Is it me, or is it getting more common...

[pennyturner]

...for drivers to over-take when there is on-coming traffic.

The number of times recently that the guy coming towards us has had to slam on the brakes because some self-important git thinks he has special road priority, and everything else has to get out of his way.
Have the rules of the road changed to allow certain people to use both sides at will - do they have a special badge? How can they think this is OK?

 

[PaddyMonty]

Is it getting more common to post non horse stuff in the tack room?

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

ugh.dont.....

i hate riding out on roads now.

need to get the 3yo out to see traffic etc but im terrified. terrified that me(long lining), him, nic(walking at head) and dad (in charge of thanking traffic/slowing it down) will all get cleared up

 

[pennyturner]

Is it getting more common to post non horse stuff in the tack room?

Sorry, should have made it clear... overtaking the HORSES

The sight of the ponies' behinds seem to trigger some kind of desperation to get past, or else delusions of importance. It's not that I've got a problem with the traffic - we're all pretty much bombproof, but I don't understand what makes people abandon the usual rules and do something so dangerous and rude.

 

[DirectorFury]

I had someone overtake a tractor and come round a blind bend on my side of the road the other day. 50mph limit, I was (luckily) doing 25 as there are usually cyclists the other side of the bend and this guy must've been doing 60+. No idea how I avoided a head-on crash.

Police have the dash-cam footage now though so we'll see what they do with it.

I'm lucky in that all my riding is single-track lanes with high hedges so cars have to wait until we get into the next passing place so they can get past - it's certainly stopped the stupid driving and passing too close!

 

[Chococat]

I agree, common sense and Highway Code seem to go out of their car windows when they see a horse, but one of my bug bears is when people think they can overtake parked cars causing oncoming vehicles to have to stop to let them through on the wrong side of the road - have nearly had my mirror taken off several times due to this and some verbal abuse as if I am in the wrong by wanting to use my (unobstructed) side of the road!! Idiots��

 

[Goldenstar]

We just ride side by side when there are oncoming vehicles it stops them over taking I don't like the girls going out alone now .
I think some drivers are just so unaware it's frightening it just not when your riding a girl overtook me yesterday ( in a 50 mph area ) on a completely blind uphill corner .

 

[fatpiggy]

I agree, common sense and Highway Code seem to go out of their car windows when they see a horse, but one of my bug bears is when people think they can overtake parked cars causing oncoming vehicles to have to stop to let them through on the wrong side of the road - have nearly had my mirror taken off several times due to this and some verbal abuse as if I am in the wrong by wanting to use my (unobstructed) side of the road!! Idiots��

I personally think most people have total amnesia regarding the Highway Code as soon as they tear up their L plates. A colleague of mine was seriously injured by a driver who overtook a car on the brow of a hill (never mind the solid white lines as well) and drove into him as he was coming the other way.

With regards the parked cars bit, I was taught that if you are already part way along a line of parked cars and there is no duck -in , then it is your priority even though you are mostly on the wrong side of the road, not least because backing all the way up really isn't a sensible option. However if you just ignore oncoming cars and set off up the middle anyway, then you are in the wrongand therefore liable for any damage you do (of course the insurance would say 50/50, but there you go). Just yesterday I watched a liveried driving school car reversing out of his drive and across the road in order to turn on to it. That is absolutely forbidden and would be classed as careless driving so 3 points on the licence if there was an accident as a result. If a driving instructor doesn't know this, then there isn't much hope I'm afraid.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

I agree people seem to more intent on taking risks these days, though in defense of van drivers I had a 'moment' with my youngster a few weeks ago.
I have been leading her through the village in-hand so she can see the world, all was going well not bothered by cars, banners, flags, bins etc. We had been venturing further each time and she had been foot perfect so I thought we would tackle the motorway bridge (she will have to get use to this as its the only way to leave the village), half way over she gets a bit upset at the traffic going under her and we end up a little way from the kerb so effectively are in the middle of our lane though still on the correct side of the road. It was at precisely this moment when a young girl in a KA thought the best action would be to squeeze past literally a foot away from a visibly upset animal, this caused Skylla to spin and get 'very' upset . If she had given us more room or waited the 20 seconds it would have taken to get clear of the bridge I wouldn't have then had to spend the next week desentising Skylla to the bridges (thankfully now fine with, once she had been across with another horse a few times).

However the good van driver bit when I had to get her back across the bridge to get her home on the same outing. I had waited for her to calm down and for a nice gap in the traffic as I took her, via the middle, back across but a van started to come up behind us whilst we were still on the bridge. He saw us and waited at the end of the bridge until we had cleared it before coming past, lovely and considerate. That girl though first class twonk if ever I've seen one .

x x

 

[Gloi]

They are dreadful. I've lost count of the times they go past on blind bends and with cars coming towards them. The other day I was riding and I tried to tell the driver not to pass as I could see something coming round the bend , but he did and both vehicles ended up having to slam on facing each other while I had pone stuffed into the hedge out of the way.
One day, a while ago, I was riding and a car slowed down, pulled right to the far side of the road and was passing me slowly when the car behind him shot through the gap between him and the pony.

