Very interesting, thanks ROG.
I always say thanks to drivers, even if its just a nod (if horse being a stupid), but a super exaggerated one
I have also called a local skip company & Argos to say Thank You to some very good drivers who slowed down & stopped for one in one case when my horse was injured
The only thing that gets me is the comments that 'why don't they ride in feilds' we'd love to, sadly the farmers don't agree
I actually find that the larger vehicles seem to be much more aware of how scary they can be and therefore much more considerate in passing. Its tescos delivery sized vans downwards to cars who seem to think they can zoom past at 60mph and it totally fine Or little old ladies who try to overtake me when Im riding past a parked car
I always grin and mouth thank you if I can't safely take my hands off the rein to wave - so many don't around here though and don't wear hi viz which drives me insane grr.
I actually find that the larger vehicles seem to be much more aware of how scary they can be and therefore much more considerate in passing. Its tescos delivery sized vans downwards to cars who seem to think they can zoom past at 60mph and it totally fine Or little old ladies who try to overtake me when Im riding past a parked car
I always grin and mouth thank you if I can't safely take my hands off the rein to wave - so many don't around here though and don't wear hi viz which drives me insane grr.
It was rude...
But I thought vehicles coming downhill had right of way because if is far more difficult to reverse uphill to a passing place? (Not directly related to this situation though)
I was taught that it was the vehicle travelling downhill that should give way to the vehicle travelling uphill, the reason stemming from older vehicles (the ones I trained on, half cab buses with no syncromesh on the gearbox): trust me, you really don't want to have to do a hill start with a fully laden vehicle, which often involves a snap change, because if you get it wrong you will be rolling back down the hill. In comparison, reversing uphill is easy (or at least, it is for me).
Decades later, I still have to talk myself through a snap change every time because it feels so, so wrong: start off in first, get the vehicle moving at walking speed, count to two and then move gear stick from 1st to 2nd at the same time as pushing the clutch pedal down. Breathe when it goes right, and carry on.
I hacked out with a group from a riding school the other week, and I was at the back. As far as I could see, I was the only person that thanked any driver for slowing down or giving us a wide berth. I had words with the RI when we got back, and will be pointing them in the direction of the lorry drivers thread.
As a few others have noted, in general, the drivers of big vehicles are far more aware of the effect of their vehicles on others.
Old people arre a nightmare!! Thee lack of clutch control which means they need to rev the engine is just bizarre