Amish kitchen drinking tea and eating pie. That story encapsulates everything the Amish people stand for.
Hi Alice,
I am glad none of us was hurt, but I think we were all shook. They decided not to go where they were going until the next day. We have sort of become friends. I shop at their fruit and bake goods stand when the crops come up. They usually invite me in for coffee or tea and some cake or pie. I have never been in an Amish house, but their Mennonite house had electricity and a phone. They are very nice people. I am even more careful when I got through there now.
Well they certainly sound like very nice people and this story has a happy ending. I am happy for all of you!
Have you always lived upstate NY, Marilyn? I am from Port Jervis, NY originally. That’s about 90 miles north of the big apple.
I miss NY and often look at real estate upstate in your neck of the woods. It is very flat out here,,,, that is good and bad,, but I do miss the mountains and hills.
thought id pop-in folks before i go to sleep. let me first make a small correction regarding the amish paying into social security, i had said (most) in my last post i should have said (some) do. Erik would know a heck of alot more than myself about this, from what ive read, only amish who work for themselves don’t have to put into the social security system, so if you work for someone whos English you have to. i hate to make a statement thats not true, so maybe Erik can clarify this. and Greg please don’t feel i was maybe coming down on you, i think you make some very good points, and i like your style, and i know im not always right even though i love and want to be,lol. thats one of the reasons why i enjoy coming to this site in that even though we all wont agree on everything each other is saying, we all hold a very strong common interest and that is of the amish culture, and the respect of it. now id better go before i say the wrong thing, must be that new York in me alice, alice knows im sure what im talking about.lol. it was a great topic today Erik, i almost wish it were morning so i could see the next one……………. good night folks….. Richard. lebanon,pa
Richard you are such a peach. 🙂 Yes I do know what you mean byt he New York in you,, hahaha. Good night Richard, I hope you sleep well. I am heading that way myself.
Good night everyone!!
Blessings, Alice
Alice, I have lived in New York most of my life. I grew up here, but when my parents retired they moved to Florida. When they got older and needed someone to take care of them-I moved to Florida. When both of my parents passed away-I moved back home to New York again. We don’t have mountains in where I live, but we have the Finger Lakes. I was going through books on my town of Palmyra, on the Erie Canal and found out that one time Amish lived in the town of Palmyra and owned farms-but I can’t find any more information than that. It must have been in the 1800’s or earlier-that’s all I can find in the history books. Trying to find more info out.
It seems to me the Amish are a large part of drawing tourists to their areas and many tourist dollars are spent. An idea might be to add up to a 1 percent tax – hotels, restaurants, etc. and use this money to build bike, buggy, skate board, etc. trails along side the roads that vehicles use. Some other ideas are to reduce non buggy speeds when in sight of buggies, put lights on when driving them, and to use horns when leaving driveways and gate openings. Cameras could also be installed to catch and ticket speeders and the money used for for trail upkeep. Any thing to protect such a beautifully peaceful and slow way of traffic, the people, and animals. It is so sad people have to be killed and maimed before some are tragically remembered to stop and smell the “roses”.
Your posts are great Alice, wish you were my neighbor!
Blessings and a safe joyful New Year to all.
Marilyn, I can guarantee you, it is not as flat there as it is here, LOL. The finger lakes are beautiful!! Actually, all of New York State is beautiful!!
I can understand moving to Florida for your parents. I took care of my dad for 4 years before he passed. But luckily he moved here and that made it a bit easier on me.
Jory, thank you so much for your kind words. Where are you from?
Blessings, Alice
Richard just to try to touch on the Social Security question, Amish are generally exempt from paying into the SS program assuming they are baptized members of the church. Of course they do not tap into it either. However some business owners do pay into Social Security in certain situations–for instance for unbaptized Amish employees.
Greg so you are descended from “White” Jonas Stutzman. I had a chance to view his chair at the Behalt Amish and Mennonite center in Holmes County. Looks like it is there courtesy of Roman and Evelyn Stutzman, which I suppose are relatives of yours.
