Riders must change their behaviour to make roads safer?

Snowy Celandine

Snowy Celandine

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I've just read this article (link below) and feel irritated by it. Here is an excerpt -

“We need to tell them [drivers] when they’re good and tell them when they’re bad. We need to use our arms, we need to use our voices, and when they do slow down we need to absolutely love those people, we need to beam at them.

“You’ve got to absolutely love these people, you’ve got to say, ‘Thank you so much, that is so kind, I’m so grateful to you’. That’s what I do because that’s what’s keeping us safe.

Read more at http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news...-safety-conference-623037#F5grwbAHGHjkQx9h.99

I stopped hacking on the roads a few years ago because I felt it had become far too dangerous but when I used to hack out on roads I invariably thanked considerate drivers with a cheery wave and a smile if it was safe to do so. Sometimes, if my horse was jogging/sidestepping or whatever it was obviously safer to keep both hands on the reins. My horses have generally been safe on the roads but all young horses need time to learn to cope with traffic and there can always be something unexpected e.g. a pheasant that suddenly flies up, the air brakes on a lorry etc.

I realise that some people don't bother thanking drivers and that's a massive shame but there are rude people in all sectors of society, horse riders, cyclists, motorists, whatever and you cannot get rude/uncaring people to change their ways in my experience. If I could there would be no more litter lining the verges as I would have managed to explain the error of their ways to all the filthy litter droppers!!!

So, what I am saying is NOT that horse riders and other road users should cease to be considerate to others and drive/ride with safety in mind. I am NOT saying that riders and other road users should not thank each other with a wave if they pass us safely on our horses or let us out at junctions when we are driving our cars. I am stunned, however, that we must virtually offer them sex in a lay-by simply for passing us safely rather than ploughing into our horses! I think someone would be far more likely to run into me on my horse, even accidentally, if I suddenly began windmilling my arms and shouting loud enough for them to hear me in their cars with locked windows.

Could just be me though? Do the rest of you flap your arms and offer to snog considerate drivers?!! :o
 
I agree with the article.
Far too often I dont get thanked or even acknowledged when passing a horse. Yes I can tell if it would be safe for rider or not. I also get very angry at the riders who dawdle along a narrow road holding up streams of cars because they cant be bothered to trot on or pause in a driveway. Then let's add in those riders who feel they absolutely have to hack out at peak traffic times. If, as a rider of 54 years, these things are annoying me then how much more are we upsetting the other road users. Far too many riders carry on as if they own the road and have a god given right to do as they please. This is the 21st century, horses are purely for leisure, traffic volumes are sky high. If we want to keep access to roads and stay safe then an attitude adjustment is required for more than just a few of us.

PS Sex in lay-bys sounds kind of exciting but would we have hitching rails to tie the horses up to?
 
I have to say your post did make me laugh!
I'm totally with you on this one- can't see why a smile and a hand up in thanks isn't enough. I also agree there are times when it is not safe to take a hand off the rein and although I would always try to make eye contact with the driver (which probably wouldn't be possible anyway on a larger horse!) and smile its not always easy when you are being bounced along because of a horse-eating drain cover or kamikaze pheasant!
 
I've never been thanked by a cyclist despite passing every single one safely and considerately. Why are horse riders different? Just interested because I honestly believe that ALL road users, whether they have four wheels or two or four legs, should drive/ride considerately without the need to be thanked profusely.

Having said that, I am very polite and have taken advanced driving lessons so I know that I will always drive safely without deliberately endangering other road users. I truly believe that riders SHOULD thank considerate drivers but that other road users should do the same i.e. cyclists and fellow motorists who give way to others etc. The bit that I don't understand is why it is horse riders alone who need to be polite? Why should every road user not feel the need to be considerate?
 
I also agree with the article, after being sworn at by a rider in the village I keep my horses in, for suggesting that it would have been polite for them to pull over or at least say thank you to the line of 15 cars that had patiently waited for them.

I have shared the article to our village fb page in the hope maybe it will make them think a bit more about their actions. The new riders in our area are just awful on the roads :( no respect and all over the place we've been here 10 years with no issues but I can see local motorist becoming more and more irate with these new people :(.
 
It's a pet peeve of mine - I'm all for drivers being educated about driving near animals, and I agree with the sentiment of the article (just not the exact way it's been written).

