So what do we think of this …. ?

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Alec Swan

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Me — I'm staggered at the rudeness on display by some riders. We're so quick to blame the inconsiderate drivers, especially those in big white vans, but whilst the first pair of riders displayed manners and consideration for others, the next lot certainly didn't.

Is it any wonder that car drivers, often those who may be late for appointments, view those of us on the highway with horses with a degree of annoyance?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtpcQzSkbGk&sns=em

Alec.
 
Wow... it definitely does work both ways doesn't it. Horse riders need to know how to be courteous just as much as car drivers so that we can all get along and stay safe.

It's really nice to see that he did do the right thing though, cause that second set of riders must have been unbelievably frustrating. He was stuck behind them for over 5 minutes, and then they had the cheek to ask him to slow down as he crawled past... If they feel that worried then they probably shouldn't be hacking out on those roads.
 
The blond girl would have got bitch slapped up and down that lane a few times if I was the driver. How bloody rude and inconsiderate! I hope they are on this forum and see what absolute morons they are!!

Lovely countryside but god I'd hate to have to hack on those roads. Give me two lanes of country road and fast inconsiderate drivers any day :(

I bet she was on FB afterwards on the Horse Road Safety awareness page ranting about a terrible experience they had with a van driver .. I swear some of those riders go on there treating it like a competition as to who can have the worst experience!!!!
 
I agree that the second group could certainly have found a space to let you pass earlier. There was a gateway right at the start of that particular part of the clip that they could have used.
To play devils advocate: They may not have been able to trot, for example if one of the horses was rehabbing from lameness. Also, as the previous owner of a horse who was terrified of white vans, I can kind of understand their anxiety for you to pass wide and slow.
That said - if we use the roads, we need to treat our fellow road users with respect and that includes minimising inconvenience for other road users. There did seem to be an element of ignorance on display here.
However, I get nervous when these encounters are posted to publicly available websites because they can be used as justification by some for the dangerous manner of their driving.
 
Flicker said:
I agree that the second group could certainly have found a space to let you pass earlier. There was a gateway right at the start of that particular part of the clip that they could have used.
To play devils advocate: They may not have been able to trot, for example if one of the horses was rehabbing from lameness. Also, as the previous owner of a horse who was terrified of white vans, I can kind of understand their anxiety for you to pass wide and slow.
That said - if we use the roads, we need to treat our fellow road users with respect and that includes minimising inconvenience for other road users. There did seem to be an element of ignorance on display here.
However, I get nervous when these encounters are posted to publicly available websites because they can be used as justification by some for the dangerous manner of their driving.
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Sorry, OP, assumed this was your clip. Sorry if I got the wrong end of the stick!
 
The sad thing is that this type of behaviour by inconsiderate riders quite naturally p......s drivers off and next time they fly past someone on a young horse, perhaps causing fatal accidents. Wants putting on Facebook and sharing to name and shame them and teach others how 'not to ride' on the roads.
 
sport horse said:
The sad thing is that this type of behaviour by inconsiderate riders quite naturally p......s drivers off
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^^ this

Even as a rider who regularly rides on the roads, this would annoy me too! You can easily imagine that the driver would be so hacked off by that inconsiderate behaviour that they'd zoom past the third set of horses just because they were still fuming. Full credit to this driver. Agree the 2nd group could have turned back a few steps right at the beginning to allow him to pass if they stood in the gateway.

We have one on my yard who tootles along at her own sweet pace when you approach in a car. Seems completely oblivious :(

FWIW I have rehabbed a horse in walk work on lanes like this - it's not impossible to still be considerate. I could squeeze her past most vehicles so often turned back to face traffic coming from behind, ask them to stop so I could pass, and then turn back and continue on our way. Can often hear traffic coming too, allowing you to wait at a passing spot for them to appear. Even just acknowledging the driver goes some way to reducing the irritation.
 
It got posted on a thread the other week, I couldn't comprehend if their intention was to keep walking why they didn't go into the gateway space that is on their left as he comes across them. It looks to have plenty of room and having a horse that does fuss about anything larger than a car, including white vans that would have been plenty of space for her. The fact that they didn't pull down either of the subsequent driveways suggest that none of the horses do have that sort of issue though. Thank goodness for the good ones he also met!

I did think the first encounter shows how easy it is to misinterpret signals though, he thought she wanted him to go faster, if I did that it would just be to confirm to the driver that they were to come through/I was waiting for them/my horse will be fine.
 
The second set of riders made me angry just watching, thankfully this driver was forgiving enough not to take it out on the next riders he met, most wouldn't be so kind.
 
