Annoyed! Bad riding on roads RANT

Spudlet

Spudlet

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Had such an annoying encounter this morning! Some girl sitting on a horse like a sack of spuds, hat undone, no hi-viz (grrr), horse jogging and swinging bum into the road. So, obviously I slowed right down really early and stayed right back as I couldn't see clearly whether the road was clear. Was hanging about well behind her - at least 10m - for quite some time while oncoming traffic passed. Then she waves me past, so I crawl past, right on the far side of the narrow road.

So, do I get a thank you? A smile? A hand raised? A nod? Any acknowledgement at all that I have been as considerate as I possibly can be, delaying my journey to work for her sake?

No. I get a look as though I'm something she has trodden in:mad:

Just what on earth was I supposed to do to pass this girl any better?:mad:

When I meet people like that, I can totally understand why some people hit the horn as they pass horses!:mad:
 
I totally agree, even if I am riding a horse which is being a complete a*** I can managed a smile or nod etc...

I get so angry about rude people on the roads because it means the considerate riders suffer...

Grrrr...
 
It's an age old rant, but still irritating. I regularly pass a man on quite a big hunter type that never wears a hat, never mind high viz. He's often leading a small child on a pony too.

We usually exchange various hand signals.
 
I hate it too....drives me mad!
I always make sure i say thank you....doesn't cost anything to nod or smile!
I always acknowledge when a driver stops because they cant see....i know how annoying it is when you are sat behind not knowing whats going on....and i DEF wear hi viz :)
 
Yep! This really annoys me too! Costs nothing to be polite. At this time of year you can actually say 'thank you' out loud and a driver would probably hear you as many will have their windows down...
 
My farrier was having a moan about this the other day. Apparently he had passed a neighbour (also a client of his) carefully, giving plenty of space and not only had she not thanked him but, as he put it, had looked at him as if he had crawled from under a rock. Okay her reaction won't change how he views horses on the road, but how many other motorists has she p***ed off with her attitude.
 
I hate this too...there's a riding school in my town (where I used to ride) and they have to ride and lead their horses in from the field to the yard, holding up lots of traffic (holiday town!) in the process. People slow down and give them a wide berth, but the children just look straight ahead! I know they have their hands full but a smile and a nod will suffice!

It gets my goat, it just gives riders a bad name imo!!
 
MurphysMinder said:
My farrier was having a moan about this the other day. Apparently he had passed a neighbour (also a client of his) carefully, giving plenty of space and not only had she not thanked him but, as he put it, had looked at him as if he had crawled from under a rock. Okay her reaction won't change how he views horses on the road, but how many other motorists has she p***ed off with her attitude.
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That is exactly how she looked at me, and I totally agree with him - OK, I will pass wide and slow for the sake of the horse and because I know why they need that space, but someone who only ever comes across horses on the road and doesn't understand exactly why they need so much time and space might well not bother next time.

I think I know which yard she is off, I am half inclined to pop round there and say something... trouble is I don't actually think it would make any difference, as I am not the first of my colleagues to encounter the silly little cow. I think she's just a fool!
 
I agree; I recently followed two teenagers riding down a narrow country road. No problems with this but as I couldn't pass as I would have expected then to pull into the first available drive way (which was in actual fact about quarter of a mile long so plenty of room) out of politeness. However they continued to walk slowly down the road for another two hundred yards before they realised that I wouldn't pass if I couldn't see. No thank you either.

A non-horsey friend a few years ago said that they refused to give consideration to horses following the lack of thanks they got when they went slowly, giving plenty of room.
 
horsecrazy25 said:
Spudlet - I think you should pop round 2 her yard!! If she is on a livery yard then you should speak to the manager of the livery but if she on her own yard then go and speak 2 her direct!!!
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I am tempted... won't have time for a couple of days but after that I really might, or I might see if I can find a number and give them a call. If I see her again and I can pull over safely, I might have a word then...

I don't really like confrontation, but I am a tad riled about this!
 
Agree - it drives me crazy too! I spend half my life waving and smiling to thank drivers.

However just got back from a hack where we had the opposite. Friend and I were trotting past a long line of parked cars in single file when a woman came round the corner towards us. Plenty of time for her to see us and stop as we were half way down the cars by then and had no where to pull in - had about 12 cars to go. Did she stop? No. Just put her foot down, leaving us a horse width between the parked cars and her. Didn't even stop when level with us. Grrrrrr:mad:
 
Grrr! Its people like that who give all of us a bad name!