Round here I am so frustrated with the attitude of the riders on the roads. Some of the worst are the liveries on the yard I am on, and they are the first to spout negative comments about cars not being courteous, or driving too fast/close etc.

It's just plain rude and does nothing to put riders on the roads in a positive light. Someone has to lead by example, and it might as well be the horse community. If all else fails, at least it gives you the moral high ground!

No-one is expecting a full on worship in thanks, just a nod of acknowledgement and a smile is enough!!

I'm not condoning the behavior of some motorists, but we really don't help ourselves sometimes.
 
Ok, it seems I am in the minority, expecting as I do ALL road users to be considerate of the needs of others. I expected that to be honest but since there are so many rude horse riders around which of you is going to admit to being just such a person? If you are brave enough to confess I for one would be very interested in why you feel that you don't need to ride safely and be polite? I'd also love to hear from drivers and cyclists who feel that horse riders should be polite and considerate whilst at the same time believing that they (motorists and cyclists) have no such obligation.

I feel for the sake of clarity that I should explain once more that I believe ALL road users, whether their mode of transport has four legs or four or two wheels SHOULD ride/drive safely and be polite to other road users. I think some of you have chosen to believe I am advocating rudeness on the part of horse riders which couldn't be further from the truth I assure you :)
 
I do a lot of rewarding of good riving. I smile, wave if it's possible (prefer to keep two hands on the reins mostly), have a chat through an open window, nod enthusiastically, click my clicker LMAO .....
Bad drivers I report - when I have headcam footage or can remember the reg plate. Usually 2-3 per week. Police presence on our roads has improved and I won't give up until we have speed restrictions on one particular stretch of ridiculously dangerous road.
 
I smile and thank every driver who slows down when possible, I use arm signals when they don’t… BUT not every driver is willing to slow - a couple of weeks ago I was on a straight road, I heard a fast car in the distance, it didn’t slow, I did arm signals (hi viz arms so unmissable), it sped up and passed me at 60mph+. Sometimes it’s not that they can’t see you/ don’t know how to act/ don’t understand the signals, some drivers simply do not care.

On the other side of the fence, I always slow and give way to horses. Not every rider thanks me, I don’t take it personally - I don’t expect every cyclist or pedestrian to thank me for not endangering them. I was out riding a young cob, coming towards a blind junction (village only but still could have been something coming) I had both hands on the reins and was concentrating on making sure I got a halt. I am about half way across the road when a woman who was behind me and turning the opposite direction decided to stop and shout at me that I needed to wave to all drivers and that I was giving horse riders a bad name!

I think what I am saying is there are so many factors to thanking/not thanking/ drivers responsibilities that you can’t set things in stone for people to expect, especially to arrogant people with an inflated sense of self importance.
 
AlexHyde said:
I also agree with the article, after being sworn at by a rider in the village I keep my horses in, for suggesting that it would have been polite for them to pull over or at least say thank you to the line of 15 cars that had patiently waited for them.

I have shared the article to our village fb page in the hope maybe it will make them think a bit more about their actions. The new riders in our area are just awful on the roads :( no respect and all over the place we've been here 10 years with no issues but I can see local motorist becoming more and more irate with these new people :(.
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Are the 'new people' new to riding or recent incomers to your village?
 
I don't care for what that journalist has implied nor some comments below.
I smile, raise my hand and thank them and if their window is down, I call a friendly thanks as well as to wear Hi Viz to ensure they see me and my horse. We also trot on to the nearest place to pull in or if there is a lot of traffic and I know the verge well - I will pull my horse up onto it.

So to answer your question, heck no.

When I sat my BHS test, you were expected to stay in walk if there are any cars in the vicinity so what are young riders learning. I had a line of traffic behind and the traffic in front stopped. I trotted on, in control and knowing I had a footsure horse who has never slipped on the road. We got out of the way efficiently and safely and I was failed due to trotting when "the cars were under my control so they would have stayed behind."
 
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Merlod said:
I smile and thank every driver who slows down when possible, I use arm signals when they don’t… BUT not every driver is willing to slow - a couple of weeks ago I was on a straight road, I heard a fast car in the distance, it didn’t slow, I did arm signals (hi viz arms so unmissable), it sped up and passed me at 60mph+. Sometimes it’s not that they can’t see you/ don’t know how to act/ don’t understand the signals, some drivers simply do not care.

