Riding on the road

[SillyMare]

Following on from a discussion in the 'news' forum, I was just wondering what everyone's views were on riding on the road vs the pavement.

The roads around us are very busy but mostly 30mph limit. I actually feel FAR safer on the road.

If I am on the road and riding fairly wide then all the cars have to slow down (at least a little bit) to get past. They also can't get past me when there is another car going in the other direction so if they need to swerve while they are passing me then at least they won't cause a big pile up (or worse, hit my horse!).

On the pavement nobody slows down at all. They come past full speed regardless of whether or not there is a car coming the other directing. It doesn't even cross their mind to pull over and pass me on the other side of the road.

So I am in the 'road' camp (but it is something that I think about quite a lot). What does everyone else think?

 

[KatB]

Def the same as you. People take no notice when on pavement.

 

[AmyMay]

I'm with you - definately the road. Apart from the fact that I don't think we should ride on the pavements (and that's before we get in to the 'law' argument).

I never ride tight in to the curb, and am very adept at getting cars to slow down.

 

[Lill]

Always ride on the road did not think you were allowed to ride on the pavement?? Besides there are none where i am! Only ditches and country lanes!

 

[ladylisa]

I know what you mean, on one of my hacks there is a very steep hill and once over the brow a car wouldnt be able to see you, so i go onto the pavement for this bit, but the cars just zoom past me without a care.
Motorist need to be more aware as a horse can still spook into the road and infront of the cars and going at that speed the horse wouldnt stand a chance nor the rider.

 

[pixie]

I believe its illegal to ride on the pavement anyways

 

[LEC]

I ride up the A38 on the pavement and they barely slow down - I have a very good horse in traffic but he is spooky at things on the pavement (bags flapping etc). I have to come off the pavement for about 300m and traffic really slows down. I tend to ride on the road as much as possible but I also have no hesitation in slowing people down and I always say thankyou to people who slow down.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Always ride on the road, unless there is a cycle lane and then a verge before the road. Have ridden on pavement before, but find a) no one slows down at all and b) horse more likely to jump into road as when dogs/people step out of driveways, they are right beside you!!!!

 

[pottamus]

We have no pavements here as are on country lanes etc. But I would not ride on the pavement unless I really had to or was on an A road section or something, because I was always led to believe that you are not meant to ride on the pavement - highway code...must dig that out sometime!
I feel that if you are on a pavement it allows traffic to wizz by you, whereas they tend to slow down if they have to move around you on the road.

 

[sillygillyhorse]

road for me too. if passing parked cars I always make sure I ride in the middle of the space available to stop idiots squeezing past. Always smile and thank those who do slow or stop and think nothing of waving two fingers at those who are complete knobs.

 

[SillyMare]

I know we are not supposed to ride on pavements under the highway code, but then drivers are supposed to pass obstacles (like horses) wide and slow aren't they?

The pavements around us are not that busy - hardly like riding a bike around a town centre! If I wanted to ride on the pavements, I would I'm afraid.

The thing that gets me is that regardless of whether the driver cares two hoots about the safety of me or my horse, they don't think for a minute about what could happen to their car or to them!

 

[CobMania]

The road I ride on is narrow and quiet, we do have the motorbike races in may which is a major pain. The horse I ride is good with traffic and just an angel.

Last may we had a gang of bikers approach us, big leather jackets etc, scarey looking. They actually stopped and turned the bikes off to let me past.

I stopped to stay thankyou to the leader who got chatting to me, didnt realise that Finn had ripped his mirror off!!!!!

 

[vicm2509]

I sometimes ride on the pavement. By us there are lots of main roads, out yard is on one where cars dont really slow down at all and there are quite a few blind bends which we cannot avoid, when going round these bends I will go on the pavement. My horse is good with traffic but can nap, id rather him nap on the pavement than nap on a blind bend and end up with a car up his backside.

I never ride on the pavement if there are people on it though (which is quite rare on the roads in question).

 

[Happy Bird]

I would always ride on the road - cars don't slow when you're on the pavement !! Obviously in an emergency I would pull onto pavement regardless of whether it's legal or not !

 

[Noodlejaffa]

I ride on the road and ensure I take up a good bit of it. I was told (while doing my BHS Riding & Road Safety) that horses have just as much right to be on the road as cars and bicycles so I ensure I do not creep along the edge, but can be seen. Also never go out without any kind of fluro gear on, be it summer or winter.

 

[fairhill]

I do both. Riding on the road slows the traffic down, but there are times when it's a LOT safer to ride on the pavement.
I ride in very heavy traffic (and mostly A roads), and for example would rather hop onto the pavement and ride on the inside of queuing traffic, rather than standing on the road for 20mins waiting for traffic lights to change.
I ride on the pavement going round a very busy roundabout at the end of a motorway.
When i was traffic proofing my youngster i would ride on the pavement on the inside of the safe horse whenever I could, and only went on the road when there were pedistrians on the pavement.
I am well aware fo the legalities of riding on the pavement, and in a perfect world wouldn't even need to go on the roads at all. Riding on the roads by me doesn't always slow the traffic down - a lot of drivers just see it as a challenge to squeeze past us as fast as they can...

 

[kateknights]

The same as you SM, on the road and wide, they have no choice but to slow down then...
Kate x

 

[debbielinder]

i ride on the road as a rule,as we do a lot of road work my horse is bombproof and not bothered by traffic every one in the area knows us so they are very good about slowing down however my beastie is not the best at standing at junctions (only on the last few on the way home cos she knows where she is) and if the roads very busy that i am waiting to come out onto i have been known to nip on the pavement and go in our gate (only if the pavements clear) as i think its far safer than trying to make her stand and her get ratty usually dont have a problem but once of twice i just think easier than argueing with her aswell

 

[teapot]

have never ridden on the pavement as where my hacking is - it's country lanes for about 90% of all roadwork

 

[Blackhawk]

No pavements to ride on! I ride on the roads. I live in a very small horsey village/area though so people are very considerate and I know most of them.

 

[Salcey]

I have to say we ride on the roads two abreast and rarely tuck in behind one another, that way most drivers slow down considerbly as we are a larger obsticle to get by. I do make sure we always thank them though.