Ignorant Riders!!!!

lizsmith

lizsmith

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After seeing riders ride past my home and when out in the car i'm appauled at a few certain riders who are so ignorant to cars and traffic walking all over the road and never pulling in or thanking traffic, yes i understand horses do have right of way due to them being 'unpredictable' but due to this small percentage of inconsiderate riders there seems to be a stereotype forming and now traffic are become inconsiderate towards us pleasent thankful riders which I think is unnecciary, unfair and out of order! RANT OVER! :mad:
 
or when they ride 2/3/4 abreast on tiny narrow country lanes - still goes to show the mentality of some people. they must not care too much about their safety and the horses safety.
 
I saw a lady last week, she pulled over onto a wide verge to let me past in the car, good job as we were in some woods and I couldn't see her hi-viz brown coat and brown horse, so I slowed and nodded and thanked her, she did no more than just sit there nagging her horse with her legs with every stride, not even a nod of thanks, I know people can't always lift a hand but for one car on a quiet country lane a nod or a smile will suffice!
 
Drove behind a girl the other day who was riding (trotting) and leading AND on her mobile phone. Followed her for quite a while slowly behind, giving plenty of room but when she turned off the road, I didn't even get a wave or nod of thanks.
 
asmp said:
Drove behind a girl the other day who was riding (trotting) and leading AND on her mobile phone. Followed her for quite a while slowly behind, giving plenty of room but when she turned off the road, I didn't even get a wave or nod of thanks.
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in her defence she prob didnt have a free limb to say thanks!! ;) im quite intrigued as to what went in which hand though? haha !!
in all seriousness... in every group of people your going to have good and bad eggs!! The horse riders, the car drivers, the cyclists.. all you can do is ensure your in the good egg category and know that you do all you can to keep yourself, your horse and others safe :) and rise above the numpties!
 
no excuse for ignorant riders at all.

But on the flip side, i got given out to by a driver for not pulling over or waving (she was in a convertible so i heard her shout back to say 'it would be polite to pull in or thank me at least'). But what had actually happened was that i could tell my tb was going to spook at a cone up ahead and i decided the safest option was to keep him walking on, and i couldn't take my hand off the rein to gesture or he'd have spun onto the road.
 
paddi22 said:
no excuse for ignorant riders at all.

But on the flip side, i got given out to by a driver for not pulling over or waving (she was in a convertible so i heard her shout back to say 'it would be polite to pull in or thank me at least'). But what had actually happened was that i could tell my tb was going to spook at a cone up ahead and i decided the safest option was to keep him walking on, and i couldn't take my hand off the rein to gesture or he'd have spun onto the road.
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and on your bhs riding and road safety they tell you to never take your hands from the reins! that a nod or smile is suffice :)
 
And on BHS riding and road safety, am sure it tells
you to ride close to the side of the road! Great
idea in theory but not very practical in reality, especially in lanes with high hedges. A bit unfair for a car (going slowly) to come around a sharp bend with a high hedge to see a horse rider tucked neatly in, they are unable to see the rider, whereas if the rider is out in the road, the car driver has more chance of seeing them earlier. Also if you ride right I to the hedge, there is nowhere for you to go if a car does try to squeeze past you!!
 
It really bugs me. the amount of riders i have gone 'slow and wide' for and they actually look down their nose at me without the merest hint of a smile. It's like they think they are something special because they have a horse/pony. It is mostly young girls to be fair. I overdo it when a driver has been considerate, mouth thanks, smile, wave etc. they must think I am a bit mental really but I would rather that than be so subtle about it that they don't know i am grateful. I always worry that these rude riders annoy drivers so much that the next time they pass me they are less considerate because of someone elses attitude.
 
