People who ride on the road

R

RunToEarth

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A general point really, more than anything.
At a time where the general public are likely to back a horse tax bill, in the murky winter where the weather is utterly pants:
1- Wear hi-viz PLEASE
2- Don't be ignorant to other road users, if people slow down for you, THANK THEM.
3- Riding five a breast won't make any friends, and 9/10 times it is completely un needed.
4- Drivers probably won't appriciate, nor sympathise with a rider who is glued to their phone. I actually think it is safer to drive whilst on the phone than it is to be in charge of an unpredictable animal whilst on one.
I've seen all of the above this week and it's only Wednesday. Little common sense goes a long way. I know we need to ride on the roads to keep horses fit, but lets do it safely, and not piss off the other road users- it's in everybody's best interests...
 
Very wise advice indeed!
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Good advice Rosiie.

4 pm last Sunday as the light was fading and cars had their side lights on, I passed a girl riding her joggy/bouncy dark bay horse along a main road wearing black jods and a burgundy coloured coat. What a lunatic
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Well said! I get furious at the rudeness of some riders. If you can't nod or wave a thanks while riding maybe the horse is too lairy to be ridden on a road?
 
Here here!

There is nothing more that winds me up seeing horse riders riding 2 abreast, reins you could hang your smalls on, busy gabbing to each other totally oblivous to any other road user behind them, on narrow roads or bends, and don't even make any attempt to get in the edge or slip in front etc it only p*sses drivers off, makes then less impatiant and and next time they don't bother passing wide and slow for those horse riders that do ride safely and have consideration for the drivers. Bit of give and take on both sides goes a long way.
 
There's a busy intersection near our yard, controlled by traffic lights and they don't give drivers an awful lot of time to get through, especially if they are turning right.
We usually trot through them to get out of the way as quick as we can.
The other day I was in the car, waiting to turn right and there was a group of riders on the other side of the intersection, coming straight.
Not only did they not trot through the lights, despite seeing me and a line of cars behind me, but they ambled at the slowest walk possible, all chatting amongst themselves. By the time they were through the intersection, the lights had changed, leaving me stranded and the cars coming the other way had to stop to let me through.
Boy was I fuming!
 
Agree with all of the above.

Plus... thanks cyclists who slow down for you!!!! My dad cycles competitively and does a lot of road training. He came home on Sunday absolutely fuming that he'd been out cycling and happened upon 2 riders on a country lane. He said that he sounded his bell to warn them, slowed right down and despite asking if he could pass, was ignored by the three lady riders who looked at him and continued to ride 3 abreast and refused to move over.

Riders, how do you expect a reasonable level of courtesy from other road users when you won't reciprocate?! My dad also goes out with a cycling club and makes sure that the club makes every effort to be courteous and cautious of horse riders, but you don't make it easy with this sort of behaviour! We don't own the road and we all have a right to use it - cyclists, riders, cars - so start saying thank you
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We've got a really nice cycling club near us, chestnut cob. I was riding out with my two friends one morning and about 10 of them came cycling towards us. We were all on mares, but when they commented on the 'lovely fillies' we did wonder how they knew. The penny dropped when they cycled on and one of them shouted back to us 'horses aren't bad either!'
 
Still fuming. Also, do these peanut brained morons with no manners also realise they could be responsible for the death or injury of a horse? How would they like that on their conscience? It doesn't take much to piss off motorists and you can easily imagine how the next time a driver spots a rider(s) they just keep going with no special consideration.

Could we have a car sticker campaign along the lines of "I slow down for horses". Something like "Horse riders: where's your f**king manners?"
 
I agree. My sister and I always thank drivers even if they don't slow down as much as we'd like, but I've passed lots of riders on the road and rarely get a thank you - extremely annoying if you're horsey yourself so imagine how non-horsey drivers must feel. We also seem to have an alarming number of riders who don't wear hi-viz despite being out in the sticks and most of the roads have tree cover so get very dark even in the summer. It's not rocket science is it!?
 
There is one lady near me who never has hi vis, never thanks drivers (well, never thanks me anyway) and invariably has her phone on one ear as she slobs along.

