Inconsiderate drivers ending up in arguement!!

[Tinsel Town]

Sorry guys just a rant!
Went out hacking tonight with my new boy and my friend from the yard, just to the end of our lane and back, usually is quite quiet, but tonight there was quite a few cars, so we were in and out of gaps/driveways. All the drivers were polite slowed down, waited for us to get out the way and passed slowly.
Apart from one car.
We had just moved out the way for one vehicle and had started riding two abreast again down the road, then we heard a car coming from behind, so we went single file, I was in front and started getting my boy into a driveway, I looked round as I heard my friend shouting slow down, whilst signalling to the car, the car continued at speed to try and get past her, her horse was getting upset and was dancing around in the road, the car just kept driving past!
As it passed me in the driveway I said slow down next time, they stopped and the mouthy teenage passenger started shouting out the window that we shouldnt be riding two abreast.
Well for starters we weren't as they past us, and it's not illegal or against the highway code to ride two abreast, which I told her and told her to slow down when passing horses, but she just kept arguing!!
Honestly she didn't seem bothered about their speed or how close they were to us, just that we were riding two abreast, I told her to check the highway code and the bhs riding and road craft manual and they drove off!
Not a very nice end to a nice hack on my new boy, sorry for the moan and pointless post but I was very annoyed at their behaviour and subsequent arguement!!

 

[chestnutmarelover]

Dont start me on inconsiderate drivers!! Did you get reg number? If so, report to police....

 

[Tinsel Town]

Dont start me on inconsiderate drivers!! Did you get reg number? If so, report to police....

Only part of it awful isnt it!

 

[Littlelegs]

Unfortunately there will always be the odd one about who will drive too close & too fast. Because of that it's always best to have at least one of the pair that won't get upset by a car speeding past too close that can get on the outside of the other if needed till the other gets used to traffic more. In theory a horse shouldn't have to be fine with speeding too close vehicles but the reality is they do. And next time get the reg.

 

[Tinsel Town]

Unfortunately there will always be the odd one about who will drive too close & too fast. Because of that it's always best to have at least one of the pair that won't get upset by a car speeding past too close that can get on the outside of the other if needed till the other gets used to traffic more. In theory a horse shouldn't have to be fine with speeding too close vehicles but the reality is they do. And next time get the reg.

luckily my boy isnt bothered by cars, it was just unfortunate that my friend hadnt managed to get her horse in the driveway in time! will defo be paying more attention to the reg next time (hopfefully there wont be one! )

 

[paulineh]

I know how you feel.

Many years ago I was riding out with a young friend. Her pony was very very good in traffic so as I was riding a young horse the pony was on the outside. A car came up beside us very close so my young friend just moved her stirrup (A metal one) out a bit ,the car had a lovely scratch down the side.

The driver followed us to my yard to get some details as he was going to get us to pay for the damage. My young friends father was high up in the police force so when the driver asked he was told in no uncertain terms that he should not be driving dangerously so get lost. He was also instructed in the high way code.

I have often ridden down the middle of our lane to stop people rushing past.

 

[horseandshoes77]

Unfortunately there will always be the odd one about who will drive too close & too fast. Because of that it's always best to have at least one of the pair that won't get upset by a car speeding past too close that can get on the outside of the other if needed till the other gets used to traffic more. In theory a horse shouldn't have to be fine with speeding too close vehicles but the reality is they do. And next time get the reg.

I find its the odd one whos considerate...like i said in a previous post if learner drivers arent taught to pass wide and slow..etc what can we expect...very rare do i hit the roads now but when i do im going to be armed with a hand full of ballbearings...if they are passing at 70 miles an hour they will have a shock !!!

 

[Tinsel Town]

I know how you feel.

Many years ago I was riding out with a young friend. Her pony was very very good in traffic so as I was riding a young horse the pony was on the outside. A car came up beside us very close so my young friend just moved her stirrup (A metal one) out a bit ,the car had a lovely scratch down the side.

The driver followed us to my yard to get some details as he was going to get us to pay for the damage. My young friends father was high up in the police force so when the driver asked he was told in no uncertain terms that he should not be driving dangerously so get lost. He was also instructed in the high way code.

I have often ridden down the middle of our lane to stop people rushing past.

awful isnt it makes a nice outing into nasty experience!
gosh that car must have beem so close to be able to get that damage! and for a young person as well, even more reason to slow down!
some people just dont think, the girls tonight we're mouthy and full of attitude! they we're driving along side of me in the end as i tried to get my horse out the way! they were taking up so much road that they were running my horse off the road!

 

[Tinsel Town]

I find its the odd one whos considerate...like i said in a previous post if learner drivers arent taught to pass wide and slow..etc what can we expect...very rare do i hit the roads now but when i do im going to be armed with a hand full of ballbearings...if they are passing at 70 miles an hour they will have a shock !!!

hahahaha i like your style, gives me food for thought......

 

[SusieT]

Is the road not wide enough for a car to pass a horse who is not in a driveway?

 

[Marydoll]

A friend i know has a ball bearing attached to the end of a schooling stick she only uses for hacking, if they get to close the car gets a scud with the bearing

 

[Tinsel Town]

Susie t-
No it's a normal single carriage country lane, it has grass verges on either side but some bits aren't really safe enough to stop on to allow a car to squeeze past

 

[Spotsrock]

Someone I know throws his whip at particularly inconsiderate drivers.