Couldnt Agree more when I have slowed up passed wide and slow when safe to do so I always try to establish eye contact with the rider or riders as I pass and if I get no response I always SHOUT THANK YOU at them thinking ignorant ***********:mad:
 
I always always always say thankyou where practical and possible, usually in a similar cheesy grin wave nod mouth, as chestnuttymare said. HOWEVER, please bear in mind that there may be a very good reason for the rider doing what they are doing. Riding alongside another horse may be because the horse/rider is inexperienced, for example when we take out a youngster for the first time ridden on a road we always double up just incase. Again riding in the middle of the road may not be through arrogance and assuming they own the road...only a few days ago one of the girls here was in a similar situation to paddi22, saw something ahead that horse would soon spot and spook at, heard huge lorry approaching behind. Used slow down signal, ignored by irritating revving driver waiting to overtake as soon as possible. So she moved the horse out into the middle of the lane, forcing the driver behind to back off and wait to overtake. This is far safer than putting your horse between a spooky object and overtaking van/lorry. Yes it is irritating not to recieve a thankyou, but in terms of where/how they are riding and using the road, remember it could be for a good reason :)
 
Hairy Old Cob said:
Couldnt Agree more when I have slowed up passed wide and slow when safe to do so I always try to establish eye contact with the rider or riders as I pass and if I get no response I always SHOUT THANK YOU at them thinking ignorant ***********:mad:
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lol pity we couldn't pass them at the same time as I always sarkily shout 'YOU'RE WELCOME'.

Get what you are saying and if i see someone having a bit of trouble I don't expect a big thanks, you can usually suss that out though. they could probably still manage a smile or nod.
 
Eeyore.1 said:
And on BHS riding and road safety, am sure it tells
you to ride close to the side of the road!
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Actually it doesn't now. You are told to ride about 1/3 of the way into your lane of the road. This is so you don't suddenly come out to go around drain covers and to force cars to wait for an appropriate time to overtake you and not just squeeze past.

and the other poster is correct in that you are also not to take your hand off the reins to thank drivers. You are told to try and make eye contact and smile and nod.
 
I hacked two hours to a show last Sunday and two hours back along busy roads and thanked every driver. It was knackering as Hattie was on a mission but if I couldn't take my hand off the reins, then I said thank you really loud (most people had their windows open as it was hot that day) or smiled and nodded. I must say that every driver that day was courteous and thought it was best to be overly polite to keep these drivers sweet for the next horse rider! :)
 
I want to make a car sticker with

Horse Riders ! It costs nothing to say a thankyou to a car .

But it cost the life of your horse if you don't.

meaning the next un horsey driver will think stuff this ****ing rider I wont bother to slow down next time.
 
On the way to our yard via country lane we go past another yard and they do tend to think they are above everyone else in the area, last week I followed two people with horses going from one field back to the yard, which had to be half a mile down the road.There were three places wide enough for them to pull in and let me past, did they did they hell !! kept walking,chating and smoking as they went all the way down to yard, when there just about got a sort of hand to say thank you, forgot to say one was the yard owner, but this is a woman who never wears a hat when out, and allows the youngsters who go with her and think she is an inspiration go with out a hat as well Arrrrr makes me really cross. Rant over lol
 
"You are told to try and make eye contact and smile and nod. "

O.K when the vehicle is comming towards you...impossible when they are overtaking(unless they are in a converable and looking back at you)
 
I agree if a driver has waited to allow you to pass then I would always nod or put my hand up in thanks (depending on the mood of my boy) but it also annoys me how it doesn't work the other way around. The number of times we have moved in to let drivers pass and they don't even look at you as they go pass or give you a glare as if you shouldn't be on the road. We also do not have to move in to let you pass but the number of drivers who think because they are in a car they always have the right of way over a horse.

Saying this I don't think our local riding school helps, they take around 15 students (no joke - I think 8 is the minimum I've seen out from there but it's usually more) for a ride around the village holding up the whole high street as really there is too many to pass unless you can see the whole way down the road. I think the cars often get fed up with this (me included) and tar all us people that ride out in pairs with the same brush as them.
 
jinglejoys
"You are told to try and make eye contact and smile and nod. "

O.K when the vehicle is comming towards you...impossible when they are overtaking(unless they are in a converable and looking back at you)

Not so... When I hear a car coming from behind I look round make eye contact smile and say thank you also nod if I can't take hands off reins
 
In my village there is a speed limit of 30 mph. Going in and out of the village the national speed limit is in place.

