Do you ALWAYS thank drivers for slowing down....?

I always thank people who slow down and get really annoyed with riders who don't - even if its just a nod.
But no way am I going to thank anyone who's going too fast and their only consideration is not to actually run me over!
 
Yes always, even if it means saying thank you umpteen times in a row cos cars couldn't get past when riding along narrow bits.
I can't bear rude, ignorant riders
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Hello

Yes I always thanks drivers make a real big thing about it and it really helps - BUT there are some terrible riders round where I live - propper ignorant - no wonder drivers get annoyed sometimes althuogh I am not condoning this behavior!!

Infact I think 80% of the riders in my area are a disgrace!!! And even as a horse owner I have been VERY annoyed with peoples attitudes - Get very annoyed about idiots taking stupid horses out on the roads - its just not fair on drivers to have to put up with half ton animal going crazy its scary for most people
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absolutely. every time. sometimes it feels like i never have two hands on my reins so i nod and smile at them.

vast majority of drivers around here are incredibly nice to riders, even lads on trail bikes we meet in the woods stop and turn their engines off till we get past
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I always thank everyone, even if they don't slow down. My theory is that if I thank them, they might feel guilty and realise not all horsey people are ignorant, then slow down for the next rider they see. I also always turn round when I hear a car coming so that they know I am paying attention. there is nothing worse than sitting behind two riders chatting away who appear not to have even noticed you!
 
Always thank cars - and then lose my temper when other riders are inconsiderate. I actually wind down my window and tell them that because of people like them I get ignorant and rude drivers.
Its not just saying thanks its pulling in if some cars are not coming round you as they are nervous to or if the road is narrow. I also check round corners before waving people on. Riding on the roads is not about sitting there enjoying the ride and doing sweet FA its about being alert, in control of the road and switched on.
 
Yes without fail if the driver slows down and moves out then they ARE thanked - if i'm on a difficult horse i will nod and smile, if on a normal horse will raise hand.
 
Blimey, you are a polite lot. I wish more people were like it round here (Derbyshire). I've written to the local rag about it, I'll see if anything gets published.
 
Yes, always as does my daughter. If we can't raise a hand, then a nod or smile to them or mouth thank you. Mind you will also shout abuse if they don't slow down! Its a pet hate of mine when I pass riders and they don't acknowledge you, tho must say most people round here are pretty good.
 
My basis for saying thank you is that if enough people do, eventually motorists will slow down automatically when they see a horse and rider.
I used to carry an extra long schooling whip Up North, with a fishing weight made of lead on the end, if anyone hurtled past me at speed too close they got a dent in their roof!
They could never prove it either as by the time they stopped, the whip was on the inside...
Round here most drivers have to give way to each other, and it's very obvious who the non locals are, they ignore you totally after you have patiently given way for them at a passing place, whilst the locals all raise a hand....
It drives me nits and I shout loudly "Thank you!" at them as they pass..
I think most are city drivers who aren't used to our good manners in Devon.
I too stop and tell riders that they are making life harder for the rest of us, but the other week the woman was so potty she screamed abuse at me!!!!!!!!!
 
Always always always!!!

Its such a rare occasion around here to have the drivers slow down, that I make sure if anyone goes to the effort of slowing down for me, they either get a wave, smile or nod. If everybody thanked the good drivers perhaps there would be more around that respected us on the road.
 
YES I always say thank you to those who slow down. Usually with a smile, the words thank you and a show of my hand. Occasionally its just a nod of the head and mouthing of thank you as I need to keep both hands on the reins!!! But I frantically gesticulate and shout at the stupid drivers on the road!!! I think it keeps my boy entertained!!! And I'm not going to start on stories of the stupid idiot drivers otherwise I'll never get off my soapbox!!!!
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I always do. However there are a few riders round here that don't bother, 1 even yelled abuse at me after she waved a car past that was behind her on a narrow sharp bend, I ended up having to drive up the bank and nearly hit a tree. She then screamed abuse at me for driving while a car was coming the other way, I couldn't bloody see it, its an almost blind bend ffs! It was only cos the other driver stopped to see if I was ok and told me she had been waved past that I knew what had happened.
These people make me so cross.
 
Yes, I always thank every single car that slows down.

I do get annoyed by the number of riders I pass who don't
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I always make the attempt to say thankyou, even if it is a nod of the head or a shout of "Thankyou".

I can understand if someone is nervous or is having issues with a horse and is therefore unable to say thanks.

It really hacks me off when I go to the trouble of slowing down and you get some snotty nosed tosser on a horse who think that they are too good to even nod - really, really winds me up
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. Even when they look right at you, you get nothing in return. Feel like putting the car into first and spinning the tyres; then see if they can sit to that
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Also another irk of mine is the lack of hi viz on country lanes
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, even just a hat band would do!

Hb

Oops ranted a little there didnt I?
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I always shout 'You're welcome' whether I am in car or on horse if someone doesn't say thankyou. It tends to embarrass some people. Though i did that to this woman the other day, I waited for about 10 mins for her to come down this narrow lane and she didn't even acknowledge me! so I wound my window down and yelled 'you're welcome!' and she had the nerve to say she did say thank you when she so obviously didn't!

I always make a point of saying thaks when someone is being considerate, sometimes I even ask cyclists to stop their bikes and thank them profusly when they do. Mainly as I am so grateful I didn't get thrown off while C is having a paddy!!
 
it can be quite difficult with cyclists, they often dont seem to know whether to pass or stay behind and they are so quiet they can make the horse jump, especially the ones who think creeping past is the best option, not making a noise so we know they are there.
 
Always say thankyou, nod/smile etc to considerate drivers.
the ones who seem to pick up speed or whizz past really close normally get a screaming at!
 
Always! However I will make a point of telling drivers to slow down if they're going too fast! I tried this the other day out hacking (Just said "I think you're going a bit too fast") and the man replied "Don't you have words with me!" and then sped off! I wanted to chase after him and wallop him! or have Henry sit on his bonnet, that'd teach him LOL!

I think Driving Instructors should teach horse safety to learners - I was never told to slow down and drive slowly past horses when I learnt to drive, and it ought to be drilled into people's heads the dangers of going too fast!

I'll get off my soap box now...
 
I'm a rider.....and a driver....and I wish we could get past this 'us and them' attitude and work together to keep us all safe.
Yes, some car drivers behave badly...but some horses behave badly and shouldn't be on the road. When breaking youngsters, I spend a bit of time traffic proofing them, and getting heartily laughed at by my fellow liveries.
But then, when they need company for their spooky horses, who do they ask? You guessed!
S
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I always thank drivers (hate it when they don't then acknowledge you) but I don't often get any thanks. I rode past a group of about 25 horses recently on a very busy country road, not lane, and they were going around an S bend - so dangerous! I didn't get any acknowledgement there. I also always turn my music off and make sure I am well away before I start accelerating again. And I extend the same courtesy to cyclists. I also always move right over into the gutter to allow bikers to overtake which often gets a thanks, if they realise what you've done.
 
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