It isn’t easy to reverse a vehicle. If you don’t have a reversing camera, then you don’t have a very good view of where you’re going, and the human mind isn’t used to manoeuvring such a large object as a car, let alone a truck, caravan, or motor home. You have to inch backwards very slowly while you crane your neck and peer into mirrors, hoping that you don’t bump into anything, and making sure that you don’t reverse into oncoming traffic.
That said, it’s even harder to reverse most animals. Sure, a horse isn’t as large as a car, and if you bump into something while your horse is walking, that probably won’t do quite as much damage – although horses still weigh quite a bit, and being trampled by a horse is no picnic! But the difficult part is to get the horse to go in the direction you want. Most animals – humans included – aren’t at all used to walking backwards. And humans can use their minds to overcome their instincts and move backwards but other beasts – they might panic, or even buck, confused about what you’re telling them to do.
Fortunately, as we’ve moved from living mounts to mechanised vehicles, reversing has become less of a dangerous ordeal. And with a reverse camera kit, it’s easier than ever before. While you’re in no danger of being thrown out of a disobedient car (unless your vehicle has a Bond-style ejector seat), you still have to deal with the limited visibility that for so long was just a part of reversing. With the advent of the rear vision camera, though, you can clearly see what’s behind you, enabling you to reverse safely and without worrying about hitting anything.