So tell me this why do drivers think that just because they were travelling at 65-70mph before hitting the village it's ok to keep going through the village at that speed?

And why when I am in front of them whether I am on a horse or in a tractor or walking my dogs down the road (the road narrows and there isn't a pavement so you have to walk about 50 yard on the road) do they think they are giving me the world because they have dropped to 30mph when they should have been only doing 30mph through the damn village in the first place?

It makes me want to hijack their car and take their car keys off them

I'm not an ignorant rider, I'll pull in out the way or trot on and get out of the way as soon as I can but I'll only wave and thank people if they have made a noticeable effort to pull slow and wide. I had one pratt who stormed past me at about 50mph waving merrily at me - again when he should have only been doing 30.

Gets right on my wick it does

When I slow down for horseriders I always wind my window down and shout 'no problem you don't need to thank me'

Enshrine of whatever Pedantic says
 
Dancing Queen said:
or when they ride 2/3/4 abreast on tiny narrow country lanes - still goes to show the mentality of some people. they must not care too much about their safety and the horses safety.
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If the lane is so narrow that a lorry/car etc cannot pass by safely when horses are single file, and you are hacking out with an inexperienced horse or rider, going 2 abreast is an entirely sensible thing to do to both shield them from the traffic and get them used to riding on the roads.

I have hacked out before now and been single file when they have just bombed past. Ride in the gutter and this gives them even more space to move at speed past you with less chance your horse might damage their vehicle.

They need to consider that you are on an animal which might move in an unpredictable way, that you have control over it and are capable of making a decision where best to move in to let them past - and in the mean time, they should adjust their driving accordingly as stated in the highway code.

I make no apology for making someone wait if I don't think it safe for them to pass at a given point. Without doubt, the rider is far more likely to know the nature of the horse much better than some random stranger in a car behind them, but always say thank you when they give me due consideration !
 
I make myself say something now, when i pass a rider who neither acknowledges or thanks me for slowing and passing wide and carefully.

In the not too distant I'm going to be riding on those roads, with a young and green horse, and i do not want to become victim to a driver who will not slow down because he thinks we are all ignorant snobs.

Although, the riders that do anknowledge drivers, with the dirty ''im better than you'' looks will never listen, but do get a bit taken aback when you tell them you are a rider too.
 
lizsmith said:
After seeing riders ride past my home and when out in the car i'm appauled at a few certain riders who are so ignorant to cars and traffic walking all over the road and never pulling in or thanking traffic, yes i understand horses do have right of way due to them being 'unpredictable' but due to this small percentage of inconsiderate riders there seems to be a stereotype forming and now traffic are become inconsiderate towards us pleasent thankful riders which I think is unnecciary, unfair and out of order! RANT OVER! :mad:
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I agree. My pet hate is people that don't wear flourescent, and riders that don't thank other road users in that order.

I nearly always nod to thank people for slowing down, but drivers understand what you mean without the rider having to make a grand gesture.

I know someone who is a 'trainer' and who rides out on the roads without a hat or any flourescent at all. I wouldn't let anyone ride my horse on the roads under those conditions, and I certainly wouldn't be paying anyone to do so!
 
I thank everybody, even those who don't slow down because I (probably incorrectly) think it makes them feel guilty for not slowing down.

Just as an aside - why is it that riders are expected to thank other road users, and people get uppity if they don't, but cyclists aren't?
 
AshTay said:
I thank everybody, even those who don't slow down because I (probably incorrectly) think it makes them feel guilty for not slowing down.

