Protocol between LGVs and horse riders

[Woolly Hat n Wellies]

I'm glad to read that other people also thank every motorist who passes. I thank all traffic, even the idiots (although those mostly in the hopes that they'll feel guilty for trying to take the horse's back end off at 60!), and the horses have to go down a main road to get to the quieter lanes and paths, so there can be quite a lot of waving. I was always taught to thank everyone, to give a good impression of the horsey community in general, and so that people might consider slowing down to pass horses in future. If someone does slow down I'm grinning, waving, shouting 'thank you'... If a lorry driver stopped and turned his engine off I think I'd fall off in my enthusiasm to thank him! Recently my bf's dad passed me in a car while we were hacking. He didn't slow down, but I thanked him anyway. When I went over to their house for dinner that evening, he said, "I saw you on the horse today, waving at all the traffic. You looked really stupid!" and proceeded to do a mickey-taking impression of me, complete with poncey faces, pretend cantering, and stupid waving. I was really upset and began to imagine that all those people I was trying to be polite to were laughing at me as well, and I started overanalysing my thankyous when out hacking. I'm glad I'm not the only one, so in future I shall continue to thank anyone and everyone and to wave 'stupidly' at all truck drivers!

 

[hobbit]

As far as I know everyone at our yard is courteous when out hacking...when we're in large group, the poor driver has 5 of us waving LOL!.

I did once trot all the way down a narrow country lane for a car ( as only passing point is at top of hill and he would have had to reverse all way to top - we were about half way)...any way got to bottom, and he said "why;d you do that? I would have reversed", anyway he was so grateful and asked if our yard had someone on a grey, called her rude, she had turned but walked so slowly down and turned her nose up at him....anyway wasn't anyone off our yard, but unfortunately as ours is closest, we got the bad name...told him she wasn't from our yard...but shame how 1 person can affect the view on the rest of us out there.

 

[Mike007]

The vehicle traveling down hill having the right of way dates back to horses and carts. A cart going up hill can be chocked easily with a "shoe " behind a wheel ,thus taking the load off the horses . Pulling away up hill, the wheel went forward from the shoe ,which being attached to a chain dragged along to be retrieved later. Going down hill however ,the horse would be faced with the impossible task of pushing the cart back out of the shoe ,if it were used.

 

[HashRouge]

I really hate it when I pass riders who don't say thank you. Aside from the fact that it is quite annoying if you've had to wait for ages and don't get so much as a thank you, I also worry about the repercussions it has among non-horsey drivers. I don't ride my horse anymore (retired) but when I did I used to thank anyone who'd had to wait/ or been especially considerate in passing. Couldn't say thank you to every single car that passed as these were main roads so I'd have never have had both hands on the reins! The only time I wouldn't say thank you would be if we were having "issues" and two hands were required, although I'd always aim for a nod and smile if that were the case!

One thing that does worry me is that some drivers seem to think that we just ride on the roads to be a nuisance, and that we could actually be galloping about the fields instead. I wish someone would tell them that farmers would have a heart attack if we started riding in their fields! And also that the number of bridlepaths is pretty minimal!

 

[webble]

Interesting incident with a car transporter coming down our very narrow potholey lane this morning. He was going so fast the end was juming about and there was a cloud of dust behind him. I waved my hand to slow him down as soon as I saw him and as he slammed his brakes on the back end skidded slightly. He then drove slowly passed me touching his air brakes every few seconds! Lucky Moo was more interested in munching the grass verge

 

[AmieeT]

Interesting incident with a car transporter coming down our very narrow potholey lane this morning. He was going so fast the end was juming about and there was a cloud of dust behind him. I waved my hand to slow him down as soon as I saw him and as he slammed his brakes on the back end skidded slightly. He then drove slowly passed me touching his air brakes every few seconds! Lucky Moo was more interested in munching the grass verge

Did you get his Reg no/company name? That sort of behaviour should be reported to the BHS, police (dangerous driving) and his employer.

 

[gembear]

The main bridle path that i used is currently blocked off as the fields near the yard are now covered in tractors and lorries, due to new housing. So now we're left with two options - go on the roads, with lots of lorries etc going to and from the site or use another path through a local woods into a nearby park.

Seeing as my welsh cob is not too fond of lorries or trailers I've gone for the 2nd option. Now dog walkers are complaining to the park manager about horses using the bridal path and making it "all muddy". They tried to ban us from using the park altogether but as we live in Scotland, we do have a right to use it. We came to an agreement that we'll only go in to the park when it's not been raining. I have a feeling dog walkers, cyclists and the such like will carry on complaining anyway.... but basically we're stuck between a rock and a hard place!

I have taken him onto the main roads, and if he's with another horse he generally is better behaved. We will always try and pull in if we can to let a lorry pass, and wave a signal of thanks if they've slowed down. Thankfully, most of the drivers have been very courteous and will signal to us thanks too that we've got out the way.

