Roads

[Boughtabay]

Probably done to death but are roads getting much more busy again after the post-lockdown lull? I hacked my young horse out all summer and to the end of November last year and had a few issues with drivers not knowing how to drive around us but nothing to write home about over the volume of traffic. Same young horse had a long winter break and I’ve recently been bringing him back into work but the sheer number & speed of cars passing the end of our lane has actually stopped me hacking out for now. We come out of a hidden entrance and it’s just so unsafe at the moment cars and lorries go flying past & I don’t seem to even get a gap in the traffic to try to cross! Obviously the rain hasn’t helped as it makes the traffic noise a lot more intimidating and I worry about him being frightened. Just a bit exasperated I guess as we’re on a bit of an island so I can’t see any way of us getting out safely until the hour changes and we can go after “rush” hour (I’m not even in a town or city!!)

anyone else noticed traffic getting much heavier these last few months?? Especially lorries - I’m sure there’s more of them

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Our lane is definitely worse it's used as a bit of a rat run in rush hour times and then most drivers are in a hurry and it's dangerous I try and avoid it most of the time.

We have more dog walkers than ever as well.

 

[Abacus]

Hearing that more people are physically back at work, more days per week, it would make sense that the roads are busier (esp with train and tube services being on strike some of the time).

Is there anything you can do to make your exit safer - trim the hedge, put up a mirror so that you can spot a gap while staying back from the road?

 

[Widgeon]

anyone else noticed traffic getting much heavier these last few months?? Especially lorries - I’m sure there’s more of them

Actually I had noticed this too - there do seem to be a lot of big lorries around, sometimes in the most improbable places. I can only think that drivers blindly following sat navs is a large part of the issue.

 

[bubsqueaks]

I have a 4 year old Im just about to back & been leading him out - I have been wearing L plates over my hiviz & carrying one - its made an amazing difference to drivers - so when he's riding out Im going to carry on wearing them for quite a while too! Drivers seem to understand L plates but dont understand hand signals or reading the back of hiviz asking to slow down etc!!

 

[Peglo]

Yes the roads are definitely busier with us. Used to know everyone in the area and now don’t know if they live here or visiting. And I’ve already seen campervans here and it’s only March!! We’re isles off the north of Scotland, notorious for our bad weather but tourist season seems to be kicking off already. I have no issues with that but last year the campervans were the worst of the lot when I was riding. They just didn’t slow down. I’ve never felt so unsafe on the roads and where I live it’s a dead end so it’s not a through road. Can only imagine how bad they would be.

 

[SEL]

Also noticed how heavy the traffic is and how impatient everyone is - I couldn't even get to a gateway a couple of meters away before someone pushed past the baby cob.

 

[ponynutz]

Our lane is definitely worse it's used as a bit of a rat run in rush hour times and then most drivers are in a hurry and it's dangerous I try and avoid it most of the time.

We have more dog walkers than ever as well.

Same for ours. It's a dead end but can get through by foot and have a few businesses down here. Condition of the road has declined significantly in just under 2 years which tells you everything.

 

[PeterNatt]

I ride out each day and have done so for the last 40 years. Covid was a quiet time on the roads but it is getting back to what it was.
I always wear a Long Sleeved Hi-Viz jacket so that other road users van clearly see my hand signals as well as a Hat Band, Reins and Nose Band. I also wear a Techalogic DC-1 camera on my crash hat which records from the front and rear at the same time. Please also check out the Pass Wide and Slow Facebook Page which may give you some additional idears. Best of luck.

 

[BSL2]

Roads are busier, and the majority of drivers are sh1t. There are some absolutely great people out there, but unfortunately, the ones who nearly kill you, with their defence, "you should ride on fields", are the ones that are remembered.

Edited to add, I wear loads of hi viz, and nod thank you, like a demented car toy, to everyone, that attempts to touch their brake pedal, or use their steering wheel to avoid us, even though I'm thinking, twit twoo

 

[Boughtabay]

Hearing that more people are physically back at work, more days per week, it would make sense that the roads are busier (esp with train and tube services being on strike some of the time).

Is there anything you can do to make your exit safer - trim the hedge, put up a mirror so that you can spot a gap while staying back from the road?

not really - I can see plenty far over the hedge but traffic can’t see me which wouldn’t be much of an issue except the last time I went out I never got even half a chance to cross and the number of big fast lorries & all the spray with this bad weather really started to unsettle him it’s never been like this before and I’m starting to think it won’t die down again either

 

[L&M]

We must be lucky as not seen a rise in traffic, but have noticed many drivers being more considerate and giving the horses a wider birth - possibly since the Highway code changes?

 

[Boughtabay]

Actually I had noticed this too - there do seem to be a lot of big lorries around, sometimes in the most improbable places. I can only think that drivers blindly following sat navs is a large part of the issue.

It is a main road that our lane comes out onto/that I cross into the village so they’re not in the wrong place I guess but my god every other vehicle was a lorry the other day it was genuinely scary waiting to cross with all the noise & speed im not surprised little man had a fright. Not to say the lorry drivers were doing anything wrong - we weren’t on the road & they probably couldn’t see us but it’s just the sheer number of them is crazy at the moment!

