Driver etiquette - wwyd?

[blitznbobs]

Yesterday I was driving on a back road when I met a single horse (going in the same direction that I was) being a bit of a div… there were puddles down the left side of the road that obviously were shark infested and there was no way the horse was going to go any where near them (and was doing some expressive ballet dancing all over the road) There was no on coming traffic. The road was approx 2 car widths wide.

what should I as a driver have done…?

 

[Barton Bounty]

As a driver I would have just sat behind the person…
As a rider I would have trotted to the nearest opening ?

 

[bonny]

As a driver I would have just sat behind the person…
As a rider I would have trotted to the nearest opening ?

This, I can’t see there is any other answer, doesn’t sound safe to try and overtake the horse ?

 

[Clodagh]

I’d have turned my engine off and waited. Or if the horse wouldn’t go forward at all would have offered to walk with her a little way.
As a rider I’d have asked you to pass me on the shark side, let the car get eaten first. ?

 

[Barton Bounty]

I should have added…
BB would NOT enter any puddle willingly either, he would rather jump over them ?gosh I could easily have been that rider ?

I would never consider passing, I know how unpredictable bb can be and will sit on a bonnet if frightened enough

 

[Red-1]

I would have stayed well back too, and awaited helpful instructions from the rider, or at least a thank you.

As a rider, I would have been thanking you profusely for stopping and tucking in as soon as it was safe for me to do so. If the driver hadn't been stopping, I would have asked them to.

 

[Roxylola]

Depends how all over the road the horse was.
Messing about but contained to one lane, I'd consider passing. Mainly because as a rider I hate having traffic behind me - I'd rather they pass sensibly than wait

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Difficult one: sometimes if horse IS dicking around you just wish whoever's driving up behind you would just flippin' get on and overtake!!

My reaction as a driver would have been to exercise caution; I would have refrained from passing until I could see that horse was more stable and/or rider had given an express signal to do so, or perhaps trotted on and/or pulled in. Not worth the risk to pass IMO.

 

[AntiPuck]

If the rider doesn't look in control I always sit and wait, turn the car off if need be. If they were struggling still after a few minutes I'd get out and ask them what they'd like me to do.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Son no 1 (non horsey but well drilled in giving horses plenty of time/width/room) got caught out by this.

He stopped his car and waited patiently for the horse and rider to sort their sh1t out. Rider got very annoyed and wanted him to drive past them, but he didn't want to be sat on by an upset horse and rider, so waited it out.

Sometimes you can't do right for doing wrong. Son didn't want to push past (despite rider's gesticulations) and for things to go wrong that he could later be blamed for. Being non horsey he wasn't going to offer to lead the horse on foot.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Think your son did the right thing TP, last thing I would want is over half a tonne on a bonnet ?.

 

[cauda equina]

As a driver - sit and wait until they'd got it together
As a rider - if there's something coming up behind me, passing me might be difficult and I want it to go on its way, I stick my right arm out to let them know I'm turning right, then cross the road and go past them face to face, then once they're gone turn back and carry on the way I was originally going

 

[dogatemysalad]

Son no 1 (non horsey but well drilled in giving horses plenty of time/width/room) got caught out by this.

He stopped his car and waited patiently for the horse and rider to sort their sh1t out. Rider got very annoyed and wanted him to drive past them, but he didn't want to be sat on by an upset horse and rider, so waited it out.

Sometimes you can't do right for doing wrong. Son didn't want to push past (despite rider's gesticulations) and for things to go wrong that he could later be blamed for. Being non horsey he wasn't going to offer to lead the horse on foot.

Your son was right. He didn't know the horse and it was his car that could end up being written off. I wouldn't be inclined to take direction from a rider who was excitable either. It doesn't help a stressed horse calm down.

I did once meet a brilliant driver, when I was exercising YOs hunter. The mare was having a melt down, so he got out of the car, calmly approached, talking to both of us and walked us past the offensive machinery that she objected to. How lucky were we.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

I would stop the car and turn it off. Creeping behind can make them worse.

If the rider asked me to pass, then I’d only do so if I thought it was safe. If you’re in the car, you’ve got the moral obligation to act as safely as possible even if the rider wants you to take the risk.

As a rider, I’d turn the horse and ride it towards the car if I thought that the vehicle creeping behind was exacerbating the issue.

 

[Clodagh]

I was exercising a young Irish horse for a dealer years ago. He had planted on a quiet lane. No histrionics, he just wanted a minute to think. Car came up behind and must have decided to push me out the way, it slowly drove until it touched his rump. Whereupon all 17 hho of him slowly sat down like a dog. Car bonnet wasn’t great by the time he got up again. Horse was unhurt, thankfully.

 

[Nasicus]

I was exercising a young Irish horse for a dealer years ago. He had planted on a quiet lane. No histrionics, he just wanted a minute to think. Car came up behind and must have decided to push me out the way, it slowly drove until it touched his rump. Whereupon all 17 hho of him slowly sat down like a dog. Car bonnet wasn’t great by the time he got up again. Horse was unhurt, thankfully.

It's always when they need a minute to think that a car will come along, isn't it? Or in my experience, multiple cars!
Glad the horse was unhurt, some people have no braincells!