However, I won't take him on the road on my own. We'd both probably get hurt, which means I either have to wait to hack with someone else if possible..... or just go into the park by myself and possibly get a telling.

 

[webble]

Did you get his Reg no/company name? That sort of behaviour should be reported to the BHS, police (dangerous driving) and his employer.

No I never thought of it to be honest. I dont think the airbrakes part was on purpose he was just ignorant. I cant have been a surprise to him though there are horse road signs and he drove past two fields of horses to get to me

 

[now_loves_mares]

There are stupid, ignorant, rude people everywhere, some are on horseback, some are behind the wheel of trucks. Luckily the driver in this case was kind and patient and willing to avoid an accident rather than make a point - shame the same can't be said about the riders! Everyone should be considerate and careful when on the roads, because it's really not fun being involved in an accident whether you are the victim or not.

ROC are you on that forum? Perhaps you could direct them on this thread.

It's also important that drivers realise that riders cannot go on fields which are private property and no more open to riders than they are to other types of traffic. Given the choice I don't think a single rider would want to risk their lives on the roads, but sadly very, very often there is no other choice.

Agree with absolutely everything here, particularly about not riding on roads by choice. ROG if you do point them to this thread, or respond again on that one, the only thing I'd add is that sometimes it isn't easy/safe for a rider to lift a hand off the reins to say thank you, but in which case I always try to nod and catch the drivers eye.

I'm grateful that so many truck drivers are considerate and thoughtful, shame the same couldn't be said about everyday drivers, or indeed a few of the ruder riders too. No excuse for not at least trying to acknowledge thanks. (Unless the driver has continued to speed past at 50/60 miles an hour, which has happened to me in the past, a car not a truck obviously).

 

[Ginge Crosby]

A friend and I had an incident, we were going down a long steep hill and an artic lorry fully loaded coming uphill towards us at a decent speed. Friends horse freaked, climbed a bank sending mine scuttling round after her. Friend went mental as the driver went past, I sat there and went 'well what else was he supposed to do?'. The difference between us? My dad is a hgv driver, and I understand that the driver couldn't have stopped, switched off his engine and waited for us to creep past just because her horse wasn't 100% in traffic. My horse was very good in traffic, and only spooked because he was set off by the other disappearing up the bank. My last horse before that was a total nightmare with lorries and busses, I just had to sit tight and make sure we didn't sit on the car behind's bonnet if we came across something large on the roads.

I'm always immensely grateful when cars pass with a wide berth, I make eye contact, smile and raise a hand if possible, and always shout out a thankyou. It takes seconds, and could change a driver's opinion of us 'stuck up' equestriennes, which seems to be the general opinion of horse riders in this area.

 

[Caol Ila]

I used to be on a livery yard where the only way to hack out anywhere involved riding down the A68 in County Durham for a mile, if not more. Terrifying. My horse is solid in traffic, totally unfazed by lorries, buses, and the like. But I used to nearly jump out of the saddle when a truck would come zipping past at 50mph. I probably didn't wave to them. Too busy holding onto the reins for dear life and thinking we were going to die.

 

[miss_c]

Plus it makes people smile when we smile. I like smiles.

This made me

 

[Woodsider]

Not all old people are a nightmare. I'm an old horserider, lol!

Just thinking the same thing myself. I am a lot safer on the roads than some of these youngsters 17 - 21 years old!

 

[Woodsider]

I'm glad to read that other people also thank every motorist who passes. I thank all traffic, even the idiots (although those mostly in the hopes that they'll feel guilty for trying to take the horse's back end off at 60!), and the horses have to go down a main road to get to the quieter lanes and paths, so there can be quite a lot of waving. I was always taught to thank everyone, to give a good impression of the horsey community in general, and so that people might consider slowing down to pass horses in future. If someone does slow down I'm grinning, waving, shouting 'thank you'... If a lorry driver stopped and turned his engine off I think I'd fall off in my enthusiasm to thank him! Recently my bf's dad passed me in a car while we were hacking. He didn't slow down, but I thanked him anyway. When I went over to their house for dinner that evening, he said, "I saw you on the horse today, waving at all the traffic. You looked really stupid!" and proceeded to do a mickey-taking impression of me, complete with poncey faces, pretend cantering, and stupid waving. I was really upset and began to imagine that all those people I was trying to be polite to were laughing at me as well, and I started overanalysing my thankyous when out hacking. I'm glad I'm not the only one, so in future I shall continue to thank anyone and everyone and to wave 'stupidly' at all truck drivers!

BF's father seems a bit of a prat - watch out for any inherited attitudes!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[apachediamond]

I always try to acknowledge drivers, it's not always safe to do so with a hand when riding a youngster, far safer to keep both hands on reins. I do always smile and nod, whether the driver notices is another matter.......