The folks at Behalt let me take a couple of photos of the chair, I posted them here: https://amishamerica.com/the-peculiar-wh/
Special lane for Amish buggies?
Jory, some interesting ideas. I think notching speed limits down and cracking down on speeders may be one of the most effective ways. If there is room for a side lane, that would be great, as they do in some communities, it just seems like it would be tough to implement on some of these roads–where front porches of some homes are practically overhanging the road already (ie in Lancaster). It is true that Amish are the main tourist draw in a lot of these locations and I think that community leaders are generally pretty sensitive to these issues.
It’s probably harder to balance safety and practicality in a place like Lancaster, where Amish are only about 7-8% of the population (throw in Old Order Mennonites and you get up to around 10%)–there is just so much motor vehicle traffic that needs to get around the county.
Changes to Amish buggy lighting over time
Marcus, with your cousin I wonder if typical buggy lighting in 1957 wasn’t a bit weaker than the average today. Some of today’s carriages have strobe-type flashers even. They are literally better lit-up than cars, depending on the community. Perhaps he had lights on but they weren’t as visible? Am sorry that you have been affected personally, sounds like this wasn’t your only relative.
Marilyn in NY–looks like what happened to you is a good example of the danger to car drivers. I think it sometimes gets ignored–of course b/c when there is impact, 99 times out of 100 the folks in the buggy are going to be worse off. So there is definitely more danger to the buggy passengers, don’t get me wrong. But situations like yours when cars have to swerve to avoid impact can also end up badly for the car driver. I am glad you are okay and that there were no trees in your way!
Oddly enough, I am closely related to Roman’s wife Evelyn, who is a direct descendent of Der Weiss, but not to Roman himself. This brings up another subject entirely, that of intra-family marriages amongst the Amish and Mennonites, but I will not go down that road here. Roman was the pastor at Martin’s Creek Mennonite Church which is located between Berlin and Millersburg for many years preceeding his death. He also ran a small general store in Benton, Ohio due to the fact that back in those days the church did not provide full support to their pastors. Roman baptised me at age 13 into Martins Creek Mennonite in 1968. I very much enjoyed the link you sent me regarding the chair. I live in Maryland now but I have taken all three of my sons to see the famous chair built by the eccentric Der Weiss. You did a nice job on that post, Eric.
Appreciate that Greg, and glad you liked the post. And thanks for sharing a bit of background on Roman–I am familiar with Benton, one of the nooks and crannies of the county. I can imagine a general store there, though I think there are a couple of other businesses there now (bakery?).
Hello Erik,
Happy New Year. I thought they would stop at the end of their driveway before they entered the highway, but they didn’t. That was a long time ago because at that time, they didn’t have any children. Now they have a little girl 4 or 5 years old and another on the way. I still drive the same car I had at the accident. I’m glad there weren’t any trees there, too. Most of all, I am glad no one was hurt. Funny thing I remember about their house is they use dial phone-no push button-no cell phone. Last time I was there which was last fall-they still had the dial phone.
As far as I know, the Amish would pay road-use taxes (albiet much less than the English pay) because they do buy gasoline and/or diesel fuel occasionally. I recently moved into Wayne County Ohio and have had a few encounters with buggies already, especially at night. Mostly it has been with the Swartzentrubber buggies which are not lit up very well — most of the time I cannot see them until I am maybe 10 feet from them and I’m not going very fast… My roommate has even put her car in a ditch to avoid a crash with a buggy when a buggy pulled out in front of her. I don’t think only the English are at fault for accidents nor are only the Amish at fault. I think both need to be more careful looking for the other. Even if we were to not allow buggies on the roads, the Amish still walk on the roads and in my area, sometimes the youth will span the entire width of the road and not move over for vehicles or buggies to pass.