Although I have to say a driver beeped at me and my sister a few weeks ago, we were riding two abreast on a road that was wide enough, and actually ridng, not just on the buckle end. And we wear hi viz, so I honestly don't know what the driver's problem was, there was plenty of room to pass
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I think the reason hi vis has a bad name and is uncool is that fact that an awful lot of people who wear it don't actually hack out. They just wander down the road on the buckle end having a gab. No hi vis is going to protect you ladies if your horse pegs off due to you not concentrating or having any control
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I agree. My sister and I always thank drivers even if they don't slow down as much as we'd like,

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Ditto this, I accept that some of the roads I ride on are 'fast' roads (country lane rat runs) and whilst I'd like people to slow properly, I thank them with a nod or wave if they just acknowledge I'm there by just stepping off the accelerator.
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Although I have to say a driver beeped at me and my sister a few weeks ago, we were riding two abreast on a road that was wide enough, and actually ridng, not just on the buckle end. And we wear hi viz, so I honestly don't know what the driver's problem was, there was plenty of room to pass
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There may have been room to pass but could he see round you to see it's safe to pass?

But agree with all comments above. Always use Hi Viz - what harm could it do? Please be courteous to all road users and acknowledge their efforts - however small, non horsey people aren't mind readers and don't always know what the best thing to do is.
My OH is a cyclist and got a mouthful of abuse from a rider because he passed her - on totally the other side of the road and slowly. He wasn't sure whether to make his presence known when he approached from behind - he thought shouting might spook the horse. I've told him to give a friendly "Hello" from now on - but he doesn't always get a response from the rider. <font color="blue"> </font> [/list]
 
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There may have been room to pass but could he see round you to see it's safe to pass?


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A straight bit of road going uphill towards a blind summit. It doesn't make any difference whether you are single file or two abreast here. They can see well enough on the straight bit, and if you're close to the blind summit, they shouldn't be overtaking anyway imo regardless of what 'formation' you're riding in.
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I passed a rider a couple of years ago who was talking on her phone, I slowed down for her &amp; she ignored me; I must have been hormonal or something as I stopped &amp; had a go at her!
I said something along the lines of "horse riders have a reputation of being stuck up &amp; rude, all because of people like you! I slowed right down for you &amp; you just carried on with you f****ing nose in the air"
She just looked at me with her mouth open! I didn't give her a chance to reply just got back in my car &amp; drove off.
It felt good, next time you get ignored by a horse rider do it, trust me it feels great.
I haven't had the chance to do it again as all the other riders I've passed have been polite.
 
totally agree.a woman who rides near us is totally ignorant .when riding ignores motorists,never aknowledges or thanks them and when driving her car past horses never slows for horses.makes me cross as gives all us riders a bad name
 
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I totally agree, there are quite a few people round our way that don't thank drivers - no wonder people don't bother to slow down anymore.

Also, passed 2 riders the other night with NO high viz on at all and it was dark enough for me to need my cars lights on.
 
i totally agree with all points and would add that i always say thank you to every driver regardless whether they have slowed down- me saying thank you might make them slow down next time!
 
I ALWAYS thank drivers, or people on foot with dogs etc if they move out the way. Its just courtesy!
I hate rude people full stop... Whether they are on horse back/driving/work in a shop etc.
 
I always wear hi-viz, I own a dark bay horse and even on bright days in the middle of summer I have hi-viz on. I nag people constantly to wear hi-viz as well.

I always try to thank drivers who slow down a little but sometime its not always practical to take a hand of the rein so I try and thank them with a very big smile.
A car once stopped for me and turned its engines off and I gave him a big smile, a thumbs up and thanked him. He said it was nice to meet a polite horse rider!

And i never talk on the phone while I'm out on a hack! my phone would ring and I'd be in the next field!!!
 
There seem to be more riders near me who don't wear hi-viz or thank drivers, than do. It really annoys me as a driver, so I always do both.
 
When stuck behind riders/s who dawdle along without trotting on to a passing place, I feel like winding my window down and asking "does it trot, mine does"
 
Absolutely couldn't agree more with OP. Tonight driving back from work at 4.55pm when let's face it is dark, I met 3 teenagers on horses coming towards me down a busy road (rush hour!). In fairness to them they had hi-viz vests on but that was all you could see of them! Their horses were all dark and they didn't stand out against the dark brown buildings and houses they were riding past even though there were street lights. I couldn't believe their utter stupidity (unless their ride had gone wrong somehow and they got delayed) but god knows how far they still were intending to go as they coming from the direction of the nearest livery yard.
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Lead horse was prancing about and swinging his quarters into the road too and then it's the drivers I feel sorry for as how the hell are they supposed to a) spot them in time and b) not hit them! I just pray they all got home safe.
 
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