Wow those 3 girls are idiots. And they kept looking round at him, obviously annoyed at him although I dunno why. I'd have been happy with someone driving that far away from me. I hope they are on here too, will hopefully teach them to not be so foolish next time. The girl who stopped her horse on a blind bend, does she want to die? You don't even do that in a car for god sake, and you're much better protected in a car. So stupid of them and so inconsiderate.
 
I really don't understand why the second set of riders didn't just pull up into the gateway when they first met the van? Then they could have tootled along at whatever speed they liked. Same goes for the second area one of the riders went to pull into.
 
Well that was a startling performance .if they could not trot for a reason they ought to have turned back into the space they where a little past when theny first saw the van .
It was unfortunate they could not use the passing place because of the second van and they ought to have used that chance to trot smartly on without the van behind them if they could .
And I think as they where walking they ought to have gone into the gap on the right as soon as they reached the village it was the first moment they could have let him pass.
Their signals where ambiguous was that a wave or a slow down at the end I was not sure .
Drivers a prat though sometimes stuff slow you up you just have to suck it up.
 
FestiveFuzz said:
I really don't understand why the second set of riders didn't just pull up into the gateway when they first met the van? Then they could have tootled along at whatever speed they liked. Same goes for the second area one of the riders went to pull into.
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Teenage girls so therefore morons perhaps? lol ;)
 
Antw23uk said:
Teenage girls so therefore morons perhaps? lol ;)
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Haha quite likely judging by the video! :P All I could think when I saw them asking him to slow down was that they'd be scared witless hacking where we are as most of the vans we encounter seem to use the back roads like race tracks!
 
I sometimes find myself watching headcam/dashcam videos from both sides of this "debate" and thinking, 'was that really so bad?' But this is definitely bad!

I think it's the unjustified angry hand waving as much as the not looking for the first opportunity to give way that is awful. Rude and utterly counter productive.

Thought and care needs to go both ways.

In this situation, if I had missed the first gateway opportunity, I would turn back and ask the driver to stop while we came back past his van then turned and followed him up the road. This manoeuvre is also great for the horses confidence cos they get to chase the potentially scary thing away. And it means the driver gets on their way much quicker.
 
FestiveFuzz said:
Haha quite likely judging by the video! :P All I could think when I saw them asking him to slow down was that they'd be scared witless hacking where we are as most of the vans we encounter seem to use the back roads like race tracks!
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I did wonder whether this single track road had become a bit of a cut through for things like that, hence they may have gotten fed up of getting out the way for vans using it as such? Still not ok but I could see how that would happen.
 
ester said:
I did wonder whether this single track road had become a bit of a cut through for things like that, hence they may have gotten fed up of getting out the way for vans using it as such? Still not ok but I could see how that would happen.
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Yeah I have to admit there are now roads we ride two abreast on as it's literally the only way to slow drivers down, particularly on the roads with blind bends! That said, we always revert back to single file if it's safe to pass or pull in as soon as we can (unfortunately trotting on roads is a no-go as friend's horse is rehabbing) and make sure to say thanks so I'd hope we haven't pee'd too many people off.
 
If I had been in the first group , and sseing that you were prepared to slow down , I would have crossed into the farm entrance opposite where they stopped , as my horse can be very wary of bikes . Pleased to see that both riders acknowledged your consideration . The second group had ample opporunity to get into the turn off where you first saw them or the gateway just a little further on and one girl did seem to want to pull in at the farm , but her rude friends just carried on . Unbelievably when they did eventually stop to let you pass they stayed on the road and did not even thank you for your patience. I have to apologise for these rude and inconsiderate riders even though I dont know them . Bikers can cause so many problems on our rural road , but if they were all like you , many of us would not have a problem .
 
What a lovely van driver. What on earth was that second group of riders thinking? I wouldn’t have been anywhere near as patient as that.

We have a few riders round here who are like that, and it’s inexcusable. I can see why drivers lose their rag sometimes. And yes of course we have idiotic drivers too.
 
Flicker said:
I agree that the second group could certainly have found a space to let you pass earlier. There was a gateway right at the start of that particular part of the clip that they could have used.
To play devils advocate: They may not have been able to trot, for example if one of the horses was rehabbing from lameness. Also, as the previous owner of a horse who was terrified of white vans, I can kind of understand their anxiety for you to pass wide and slow.
That said - if we use the roads, we need to treat our fellow road users with respect and that includes minimising inconvenience for other road users. There did seem to be an element of ignorance on display here.
However, I get nervous when these encounters are posted to publicly available websites because they can be used as justification by some for the dangerous manner of their driving.
Click to expand...

I totally agree about them maybe not being able to trot on as I have this situation when rehabbing my lad from an injury , but I also noticed that the two places at the start of the clip that would have been safe to pass. I will turn around and go back to a safe passing place , if the driver is this considerate, rather than hold up someone who has slowed down as soon as they saw me .
 
