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

KazzOnAPiano said:
Why the hell are people agreeing that you should have trotted on! Horses are entitled to be on the road whereas cars have to pay for the privilege. Fine trot on if it is safe to do so, but nobody should ever feel they should have to!

:mad:
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Well said. Why should we be pusshed around.
 
I wasn't really TOO surprised by this, until the bit at the end, where you said she tried to reverse into you!!! :eek:
Me and my 12-year old neighbour have been sworn out while we've been out on hacks together :( just because the idiot in the car didn't want to wait ten seconds for us to trot past! There's loads of idiots on the road that don't drive too fast/too close to horses :( But, there are some really nice people, as well :) luckily...
 
Willowx said:
I wasn't really TOO surprised by this, until the bit at the end, where you said she tried to reverse into you!!! :eek:
Me and my 12-year old neighbour have been sworn out while we've been out on hacks together :( just because the idiot in the car didn't want to wait ten seconds for us to trot past! There's loads of idiots on the road that don't drive too fast/too close to horses :( But, there are some really nice people, as well :) luckily...
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*loads of idiots on the road that drive too fast/too close
 
KazzOnAPiano said:
Why the hell are people agreeing that you should have trotted on! Horses are entitled to be on the road whereas cars have to pay for the privilege. Fine trot on if it is safe to do so, but nobody should ever feel they should have to!

:mad:
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I pay to drive my car on the road, therefore I have more right to drive there than you do to ride your horse there. Horseriders are not "entitled" to use roads, they share them with other road users so common courtesy and politeness go both ways.

OP, I have to say that if your horse is doing "wall of death" in the school and "liable to bugger off" why the hell would you ride it on a busy road?
 
gemin1eye said:
I pay to drive my car on the road, therefore I have more right to drive there than you do to ride your horse there. Horseriders are not "entitled" to use roads, they share them with other road users so common courtesy and politeness go both ways.

OP, I have to say that if your horse is doing "wall of death" in the school and "liable to bugger off" why the hell would you ride it on a busy road?
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I agree, if you drive a car you pay tax, we don't pay tax to ride our horses on the road.

Tbh I think you were both in the wrong, the car driver shouldn't have tried to reversed into you but you shouldn't have been rude.

Also agree with the second point.
 
People just have no respect for horses/riders! My friends horse was sadly PTS 3 days ago after a truck/lorry hit her from behind after driving too fast round a blind bend on a country lane! So sad and could have easily been avoided by sensible driving and respect for countryside walkers/riders.
 
gemin1eye said:
I pay to drive my car on the road, therefore I have more right to drive there than you do to ride your horse there. ?
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Thats a ridiculous statement, firstly you pay car tax NOT road tax. Highway maintenance is funded from general and council tax, presumably 99% of horse owners have jobs, houses and cars they pay their fair share of tax anyway. I find it very sad people are more concerned with owning the road rather than sharing it with other users motorised or non motorised!!:mad:
 
rolsterlady said:
People just have no respect for horses/riders! My friends horse was sadly PTS 3 days ago after a truck/lorry hit her from behind after driving too fast round a blind bend on a country lane! So sad and could have easily been avoided by sensible driving and respect for countryside walkers/riders.
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I am so very very sorry to hear this. I agree it could have been avoided.
 
Horses may have priority but some riders are so rude that no wonder drivers get pi$$ed off.

How hard is it to say a simple thank you when cars pass wide and slowly.

(This is not related to the OPs situation but its something I see far too often on the road)
 
monkeybum13 said:
Horses may have priority but some riders are so rude that no wonder drivers get pi$$ed off.

How hard is it to say a simple thank you when cars pass wide and slowly.

(This is not related to the OPs situation but its something I see far too often on the road)
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I always say thank you but I do agree with you I have seen quite a number of people who dont bother and also who dont wear hi viz. It is difficult to educate everyone.
 
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 !!!
 
gemin1eye said:
I pay to drive my car on the road, therefore I have more right to drive there than you do to ride your horse there. Horseriders are not "entitled" to use roads, they share them with other road users so common courtesy and politeness go both ways.

OP, I have to say that if your horse is doing "wall of death" in the school and "liable to bugger off" why the hell would you ride it on a busy road?
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Firstly read your highway code

Secondly if you had bothered to read what I had put, the physio advised after treatment that I hack gently in a relaxed outline and that my horse is still being treated with daily stretching exercises the hacking will help with hills and to avoid the school at the moment as we have issues associated with pain that mean that I'm going to break my neck or my mare is going to hurt herself.
 
Highway Code:
215
Horse riders and horse-drawn vehicles. Be particularly careful of horse riders and horse-drawn vehicles especially when overtaking. Always pass wide and slowly. Horse riders are often children, so take extra care and remember riders may ride in double file when escorting a young or inexperienced horse or rider. Look out for horse riders’ and horse drivers’ signals and heed a request to slow down or stop. Take great care and treat all horses as a potential hazard; they can be unpredictable, despite the efforts of their rider/driver.