One time I was talking to Truman, who is essentially the patriarch of the Amish community in Bee County, Texas about why their whole community essentially up and moved from Tennessee to south Texas. He said that it really came down to two or three things; 1) they build buggies for a lot of non-Amish customers and it turned out that the majority of their sales were to people in Texas, so it made sense to just go ahead and actually build them there and 2) the area where they lived was very hilly and the roads were winding with lots of blind curves. He said that while they never had anyone in the community involved in a buggy – automobile accident, the potential was always there & was something that they all worried about. The final thing was that quality farmland was available in large tracts at much cheaper prices in Texas than where they lived in Tennessee. I thought it was pretty interesting that he mentioned road safety as a concern ahead of reasonably priced farmland.
Later, when I was talking to one of his sons I asked where their community had been located in Tennessee. When he told me that it was west of Nashville, just south of Interstate 40, I started describing the community and what the general store that they operated looked like. He got the most astonished look on his face and said; “THAT store is THIS store. So you have been to both our Tennessee location and our Texas location!” Strangely enough I had just happened upon their community in Tennessee, some 15 or 20 years earlier while on a business trip.
BTW: Most of the members of the Bee County community have the last name of Borntrager, same as the victim of the accident and I know that they have relatives in Missouri because I met some of them one time when I was visiting their community. I wonder if the young man killed in the accident in Missouri is related to them.
Bontrager or Borntrager; Bee County TX Amish
Oldkat, really a great story. When selling books to Amish, on 2 separate occasions I visited a family that I had previously visited when they lived in another state. I remember the same feeling of astonishment both times. Pretty cool.
By the way is the Bee County crew still making custom buggies in the colors of your favorite university?
As for Borntrager, that is not a very common spelling (Bontrager is more common), so could very well be a close relation.
Road safety does come up as a reason that Amish move but it might get shrouded in the larger “tourism/too many people around” concern. They must have been getting suburb spillover up near Nashville. Bee County seems a lot more remote.
hello everyone……. just got back in and thought id check-in to see how everyone was doing. on buggy safety Erik i think this subject could go on for days because most of us have a story to tell regarding the amish and their buggies. i notice more and more amish scooters being used by them as well, and i really have a hard time seeing them sometimes. when i see a buggy road sign while driving i check my speed again and become extra alert for buggies, scooters, or plain folks walking along the road. i watch for anyone walking the road, not just the plain folks just incase theirs a lawyer out there reading this…………. Richard. lebanon,pa
Erik your right about the lighting in 1957 not being as good as now. There was some speculation that he may have fallen asleep, as the horse would cntinue on home. If I git a chance I might put the article on here out of the budget.First I have to find it.I have A lot Of Amish relatives, from Pa.,Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,Missouri. Happy New Year. Marcus Yoder
An Ontario Canada Television station out of Hamilton briefly ran a story this morning (Tuesday January 4, 2011) about a horse-and-buggy and car accident near to the town of Tilsonburg. Evidently, the car driver collided with the horse and buggy after attempting to pass a transport truck. They reported that the driver of the horse-and-buggy had to be taken hospital. The story did not note if the horse and buggy rider was Amish or Mennonite or other.
My thought, when I heard that news report, was that it was a matter of bad driving on the part of the person in the car.
This is a topic which is debated in our local papers every time there is buggy/car accident. Yes, here there are terrible local and tourist drivers alike. The locals become complacent and the buggies become part of the landscape, and the tourists are gawking and not paying attention.
That being said, the Amish in our area are probably equally at fault when it comes to accidents or near misses. They become just as complacent as the local auto drivers, and they do not have any required road training or tests to indicate they know the laws. And it is frequently evident in their buggy driving. No signaling to turn left (the Amish here don’t have lights or signs on their buggies; some of the higher orders have turn signals), pulling out directly in front of cars, driving in the middle of the road straddling the yellow line. sometimes 2 or 3 abreast in the road. We see it every day.
