Cyclists!

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hannah12

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The pony I ride was such a star today until these cyclists decided to ride three in a row next to each other coming straight at us. When they finally moved one behind the other, the back one decided to attempt to over take the other two! This resulting in them nearly hiting the pony I was on straight in the face! After this bailey was hyped up for the rest of the time! They didn't aplogise and I didn't say anything! But if it was any of you guys would you have said anything? I was so mad! X
 
I told a cyclist off today! I'm not a very bossy person, but I'd just had enough. All the cars had been great and slowed down etc, but pair after pair of cyclists - on silent expensive bikes, suddenly swept past with no warning - really alarming my horse. And I don't blame him - they are so quiet and fast on little lanes.

The last one, I told, that they should actually make their presence known - that they were more vulnerable than I was. I know they just don't think but drivers couldn't use that excuse.
 
Bluewhipet; the pony i ride can be spooky as it is and he was just settling down nicely until they came along! As well they crept up behind us swerving us at the last minute! Poor bailey was sweating so much when i got him back! He was clearly very wound up!
 
jinglejoys said:
About time they had number plates so they can be reported.
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This is so correct! They are a nightmare of growing intensity here in the SW.

It should be law that they have a registration mark, pass some kind of competency test (above and beyond the year five one!!), and of course like other road users, have at least third party insurance.

OP, Carry a long schooling whip in your outside hand and flick the bu&&ers in the ear next time
 
The thing is as riders we have a bad reputation on the roads but what do they expect when cyclists and drivers do things like this! Cyclists are meant to give way to horses as well!
 
I hate them with a passion, bloody hate them on the roads taking all the room without a care in the world, no thank you at all from them :( groups of cyclists are the worst hogging the roads for miles on end fully aware of the amount of traffic building up but not giving a ****. It's the only time I get road rage is towards cyclists. Everybody expects a horse rider to thank traffic, WELL what about cyclists??? Nothing gets said.
They make my blood boil
 
I'm an avid cyclist and wouldn't want to be tarred with the same brush, I always warn horse riders and ask if its ok to pass, I also never hog the road I do pull in if there's traffic behind. Car owners 9 times out of 10 wave to say thanks and riders tend to say than you but not all. Being a horse rider I think I understand more but still wouldn't want to be on the pedastal of being a pain in the rear because not all cyclist are. :-)
 
I make a point of saying, 'Always speak before you come past a pony,' to any who don't have the manners or common sense to do it for themselves. If a group comes by and only one speaks I will say something like, 'Well done for speaking - the only one out of the lot of you who knows how to ride past horses.' It's only a matter of time before one of them picks an argument with me ......:o
 
Not ALL cyclists are like this! I've only ever met one or two and I am likely to see a cyclist every time I ride.
My brother and father are cyclists and wouldn't dream of scaring horses. There's also a group from my village who are so friendly and understanding.

There are terrible horse riders, terrible drivers, terrible cyclists. I wish we could all just get along! Like Rosie-Ellie said, can we not tar cyclists with the same brush?
 
rosie-ellie said:
I'm an avid cyclist and wouldn't want to be tarred with the same brush, I always warn horse riders and ask if its ok to pass, I also never hog the road I do pull in if there's traffic behind. Car owners 9 times out of 10 wave to say thanks and riders tend to say than you but not all. Being a horse rider I think I understand more but still wouldn't want to be on the pedastal of being a pain in the rear because not all cyclist are. :-)
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This.

I take it that everyone who is damning 'cyclists' as a group has no issue with drivers/cyclist/pedestrians damning 'horseriders' as a group?

We all need to share the road, and we are all entitled to share the road.

As vulnerable users, cyclist and horseriders could really benefit from supporting each other in raising awareness of how to pass safely on roads, not slagging each other off...
 
If cyclists were to be number-plated, where would it end? Horses? walkers? They're all mostly very good round my way, Herts, give you a warning 'hello'. I am always ridiculously grateful and polite in return - also to motorists - in the hope this fosters a good-will exchange for another rider and another day.
 
Personally I have come across a million more rude, incompetent horse riders on the road than cyclists, and I feel there is more rise to have horses played than cyclists.

Never around here have I had any issues with cyclists. But 4 a breast riders believing they have the divine right of the whole road.
 
I have little or no issue with most cyclists, although an occaisional smile when I pass wide and slow in the car or the waggon would be nice. The times I do have a problem are when they are racing in groups, they then take up the whole road, ignore all other road users rights and to my mind break the law, as I have always believed that it is not legal to race on the road.
 
Oh my god! What is wrong with half the horse riders out here?? The roads are for use by horses, cyclists, cars, pedestrians, motorbikes etc. I am sorry but you have to deal with it! WHY on earth should a cyclist have to consider what they are doing when passing your horse? You should have your horse under control and, if it spooks or gets 'upset' by a bike then so be it. It won't next time IF you just ride on and don't get yourself wound up.

You cannot expect people to give you special treatment because you are on a road. Yes, motor vehicles should pass wide and slow mainly because they could cause serious injury should they not be able to stop quickly.

when I am riding I am aware of what is around me and if cyclists are coming. Most round us do shout "bike" but not always. I took my 3 yo horse out on his first hacks and he had to deal with cyclists having never seen them before. However, I didn't react so he didn't. I could feel he was confused but I wasn't so he took his lead from me.