I dont understand why people do it either, its so dangerous not to have you hat done up, or wear hi viz!!

I would deffinately be going and having a word!
 
At least she waved you past when it was clear for you to go. I have sat behind horses and waited patiently when they could see the road ahead was clear and still let me sit there. I drive very slowly past them and let them have a good look at the BD and "Ï slow down for horses" stickers in my back window whilst smiling and waving cheerily at them!! :D
 
Soooo agree with all of you. My girl is a baby and so a bit spooky out hacking, always wear all the appropriate stuff and thank everyone with a massive smile.. but loads of people round our way dont slow down and I am starting to understand why.. there is a yard just down the road where people ride out without hats, hi-vis, they often ride three abreast on tight country roads, never thank you and are often just chatting on their mobiles.

Sometimes as i crawl past them after sitting behind them for what feels like 10 hours i want to wind down my window and YELL at them about thanking people and wearing the appropriate gear, it makes me want to zoom past and i am a horse owner!!

I am so wound up about it I am tempted to write a letter to the owner of the yard, but she is a bit frightening and I am not brave enough :)
 
Spudlet said:
Just what on earth was I supposed to do to pass this girl any better?:mad:

When I meet people like that, I can totally understand why some people hit the horn as they pass horses!:mad:
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Do what I do. Either put the window down and shout 'thank you' really loudly at her (I normally say I'm a rider too and a thank you really goes a long way...). Or, go a bit further on, park up, get out and 'talk' to her a little more directly.
 
This morning I got held up, along with other cars, by 2 riders meandering and ambling along, riding two abreast down our narrow village high street. They just looked at me and the other cars so I wound down my window and told them off (politely). Maybe they feel manners are unnecessary but I have to hack on the same lanes!:mad:
 
It is so stupid of riders not to wear flourescent gear when riding on the roads. I would never, ever take my horse out without being visible, its been proven by the Road Safety researchers and the British Horse Society that flourescent gear gives a driver three seconds of braking distance to react. That can equate to a considerable distance in a driver should need to brake if a horse shies out into the road for instance. This equates to the difference in life or death. Why take the risk??? Just don't understand how totally stupid people can be to risk their horse and them without flourescent gear. I've heard all sorts of excuse of people not wearing flourescent, every thing from "I look stupid" to "I can't find it" to "I cant be bothered to get off my horse and go and get my flourescent gear" when going from school to road. If thats the case then the answer is simple - just don't do it.
 
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I thank every driver that passes me, has to wait etc. when i am riding on the roads, if i am unable to take my hand off the reins for some reason then i will smile and nod or if a window is down then say 'thank you'.
Not being polite may just wind some drivers up and they may not slow down etc the next time or for other riders.
 
mattilda said:
At least she waved you past when it was clear for you to go. I have sat behind horses and waited patiently when they could see the road ahead was clear and still let me sit there. I drive very slowly past them and let them have a good look at the BD and "Ï slow down for horses" stickers in my back window whilst smiling and waving cheerily at them!! :D
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I do this too :D

I have worn High Vis for the last 20 years, even when i just go on a bridleway ride. i have always smiled & nodded, if i have my hands full & i love this time of year when if nothing else i can shout "thank you", as folks have their sun roof open or window down. But i always try & acknowlegde everyone - even p*llocks of white van man drivers who speed past :D (doubt they have a concience to be made to feel guilty though :( )

I do hate bad manners :(
 
horsecrazy25 said:
Some people are so annoying and rude and need 2 go on a course to learn some manners!!!!!
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You don't need a course to learn manners!
Yesterday I was out on Pacco and a car came down the lane behind.Pleanty of room to pass but they crawled along really slowley behind about two cars distance back.It got to a point where I was beginning to feel quite nervous and wondering what an earth was going on(Pacco just ignored it)In the end I waved them passed (Clear straight rd and plenty of room nothing comming as it was a quiet lane)They finally shifted their Ass and I thanked them(coarse they never thanked me!) as they passed but I still don't know why they hovered for so long.
 
This drives me so mad. I can't remember the last time someone thanked me for driving with consideration past horses on the road and I drive past quite a few regularily. Recently, I came accross a couple of riders waiting at a junction, it was on a bend, so I had to slow down very quickly, once I saw them. Not a thank you or even a smile. They looked at me like I was something off a shoe.......just to make me even madder. Oh and no high viz either.

I rarely ride on the roads now, but I always went out of my way to say thank you to drivers.
 
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