My spouse is a milk truck driver who picks up milk from local Amish and English farms. Every time he goes out to pick up loads, he wonders how many buggies are going to pull right out in front of him or turn left in front of his truck. He is an excellent driver but his truck is heavy and full of tons of milk; he cannot stop on a dime. And EVERY TIME he is out, this happens. I used to think he was exaggerating until I started riding with him on nice days – and he is NOT exaggerating. I can’t tell you how many close calls I’ve witnessed where I shut my eyes as soon as I see that horse turning in front of the truck…it’s horrifying. It is truly a testament to the truck driving skills of the local drivers, who learn quickly that they cannot trust the drivers of the buggies.
Many of us here wish only that the Amish were required to pass some type of test, written and/or skills, to be on the road. It sounds weird, but maybe it would help with these incidents. They just seem to have no “road sense” so often. Also, I wish there was an age restriction. We see so many very young elementary-aged children driving carts on the roads here, which get very, very busy during nice weather.
We do not think this because of anything negative about the Amish – on the contrary, we just want all of our Amish and English neighbors alike to stay safe and to drive safely, too.
Kerry–that is a pretty shocking story.
Marcus–if you do find the Budget story, would be nice to see.
Shom–I think that was a Mennonite buggy, if I saw the same story. I’ve seen Old Order Mennonite buggies in Lancaster with industrial strength metal plate as part of their bodies. I am not sure if that is a safety enhancer or not, but perhaps it is. Maybe someone more familiar with OOM buggies can comment.
Richard–don’t forget rollerbladers too.
Chelsea do you see a lot of Swartzentruber buggies out at night in Wayne Co? Higher order Amish are known to criticize Swartzentrubers for taking to the road in the evening. I know I’ve seen a few. More buggy crashes happen during daylight hours apparently, but I believe a higher number as a % of traffic take place at night.
Hi Erik. I found the budget article. I will have to get my daughter to put it on here.Her question is how do I attach it.It is A very long article.Let me know. Thanks Marcus Yoder
Anyway, in the Tilsonburg, ONT, story, the OO driver was, as of yesterday, in stable condition in hospital, but the horse died. That’s pretty much all the report said.
My wife and I travel to Lancaster County Pa., two to three times a year. One of the first things we noticed were the buggies.Each time we travel to
Lancaster County we can’t wait to see an Amish Buggy, then we feel that “we’re here. During all or our trips, we respect the right of all the buggies on the road. People ‘English”, Amish and everyone else must respect road laws, speeding will never be tolerated anywhere let alone where buggies and other forms of transportation used such as walking and scooters. If you say Horse and Buggies have no right to be on the road,the these other forms of transportation should not be allowed either. As this would be totally ridiculous, then we must ALL be careful, watch our speed and allow the buggies to stay on the road.
Here is another recent tragic example of the dangers facing the Amish as a horse drawn society.
http://www.timesreporter.com/holmes/x493326300/Baltic-man-Roy-A-Raber-dies-in-farm-incident
Erik, I saw your earlier question for Chelsea. I live basically at the intersection of Stark, Wayne, Holmes, and Tusc counties. Most of the Amish immediately where I live are Swartzentruber (and they do go out at night) all around the Mt Eaton area. But we do not see so many in the depths of Wayne County.
Thanks Kerry, appreciate the answer. Night time driving is more dangerous regardless, but the visibility level between a Swartzentruber carriage with one lamp and a lit-up Old Order buggy can be like night and day.
The brightest buggies I’ve ever seen were probably in the Elkhart/Lagrange Co., Indiana settlement. Some are harder to miss than cars.
These are old comments, but new to me……but can someone tell me the speed of the horse and buggy ??? I agree with what someone said on here, they need a special lane for the horse and buggy…..that would cut down on accidents…..and people driving cars need to slow down too…..most drive way too fast……don’t knock the horse and buggy…we all may be using them before it’s over if the gas prices continue to keep going up !!!!