Alec Swan said:
Me — I'm staggered at the rudeness on display by some riders. We're so quick to blame the inconsiderate drivers, especially those in big white vans, but whilst the first pair of riders displayed manners and consideration for others, the next lot certainly didn't.

Is it any wonder that car drivers, often those who may be late for appointments, view those of us on the highway with horses with a degree of annoyance?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtpcQzSkbGk&sns=em

Alec.
Click to expand...

I don't understand why the second set, looks like three riders, couldn't use that space where the white van was waiting, to allow the driver filming to pass them... And then there is the space next to the house (farmhouse?) they could have used...

As for "car drivers, often those who may be late for appointments"... I don't have a lot of sympathy. I hate being late for anything, and as a result I'm almost always ten to fifteen minutes early. It takes a really big disruption, totally outside my control, to my
travel plans, to make me late.
 
milliepops said:
^^ this

Even as a rider who regularly rides on the roads, this would annoy me too! You can easily imagine that the driver would be so hacked off by that inconsiderate behaviour that they'd zoom past the third set of horses just because they were still fuming. Full credit to this driver. Agree the 2nd group could have turned back a few steps right at the beginning to allow him to pass if they stood in the gateway.

We have one on my yard who tootles along at her own sweet pace when you approach in a car. Seems completely oblivious :(

FWIW I have rehabbed a horse in walk work on lanes like this - it's not impossible to still be considerate. I could squeeze her past most vehicles so often turned back to face traffic coming from behind, ask them to stop so I could pass, and then turn back and continue on our way. Can often hear traffic coming too, allowing you to wait at a passing spot for them to appear. Even just acknowledging the driver goes some way to reducing the irritation.
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Absolutely! I really cannot believe that second bunch - it was the attitude as much as the actions that was annoying.

When big lad was first backed he was a super noodle about vehicles passing him, so the last thing I wanted was something trying to squeeze past on a single track lane. If I couldn't see a gateway to trot into then like you say, I would ask the driver to stop and would turn him back to walk him past the stationary vehicle. Much safer and quicker for everyone
 
Alec Swan said:
Me — I'm staggered at the rudeness on display by some riders. We're so quick to blame the inconsiderate drivers, especially those in big white vans, but whilst the first pair of riders displayed manners and consideration for others, the next lot certainly didn't.

Is it any wonder that car drivers, often those who may be late for appointments, view those of us on the highway with horses with a degree of annoyance?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtpcQzSkbGk&sns=em

Alec.
Click to expand...

Alec That is exactly or similar to my post last week only I did not upload video. I reported them to the local riding association - who are going to post that riders need to be aware or surround cars and be courteous and thank them.
 
……..

As for "car drivers, often those who may be late for appointments"... I don't have a lot of sympathy. I hate being late for anything, …….. .
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Keith_Beef, Every single day I start out with the best of intentions; every day I get up early, but no matter my plans there are those days when horses, dogs, an elderly FiL with dementia, 'er indoors and women in general seem determined to put a stop to my good intentions. :) Take this morning; a guy 'phoned up, he's considering spending a five figure sum with me and he took the best part of an hour out of my morning …….. my day is now on catch-up and I'm sure that there are others in my position.

I accept that you have little sympathy for those who's days don't quite work out as planned, but perhaps you'll also accept, that I do. :)

Alec.
 
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I remember passing a couple of riders who appeared to be in a foul mood, the rider on the outside turning and waving her arms about shouting. I could see clearly, there was nothing 'going on' anywhere - and I ALWAYS pass wide and slow.

It was a quiet road, and only my vehicle on it at the time. Absolutely nothing for them to complain about. Their horses were calm, and I passed them very nicely.

I wonder what they thought when I had gone past and they saw the rather large sticker in the rear window of my vehicle:
'PLEASE SLOW DOWN FOR HORSES'

Twits.
 
DappleDown said:
I remember passing a couple of riders who appeared to be in a foul mood, the rider on the outside turning and waving her arms about shouting. I could see clearly, there was nothing 'going on' anywhere - and I ALWAYS pass wide and slow.

It was a quiet road, and only my vehicle on it at the time. Absolutely nothing for them to complain about. Their horses were calm, and I passed them very nicely.

I wonder what they thought when I had gone past and they saw the rather large sticker in the rear window of my vehicle:
'PLEASE SLOW DOWN FOR HORSES'

Twits.
Click to expand...

It's all the flapping and waving and shouting .. no wonder the horses are spooking, its got very little to do with the vehicle drivers half the time, lol!
 
I recognise the area and can guess the yard these riders are from, that road would be the quietest one that they hack along so I assume horses are generally good in traffic.

I've hacked up that road hundreds of times, you don't get a lot of traffic but what you do get is normally big and noisy, if you want quiet hacking then Haldon forest is about 10 mins further on from the farm.
 
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