It appears that many people may have only read the highway code whilst learning to drive, but how many people actually refer to it or review it periodically?? The quote above is taken from the online highway code. If the car driver had adhered to this rule then there really wouldn't be a discussion like this. As many who have contributed to this thread, I am both a driver and a rider, and have to use busy roads to connect with certain bridleways - and have a fairly traffic safe horse, but as stated above horses are unpredictable and care should be taken to avoid scaring the horses. There is no excuse for this womans behaviour and I agree that the OP should not feel obliged to 'trot on'. The woman does not know the OP's circumstances, nor her horse, and the fact that she is 'horsey' shows how inexcusable her behaviour was. How do you suggest getting horses used to traffic without using the roads? As horse riders we don't own the road, but should be afforded the same level courtesy and respect as cyclists, pedestrians and other car drivers. Likewise all horse riders should treat other road users with the same level of respect, and always acknowledge those drivers who have slowed down and passed carefully.
 
carolineb said:
snopuma said:
"To those who think I should have trotted on -

I have been imformed that said cow in the car is in fact something to do with the hunt, so that explains alot".

I'm not being funny but could you explain what you meant by the comment above. Why should the fact that she is something to do with the hunt got anything to do with her driving? Are you implying that everyone who hunts are bad drivers with no care and consideration for horses on the road?

Bit of a sweeping generalisation surely? I hunt and I drive very sensibly esp. when there are horses on the road despite a lot of riders round here not thanking drivers, riding 2 abreast round blind corners on single track roads chatting on mobiles with dogs ambling along with them etc. I drive cautiously and slowly giving horses lots of room because that is the treatment I would expect to be given when I am riding on the road.

If it had been me with a car behind me waiting to pass, I would have trotted on to the nearest place I could have moved in and waited to let them pass.
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My 'sweeping statement' was directed only at the local hunt here, they look down at us because we are dressage, we look down on them because they have little respect for you round here when you meet them on a hack, they assume you want to join in on your warmblood, when in fact you would rather not, you get labelled a woos, and they think they are better horse people, odd when they treat their horses like s**t !!!
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horses may have priority on the road but its does not mean that you are entitled to be there while car drivers are not. Maybe it didn't come across but I was taking the mickey out of whoever it was who said horses are "entitled" to be there.

OP i did read your original post about needing to hack your horse but that doesn't explain why you'd take it out on a busy road when it clearly isnt safe.
So many horse riders think its the car drivers responsibility to look after them and it really isnt. And this isn't to the OP in any way, but if a rider is hacking along a road on a loose rein, feet out the stirrups and chatting on their mobile (have seen this a couple of times recently) then you're asking for trouble.
 
snopuma said:
carolineb said:
My 'sweeping statement' was directed only at the local hunt here, they look down at us because we are dressage, we look down on them because they have little respect for you round here when you meet them on a hack, they assume you want to join in on your warmblood, when in fact you would rather not, you get labelled a woos, and they think they are better horse people, odd when they treat their horses like s**t !!!
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OK fair point!! Apologies. What a shame that your local hunt has such a reputation. I would be horrified if ours did.
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gemin1eye said:
horses may have priority on the road but its does not mean that you are entitled to be there while car drivers are not. Maybe it didn't come across but I was taking the mickey out of whoever it was who said horses are "entitled" to be there.

OP i did read your original post about needing to hack your horse but that doesn't explain why you'd take it out on a busy road when it clearly isnt safe.
So many horse riders think its the car drivers responsibility to look after them and it really isnt. And this isn't to the OP in any way, but if a rider is hacking along a road on a loose rein, feet out the stirrups and chatting on their mobile (have seen this a couple of times recently) then you're asking for trouble.
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Sorry maybe I wasn't clear its actually a single track dead end road that most of the time you only meet the residents and the post man all who are courteous and smile, most of the time we know them and stop and chat , and you meet an old lady on an invalid scooter with her greyhound bouncing along beside her, its usually so quiet it feels like 1962! Its windy and twisty and has lots of places to pass, but I am not trotting when someone has purposefully spooked my horse!
 
Has your friend who you were hacking with reported the incident?

If not she should do so and emphasise the reversing towards you and abusive threatening language. She needs to insist the person is visited.

If you ring back too and re-emphasise everything and tell them you are not happy with the way they dealt with your initial complaint they may be more helpful. If they aren't then ask for a senior member of staff!
 
juliette said:
Has your friend who you were hacking with reported the incident?

If not she should do so and emphasise the reversing towards you and abusive threatening language. She needs to insist the person is visited.