 

[fatpiggy]

That reminds me of the time my mum was driving on a dual carriageway, in the outside lane as we were overtaking, and some tw4t over took US by squeezing through in the hatched area between our lane and the central reservation. Unbelievable. Luckily I suppose, Mum didn't actually see him until he was 99% past us so didn't react - well you don't exactly look in your offside mirror when in the outside lane, do you? It could have been catastrophic.

 

[Bramblebear]

I see this all the time, I think it is a panic that they need to get past or they will be stuck behind for a lifetime. If traffic ever builds up behind us we always make an effort to pull in though.

Slightly more worryingly, I have had several people recently pass me while I was very clearly indicating to turn right, which is pretty unnerving and makes me wonder whether people understand basic hand signalling these days.

 

[Arizahn]

It happens to pedestrians too. I am walking on the pavement and my dog is on a lead to my right hand side. Your lane of traffic is to my left hand side (walking towards cars iyswim?). You do not need to swerve out into the other lane, especially on a blind bend - are you seriously trying to create an accident? And slow down, why don't you? There is a speed limit of approximately half of what you are doing at present.

<cross>

 

[cremedemonthe]

I feel driving standards are bad, far worse than even 5 years ago. I see lots of people parking just round blind corners so as you drive round you are faced with a rear end of a large van or car. Other thing I have noticed happening more and more is, people coming over the central line on bends coming towards you so they are on your side of the road, how my mirrors on my Transit van haven't been ripped off I really don't know

 

[gembear]

This is why I now ride with a Go Pro when I know i'm going on the road. Just got it last week.

I'd like it to be more of a deterrent than proof of someone being a &^%& but I still need to get myself one of those "smile you're on camera" hi viz

Generally through, drivers are pretty considerate our way. You get get the odd one every so often, which then puts you to square one with the horses confidence

 

[minesadouble]

I think part of the problem is novice and inexperience riders on the road. If I am riding and am approaching a line of parked cars or any other scenario where it will not be possible/safe for a vehicle to overtake the horse I will pull in and let any cars past before continuing. If I am in the process of passing such an area and have a vehicle behind me I will trot on to enable them to pass as soon as possible.
Some of the novice riders on our yard have the mentality of 'horses have right of way and that is that!!'. They seem to forget that as a horse is so slow moving it is common courtesy to allow those in a faster moving vehicle to continue on their way as soon as is practicable.
I have seen one of our liveries have a queue of 7 cars and a bus behind them when they had had numerous opportunities to let the traffic past.
I did explain to them that infuriating so many drivers will ultimately have a negative effect on the reputation of riders on the road.
If a rider can infuriate me (as the owner of 9 horses) I can only imagine how much they must be infuriating a driver with no knowledge of equines!!

 

[gembear]

I think part of the problem is novice and inexperience riders on the road. If I am riding and am approaching a line of parked cars or any other scenario where it will not be possible/safe for a vehicle to overtake the horse I will pull in and let any cars past before continuing. If I am in the process of passing such an area and have a vehicle behind me I will trot on to enable them to pass as soon as possible.
Some of the novice riders on our yard have the mentality of 'horses have right of way and that is that!!'. They seem to forget that as a horse is so slow moving it is common courtesy to allow those in a faster moving vehicle to continue on their way as soon as is practicable.
I have seen one of our liveries have a queue of 7 cars and a bus behind them when they had had numerous opportunities to let the traffic past.
I did explain to them that infuriating so many drivers will ultimately have a negative effect on the reputation of riders on the road.
If a rider can infuriate me (as the owner of 9 horses) I can only imagine how much they must be infuriating a driver with no knowledge of equines!!

That's nothing to do with novice riders, I've been riding for 3.5 years and I always pull in if I can. Makes mine & horses life easier, it's just common sense.

They're just stupid.

 

[minesadouble]

That's nothing to do with novice riders, I've been riding for 3.5 years and I always pull in if I can. Makes mine & horses life easier, it's just common sense.

They're just stupid.

