Kids hacking on roads

littlelegs said:
Overtaking a 4x4 is quite simple. If you are the correct distance behind then you can see what's infront. If you aren't sure where the happy medium is between tailgating & 2 streets away is, perhaps a few driving lessons may be a good plan. Although your issue seems to be with 4x4 drivers. Should they purchase a second vehicle for use in residential streets?
I ride abreast of my child. Do my best to avoid busy roads/busy times. And if its quiet I'll go single when a car has slowed. Occasionally when its been unavoidable to be on a busy road daughter goes on the pavement if no pedestrians & we're holding up traffic. If not, then tough if it slows cars. Daughter & pony small enough to be mistaken for a bike at a distance, no matter how much hiviz. Given the choice of placing my 7yr olds life in an unknown drivers hands, & angering drivers, I'll ride two abreast.
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I dont know what your problem is you crazy women! I have a daughter, i drive a nissan terrano and i ride horses. When have i said i have a problem with riding 2 abreast???? I think your head needs looking at! Get off your high horse! My problem is people riding around residential areas which are 20-30mph limits with a 4x4 escort, totally unnecessary and puts car drivers in a predicament of trailing behind for miles or attempting to pass when at the time of pulling out it was safe and clear but by the time you are level with the horses something may have pulled out of a side street etc so go away and bore someone else. You obviously have a problem with people who need to go about their daily business.
 
My parents would never have let me hack out on the roads when I was a kid. As much as I think its nice to see kids going out and enjoying themselves, I dont feel very comfortable about it-especially when they are hacking alone. I hack alone and its bad enough when the 'unexpected' happens when ur an adult.......
 
I think there is a highway code rule that says tractor drivers 'must' pull over if causing a long tail back and that vehicles travelling less than 25 mph should have a flashing amber beacon..I really don't think this outfit should be causing long tailbacks as that helps nobody. Some hi vis and a bicycle or walker would be much more appropriate and what seems to occur round here.

It certainly says you must not use your hazards while driving unless on a motorway as part of a short warning to those behind that there is a hazard ahead..
 
ester said:
I think there is a highway code rule that says tractor drivers 'must' pull over if causing a long tail back and that vehicles travelling less than 25 mph should have a flashing amber beacon..I really don't think this outfit should be causing long tailbacks as that helps nobody. Some hi vis and a bicycle or walker would be much more appropriate and what seems to occur round here.

It certainly says you must not use your hazards while driving unless on a motorway as part of a short warning to those behind that there is a hazard ahead..
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~Unfortunately a some peoples attitude is' hell im alright, stuff everyone else!'
 
It's in the highway code to ride 2 abreast. It's not a legal requirement. ( as clarified by a policeman who told me off for doing that years ago) riders should not wave on other road users unless really really sure as they could be liable if they caused an accident! The ponies that need an escort from our yard have parents walking out with them but appreciate we are lucky in that the yard is not near any major roads. But general rule of thumb for me is to try to not hold up traffic and I apply this when driving my trailer as my top safe speed is still less than the national speed limit!
 
Weebarney, firstly, my comments about riding 2 abreast weren't aimed at you, just in general. Secondly, take a chill pill. Thirdly, I fail to see why a 4x4 & 2 horses is difficult to see past. Surely they don't block vision more than a bus, large delivery vehicle etc? I don't have any issue seeing if the roads clear passing hgvs so not sure why you can't see past 4x4 & horses? I don't actually see a need for it either because I hack with daughter. If I was a non riding parent perhaps I might though? And maybe, like myself they ride through residential streets to avoid main roads & slowing the flow of traffic down?
 
Don't see a problem.

The father driving behind the children is hardly holding the traffic up if he is going the same speed as the kids on the ponies is he? Remove the father and the traffic will still have to go slow until safe to pass.

If I were that father I would rather be in my car, lights flashing, to warn people to slow down. How many of us adults have had near misses with cars whizzing by too quickly, claiming not to see us (even when lit up like a Christmas tree), etc? Even if my children were out donned in hi-viz I would be very very worried without them having a motor escort.

There is a lady near where I used to live who had a nasty accident while leading her youngster from another horse to move fields. All her fields led out onto a country lane that was a favourite run for the young driver seeing how fast they could drive. She ended up leading them in with her husband twenty or so yards behind in his Landy with his hazards flashing. She would rather her and her horses stay safe than risk another accident.

Sometimes it is a question of needs must.
 
a bus or large delivery vehicle is usually travelling somewhat faster though.. and as such you have more of a choice as to whether you wish to attempt to overtake it.
Also the time needed to overtake safely is extended when horses are involved (you don't want to be revving past them!.. so you need further visibility or a longer gap in the oncoming traffic in order to do so safely, the addition of a vehicle makes this even longer
y.. If you have a long tailback it is going to take some time for all the vehicles to be able to overtake.

