so fed up with cars

[nemlin]

i know i very rarely post on here so i am extremely sorry to have this rant, but i feel i have nobody else to vent my anger out on

i've just been out for a half hour ride round the block and in that time i must have been passed by at least 80 cars (its a busy road unfortunatly) of which i can safely say only half bothered to slow down and even less decided to give me a bit of space.

this is fairly typical of the drivers around here, but what really annoyed and upset me was when i got out of their way and rode on the grass verge, a car stopped and told me i had no right to be on the verge! so i stupidly replied that i'm doing it so cars wouldnt get right up my horses backside/speed past me and take off my sturrups etc etc and it was much safer for all concerned (may i just add this grass verge is massive and about 50 metres wide). i said to this woman where would you rather i ride then? i get abused on the roads and i get abused off them - what do you want me to do? and i even included a swear word in there which i would never normally dream about

i'm just getting so fed up with the attitude of drivers in this country. i use the road in all manners, as a driver/cyclist/walker and rider and i dont feel victimised unless i'm on my horse

i really feel ready to start a massive campaign against bad drivers!

sorry for this pointless post but i feel bit better now i've vented my anger.

gonna go chill in the bath now and eat lots of chocolate

 

[SillyMare]

It is the same around us - drivers are horendous, don't give a moment of thought to horses.

This woman sounds like an idiot.

You should ride wherever you feel safest (actually I always feel safer riding quite wide on the road because then they have to overtake you properly and not just skim past).

 

[Chex]

I always ride on the grass verges! Much safer than being on the road, but saying that I have had some people not even moving over at all and just skimming past me. Its generally not too bad where I am, most people slow down and wide. But then you get the ones that crawl past you at 1mph lol

 

[Ashf]

If you get on the verges, then they don't see you as a hazard or another road user. Sod the fashion sense and make sure that you and your horse have a very high viz profile and get yourself a tabbard saying 'pass wide & slow' . this will buy them 3 extra seconds to slow down.

If you want to measure the distance from a car, if you can give it a good slap across the roof with a riding crop, then they are far too close

 

[Salcey]

We are quite lucky as the country roads round here aren't too bad. When I'm out with my daughter we tend to walk side by side so the cars have to slow down more, I've found if we move onto the verge or go single file it just encourages the cars to zoom on by.

 

[HelenPolly]

Inconsiderate drivers are everywhere, I think there's some people that will never accept us using the roads!

In my area (Wilmington, nr Dartford, Kent) I do notice a difference where if I wear loads of high vi gear - tabard, leg wraps, nose band reflector etc. drivers seem to slow down more than if I just wore a solitary tabard. I think their mentality is that there must either be something wrong with you, you are a novice ridier or you can't control your horse. I don't mind them thinking this, as long as they slow down! I'm always very polite to people that do make any effort at all as you never know when you'll run into them again.

I always ride out with a long schooling whip with a huge piece of bright bailing twine tied in a bow on the end, most drivers absolutely hate the thought of anything touching their precious car and usually give me a wide berth, my friends have all noticed this works for them too.

Helen

 

[kildalton]

My friend used to hit car roofs with her whip!!

 

[nemlin]

thanks you guys its so nice to know i'm not alone like this.

i always (without fail) ride out in high viz gear, pity though cos my tabard doesnt give clear instructions like "dont overtake me on a corner, slow down to walking speed, give me loads of space etc etc!" lol. i used to take a schooling whip out with me but i too am guilty of hitting the roofs of cars that get too close...

 

[RLF]

i also ride two abreast then cars have no choice but to slow down and wait for us to pull into a layby or go single file. i also stick my schooling whip out so they pass with at least enough space without getting to close cus my horse hates cars getting close to her

 

[YorksG]

I get my revenge in general by taking the lorry out! lol. On a more serious note I do try and ensure that I thank the drivers who make any effort at all, I get annoyed that riders often don't thank me when I slow down and give them plenty of room when I am in the car. My dad used to hit cars with his whip when he drove his mare, if they got too close. He worked on the principle that if he could reach them they were too close.