Haha, you're probably right TBH on our yard the two seem to go hand in hand - I guess we're just unlucky

 

[Ben2684]

OMG you read my mind, just got back from a lovely after work hack and this happened on several occasions, couple of times on blind bends (cue oncoming driver being very annoyed! Not with me he was quite pleasant after the idiot had gone) what is it with these people!!? I have no problem with them over taking when safe to do so, but 'nipping round quickly' is so dangerous. Thank god S is pretty much unflappable with any sort of traffic (blue flowers and dodgy shaped leaves that are obviously out to kill him are another story) there have been a couple of people at my yard and their horses have got worse and worse due to the traffic. I have to say most people are pretty good round our way. It is always worse during the school holidays, being on the New Forest there are a lot of drivers I imagine that are not local to the area and do t come across a horse and rider very often. Or horses in general for that matter as I've seen them over take forest ponies at high speed whilst driving over the forest. There have been a coupe of horrendous accidents our way in the last couple of years. That said we do need to meet drivers half way and ensure high viz and to always thank people etc. really annoys me that some people disregard this, one lady at our yard won't even wear a hat (I will not ride with her for this reason!!)

 

[Woolly Hat n Wellies]

I had a car nearly flatten me and my horse hacking out from his previous home. A line of cars were coming towards us, and as the first one drew level with us, the car at the back pulled out and overtook, coming straight towards us on our side of the road. He absolutely floored it, and came so close I could have stuck my foot through his window. The road is dead straight and there was nothing approaching behind me. He could have waited maybe 5 seconds and he would have passed me and could overtake at his leisure. Thank god my gelding is traffic-proof! It really shook me up, it's the only time I've ever yelled the words 'holy *******ing s**t!' in public!

Just to add, both me and the horse were in head to foot hi-viz as always.

 

[pennyturner]

I have had several people recently pass me while I was very clearly indicating to turn right, which is pretty unnerving and makes me wonder whether people understand basic hand signalling these days.

This has happened to me so often driving my little tractor (1960's, so no indicators) I now expect it, and behave accordingly - it's the only reason I'm still alive. Driver with arm stuck out right apparently signals 'please overtake me'.

 

[twiggy2]

it is all the BMW, Merc and Audi drivers-they have a special lisence donchuno?

 

[fatpiggy]

it is all the BMW, Merc and Audi drivers-they have a special lisence donchuno?

You forgot Golf GTI drivers. I rate drivers on the Tw4t Factor scale - all black cars carry extra points, so for me the hands-down winners are drivers of black Audi's followed by Golfs. Then Merc and BMW. My mum was up staying with me one time and at the end of holiday we'd seen so many incidents she actually thought my observations were very accurate!

 

[pansymouse]

Come on people; everyone knows that the purchase of a large expensive dark coloured vehicle includes full immunity from the Highway Code and priority over all other road users.

 

[DirectorFury]

it is all the BMW, Merc and Audi drivers-they have a special lisence donchuno?

Old-style Honda Civics with obligatory chavved up wheels and body kit round here. Don't forget the thumping doof-doof music too. And accompanying stench of weed out of the window as they fly past you!

 

[fatpiggy]

Old-style Honda Civics with obligatory chavved up wheels and body kit round here. Don't forget the thumping doof-doof music too. And accompanying stench of weed out of the window as they fly past you!

I counter the jungle drums music by doing my singing exercises at full volume

I can't remember the last time I saw a Civic - its all Honda Jazz up here, but usually driven as family cars.

 

[PorkChop]

it is all the BMW, Merc and Audi drivers-they have a special lisence donchuno?

Oi

 

[canteron]

Ha, its the old boys in their cars around here - tbh I just don't think they see me despite all the hi viz and then the reaction time finding the brake is a bit long. Wouldn't mind, but they are normally doing 50mph in a 30mph limit, at least I can still hear them coming, I just dread the day they all get silent electric cars - I will never ride on the roads again when that happens, it will be carnage.

 

[serenityjane]

I had someone overtake a tractor and come round a blind bend on my side of the road the other day. 50mph limit, I was (luckily) doing 25 as there are usually cyclists the other side of the bend and this guy must've been doing 60+. No idea how I avoided a head-on crash.

Police have the dash-cam footage now though so we'll see what they do with it.

I'm lucky in that all my riding is single-track lanes with high hedges so cars have to wait until we get into the next passing place so they can get past - it's certainly stopped the stupid driving and passing too close!

We have single track lanes with high hedges lined by very deep ditches, the drivers I meet always drive past the passing place, see me (all hi-vized up and glowing yellow) at the very last minute and then stop...and wait....and wait .....and I am then expected to pass them whilst trying desperately not to hit their vehicle with a stirrup on the way!! Most cars today do not go backwards!!!!

 

[fatpiggy]

We have single track lanes with high hedges lined by very deep ditches, the drivers I meet always drive past the passing place, see me (all hi-vized up and glowing yellow) at the very last minute and then stop...and wait....and wait .....and I am then expected to pass them whilst trying desperately not to hit their vehicle with a stirrup on the way!! Most cars today do not go backwards!!!!

Yep. I grew up in Cornwall and my dad made sure the first gear I learned was reverse. Here in Manchester most people don't seem to know where to find it and certainly can't use it. Worse still, they think their ineptitude is funny.