On the other side of the fence, I always slow and give way to horses. Not every rider thanks me, I don’t take it personally - I don’t expect every cyclist or pedestrian to thank me for not endangering them. I was out riding a young cob, coming towards a blind junction (village only but still could have been something coming) I had both hands on the reins and was concentrating on making sure I got a halt. I am about half way across the road when a woman who was behind me and turning the opposite direction decided to stop and shout at me that I needed to wave to all drivers and that I was giving horse riders a bad name!

I think what I am saying is there are so many factors to thanking/not thanking/ drivers responsibilities that you can’t set things in stone for people to expect, especially to arrogant people with an inflated sense of self importance.
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You obviously think along the same lines as me Merlod. Some rude/uncaring people will NOT slow down or stop doing any other dangerous or antisocial behaviours no matter what we, as riders,do to thank them or simply try to educate them. How many people know that smoking/overeating/drinking to excess is inadvisable? Most of them I expect so does no-one smoke/pig out/binge drink? Erm, yes, they still do. Education is great and I am all for it but you will never, ever get everyone to behave nicely towards others.
 
Snowy Celandine said:
Are the 'new people' new to riding or recent incomers to your village?
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Just recent to the village (new yard opened), they are a mix of new horse owners and experienced but their behaviour on the roads is awful.

Before we had really seen them out and about on the roads, in the last few meeting of our bridleways they were complaining about motorists behaviour, which we said was odd as we've never had such problems before. We now know where the issue is coming from and from what we've seen it is not the cars!

I'm wondering if I can organised some professional advise from BHS or something, to come and talk to them...
 
I think that would be a great idea Alex :) Even if you only get a few of them to understand that they have to behave well on the roads in order to make them safe for all you will have done a good thing.
 
fidleyspromise said:
I don't care for what that journalist has implied nor some comments below.
I smile, raise my hand and thank them and if their window is down, I call a friendly thanks as well as to wear Hi Viz to ensure they see me and my horse. We also trot on to the nearest place to pull in or if there is a lot of traffic and I know the verge well - I will pull my horse up onto it.
Click to expand...
and if all riders did the same I suspect the attitude to horse riders would be somewhat different. Sadly there seems to be a growing band of riders who don't do any of the actions you take.
 
Snowy Celandine said:
Ok, it seems I am in the minority, expecting as I do ALL road users to be considerate of the needs of others. I expected that to be honest but since there are so many rude horse riders around which of you is going to admit to being just such a person? If you are brave enough to confess I for one would be very interested in why you feel that you don't need to ride safely and be polite? I'd also love to hear from drivers and cyclists who feel that horse riders should be polite and considerate whilst at the same time believing that they (motorists and cyclists) have no such obligation.

I feel for the sake of clarity that I should explain once more that I believe ALL road users, whether their mode of transport has four legs or four or two wheels SHOULD ride/drive safely and be polite to other road users. I think some of you have chosen to believe I am advocating rudeness on the part of horse riders which couldn't be further from the truth I assure you :)
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Don't get me wrong, I too believe that ALL road users should be polite/courteous etc. I also believe that ALL road users should abide by the rules of the road too, but some communities are slightly more relaxed in this :D

But I do feel that as horse riders, we have this (mostly) undeserved reputation as being rich snobs, who look down on everyone (I realize literally in most cases while on a horse) and as such, this needs to change but won't while we treat drivers with contempt. But, as per life in general, it's always a few that enable general tarring of the many.
 
Im with PaddyMonty, Ive been riding for a long time and as a rider, I am infuriated by the ignorance of some horse riders I come across whilst driving. When riding, I jog on if its at all possible to avoid causing huge queues behind me, I will pull in to a driveway or gateway to allow traffic to pass, I always acknowledge, even if its just a head nod and smile, and have in the past contacted companies to both thank and complain about their drivers. I never ride at peak times, its just not worth the risk and the aggravation, asides which, its no fun. Whilst, as riders we have every right to ride on the roads whenever we want, discretion is sometimes the better part of valour and we are far too vulnerable to get into a fight about it. I think the article raises some valid points, we do need to encourage and reward good driving, maybe we shouldnt need to, we should expect to receive consideration as the norm, but through ignorance, indifference or downright stupidity we dont always get it. What I cannot get my head around is the way that cyclists behave around here, they behave as if they are completely invincible, refuse to move over and never acknowledge anyone waiting behind them. If all horse riders behaved in the same way there would be absolute uproar about it!!
 
