Car driving up behind my horse! ***RANT ALERT***

[cbmcts]

I've also had cars deliberately aim at me too - I like to think that they are just trying to frighten rather than deliberately injure but it is scary. I've also had a pillock overtake a queue of traffic and a driven pony as we were waiting to turn right. That driver did get charged with careless driving as there was an unmarked police car coming the other way (There is a God ) and saw her do it.

My Welsh cob also put a cyclist in hospital a few years ago, sounds terrible doesn't it? But he was part of a group of about 20 who surrounded 4 ridden horses on a bridleway at speed and he was the unlucky one who got knocked off his bike and stood on. Luckily there were witnesses (dog walkers and the like) so his threat to sue went nowhere...

One of the funniest times was on a Sunday morning - we had to divert on to a main road with roadworks because a bridleway was blocked and one of the horses was having pink fits at the roadworks so he was blocked in by 3 others. We were blocking the road admittedly but trotting on and would have taken all of 30 seconds to clear the danger area. A car came along and the driver was screaming abuse out the passenger window, really OTT, in fact nearly hysterical The funny part was that she was so busy mouthing off that she drove straight into one of the road beacons that marks crossing places! I did laugh

Yes, we do have to share the road and I have no problem with that but riders along with pedestrians and cyclists are considered vulnerable users and as such entitled to special consideration. People may not like that but it is a fact and if you were to try and argue otherwise in court after an accident you would not be well received!

 

[BonneMaman]

Whereas I agree in trotting out when and where it is safe to do so does that mean that a pedestrian having to use the road because of lack of footpath,taking children to and from school say,has to make everyone run on every time a car comes?....

That is just a bloody rediculous comment to make and quite frankly doesn't even deserve a response :-(

I always trot on if conditions permit (horse or road) and would NEVER have the attitude of "I was here first or I have every right to travel at whatever speed I like" that is just bloody selfish and quite frankly puts the rest of us that are considerate horse riders in danger.

Be considerate, thoughtful and say THANK YOU even if they don't slow down! Next time they might because of that thank you.

 

[KazzOnAPiano]

Be considerate, thoughtful and say THANK YOU even if they don't slow down! Next time they might because of that thank you.

I always say thank you if a car slows down and goes wide, but I certainly don't thank those that don't slow down, surely that just reinforces the message that NOT slowing down is okay, and that we should be 'thankful' that they didn't just run us over! Do you thank those that drive past really fast and close, putting you in danger?

If you were driving, surely you wouldn't thank another driver who did nothing to thank them for? Doing any different on a horse is like saying that horse riders should be thankful to be there!

 

[BonneMaman]

I always say thank you if a car slows down and goes wide, but I certainly don't thank those that don't slow down, surely that just reinforces the message that NOT slowing down is okay, and that we should be 'thankful' that they didn't just run us over! Do you thank those that drive past really fast and close, putting you in danger?

If you were driving, surely you wouldn't thank another driver who did nothing to thank them for? Doing any different on a horse is like saying that horse riders should be thankful to be there!

Sometimes I am grateful to be there and yes I do thank every driver as I said before because next time they might actually remember me thanking them when they are overtaking YOU.

 

[OWLIE185]

If the police officer or support officer in question fails to treat your report of the incident seriously then simply contact the Chief Constable of the area and they will treat it seriously.

As regards cyclists about 7 years ago there was a court case as a result of an accident caused to a horse and rider caused by some cyclists on a road race. The judge made it quite clear that it was their duty to stop the race and allow horse riders to get off the road to a safe passing place and only then continue the race.

 

[debbielinder]

I had an ancident on the roads a few months back, ive always ridden on the roads and actually enjoy doing roadwork my horse a then 6 yr old can be sharp and spooky but some how knows theres a time and a place and generally speaking is well behaved out on the roads. I was out alone riding around a large housing estate not far from the yard, it was about 9 AM so there was a few vehicles about but it was just quietening down when i heard a car come up behind me i heard it slow down so i waved to say thankyou, next thing i know my foot was being scrapped across the side of the car, yes she had slowed down but hadnt moved over!!!!! Luckily my pony was a good boy and just ignored her so i hit the top of her car with my whip i know probably not the cleverest thing i could have done but made her notice me she stuck her had out of the window and shouted sorry she hadnt seen me! I did explain to her that if my horse had panicked and kicked out that he child in the back seat would have been kicked she didnt seem to botherd

 

[Marydoll]

That is just a bloody rediculous comment to make and quite frankly doesn't even deserve a response :-(

I always trot on if conditions permit (horse or road) and would NEVER have the attitude of "I was here first or I have every right to travel at whatever speed I like" that is just bloody selfish and quite frankly puts the rest of us that are considerate horse riders in danger.

Be considerate, thoughtful and say THANK YOU even if they don't slow down! Next time they might because of that thank you.

I agree the initial comment is a bit silly, but if i was out on my horse who has issues with hard ground, then traffic can wait, its cost time effort cash and energy to get her sound enough to compete again and while we ALL have a right to be on the road, sometimes the reasons people dont trot on are nothing to do with time, or ignorance. I still see myself as considerate but im not prepared to risk my horse for anyone to save a minute or 2 until i can move in to the side to let them pass, or they slow down and pass with a thanks and a wave from me. The way your post comes accross is that all but folks like you are selfish inconsiderate idiots, mabe you need to take a leaf out of your own book and realise sometimes there are good reason for people staying in walk and ushering traffic past rather than scurrying out of the way

 

[jokadoka]

I always say thank you if a car slows down and goes wide, but I certainly don't thank those that don't slow down, surely that just reinforces the message that NOT slowing down is okay, and that we should be 'thankful' that they didn't just run us over! Do you thank those that drive past really fast and close, putting you in danger?


I always thank EVERYBODY, especially the inconsiderate ones, they end up looking shame faced and silly... and they know it!!!

 

[fidleyspromise]

On our way back from a hack, we have to ride along quite a busy road, we have to turn right across said road into our gateway, we were walking along, there was no oncoming traffic, but we were aware of a car coming up behind us, we were wearing hi-viz, had our arms outstretched to turn right and what did he do, but overtook us just has we were going to make our turn, not the first time this has happened, but would that car have done that to another car that was indicating to make the turn, ( i don't think so), of course we shouted at him and the kind driver waved at us smiling !!!

Don't bet on it. My first driving lesson, I was turning right as was the car behind me and it overtook me going around the corner.

With regards to horse-riders, thankfully there is only once where I have encountered idiots. I was driving a month ago and there was a horse-trailer and 3 cars, then me. For five minutes we crawled along. Two horse-riders on a single road, one on EACH side of the road were ambling along. They didn't look behind for traffic and nor would they pull in. They eventually turned off and I was raging mad so can only guess how the non-horsey drivers felt.

I find a lot of drivers coming towards me stop beside a layby so I do trot so that they can get on their way. Much nicer than them trying to force me off the road and they wave in acknowledgment as I go past.

I feel lucky with the traffic I meet, as opposed to a lot of you.