 

[Boughtabay]

We must be lucky as not seen a rise in traffic, but have noticed many drivers being more considerate and giving the horses a wider birth - possibly since the Highway code changes?

that’s good! About 5 years ago I moved where I am now and there are a lot fewer people with the awareness to give livestock a wide berth (this inlcudes when we’re crossing sheep ) than there were at “home”. I don’t think the driving is any worse where I am though, just that there’s much more traffic

 

[Fieldlife]

Probably done to death but are roads getting much more busy again after the post-lockdown lull? I hacked my young horse out all summer and to the end of November last year and had a few issues with drivers not knowing how to drive around us but nothing to write home about over the volume of traffic. Same young horse had a long winter break and I’ve recently been bringing him back into work but the sheer number & speed of cars passing the end of our lane has actually stopped me hacking out for now. We come out of a hidden entrance and it’s just so unsafe at the moment cars and lorries go flying past & I don’t seem to even get a gap in the traffic to try to cross! Obviously the rain hasn’t helped as it makes the traffic noise a lot more intimidating and I worry about him being frightened. Just a bit exasperated I guess as we’re on a bit of an island so I can’t see any way of us getting out safely until the hour changes and we can go after “rush” hour (I’m not even in a town or city!!)

anyone else noticed traffic getting much heavier these last few months?? Especially lorries - I’m sure there’s more of them

Years back I needed a foot soldier to get out on a main road round a blind corner. To hack. Visibility was ok on way back.

You could also request / buy and put up some caution horses signs.

 

[Boughtabay]

Years back I needed a foot soldier to get out on a main road round a blind corner. To hack. Visibility was ok on way back.

You could also request / buy and put up some caution horses signs.

Are you allowed to put these up without council permission? I wouldn’t mind!

 

[Fieldlife]

Are you allowed to put these up without council permission? I wouldn’t mind!

No but if you buy unofficial ones and put them up, odds are they won’t do anything.

 

[Boughtabay]

No but if you buy unofficial ones and put them up, odds are they won’t do anything.

very true! Someone local has some council installed flashing lights for crossing livestock and I’m very jealous of those

 

[spotty_pony]

They are definitely busier around here - I avoid them as much as possible but it's really difficult at the moment with the ground being so wet!! Just today, I rode all the way to the end of the lane which leads onto a 60mph two lane country road which I only have to ride on for five minutes to join the bridleway to go home but the traffic was flying along it and my mare isn't the most confident in traffic (don't think I would have fancied taking any of them on there this morning though!) so I ended up turning around and going back completely the same way as it just wasn't worth the risk! I've definitely become more sensible with age - shame that doesn't happen to the car drivers too!!

 

[Boughtabay]

They are definitely busier around here - I avoid them as much as possible but it's really difficult at the moment with the ground being so wet!! Just today, I rode all the way to the end of the lane which leads onto a 60mph two lane country road which I only have to ride on for five minutes to join the bridleway to go home but the traffic was flying along it and my mare isn't the most confident in traffic (don't think I would have fancied taking any of them on there this morning though!) so I ended up turning around and going back completely the same way as it just wasn't worth the risk! I've definitely become more sensible with age - shame that doesn't happen to the car drivers too!!

this is exactly what I did last Saturday and with our towing vehicle out of action I haven’t been out since going to try again tomorrow. Luckily we only really have to cross the main road but the village the other side is quite busy too despite the 30mph limit! Hoping tomorrow/Sunday might be kinder to try again & that the hour change will mean evenings are a chance to get out too

 

[spotty_pony]

Boughtabay - Sunday is the day that I take full advantage of a lot of routes that I can’t use all week because of the traffic. Saturday afternoons aren’t too bad either for some routes. Yesterday though I know my younger self would have just got on with it and gone on the road because ‘we have as much right to be there as the cars’ which is true but the scary thing is the drivers do not care and it’s not worth risking yours or your horse’s life over.

 

[Gloi]

Boughtabay - Sunday is the day that I take full advantage of a lot of routes that I can’t use all week because of the traffic. Saturday afternoons aren’t too bad either for some routes. Yesterday though I know my younger self would have just got on with it and gone on the road because ‘we have as much right to be there as the cars’ which is true but the scary thing is the drivers do not care and it’s not worth risking yours or your horse’s life over.

Sunday is the worst day for me. There might not be as many lorries, who are normally pretty good, but the roads are full of tourists and people going to the country pubs for lunch and they take no care on country roads.

 

[Ratface]

Old Horse is semi-retired. I'm currently sidelined from riding due to M E. Even if I wasn't, I wouldn't ride round our pretty lanes, bridleways or downlands any more. The speed and lack of courtesy to other road-users is breathtaking. I even go a longer route to avoid the local village and it's network of parked cars, scooters doing wheelies and other disasters waiting to happen.
It's a real shame. We used to hack out for hours and have a lovely time.

 

[Boughtabay]

We crossed the road and as a reward we were met with scooters 2 busses coming from both directions at the same time (didn’t think that was the timetable but ok…) and a scrambler about 5 mins from home - who rather than wait 2 seconds did a U turn and zoomed away from us - which might have been ok (& bike man probably thought he was doing the right thing just unlucky timing) if it weren’t for the fact that he just does loops of the village so donkey was too petrified to go any further bc he was scared we’d bump into the bike again! Rescued by OH in the end it’s just one thing after another! Even on the tiny back roads!

 

[Boughtabay]

Tonight I took advantage of the hour change and waited until the traffic died down. he crossed the main road without me having to hop off, so far so good. Cue lorry - he coped, good good. Struggling to get past a new parked car cue bus, no worries we pass the bus. Oh no I’ve just turned my slightly nappy baby horse towards home, get him back facing the correct direction, cue car AND a chainsaw in the hedge… right we’re f*ed now. Hop off, lead past scary parked car which originally set off this chain of events & go to get back on. Cue another 2 cars - one of which refuses to wait for me to move his bum out of the road and squeezes by (2nd car confirms car 1 was being an idiot). We move forwards a little more cue builders throwing rubble into the river (should they be doing that? ) no chance to ponder that because ANOTHER BUS and on that note I decide f*ck it and we head home. Hop on and we walk home without incident. Cry.
I’m setting my baby horse up to fail in situations like this.