BUGGIES

The "Lancaster New Era's" lead editorial has some statistics on car and buggy accidents.



There's a story told in my family of how my Father as a teenager, would allow his horse to find its' own way home, on Sunday nights while he slept. I recall my older brothers bringing it up, during one of Moms' lectures, about being safe on the roads. She claimed he only did it, after having crossed Rte. 23 and only had two miles left to travel. There's also the fact that, the road he was on, may still have been gravel at the time.

My memory high-lights the change in traffic conditions the Amish have had to deal with. The increased number and velocity of motor vehicles (not to mention the size of inter-sections) is not the only change affecting horse and buggy travel.
The Amish also have changed in ways that exacerbate, the car and buggy mix on our roads. Because there is an increasing number of Amish in non-farming jobs, their affinity to horsemanship is decreased. Not only does their day job take them away from the horse, which in today's conditions needs to be controlled infinitely more than in the past, but the children not raised on a farm are immeasurably disadvantaged when it comes to the skills needed to drive a horse on today's roads. With the girls being the most vulnerable. see post below

As I pointed out in the post below, The affluent will have the ability to take the afternoon off to give their daughter driving lessons. Woe unto the girl or boy whose Father comes home from work at 6:30 pm. Plus the kids get jobs away from home at 14 or 15, there go the driving lessons.