I was particularly shocked the other morning on the way to work to come across a rider (no hat, her choice, no high vis again her choice), trotting out of a side road (no look left or right for traffic) onto a 60mph road, she crossed 2 lanes and carried on her way. Fortunately i know the roads and never do 60mph due to the amount of HGV's and farm machinery that use the road but another person, another time, 2 minutes in front of me....... it could have been a very different story and tbh if she had been driving a car she would have heard my horn a fair few times.

My initial thought was riders like you give us all a bad name

 

[weebarney]

Had to have a chuckle at the policeman and lollipop lady post, I wouldn't have took to kindly to being TOLD to stop either.

As for the rider who didn't say thanks well shame on you but there really are idiots in all walks of life as shown by some of the lorry driver responses. At the end of the day a rider squashed under your lorry is going to take a lot more time out of your day than loosing a few seconds slowing down or stopping.

Everyone needs to respect each other's use of the roads and show some tolerance. Poor walkers now they often get zero respect from car drivers, they will literally pass as if you aren't there. I always ease off and give them as much space as I can as I want them to have a nice walk as that's their hobby and what they enjoy.

 

[Nessa4]

Not all old people are a nightmare. I'm an old horserider, lol!

Me too - and I drive an automatic so no difficulty with clutch control!!! (I also thank drivers for consideration shown)

 

[webble]

Originally Posted by WelshRuby
Not all old people are a nightmare. I'm an old horserider, lol!


Sorry no I didnt mean it like that just that there are a lot in the small very local village that are terrible drivers and dont seem to have clutch control and so consequently rev their engines. I also had an incident waiting at a junction where an older lady (lady 70s?) pulled up behind us so close that when moo swished her tail it touched the car. I asked her step forward away and as she did the woman followed me again close enough to touch !!!

 

[gingernut81]

I always make a huge thing of saying thank you to drivers for slowing down or stopping - it's just courtesy. As I rider I always trot on to a passing place if there is a car behind or if car in front has stopped. My chap has issues with white vans (I think he has had an incident with one prior to me having him) and I always try to either get off the road or trot on so I can and always explain and say thank you. There are a lot of riders round here that don't say thanks and it really grates on me when I'm driving.

 

[DragonSlayer]

The problem is no-one gives a toss about anyone anymore, everyone thinks they have the god-given right to do exactly as they please and to hell with everyone else..

I sometimes despair at society.... 'love they neighbour' went out the window the day the 10 Commandments were written...

 

[Flame_]

Another point about the "arrogance" horse riders get accused of, which gets on my nerves, its usually said in the same breath as "they're only there for a jolly, I have to get to work/ make a delivery/ get home/ etc". Now THAT is arrogance thinking that their journey is so important and yours so irrelevant that your presence shouldn't be allowed at all, less it should slow them down in their great purpose.

 

[AmieeT]

Another point about the "arrogance" horse riders get accused of, which gets on my nerves, its usually said in the same breath as "they're only there for a jolly, I have to get to work/ make a delivery/ get home/ etc". Now THAT is arrogance thinking that their journey is so important and yours so irrelevant that your presence shouldn't be allowed at all, less it should slow them down in their great purpose.

To which I would every time say "you should have left earlier then". My mum taught me to always leave 15 mins before you THINK you should- means it doesn't matter if you encounter, say, a horse and rider!!



Ax

 

[Flame_]

To which I would every time say "you should have left earlier then". My mum taught me to always leave 15 mins before you THINK you should- means it doesn't matter if you encounter, say, a horse and rider!!



Ax

Exactly. Thankfully there isn't some priority system for road use to the most (self!)important travellers.

 

[angelish]

its such a shame when people don't thank other road users , i always thank everyone if possible
although in some cases it might look like i'm not grateful as in last night i was hacking along a narrow footpath (i know but i'm frightened to be on that particular rd) with a 60mph road on my right and a 10ft ish drop into a field on my left when i heard something very noisy behind me , my horse doesn't like big tractors
it was a tractor with tank like wheels rolling along the road followed by a big trailer , i got a good hold of horse and cracked on in trot as i thought i had a better chance of staying on the footpath if i had him going fwd between hand and leg but it did mean i dare not take my hand of the rein to thank the very kind driver who pulled right to the other side of the road to pass me
i kept lifting my hand slightly and glancing over my shoulder trying to to make him aware i was grateful but it wouldn't have been obvious

he passed so i took my hand off the rein to hold it up in thanks when the moron white van driver behind the tractor who i hadn't seen come flying up my tail reving his engine nearly sending me down the drop

so kind tractor driver might have thought that i hadn't thanked him when i simply couldn't take my hands of the reins and when i did i had to grab hold again and he may not have seen my thanks
so it might not always be riders not being grateful