Letters: Drivers won't wise up so let's illuminate the livestock

SIR - I read a brilliant letter calling for all to respect the New Forest, an asset that we should all care about, but sadly do not. The writer has a good go at vehicle drivers and their lack of care when in the Forest and quite rightly so.

However, once again I go back to making my point that animals, where possible, should be made more visible to motorists, crucially at night and in low light.

Let’s face it, the average motorist is not going to mend his ways anytime soon. See and be seen etc.

I have been in communication with the verderers and I have to say they have been incredibly helpful and I have learnt an awful lot about the Forest in a short space of time.

There are worrying aspects however and they are these. The inability of the Forest rulers to insist that some form of reflective device is made compulsory despite the fact that the current reflective collars are issued free to those who want them.

I know there are difficulties in rounding up some animals, but that should not put off a programme over a period of time in getting it done.

It is against the law to ear tag ponies and donkeys and yet one can tag a cow’s ear, the difference being?...

I understand that there is an experiment on going as to how effective ear tagging can be with cattle. I see no reason why the current law on ear tagging ponies and donkeys cannot be changed.

Presumably it is an old law and like any law it can be changed if the will is there to make it so. There seems to be a reluctance to do this

There is a general opinion that there are too many poor drivers and as there is little done by way of enforcement, others will become like that as well. How about a change of attitude that says: “Yes there are an awful lot of poor drivers on the road and in the Forest, but I am not one of them; I am better than them, let me demonstrate.”

Easily done if you can change a mind-set. In the meantime all bad drivers need help in spotting those animals in the dark.

John Walsh, Address supplied