Just as an aside - why is it that riders are expected to thank other road users, and people get uppity if they don't, but cyclists aren't?
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THIS! Cyclists wind me right up. If I'm on my horse and a car is coming, I move over/find a turn-in, trot on until I find a gateway or turn in. Why, oh why then are cyclists not more considerate? Oh, I know! Because they'd have to break their rhythm/workout and they're FAR too precious and important to do that. I frequently encounter cyclists riding several abreast on small country roads who simply don't move over - which means I can't pass them safely (for them). That or a lone cyclist taking up my lane who won't move over slightly so I can pass.

I'm expected to "think bike" but I notice that there is a dearth of "thinking car" or even (God forbid) "think horse" when it comes to cyclists!

When we were (briefly) on the DIY yard where we only had road hacking, I lost count of the number of cyclists who whizzed past us (from behind) and caused Kali to spook suddenly sideways. Grrrrrrrrrr.

My brother (a keen road cyclist and completely non-horsey) and I have very (ahem) lively debates about this.

P
 
PolarSkye said:
My brother (a keen road cyclist and completely non-horsey) and I have very (ahem) lively debates about this.

P
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According to a (non-horsey) friend of mine there was actually something in a popular cycling magazine about etiquette when passing horses on the road fairly recently. I'm lucky that none of my horses are bothered by bicycles but I did used to ride a horse in a country park and it's amazing how many people think it's ok to come up behind a horse and ring their bell!!!
 
I always say thank you to passing cars when I am riding on the roads.. I have always been taught that way, to be polite.

I recently bought a horse and moved to a new yard. Last week I went out on a hack with two other liveries, one being a young adult and the other middle aged.
I thanked EVERY car that passed (they all passed wide and slow) but the other two didn't thank ANYBODY!! Also, they rode too far into the middle of the road (no reason to on the road we were on) preventing the cars getting past safely. Many of the cars actually sat behind them (I was leading) until they decided to move to the side.. And they STILL didn't say thanks as they passed!!

I was shocked by this behaviour on the road and had a few words about being polite etc.. Hopefully they will have listened! :)
 
PolarSkye said:
THIS! Cyclists wind me right up. If I'm on my horse and a car is coming, I move over/find a turn-in, trot on until I find a gateway or turn in. Why, oh why then are cyclists not more considerate? Oh, I know! Because they'd have to break their rhythm/workout and they're FAR too precious and important to do that. I frequently encounter cyclists riding several abreast on small country roads who simply don't move over - which means I can't pass them safely (for them). That or a lone cyclist taking up my lane who won't move over slightly so I can pass.

I'm expected to "think bike" but I notice that there is a dearth of "thinking car" or even (God forbid) "think horse" when it comes to cyclists!

When we were (briefly) on the DIY yard where we only had road hacking, I lost count of the number of cyclists who whizzed past us (from behind) and caused Kali to spook suddenly sideways. Grrrrrrrrrr.

My brother (a keen road cyclist and completely non-horsey) and I have very (ahem) lively debates about this.

P
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The sad truth is that there are a lot of 'keen' cyclists out there, who think that because they are single handedly saving the planet, they can and do ride on the pavements, and roads with little or no consideration for others.
They think because they are riding without an engine that they are 'horse friendly' and so blast past with impunity - and cannot be much further from the truth. Horses see fast moving and mostly silent animals with stereo vision (humans) as predators, and default to fight or flight instincts when confrinted by a cyclist who gets too close and doesn't slow down.

When I pointed this out on a cycling forum a couple of years ago which I belonged to, many of them were genuinely surprised of the above fact (I used to ride a road bike)
 
I stopped on the verge the other day to let a car pass, kept my hands on the reins as I was on my unpredictable TB and she can sometimes spin, but twisted round to smile at the driver as a gesture that its fine to pass and nodded, but they wound down their window and said I should raise my hand as a thank you gesture, and drove off before I could explain that I couldn't hence the nod! Sometimes drivers are just as ignorant as riders! :rolleyes:
 
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