Hi viz doesn't make it safe...

[pennyturner]

... to ride two abreast on the far side of a blind bend on a 60mph road.

Yesterday evening I was apalled to see two mounted ladies taking up the whole road just the other side of one of the most dangerous corners in the area. Far from trying to clear the road, they were in a leisurely walk with a queue of cars behind them. They seemed oblivious to the risk of someone ploughing into the back. Bright pink or otherwise, they were a liability.

I have to ride that corner from time to time with the children, and we trot like billy-o to put as much distance between us and the corner before something comes along behind. Surely that's just common sense?

 

[Goldenstar]

Trotting like billy o on the road makes no sense to me two horses side by side is in many situations a better way to go IMO because it prevents drivers squeezing past three in a line with a car going the other way.
A digger or JCB will be moving very slowly too as may be cycles going up hill in a group.

 

[Clodagh]

OP - I absolutely agree with you. I trot round corners and do my best not to upset car drivers. Stupid women, no wonder horse riders are thought of as stuck up.

GS - a digger is going at faster than 3/4 mph unlike people walking.

 

[Goldenstar]

OP - I absolutely agree with you. I trot round corners and do my best not to upset car drivers. Stupid women, no wonder horse riders are thought of as stuck up.

GS - a digger is going at faster than 3/4 mph unlike people walking.

However the nearest miss I have had in traffic has been because a car passed me as a car was going the other way it took my grooms whip clean out of her hand I ride in the middle of the road and stop them now.
It nothing about being stuck up we have a right to be on the road.

 

[Clodagh]

But we all need to be courteous and polite - if we say 'I'm not going to be polite' why should the car drivers be? When I am towing I pull over now and then to let cars past, when I am hacking I do my best not to be a pain and expect to be treated the same way back.

 

[Goldenstar]

I am polite I thank them when they pass but two abreast on fast roads is the safest way .

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

OP how do you know the horse nearest the hedge wasn't a youngster likely to panic if a car came too close? How do you know if the horses were fully fit and well? For all you know they could have had arthritis or have been coming back into work after injury and not be able to trot on hard ground. So what if there's a queue of cars behind them? How do you know they wouldn't have pulled into a suitable gap or passing place further up the road and stopped to let the cars past? What does it matter that they were chatting, as long as the horses were under control and the riders aware of their surroundings? Horses have a right to be on the road and for whatever reason these two were doing what they thought best which included wearing hi-viz.

 

[horserugsnot4u]

Trotting like billy o on the road makes no sense to me

It does if you are just around a blind bend, as the further you are away from the bend the greater the distance and thus time for drivers to react. You could be three abreast and hi-vized up to the eyeballs but if a driver comes around a left-hand bend and you are ambling along just the other side there is very little time for him/her to react, particularly if they are driving fast. I always trot away from left hand bends until I am a reasonable distance from it so at least there is a chance for drivers to brake - better than risking being hit.

I do agree with riding two abreast for the reason you state but the OP was talking about riding around bends.

 

[Goldenstar]

OP how do you know the horse nearest the hedge wasn't a youngster likely to panic if a car came too close? How do you know if the horses were fully fit and well? For all you know they could have had arthritis or have been coming back into work after injury and not be able to trot on hard ground. So what if there's a queue of cars behind them? How do you know they wouldn't have pulled into a suitable gap or passing place further up the road and stopped to let the cars past? What does it matter that they were chatting, as long as the horses were under control and the riders aware of their surroundings? Horses have a right to be on the road and for whatever reason these two were doing what they thought best which included wearing hi-viz.

Exactly Op does not know that their dies horse had not been spooked a minute before she just chooses to judge others harshly based on the fact she believes trotting like Billy o on the road is the way to go about road safety .

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

But nobody knows how long these riders had been two abreast. They could have had one car at least already behind them on approach to the bend. Moving into single file at this point, under those circumstances,would have only encouraged the cars to overtake on an unsafe stretch of road.

Besides cars try a lot harder to slow if they see there's two abreast, rather than slowing a little whilst moving out just enough to skim your stirrup with their wing mirror as they pass. Riders paying proper attention to what's around them can move from double to single file quickly if needs be.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Thanks Goldenstar at least someone agrees with me. I really hate this attitude that slower road users should hurry out of the way of those in faster vehicles. All people need to do is pull over when its safe to let the others past, all those behind need to do is develop patience. We're all just trying to get from A to B.

