Kill your speed not my horse!

[jinglejoys]

Come to think of it Horses were never mentioned when I learnt to drive but having been bought up in the days when Livestock were thought more of and it was still usual to drive sheep along the lanes to the next grazing or to be dipped,and when cattle still crossed he road twice a day to be milked I knew the safety issues.

 

[Dovorian]

There seems to be an awfully common thread here that drivers involved in horse related incidents do not appear to receive appropriate punishment. Bearing in mind how many folk claim via the 'ambulance chasers', have there been any significant claims made with success?

 

[ebonyallen]

I read about this a couple of years ago and I have got the Hi Viz Vest and the stickers for my car. Very Tragic

 

[Feathered]

I have a friend who got into an argument with her driving instructor about this. On a lane near the yard where she kept her horse he was telling her it's a national speed limit road you should be driving at 60, she refused stating, yes it is a national speed limit road but common sense should tell you it isn't safe to do that speed, a horse could well be round any of these bends, and he just wasn't interested, told her to drive at 60, she wouldn't... Heated words were exchanged... If this is what they teach people then there's no hope.

 

[monkeybum13]

Sorry to go off topic OP but you can't tar all driving instructors with the same brush!!

My driving instructor made a HUGE point of passing horses slowly and wide and only if safe to do so.

As for telling a pupil they should be going 60mph on a country road, pah

On the odd chance I meet any learner drivers whilst out riding they are some of the most considerate road users.

 

[Grumpy Jewel]

My mum did an advanced driving course and they told her that by not driving at the national speed limit on country roads you pose a threat to other road users! I don't understand is how they work that out when there could be anything around a bend tractor, horse and rider or an accident. You would plough round the corner straight into it having to break sharply or overtake and surely that poses a risk to other road users.

 

[essex_rider]

There never is benson21. Unless a human is seriously injured or killed, does it then get taken more seriously. If you replaced our horses with a family out on a lovely sunny bank holiday bike ride, then the consequences would probably have been tragic, particularly if there had been a car I'n the other lane.

Sadly this is not always true. I lost 3 friends almost a year ago, 1 human and 2 horses, who were killed by someone driving far too fast and he just ploughed through them. The case has still not been resolved and i doubt very much that his punishment will be anywhere near what he deserves.
It devastated our yard and everyone is even more cautious with hi-viz etc, not that it made any difference in this case. All you can do is be as bright as possible and make drivers aware. But sometimes they just don't care