learner drivers and horses !

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horseandshoes77

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very rare we have to encounter roads but when we do we are as polite as possible and in hi viz regardless, today we had maybe 1 mile of road to hit before we reached bridleway but its quite windy, normally each bad bend we trot round so as not to hold traffic up as they usually wait to pass as blind bends, however today a learner(on a lesson) came past on a total blind bend luckily no other cars coming...but just a thought as so many fatalities with horses recently etc .. when i passed my test many moons ago we were taught to pass slowly and only when safe, this lady has been told to pass on blind bend etc (she did pass slowly) but if something had been coming the other way at more than 30mph she would have been hit, its not the first time we have encountered learners being allowed by instructor to ignore the fact that we are there and some pass so close if i had moved my leg out a few inches theyd have hit my stirrup not winging as such as we all have our woes on the road but just curious as to wether the rise in horse accidents isnt just because there are more cars on road but partly because learner drivers are not informed when encountering riders etc ???
 
I'd've taken the number and reported the instructer to which ever company they belong!(I'd also report it on the BHS site)
 
I am a driving instructor and I drum the fear of god into my learners about what will happen to them if they go too fast or too close! :-) I always explain to my students that the majority of horses aren't scared of cars so if there is something in a bush or behind a hedge etc which they can't see clearly they are more likely to jump on front of the car as they don't realise it can hurt them. I think people in general just don't have as much courtesy or manners any more. I have a schooling whip wrapped in bright orange vet wrap with a long bit of bright yellow tape attached to the end of it which I hold stuck out into the road. Its amazing how many more people go slow and give you more space when you have a long whip stuck out.
 
Could you get the name/ number of the instructor and call them about this? That is dangerous. Even on a test you would expect the examiner to stop the learner taking over horses on a blind bend like that. I know that my old driving instructor normaly takes his new clients along the road near the farm. I think that sometimes (witnessed myself) people on thier first few lessons may be taken to what the instructor may think is a very quiet road to teach.

I have more trouble with the idiots who have just passed thier test and think its ok to sit rev behind 2 horses and riders then pass at 40mph nearly hitting the horse I was riding. I literally could have kicked his car. I was very lucky that the mare is very level headed but could never have blamed her if she freaked out, he clearly thought this was acceptable whether or not he was taught any different.... Im still on the lookout for the little bugger to have a little converstation about what could have happened ( Ruby story really got to me) :(
 
Was it a fully liveried driving school car or was it just a car with L plates on it?

Were there two people in the front of the car?
 
I have seen a lot of learners recently, in proper driving school cars, who have been completely ignoring the rules of the road, everything from lack of indicating and sudden stops for no reason, to dangerously pulling out on a roundabout when they didn't have right of way. It wasn't that many years ago I passed (or was it...?) but my instructor would never have let me get away with any of it, surely they have a brake pedal for a reason?
Admittedly none of this was when I was riding, but it seems they are just as bad even when there aren't any horses around!
 
No it was a learner with instructor in car and it did have the name of driving school on, i guess as i dont have to do a lot of road work i just am thankful when iv got back onto the bridleway, it just made me think as i have passed a lot of idiots in cars who sometimes purposefully speed up or those who are just ignorant to the animals and in a hurry...was just shocked that an instructor would happily let a learner pass in such a way as to be dangerous!

Think ill try the long whip next time on the road !
 
I had this but they actually did hit my stirrup and it was the instructor driving no sorry or anything but dad followed up with complaints as if I had been on my youngster it would of been a different story
 
You should definately try to get the instructors company if it happens again...a learner, or anyone for that matter, but particularly a learner should not be over taking a horse unless the road is completely clear and there's good visibility on the road ahead!
Glad it didn't escalate into an accident though...
 
Know it's closing the stable door after... However there are a few people investing in POV cameras as recently quite a few police forces are successfully using the video to prosecute dangerous driving in respect to cyclists.

Maybe an idea for those more regularly involved with roads that seem to attract the idiots?
 
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