I'd also be interested to know how easy was to see ttrhe horses in front of the vehicle.. and whether anyone didn't realise and tried to nip in. I only ask because we actually used to do something similar to travel back the 500 yards from a local competition centre in the evenings (so fading light/darkish but quiet road) and one driver did just that, not spotting the horse until after overtaking the car.

I certainly don't have any issue with anyone riding 2 abreast.. although have known of an accident which could have been avoided if they were single file (winter..low sun.. blind summit and a car coming the other way).

Sometimes needs does must.. a RS close to where I worked in somerset used to do this to cross the main road to lead their horses in from the fields.. that seems sensible to me but it isn't the same as following a group for their hour hack :)
 
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I've just done a 'speed awareness course' (:o dont ask) and I asked about riding two abreast - they wholly recommend it.

I think the 4 x 4 driving slowly holding up traffic is asking for trouble personally, I've never seen it happen here (deepest west country).

My dd hacks alone on roads (briefly and they aren't busy ones, she is forbidden to cross the busy B road). If my younger dd goes out I go with her either walking or riding and we usually go two abreast with her on the inside.
 
Steam engines aren't necessary, they still have every right to trundle along the road at a very slow pace and tough luck for whatever faster vehicles have to wait behind them a while until it is safe to pass.

My mum used to follow us in her car when we hacked to shows in my days before transport. I had no idea at the time how vulnerable we were and I don't blame my mum for doing what she could to help stop us getting flattened. Why do motorists think they have to right to clear roads? :confused: Surely you should factor in hold up time into your journeys, easily accounting for spending some time queueing behind horses/steam engines/slow moving 4x4s/etc?

I think the kids went one up on just wearing hi viz by traveling with a hazard lighted vehicle, they are right to ride two abreast but it would be best if they didn't wander all over the road. :)
 
Oh dear I am not going to be popular...on saturday my daughter's pony had a saddle fitting. To reduce costs we rode 4 miles down the road to my neighbour as she was having one done for her pony too. She was hi-viiz'd up with hat band, tabard, exercise sheet etc. I led her on the pony and we trotted most the way. The road is a nsl country road which is slightly bendy but there are plenty of field entrances etc to pull over in.

On the way there we encountered several boy racer types so hacking back my husband led and I drove my 4x4 with the 5 month old baby behind her. It was 6pm so not dark but I was concerned that I wanted her to be safe. When cars came past, I flashed hazards, pulled over ASAP and she was safe all the way home.

Don't see what was wrong with that?!

As a matter of interest, on the roads, I lead on the right so I am on the outside, whereas hubby said that is wrong and always lead on left...which is right?
 
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BARNARD CASTLE A67 main road - yesterday, about 5 pm.

Young blonde girl (about 15 ?) riding a 16 hh plus bay TB horse. No hi vis.

Horse spooked out into the middle of the road and traffic had to stop behind her, and looked like it dare not overtake.

Seen this girl behaving like this before - once with TWO kids BAREBACK on this same road.

Won't be surprised to see an accident report. :mad:
 
I can totally understand why the father followed the kids on their ponies, he wanted them to be safe whilst on the roads. The kids have the right to be on the roads just the same as any adult has to be there.
I take my daughter on the roads when we hack out together. When we are on the main road i ride next to her and make sure she is on the inside so that the traffic has to go next to me. After all it is only natural that i want to protect my child as much as i can. I will also walk with her sometimes instead of me riding and i will again walk on the outside when we are on the roads so the traffic has to give us room. We both always wear hi-viz so we are seen and we both always thank the drivers for giving us room and slowing down, after all they have had the courtesy to slow down for us so we will have the courtesy to thank them. It is important for riders to have manners while on the road and my daughter has learnt that from the first time she hacked out at the age of 5 yrs old, she is now 10 years old and it is just natural for her to thank drivers for any courtesy shown to us now matter how small.
I don't think i would follow in a car though as i wouldn't be able to help my daughter if anything happened as i wouldn't be able to get out of my car quick enough.
 
I once went to a riding school on holiday (This was about 10 years ago) and the woman in-charge followed us in her car, barking orders all the way. Sometimes she'd pull along side us to shout, even if that meant on coming cars had to stop, reverse or pull over.

I was appalled! It was a recommended riding school...baffles me.
She kept telling me to "kickkickkickkick" and then "Why are you kicking so much?!"

Ridiculous, all of it.

