LOOK AT THIS - PETITION RE DRIVERS PASSING ANIMALS ON THE ROAD!!!

[horserugsnot4u]

Have signed. Another thing that should be emphasised to drivers is speed going around bends, particularly left-hand ones when it's more difficult to see what is ahead. Too many drivers wouldn't have a hope in hell of slowing/stopping if there was a rider, cyclist, pedestrian or broken down vehicle around the bend. Being constantly aware of the unexpected needs to be in everyones minds when driving.

 

[Shilasdair]

I don't see the need, if I'm honest.
I've never had a problem with drivers passing me, despite riding on some A roads.
Maybe we also need to look at ourselves as riders - are our horses suitably prepared for encountering hazards or potentially spooky vehicles? What did YOU do to make sure your horse is ok with, for example, cyclists or lorries?
S

 

[soloequestrian]

I don't see the need, if I'm honest.
I've never had a problem with drivers passing me, despite riding on some A roads.
Maybe we also need to look at ourselves as riders - are our horses suitably prepared for encountering hazards or potentially spooky vehicles? What did YOU do to make sure your horse is ok with, for example, cyclists or lorries?
S

Well yes, that makes sense to a point, but I don't expect my horse to cope with a lorry or a car and trailer going at the speed limit on a B-road - I expect them to cope when the vehicle is sensible and slows, not necessarily to a crawl (which my 'Polite' vest is inducing in a surprising number of drivers), but to a speed where there isn't rattling, crashing and a huge bow-wave of air. I also prefer cars to pass at less than 60mph - the cars aren't usually a problem, but the pheasants in the hedge which occasionally make us jump can be. With cyclists, as long as we know they are there, it's fine, but we do need to know, especially if they are coming up fast and don't give us any room. It's a two-way thing - if drivers and cyclists realise that even well-trained horses can be unpredictable (as it states in the Highway Code) it helps everything enormously.

 

[Shilasdair]

Well yes, that makes sense to a point, but I don't expect my horse to cope with a lorry or a car and trailer going at the speed limit on a B-road - I expect them to cope when the vehicle is sensible and slows, not necessarily to a crawl (which my 'Polite' vest is inducing in a surprising number of drivers), but to a speed where there isn't rattling, crashing and a huge bow-wave of air. I also prefer cars to pass at less than 60mph - the cars aren't usually a problem, but the pheasants in the hedge which occasionally make us jump can be. With cyclists, as long as we know they are there, it's fine, but we do need to know, especially if they are coming up fast and don't give us any room. It's a two-way thing - if drivers and cyclists realise that even well-trained horses can be unpredictable (as it states in the Highway Code) it helps everything enormously.

It is not unreasonable to expect some cars going past at the speed limit on a B road. I certainly wouldn't gamble my life on it not happening.
Horses are living animals, I know, but we can't expect the world to revolve around our walnut-brained quadrupeds.
Time for us to sort it out.
S

 

[soloequestrian]

It is not unreasonable to expect some cars going past at the speed limit on a B road. I certainly wouldn't gamble my life on it not happening.

Totally disagree - it is not in any way unreasonable to expect drivers to slow down.

 

[Shilasdair]

Totally disagree - it is not in any way unreasonable to expect drivers to slow down.

If you want to risk your life on the behaviour of others, good luck.

Personally, I'd rather prepare for the 'worst case scenario' of the nutter driver (even though they are rare in my experience) and try to make sure my horse and I can cope.

Evolution FTW!
S

 

[soloequestrian]

If you want to risk your life on the behaviour of others, good luck.

Personally, I'd rather prepare for the 'worst case scenario' of the nutter driver (even though they are rare in my experience) and try to make sure my horse and I can cope.

Evolution FTW!
S

So you think there is no point in trying to make drivers more aware? Obviously there is never going to be a perfect solution because there are always idiots out there, but there are also a lot of people who really don't know how to behave, and it doesn't seem unreasonable that more emphasis could be placed on the section about animals in the road in driving tests.

Do you prepare your horses by having people drive past them as fast as they can?

 

[rhino]

Sighed.

Did you also sign?

 

[Shilasdair]

So you think there is no point in trying to make drivers more aware? Obviously there is never going to be a perfect solution because there are always idiots out there, but there are also a lot of people who really don't know how to behave, and it doesn't seem unreasonable that more emphasis could be placed on the section about animals in the road in driving tests.

Do you prepare your horses by having people drive past them as fast as they can?

Don't put words in my mouth (or letters on my posts if that's the internet equivalent).
Most drivers are aware. Those that aren't or who dislike horse riders aren't going to become any more friendly if we start upping the ante regarding horses.
Being nice, and being considerate to other road users (for example by training our horses properly) would be a whole lot more effective.

And yes, I have trained my horses by having people drive past them. I've bounced footballs off them. I've taken them to stand beside a station platform to watch the trains come in (and also on railway bridges). I do whatever I can to try to stay alive.
S

 

[TicTac]

signed and shared on facebook.

 

[DunDally]

Signed and shared.

 

[springer1021]

Done

 

[smellsofhorse]

Signed and shared

 

[cremedemonthe]

signed

 

[DougalJ]

Done

 

[Always Henesy]

Signed

 

[soloequestrian]

Bump

 

[soloequestrian]

Bump again - come on people!

 

[LadyLuck1977]

signed

 

[mightymammoth]

signed

 

[dixie]

done

 

[HappyHooves]

great idea. Have posted to local bridleways group, horse owners and friends.

 

[soloequestrian]

Bump

 

[mightymammoth]

bumping for others to see

 

[nona1]

Sorry, but I don't think these e-petitions make the slightest bit of difference.

Besides, it's not a practical suggestion. They want 3 or 4 of the driving theory test questions to be about animals? There are only 50 questions anyway that have to cover a range of topics, yet you want nearly a tenth of the test to be about this? Also the questions come up randomly for people, there are no compulsory questions, so this also wants to change the whole way the test is run. Also some of the test questions are already on hand signals, and on animals.

Not going to happen, is it.

I'm sure there are more productive ways to raise awareness.

 

[Spyda]

Done.

 

[Spyda]

Sorry, but I don't think these e-petitions make the slightest bit of difference.

Besides, it's not a practical suggestion. They want 3 or 4 of the driving theory test questions to be about animals? There are only 50 questions anyway that have to cover a range of topics, yet you want nearly a tenth of the test to be about this? Also the questions come up randomly for people, there are no compulsory questions, so this also wants to change the whole way the test is run. Also some of the test questions are already on hand signals, and on animals.

Not going to happen, is it.

I'm sure there are more productive ways to raise awareness.

As Tesco say, "Every little helps!"

 

[soloequestrian]

I'm sure there are more productive ways to raise awareness.

Such as.....?

 

[soloequestrian]

Bump

 

[RunRunReindeer]

Bumping.
When anyone's signing this, please also sign petition no. 34346.
Thanks