The previous sharer I had for my boy was from New Zealand. She was an amazing rider and taught me loads, but I had to 'teach' her how to ride on the roads -what hand signals to use, where and how to position herself etc. She couldn't believe how assertive and confident I was in making clear to drivers what I was doing and what I wanted them to do. I had never thought about it but I suppose she's right. I've grown up riding on the roads so it's just what I do. I'm not afraid to ask a vehicle to do something but always thank drivers, either with a hand signal or out loud if their window is open, too.

I've also tweeted and phoned companies whose drivers have been especially thoughtful to thank them and posted stuff on social media groups when drivers have been particularly good. Luckily I've only had to do it once when a driver's been particularly bad and had a lot of support from the community - I hope as they see I also praise and thank good drivers.

I really think we have to go for the carrot before the stick when it comes to this issue. If nothing else it means the stick gets taken more seriously when it does have to be used.
 
Thinking more about this though and I've realised that whilst we are absolutely correct to 'reward' good, safe drivers with a wave and a smile all we are really doing is preaching to the converted isn't it? If a driver is already kind and considerate it is great to acknowledge this good behaviour as it will hopefully encourage him or her to continue to practise it but where does it get us with the dangerous drivers? We can and should contact their companies if they are driving liveried vehicles and driving recklessly around us as riders or fellow motorists but thanking the good drivers really does nothing to educate or improve the driving of the careless, dangerous motorists that we encounter does it?
 
PaddyMonty said:
No, I agree completely with you on that score. I even got thanked by a lycra clad cyclist a few weeks ago. Nearly crashed the car in shock.
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In the last year or so I have had a few thanks/acknowledgments from cyclists so
I'm starting to wonder if there has been a bit of a push within clubs for this,
It's amazing, despite being a horse rider and vunurable road user, how peed off you can feel by bikes/horses but how easily that can be disapated by just a quick smile on nod of thanks, not a lot to ask?!
 
When I'm overtaking horses/cyclists/pedestrians whatever I'm far to busy concentrating on the road ahead to notice if I've been thanked or not! Who cares anyway I don't slow down and pass wide cos I'm nice I do it to try to avoid an accident!
 
Of course riders should acknowledge good manners and safe driving just as I acknowledge people when I am driving .
But I completely refute that we need to be slavish thankful for people obeying the law .
But the riders really need to do is ride better train their horses better and avoid riding out at dangerous times of day for instance in very bright low sun or fog .
 
benz said:
When I'm overtaking horses/cyclists/pedestrians whatever I'm far to busy concentrating on the road ahead to notice if I've been thanked or not! Who cares anyway I don't slow down and pass wide cos I'm nice I do it to try to avoid an accident!
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A very valid point. I do everything I can to avoid accidents too. I think nice people do say thank you and enjoy being thanked in their turn but it is not a prerequisite to make me (a hopefully nice person) drive safely.
 
"But I completely refute that we need to be slavish thankful for people obeying the law ."

And that is exactly the point I was trying to make - thank you for getting it GS :D We should ALL, riders/cyclists/drivers, be obeying the law and driving safely and considerately. We do not require thanks every time we fail to mow down a pedestrian on a zebra crossing or drive slowly past a school in accordance with the speed limit.

Having said that I will always continue to thank drivers for letting me walk across a pedestrian crossing or pull out at a junction or whatever as it is only good manners but it is not actually a necessity. I bet most of us would rather be surrounded by competent, observant and safety conscious drivers/riders/cyclists at all times instead of simply receiving hugs, kisses and goodness knows what else from any horse riders we encounter?!
 
I thank people on the bike if not going up or down hill if they have waited a bit.
My main issue/ponder when riding is when you are on a main road with constant traffic in both directions whether you are expected to do a nodding dog impression or permanently keep your hand up, or just an innane grin for the duration :D
 
ester said:
I thank people on the bike if not going up or down hill if they have waited a bit.
My main issue/ponder when riding is when you are on a main road with constant traffic in both directions whether you are expected to do a nodding dog impression or permanently keep your hand up, or just an innane grin for the duration :D
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You could always get one of those rubber dog toys with the grinning teeth ester - job done :p
 
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