A car does seem a little much, surely a walker or bike would do? It works fine for us.
However, if they're not doing it dangerously, like that lunatic woman, then I don't see a huge problem with it.
 
CaveCanem said:
What made waiting for and passing this obstruction any different from waiting for and passing a tractor and trailer?
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well as I said earlier you can accelerate past a tractor, so the time/quantity of clear road required to pass safely is reduced in comparison as you cannot do that with ponies involved.
Also most tractors are pretty good at pulling over when possible if they have caused a tailback.. so that depends whether this get up did the same.
 
CaveCanem said:
What a good daddy.

What made waiting for and passing this obstruction any different from waiting for and passing a tractor and trailer?
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Excellent point, way past time society realised that the roads are for getting from A to B, not a racetrack, too much Top Gear attitude to driving, oh it's got 200bhp does 0to 60 in a nano second, but oh it's "no fun" and wheels don't sqweal enough, exhaust can't be heard for miles FFS

If you don't want holding up on a country road, use a bloody byepass or motorway provided.
 
well it was a housing estate not a country road..

and I'm not one for speeding about anywhere.. but might eventually get a bit annoyed about being stuck going at 5mph for further than necessary ;)

eta no.169 of the highway code:
Do not hold up a long queue of traffic, especially if you are driving a large or slow-moving vehicle. Check your mirrors frequently, and if necessary, pull in where it is safe and let traffic pass.
 
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I wouldn't do it down a residential road but I had to follow or have a baby in a carrier or in a pram-don't like that idea. On the way there daddy had baby and didn't follow but for going home pony was excitable and wanted to get back. I should add that my daughter is 5 and the most sensible rider. She says thank you to everyone and moves over as soon as she can. No one had to slow down behind us for more than say 20 seconds which they would have done if I was a tractor cos it was a blind bend.
Thank you flame glad to hear I was right :)
 
Surely its safer to hack through a housing estate than down a country road? The traffic will be slower anyway, less traffic to get held up, & plenty of places to pull over & let cars past.
 
I don't have a problem with kids on the roads, riding two abreast or the car escort but the OP says the ponies were all over the place and that I do have a problem with!!
Even with the escort behind, and riding two abreast, by the sounds of it those kids weren't safe from the ponies stepping out into oncoming or overtaking traffic.

FWIW - I ride with a brightly coloured schooling whip stuck straight out to the side when cars come past so they tend to give me more room.

And to add - I'd rather see kids safe and confined to the school and fields than out on busy roads. Let's face it - hacking on a busy road isn't that much fun really. It's a means to an end to get to somewhere that is good to hack (and if the dad already has a 4x4 why not invest in a trailer and box them to safer places to ride out).
 
IME yes it is safer in a housing estate :) Just pointing out that pedantics comments about country road users wasn't really relevant to the situation.
 
Housing estate, don't care, they built a MASSIVE one right up to my first yard, ruined it totally for me just to get there never mind the riding, so we had to make riding part of the estate as a ride, people drove like tnuks past us, moaned about horse poo and vehicles blah blah, stuff em
 
Of course you can accelerate past a horse, sensibly, not flat to the mat.
Tractors where I live don't really pull over, not many options for them to do so, just have to bide one's time and grit one's teeth.

I think people just need to chill out a bit on the roads, you'll get to where you are going eventually, no need to bust a blood vessel.
 
AshTay said:
I don't have a problem with kids on the roads, riding two abreast or the car escort but the OP says the ponies were all over the place and that I do have a problem with!!
Even with the escort behind, and riding two abreast, by the sounds of it those kids weren't safe from the ponies stepping out into oncoming or overtaking traffic.

FWIW - I ride with a brightly coloured schooling whip stuck straight out to the side when cars come past so they tend to give me more room.

And to add - I'd rather see kids safe and confined to the school and fields than out on busy roads. Let's face it - hacking on a busy road isn't that much fun really. It's a means to an end to get to somewhere that is good to hack (and if the dad already has a 4x4 why not invest in a trailer and box them to safer places to ride out).
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Trouble with the trailer/box is that you have to store it somewhere and that is my one downfall, I would truly love to be able to take my ponies out and about but I havent got anywhere to store one safely and securely :(
 
my little clio doesn't do acceleration terribly easily, hence minimal overtaking :D.

I suppose I would just worry that they aren't helping the rep of horse riders on the roads generally and sometimes we need all the help we can get.
 
I would say hi-viz and hazards would be a good thing for the rep of riders?

I drive a 1.2 unleaded granny car....guess it's just made me slow down a bit, literally :p I can borrow the Rav4 whenever I feel the need to be a speed demon :p
 
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