 

[PeterNatt]

Even if you only have part of the registration number and a description of the car there is a chance that it can still be identified. Report the incident to the police and also on www.horseaccidents.org.uk

 

[flirtygerty]

Perhaps the girlfriend was trying to impress her numpty boyfriend and vice versa, I would have told them both, by standing in the middle of the road until I had my say, but then I can be a bolshy tart, in the car I carry pen and paper to note car regs

 

[maree t]

what a horrible situation, have you got a mobile phone? I have trained my kids that if they have a nasty inciddent or problem that they can take a quick photo without being noticed so that they can report someone.
the girls were out the other day though and were trying to get round a car and into a drive out of the way when the driver started abusing them because they hadnt said thank you, they were too busy trying to get out of the way of the other cars so couldnt take a photo but they will point him out to me when we see him.
I worry from the moment they go out til they come back

 

[Hanzybaby01]

I find its the odd one whos considerate...like i said in a previous post if learner drivers arent taught to pass wide and slow..etc what can we expect...very rare do i hit the roads now but when i do im going to be armed with a hand full of ballbearings...if they are passing at 70 miles an hour they will have a shock !!!

A 2p coin does a pretty good job too

 

[Queenofdiamonds]

I really get annoyed with inconsiderate road users.
More should be covered in driving tests for starters - Not just for horse and riders safety but other drivers aswell - A horse going through your windscreen is going to hurt or kill at the end of the day.

Gobby teenagers though, Well, Going by the state of some of the parents i see it doesn't surprise me that their children are gobby and awful.

 

[mandwhy]

I think a pocket full of eggs may be the answer.

 

[Gusbear]

I'm off to attach something sharp and scratchy to the end of my dressage whip. Sick and tired of idiots who think they can get away with intimidating us poor riders on the roads.
My boy is bomb proof in traffic thankfully, however I certainly don't appreciate some numpty revving their motor and driving at almighty break neck speed past us on a country lane just to prove a point.
Horses existed long before cars and I'm darn sure I'm not going to let some petrol headed low intelligence idiot dictate the speed limit when I'm out on a leisurely hack on an otherwise very quiet unmade and obviously often horse used road (especially when the often and obvious road signs make it well known that there will be horses about).
Oh for the days when cars were few and horses were the main source of transport.
I honestly think I was born several decades too late as I simply can't deal with number of vehicles that speed around our horsey areas.

 

[Kaylum]

Schooling whip high vis tape on the end stuck out into the traffic.

 

[Armas]

I know how you feel.

Many years ago I was riding out with a young friend. Her pony was very very good in traffic so as I was riding a young horse the pony was on the outside. A car came up beside us very close so my young friend just moved her stirrup (A metal one) out a bit ,the car had a lovely scratch down the side.

The driver followed us to my yard to get some details as he was going to get us to pay for the damage. My young friends father was high up in the police force so when the driver asked he was told in no uncertain terms that he should not be driving dangerously so get lost. He was also instructed in the high way code.

I have often ridden down the middle of our lane to stop people rushing past.

Like a lot love her dad I would have told the car driver, I expected him to pay for new stirrups as he had damaged them as it was his fault for being to close !

 

[mcnaughty]

Susie t-
No it's a normal single carriage country lane, it has grass verges on either side but some bits aren't really safe enough to stop on to allow a car to squeeze past

Sorry to be devil's advocate here but if the road is not wide enough to pass safely and easily with a car then should you really be riding two abreast? I know in your mind you were pulling over when you saw the car but at the moment she initially saw you you were still doubled up?? Sorry if I am not getting the full story here but I think she might have had a point.

 

[Hutchlou]

On the other side... whilst out yesterday on my cob with my daughter on foot, a lovely man in a Disco not only stopped, but reversed down the lane into a gap & turned his engine off!! We had a good chat when we passed & thanked him! Wish there were more like him.

 

[Dizzydancer]

That's lovely to hear of good drivers as well Hutch.
We usually have one rider with a schooling whip if to close smack car roof as goes past generally scares drivers!

 

[Tinsel Town]

Sorry to be devil's advocate here but if the road is not wide enough to pass safely and easily with a car then should you really be riding two abreast? I know in your mind you were pulling over when you saw the car but at the moment she initially saw you you were still doubled up?? Sorry if I am not getting the full story here but I think she might have had a point.

we were riding two abreast, heard another car coming (lane is long and straight) and instantly moved over into single file while trying to get to a driveway.

the issue isnt riding two abreast, it was the speed and how close they were to us, then the verbal abuse.

the highway code and the BHS ride and road craft manual both state that this is allowed on the road

 

[Tinsel Town]

thank you all for your replies and suggestions with how to deal with inconsiderate drivers! i will be taking notes and ensuring that i have the means to deal with such people in the future!

nice to hear of some nice drivers who actually understand that they are driving on a country lane and will encounter such country things like horses!!

 

[Littlelegs]

When you say single carriage way do you mean a single carriage going either way or that its literally one car wide, so even without horses being there if two cars came from opposite directions one would have to pull in to a passing place?

 

[Tinsel Town]

When you say single carriage way do you mean a single carriage going either way or that its literally one car wide, so even without horses being there if two cars came from opposite directions one would have to pull in to a passing place?

literally one lane, yes they would have to pull into a passing place or go into the grass verge (if it was a section that was drivable on)

 

[Littlelegs]

In that case in future I would stay far enough from the edge to stop them overtaking somewhere too narrow, a bit of lateral work convinces even the biggest nutter not to attempt squeezing through if needed. But I would trot on so I could reach somewhere safe to pass as soon as possible.