 

[weebarney]

What has wearing hi viz got to do with it ?

 

[Orangehorse]

I agree with OP, they shouldn't hold up traffic. I know it is tricky if you have a young or nervous horse, but as a road user you should be aware of what is going on around you.
Having a queue of traffic behind as you walk along isn't very polite.

I try to pull up/in the side and stop to let cars go by me when I am riding on a narrow lane.
It is good schooling too, you get a responsive horse.

 

[Goldenstar]

I agree with OP, they shouldn't hold up traffic. I know it is tricky if you have a young or nervous horse, but as a road user you should be aware of what is going on around you.
Having a queue of traffic behind as you walk along isn't very polite.

I try to pull up/in the side and stop to let cars go by me when I am riding on a narrow lane.
It is good schooling too, you get a responsive horse.

You don't pull in and stop on a blind corner you might encourage the traffic to pass where they can't fully see the other way, you go round it then let them past.
Why should put yourself at risk by encouraging people to squeeze past in a blind type situation.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

...
, and we trot like billy-o to put as much distance between us and the corner before something comes along behind. Surely that's just common sense?

this is what we do on our bend, as soon as we start round the blind part we trot on with our hands out and if clear we cross.

I do this on every corner which is blind or tight, I trot to put distance from it allowing cars that precious time to see me.

 

[horserugsnot4u]

Unless I have misinterpreted the OP, it is about hurrying to clear a blind bend so that someone driving along who doesn't know you are there has more chance to slow/stop if required. It's no good taking the 'I am entitled to ride on the roads so why should I hurry to get out of the way' stance when you are just the other side of a blind bend and a driver who hasn't seen you previously, comes driving around at 40/50/60 mph. Surely, as possibly drivers yourselves, you can appreciate that a few extra yards reaction and braking time could be the difference between hitting someone or not? For that reason I prefer to take my safety seriously, take responsibility for myself and show some common sense and regard for other road users. I'd rather trot a few yards than risk a car up my back end.

 

[RunToEarth]

However the nearest miss I have had in traffic has been because a car passed me as a car was going the other way it took my grooms whip clean out of her hand I ride in the middle of the road and stop them now.
It nothing about being stuck up we have a right to be on the road.

just because you have the right to do something doesn't mean it is sensible to exercise that right, I have a right to ride down the middle of my nearest A road on a slightly unhinged TB but I wouldn't dream of doing it.

Cars who dont pass MOTs aren't allowed on the road - horses that have arthritis/arent fit and are therefore more likely to cause an accident on a blond bend IMO shouldn't be on the road.

As far as I am concerned rights dont come into it when it comes to riding on roads - if you are riding in the middle of the road you are a hazard and youre giving us all a bad name, like wise wandering around blond bends. If youre not bothered about yourself at least think of your horse.

We are just about to come into harvest time now, and the last thing anyone wants is to be driven into on a blond bend by a tractor's front weight and the 30tonne load behind it, whether you have a right to be there or not.

 

[tessybear]

We have a nasty blind bend , I trot round it gives drivers more reaction time than if they were to come flying round and find me ambling in the middle of the road.

I don't disagree with riding two a breast we do it and it does stop overtaking in many cases . Suppose it's personal choice don't think either is wrong just how each of us deals with the situation.

 

[Goldenstar]

And so would I ,but I would not be judgemental about the actions of others.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Taking responsibility for myself doesn't always mean going as fast as possible to get out of the way of other road users. Sometimes the safest thing to do is to go slower and take up more of the road so cars can't squeeze past.

As for having a queue of traffic behind a horse being rude?! How so? You pull in to let cars past when its safe to do so, if there isn't a safe place to pull into for quite some time then that's tough luck, whatever the length of the queue.

 

[Goldenstar]

just because you have the right to do something doesn't mean it is sensible to exercise that right, I have a right to ride down the middle of my nearest A road on a slightly unhinged TB but I wouldn't dream of doing it.

Cars who dont pass MOTs aren't allowed on the road - horses that have arthritis/arent fit and are therefore more likely to cause an accident on a blond bend IMO shouldn't be on the road.