I met 20 + harley davidson riders coming towards me the other day. My 22 yo horse has not seen so many noisy bikes together before and found them 'interesting'. They were all very courteous and slowed down but quite frankly I expect my horse to be obedient and trust me if i tell him it's ok.
 
hannah12 said:
The thing is as riders we have a bad reputation on the roads but what do they expect when cyclists and drivers do things like this! Cyclists are meant to give way to horses as well!
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Where did you get the idea that horses top cyclists on the road.
 
Goldenstar said:
Where did you get the idea that horses top cyclists on the road.
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Exactly! I get fed up with arrogant horse riders thinking they have the right over everyone else to be on the road. It does not help anyone. All those using roads should be courteous to each other. Ok, some people aren't but just move on.

The amount of times I have driven past arrogant horse riders who (a) take up the whole road and only just about bother to amble across the let me past and (b) don't even bother acknowledging the fact I have slowed down and passed very wide REALLY irritates me when the then think they have the right to show disgust at other road users when they don't do 'as they should'!!

The attitudes of some horse riders really does not help the rest of us or help improve the opinion some members of the public have about horse riders!
 
We have far more cyclists than horses around here, and even have time trials past the yard and our house. Most of them are great and I defend their right to be on the road even when they're not.
We were passed very close by a cyclist tonight and my horse spooked a tiny bit as she called a cheery hello and I wouldn't have dreamed of ruining her ride by shouting at her.
We also had an incident last weekend when a group of ten cyclists called out to let us know they were coming. As they came alongside both horses (one of which has always been bombproof) spooked violently into the road as an invisible Rottweiler and alsation on the other side of a dense hedge let rip.
We apologised profusely, explained it was the dogs and thanked them for passing wide. No-one hurt or cross and a good lesson to all of us - to the cyclists that there is a reason for passing wide and slow and to us that it's not always the hazards you can see that cause a problem.
We are all vulnerable road users and should live and let live. That said, cyclists in the dark or fog with no hi vis wind me up! :)
 
moleskinsmum said:
That said, cyclists in the dark or fog with no hi vis wind me up! :)
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I have to agree with that one! I watched a police show, where sadly a cyclist was killed, because he was wearing no hi-viz in the pitch black. The poor girl that hit him thought he was a deer and didn't stop. I feel just as bad for her, as I do for him because even the police said there was no way she would have seen him.
I've nearly hit a dog walker, who was dressed in black, walking a black dog in the middle of the night before!!
 
rosie-ellie said:
I'm an avid cyclist and wouldn't want to be tarred with the same brush, I always warn horse riders and ask if its ok to pass, I also never hog the road I do pull in if there's traffic behind. Car owners 9 times out of 10 wave to say thanks and riders tend to say than you but not all. Being a horse rider I think I understand more but still wouldn't want to be on the pedastal of being a pain in the rear because not all cyclist are. :-)
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Good on you!

You are in the minority sadly - I heard on the local news the other day 'Derbyshire set to become the cycling capital of the UK' Oh great, I love being held up for a mile or longer because some road cyclist can't pull in in case it screws up their time, or beating their PB etc.

For the first time ever I had a cyclist thank me for passing him safely (in the car) the other day!!! I gave him a big smile, made eye contact, and a wave, (nice to know they do exist :) I want to encourage them to be courteous.

TBH tho they do my nut in, both when behind the wheel or atop the saddle. I'd like to say its the minority ruining it for the majority, but sadly it seems the other way around, the majority are arrogant, hog the road, cause tailbacks etc, treat you like horses shouldn't be allowed on bridle paths... the minority warm my heart tho! :)
 
I don't think there are bad vehicles and good vehicles. Just that there is a lot of talk about maniac car drivers or snooty horse riders and I think cyclists have there own form of bad road use.

As I said, I am not a road user who ever shouts abuse, just think it is foolish on the part of cyclists to whizz past without any warning when they are as likely to get hurt as the rider or the horse.

Not a great dig at cyclists. Just think it is common sense.
 
I never said all cyclists were the same, as I know that most of them make the point of ringing their bell before coming past to let me know so I can get him under before he throws a hissy fit at them passing. But I'm pretty sure if anyone else's horse had nearly been hit in the face by a cyclist who may I add was rude you wouldn't be so happy about it! I made a point of not saying anything because I know that drivers and other horse riders can also be bad! But saying that drivers always say if we're 'in the way' or 'shouldn't be on the roads' so why are the people saying they would say something so bad?:/
 
Oh also, to the point 'where did you get the idea horses top cyclists' on this particular path cyclists are meant to give way to horses! I'm sorry but the pony I ride hasn't had the best breaking in by people and it isn't his fault if he doesn't like cyclists! I was calm and after a while he calmed back down, but he nearly got hit in the face why would he stay calm after that?!
 
They don't bother me and we have heaps of them, Wiggo's training area.
In fact, the ones who say hello/cough make the pony edgy, rather than the ones who just go past.
I give a cheery hello regardless :)
 
It would be a good idea if cycle bells were reinstated on all bikes (we had them years ago & were told to use them) then it would be easy to warn other road users (horse riders, dog walkers etc) of a bicycle coming. They are so quiet & that is a lot of the problem.
 
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