If you ring back too and re-emphasise everything and tell them you are not happy with the way they dealt with your initial complaint they may be more helpful. If they aren't then ask for a senior member of staff!
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totally agree with the post. It will make you feel a lot better also if you do this.
 
I have a work colleague who said her husband was angry last week as he was flying around our lanes ( they all go to single track in places and have blind bends) he was as mad as hell as its a 60mph road and he had to slow down as some young girls on horses waved him to slow down. He was livid as its a 60 road and they should not be on there if their horses are not safe!! Well i was not happy and went into a rant! I told her that 60 is the limit not the speed!! We do not ride on the motorway or dual carriageways so what does he want in the countryside! Plus the young girls are someones daughter so he was quite happy to kill them just so he could drive fast in his sports car on a sunny sunday afternoon..... not to mention the fact he was on life support himself 2 years ago due to a motorist ploughing into him!!! I was so flipping annoyed!! Would be great if there was adverts back on tv about passing horses x
 
onemoretime said:
Why should she turn round to face the opposite way to which she is going. The rider could be doing this all day if the road was busy and there was no mention of her "thinking she owns the road".
.
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The reason you turn around to face traffic is so the horse can see whats coming so they wont be as inclined to swing their arse into the road and lash out at anything coming up their backside. It was a sackable offence in my last job if anybody didn't turn around to face traffic, there was a string of 15 racehorses out at a time and this all started due to the fact of a horse lashing out and kicking in the window and the driver needing his head stitched. So for the sake of an extra couple of seconds it's worth doing.
 
Ours would turn into carousel horses if we turned round every time we met traffic! :eek: What would you recomend for the situation yesterday, bus and four cars behind us, five cars coming towards us? What we actually did was continue on our way, tucking the girls into the side of the road, when it was possible. As always when standing to allow traffic to pass, we turned their heads to the road and kept plenty of right leg on.
 
The driver should most certainly have waited for you to sort your horse out and definately not reversed towards you.
I would go to the police station and report the incident again stating that the driver was harassing you. Ask for an incident number to ensure it is logged in to the system and ask them to visit the driver concerned..
 
PeterNatt said:
The driver should most certainly have waited for you to sort your horse out and definately not reversed towards you.
I would go to the police station and report the incident again stating that the driver was harassing you. Ask for an incident number to ensure it is logged in to the system and ask them to visit the driver concerned..
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What he said.

The driver's behaviour was dangerous and unacceptable.

As others have stated, horse riders are entitled to use the road. This is the LAW, as stated in the Highway Code. Motorists are LEGALLY OBLIGED to share the road and be considerate to other road users: horse riders, cyclists, and pedestrians.

Riders should always wear high vis and thank considerate drivers. But even if they don't, drivers are still obliged to be considerate toward them.

As a driver, I slow down for everyone--riders, walkers, cyclists, loose dogs. It doesn't matter if they wave and thank me or wear high vis. I slow down and put safety before speed because that's the LAW and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I were responsible for someone else being harmed as a result of my driving.

I hope you do follow this up with the police, OP. Good luck.
 
PeterNatt said:
The driver should most certainly have waited for you to sort your horse out and definately not reversed towards you.
I would go to the police station and report the incident again stating that the driver was harassing you. Ask for an incident number to ensure it is logged in to the system and ask them to visit the driver concerned..
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But they won't because they don't care, my friend & I were nearly killed on our 2 mares by a maniac who overtook a line of cars behind us & almost had a head on with a car coming towards us. We took his number & went to the police station where we were told that they can't just go around calling on drivers, his word against ours etc etc. We asked if they would have been interested if someone were killed, & they replied that they would. So that says it all really. They aren't interested unless you are 2mph over the speed limit, have a bald tyre or some other easy target where they can just hand out a ticket & get the figures up.
 
Where i am the cars in the last few years have got worse and worse and some hacks have actually been quite stressfull- i've noticed that the drivers most but not all- are dead miserable, i always smile and thank each driver that does slow down for me when i'm out hacking and even then they are dead grumpy-i actually think it's quite funny, i also think people's behaviour has got worse since the recession has hit!

I also think riders should be polite and courteous to cars where possible.

i must admit i only used to wear hi-viz in the winter months but a few weeks or so ago i invested in a hiviz jacket with wording to pass wide and slow thank you etc and my goodness what a difference- i've honestly not encountered one bad driver in the last month since i've been wearing it!- sadly i have no choice at the mo but to ride round lanes to get to the off road places.

everytime i hear a car or anything behind me i will always turn round and look- that is my bugbear when you see riders out hacking that don't look when a car is behind them!- and don't even get me started on cyclists sneaking up quietly from nowhere when you're out hacking!......

I've encountered a couple of rude drivers too out hacking, they are not worth worrying about, but of course if they purposely try to hit your horse etc then that is a different matter entirely.
 
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