Car driving question

tankgirl1

tankgirl1

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I drive a lot for work, and a lot of that is on single track country lanes.

I try to drive carefully and considerately for all road users, so tend to crawl a bit, but there are a lot of blind bends, and I have had so many near misses with drivers ragging it in the opposite direction!

So I have taken to tooting my horn on the bad blind bends - worked a treat today, got round the corner and found someone just pulling into the passing place :)

However I am ever mindful that if a horse rider was round that blind bend, me tooting the horn could cause the horse to spook, and potentially cause an accident!

So I don't know what to do for the best. I go 10-20mph usually on these sort of roads, slowing up for bends etc, but the nature of my job means I am always pushed for time, and the roads in question are national speed limit, which = idiots going at 40mph or more!

I'm on the Manchester-Sheffield commuter belt so a lot on non rural folk have moved into the area over the last 10-15 years, who don't appear to realise the dangers of ragging it on single track roads.... :(

Any pearls of wisdom?

Diet coke and jaffa cakes to those who have read this far :o
 
I'd keep doing it. Least the rider would have some warning that you were coming. (I walk my dog on a hedged lane, and if it's windy, you can't hear cars coming.)
 
personally id prefer a horn beep rather than my horse going into someones car...no matter how slow you are going! ive had near misses round blind bends... frequently end up in the hedge!!!

i expect the horn will make the rider jump more than the horse..... horse will be looking at the scary large leaf that is poking out of the hedge a bit more than the others!
 
i have a good idea...
may be every yard in the land should install a car horn...
it will sound every so often so the horses will get used to it...
next time the horses hear the horn in the narrow lane, they are already used to them so they wont jump...
:eek: :eek: :eek:
 
I have a really nasty S bend just down the road from the yard I keep the girls. If Ibblebibble sees this thread, she'll be able to confirm how downright nasty this bend is and how idiotic the drivers can be around it and on the whole road as it's a country lane, but NSL.

When I hear a horn, even if the horse jumps a bit which only happened once, then I appreciate the chance to trot on and clear the blind bend.

This of course doesn't work for the complete numpties that think beeping the horn means they can still keep doing stupid speeds around said blind bends. If the horse is spooked and in the middle of the road, it will only end one way :mad:
 
I have a very spooky horse but would much prefer a horn to having a car suddenly appear round a tight bend - as meandmyself said, in windy conditions it's difficult to hear approaching cars so I'd appreciate the warning! :o x
 
There was a post on facebook about this a while ago, someone irate about having a beep because their little darling has somehow never heard a car horn before. I had little sympathy for the person really! Being used to busy roads I can't quite believe someone would freak out about a bip from a horn, what on earth would they do if there was a fire engine?!

I think it is helpful for letting others know you are there and boy do I know what you mean about them being national speed limit. There are some around St Albans that were national speed limit til recently but you'd have to have a death wish to do that speed, proper single width twisty hedged lanes. Thankfully the worst areas are now 40mph but even that requires discretion! Flipping townies!
 
I've never tried horn beeping on those sort of roads but I do put my lights on full beam but that is generally in the Lake District where the single track roads are surrounded by grey walls. You can generally see the lights shing on the walls ahead except on the brightest of sunny days.
 
Think of it as practice for a dressage test, you are never quite sure when they are going to beep and sea to always make the rider jump rather than horse
 
ARGH this is my biggest peeve. Please be aware of who's house you are by if you do this! We have a woman do this as she passes our house and it is INCREDIBLY infuriating, well intentioned or not.

Clearly when no property around, crack on!
 
Runs out to toot horn at horses to check for reaction...

Actually I have tooted the tractor horn at them in an irate fashion when they try to come through a gate I am driving through before now. I don't remember it stopping them :rolleyes::)
 
Wow, this has brought back childhood memories. My dad used to always toot on blind corners. Nobody seems to do it anymore. I'd much rather hear a toot when riding. T be honest my horse usually has heard the car before me and is heading for the verge. I don't think a small toot would be a problem in terms of spooking :)
 
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