Cost and Rules of Buggy Ownership

First, remember the multiple comments below so don't miss out; subscribe by entering your email (right side) and stay "in the loop" for my blog! I write a new blog about every 14 days--you won't be flooded with incoming posts.

Second, a gentle reminder that posts along with comments and discussion are copyrighted material. Please don't copy and paste anything from this blog without my knowledge and written permission. Thanks for respecting this law and for coming here to learn.

Last week I was chatting with Josh (birth name, Jonas) about buggies. I had talked with Mosie about this before but, it was interesting to confirm the information or hear new stuff from Josh's perspective. Did you know the cost of a buggy ranges from $1,300 - $20,000? Josh said he used to build buggies, remove wheels and grease, wash, etc.
Now add on the price of a road horse, $200 - $900 and you could have around $30,000 in transport, especially if you've a couple horses hitched to a large buggy. Then, there's the daily cost of feeding the horses, and frequent farrier service. It gives me more compassion for Amish when there's a road accident and destroyed horse or buggy, as in this pick-up truck accident.

Harvey, our son-in-law, shared a story of racing buggies home from Gma. I'm thinking, drag racing with buggies.  He explained, "A friend and I were racing our buggies down the road. I lost control and ran off the road into a farmer's field. I ran down some of his rows of corn before I could get my horse and buggy back under control and up on the road again. Then when I got home, the farmer came to my dad and I got in trouble."

"How'd the farmer know it was your buggy?" I asked, thinking all black buggies look the same.

"Oh he knew. There was some of his corn stuck on my wheels."

Is that like Amish CSI?

Rules about

when to wear sunglasses while in a buggy vary by Order, and

about pulling down the front flaps and side flaps are part of the Amish way of life. 

My new ex-Amish friend John says,

"In our community it was against the rules to use the storm-front (windshield) unless it was cold enough to wear the thick cloak they call "ivver-ruck." Then a certain man had visited a neighboring community where they didn't have that rule, & had rode along in a buggy with the storm front in use and he didn't have his "ivver-ruck" on. After he came home, he wanted to confess his "sin" in front of the church. I almost couldn't believe my ears. But even the ministers told him that this wasn't something they would consider wrong, beings he was just riding along with a person who didn't have that rule."

Then there are rules about SMV triangle use. Swartzentrubers vehemently prohibit anything on the buggy - it's "worldly" - including this safety feature. No SMV triangle, no lanterns, turn signals, rubber wheels, etc. 

I now can look at a buggy and, based on how embellished it is, guess the driver's Order. In Holmes County, Ohio where there's a huge draw to Amish lovers, you'll see progressive orders that drive tractors, use turn signals on buggies, stay warm with propane heaters, and stay warm or dry with clear, intact windshields. I've even seen running lights! 

Behind the concept of following all the rules is ~  

it's the only way to earn Heaven.

But in the words of one of the founders of Methodism, George Whitfield, "Works! Works! People say you can get to heaven by works! I'd just as easily climb to the moon on a rope of sand than get to heaven by works."

More buggy stories will be in my upcoming book; this blog is just a taste. Subscribe to my blog for the latest updates on my book and my speaking dates.

Your turn! Got a story or comment? Feel free to leave it below in the "Comments" section. 
~ Brenda