As far as I am concerned rights dont come into it when it comes to riding on roads - if you are riding in the middle of the road you are a hazard and youre giving us all a bad name, like wise wandering around blond bends. If youre not bothered about yourself at least think of your horse.

We are just about to come into harvest time now, and the last thing anyone wants is to be driven into on a blond bend by a tractor's front weight and the 30tonne load behind it, whether you have a right to be there or not.

What on earth are you talking about I wonder nowhere ever I am always purposeful in whatever I do if I am walking two abrest I am doing it for a reason I AM thinking about mt horses who deserved not to the loosing party in a three in a row squash with two cars less chance of the driver making an error of judgement and trying to get past where there's not room not to mentain the fact if you are single file it takes a car twice the time to get past you .
Two horses are no wider than my carriage and horse and one expects me to cut that in half to get round a corner.
If a tractor would hit two horses he would hit a car in the same place he's the one going In error however I think to my own land during harvest or go to the beach it's only a few days it's no sweat to do that that's what I do when they leading silage too.

 

[Pedantic]

NOA

 

[Clodagh]

Those of you who go for the 'God given and the Highway Code right to amble along A roads two abreast' are far more likely to cause accidents than those of us who try to get out of the way. You are, I imagine, causing a lot of peed off car drivers behind you who are far more likely to try to overtake, if they saw you trying to move out the way they are more likely to wait. I am both a car driver and a rider and I would be livid if I were stuck behind two people taking up the whole road and exhibiting not a care in the world. It is give and take, not just 'because I CAN'.

 

[bluehoofprints]

OP how do you know the horse nearest the hedge wasn't a youngster likely to panic if a car came too close? How do you know if the horses were fully fit and well? For all you know they could have had arthritis or have been coming back into work after injury and not be able to trot on hard ground. So what if there's a queue of cars behind them? How do you know they wouldn't have pulled into a suitable gap or passing place further up the road and stopped to let the cars past? What does it matter that they were chatting, as long as the horses were under control and the riders aware of their surroundings? Horses have a right to be on the road and for whatever reason these two were doing what they thought best which included wearing hi-viz.

Preach, though, I do think if they are going to be using reflective gear then they should get "Young Horse" tabard/s. I do understand drivers frustration and when I am on a one laner and there is a car I pull the pony into the verge and allow the driver past. This is a luxury though, not many ponies are as calm as my Blue. Saying that, people can not understand and that is fine but if they take issue with it and assume and cause road rage, well, that's unacceptable

 

[Goldenstar]

Those of you who go for the 'God given and the Highway Code right to amble along A roads two abreast' are far more likely to cause accidents than those of us who try to get out of the way. You are, I imagine, causing a lot of peed off car drivers behind you who are far more likely to try to overtake, if they saw you trying to move out the way they are more likely to wait. I am both a car driver and a rider and I would be livid if I were stuck behind two people taking up the whole road and exhibiting not a care in the world. It is give and take, not just 'because I CAN'.

But I would not be exhibiting not a care in the world I would be doing what I consider safest .
If you are livid about things like that IMO you should not be driving.

 

[Flame_]

The police ride two abreast!

Two horses are still narrower than one whole large vehicle's width and it forces traffic to wait for a genuinely safe place to overtake, more riders should do it as a matter of course. More motorists should also drive sensibly around blind bends in case there is a vehicle, cyclists, horses, scouts group, whatever coming around it the opposite way.

 

[rhino]

There has been lots of advice NOT to wear 'young horse' tabards in case they affect an insurance claim (like an admission that the horse is more likely to act up). Don't know if it has ever actually affected a claim though.

 

[bluehoofprints]

There has been lots of advice NOT to wear 'young horse' tabards in case they affect an insurance claim (like an admission that the horse is more likely to act up). Don't know if it has ever actually affected a claim though.

Woopsies, I really didn't know that, good thing I never had to make a claim on my old pony hehe

 

[Goldenstar]

There has been lots of advice NOT to wear 'young horse' tabards in case they affect an insurance claim (like an admission that the horse is more likely to act up). Don't know if it has ever actually affected a claim though.

The BHS certainly advise that you don't .

 

[rhino]

The BHS certainly advise that you don't .

Do you think that my one is ok?