 

[paddy555]

as a rider I would have turned round and tried to ride past you so you could be on your way and we could continue ballet dancing. If that wasn't possible I would have done whatever was possible to get the driver past me.
As driver I would have hoped the rider would have indicated what they wanted. If it looked like the horse simply wouldn't go past something I would have got out and walked in front of it.

as a rider I have tried to pull in and waved the driver on. They have driven me a bit mad when they won't come or when they take hours to do it. Horses don't have that much patience.

If the rider gave no indication I would have stayed behind. I would have kept the engine running so the horse knew I was there

 

[blitznbobs]

Son no 1 (non horsey but well drilled in giving horses plenty of time/width/room) got caught out by this.

He stopped his car and waited patiently for the horse and rider to sort their sh1t out. Rider got very annoyed and wanted him to drive past them, but he didn't want to be sat on by an upset horse and rider, so waited it out.

Sometimes you can't do right for doing wrong. Son didn't want to push past (despite rider's gesticulations) and for things to go wrong that he could later be blamed for. Being non horsey he wasn't going to offer to lead the horse on foot.

this was my experience, I sat well back and turned engine off waiting for guidance from horse person… when they finally signalled for me to pass, I got a “why didn’t you just come past” comment accompanied by a snarl… as you say can’t do right for doing wrong.

 

[Rowreach]

this was my experience, I sat well back and turned engine off waiting for guidance from horse person… when they finally signalled for me to pass, I got a “why didn’t you just come past” comment accompanied by a snarl… as you say can’t do right for doing wrong.

Ooh, I'd have stopped and had a conversation with them at that point. Riders like that are one of the reasons drivers dislike horses being on the road.

 

[AntiPuck]

It's terrible of those riders to react like that. I think some riders forget that other people can sometimes be scared of horses, especially seeing one prancing about in the road, it's a nerve-wracking situation for the driver sometimes, as well as the rider.

I'd rather a driver stop than push past any day, slim chance of running me and my horse over if they just stop.

 

[scats]

As a rider with a horse who occasionally kicks off about something on the road, I signal that the car may pass if they feel safe to do so. I hate having a car sat behind me, I feel the pressure to get Millie past whatever it is and this winds her up more.
But I can see why a car driver might hang back.

 

[Walrus]

It's terrible of those riders to react like that. I think some riders forget that other people can sometimes be scared of horses, especially seeing one prancing about in the road, it's a nerve-wracking situation for the driver sometimes, as well as the rider.

I'd rather a driver stop than push past any day, slim chance of running me and my horse over if they just stop.

Completely agree with this. As riders we must be conscious of good PR on the road all the time. If a driver has stopped then they are showing consideration which is always to be thanked. It's important to remember most people can't read horses and don't know how to react to them....I always try and give signals with directions in a situation like this and lots of profuse smiling and thanking when they give you space.

 

[J&S]

I think that it is wrong for the rider to signal a driver past them, the only people who can signal traffic are the Police (or designated personel). Th driver is quite right to wait until they feel it is safe to pass.

I have always trotted on to a safe spot and then waited for the car to pass.

The rider of a ballet dancing horse should, I believe, turn back towards the car, ask them politely to wait while they go past the car, therefore allowing it to go on its way.

I do agree that some times it is really annoying if a car really crawls past but they are only trying to be helpful and kind! I certainly don't like fast and close!!

 

[Fieldlife]

I once got shouted at by Henrietta Knight for passing her racehorses too slowly.

I drive my 5 tonne lorry down a lane with a lot of horses (and a lot of lorries). I am always a bit surprised at those out on the road who can’t pass a medium lorry without a lot of dancing. (Not talking about fresh horse having a bad day, but any day). With lorry stationary.

Personally as a driver I love riders that give clear signals what they are doing and what they’d like me to do.

I do get frustrated at inconsiderate riders that don’t pull in at passing places on single track roads, nor thank drivers for showing consideration.

 

[Peglo]

I would always prefer the car to slow down and wait behind me. The few times mine has had a look at something ‘scary’ and reacted of course a car passes us at 40mph and upsets her further. Giving me 10- 20 seconds would be enough for her to stop reacting to the scary thing or get us off the road.

it’s sad that when drivers are being considerate they aren’t being thanked. I always smile and wave at drivers who slow or stop but must admit this year there’s more and more inconsiderate drivers about.

 

[tda]

I would wait until the rider signalled me on, but then I would only go if I could see clearly
I usually hang back til the rider is safe and then some idiot overtakes me ?

 

[ihatework]

this was my experience, I sat well back and turned engine off waiting for guidance from horse person… when they finally signalled for me to pass, I got a “why didn’t you just come past” comment accompanied by a snarl… as you say can’t do right for doing wrong.

They would probably have got a mouthful from me at that point!

Id have sat well back and waited unless clearly given an instruction to overtake by the rider

 

[Flowerofthefen]

If a horse is prancing about I always hang back. I was signalled to go past a rider a few weeks ago. She was riding out a local yards horse and was all over the road. She signalled me past but I'm not sure she realised her horses backside was virtually in the middle of the road, horse was diagonal, so no room to pass anyway, so I didn't until I felt safe to do so!

 

[Leandy]

I would stay well back and wait for the rider to tell me what to do. If they wanted me to come past, then I would make my own judgement also on whether it was safe to do so. If not then I would wait. As a rider, I would likely ask you to stop and I would try to turn around and go back past you so you could get on with your day and I didn't have a vehicle sitting behind me. If I couldn't do that I would expect you to wait until it is safe for you to continue.