What is wrong with people these days?!?!

PonyFeet10

PonyFeet10

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Out on a hack with my VERY safe tb today around the local village which isn't heaving with traffic but traffic does pass through.

So first off to start on a good note, I have a very polite bus driver wait to pass, checking it was ok to do so when I looked over my shoulder to see if he was going to or not! Result - HAPPY!!!

Secondly I have an elderly lady squeezing past me in her 'town car' on a single laned country road (with hedges either side) and when she reaches level with my horse puts her foot down and WHEEL SPINS off, without releasing the accelerator by any, if not pressing down harder on it!!! Result - Thoroughly peeved off!!!!

Thirdly another elderly (but) man in a 4x4, comes around the corner from a T junction heading towards me (on a two laned road) and also puts his foot to the floor!! Which was from my view noticeably from the point when he looked straight at me which is when he sped up?! Result - Very unhappy!!!

However ending on a good note (for today's hack) I had a modified 'boy racer' car with loud exhaust etc slow right down, revs to a minimum and was also very polite in saying 'thankyou/that's ok' when he passed.

Although I really do think something should be done about these 'speeders' as it's a form of dangerous driving.

Also had a bus following my horse so close before it was less than the length of a bicycle away from his bottom..

I'd hate to think what would have happened today if I was riding my youngster.. :(
 
hmm we get some like that in ourarea too.
been shouted at and had two-fingered gestures directed at us- people being generally inconsiderate.
side note- I was on my bike one day and a woman pulled out of a junction in front of me (not looking properly and missed me) and when I had to stop she started telling me off.
 
In general I find that most people are good but I have had a fair few that have sworn at me when I have said thank you and even had cars on both side of the road pass me at the same time on a two laned road and they were so close that they almost hit my stirrup and it wasnt even just two drivers that did it but a string of them until I managed to pull up two abreast with the other person I was hacking with! You have to wonder what people are thinking sometimes.

It does go the other way though as I have seen some riders creating dangerous situations, being abusive and not saying thank you...

Glad you and your horse were ok though.
 
I just don't understand it!! Surely a couple of seconds for slowing down would be a hell of a lot better off than a dead (or not so dead!) horse inside the car with them??? (Sorry for being gruesome :()

Luckily my horsey is a SAINT with traffic, no matter what silly stunts they are doing. It's just crisp bags and piles of snow she doesn't like lol!

People forget too easily that riders are only in control of a horse for as long as the horse is willing to be under control for.. As you all know if a horse wants to go one way you don't have much of a chance of winning the battle if they are determined or scared.

I did talk some sense in to the bus driver that had his bus parked up my horses bottom though :D he gave me PLENTY of room after that!!!!!!!
 
Ugh we get this as well, and cars passing by about an inch off your backside. Goes to show the importance of bomb proofing horses or there'd be a hell of alot of accidents caused by stupid motorists!
 
I have found the same as you - the elderly seem to be worst, boy racers are very often lovely (maybe just want a closer look at jods!)

I lead my yearling out in hand and he does prance a lot - not because of the traffic, which he's amazing in, just because of general high spirits. I don't consider him dangerous, but sometimes I think when drivers see that the pony is wriggling it concentrates their minds a bit.

I'm waiting for someone to tell me he shouldn't be on the road, but naturally the more he experiences it the better he'll be!
 
While out with my big boy last year, we had 3 lads on them stupid little motorbikes that are not allowed on the roads pass us, very polite, slowed right down and kept to the side of the track and waited until they were way past us to speed up, BUT then on the same hack 2 cyclists just flew past us ringing their bells and frightened the life out of both of us!! I find on our tracks (no cars) the cyclists (grown people) are the most inconsiderate, most of the time I dont even hear them coming up behind us!
 
my worst experience was in the summer when i was out riding with my friend. We heard the unmistakable exhaust of a boy racer approaching from behind. I was relieved to hear him slow down . just as he got level with the my friend he floored it in first gear and the exhaust backfired between the two horses. I was so lucky that we were out hacking as a pair. If either of us had been on our own it would have been a total disaster. I can only assume that the driver was seriously dissappointed as both horses although startled barely missed a stride. I have to admit though i was severely shaken myself!
 
up here its old people that have no respect for the horses.

'Boy Racers' as you call them or 'Car Enthusiasts' as we call ourselves, have the upmost respect for orses on the roads up here and will always slow down and dip the clutch if they can.

probably because I've drilled it into them though :P
 
I must say that in general I have been shocked at how much more inconsiderate the drivers are over here in Holland than in the UK. Yes I've had my fair share of inconsiderate drivers in the UK but I could count on one hand over here the number that have actually slown down and given a wide berth in the 3 years I've been riding here. Luckily, all the horses I've ridden have been fantastic in traffic!! I am prepared to be shot down by other riders out here but that's my experience.

Although the only time I actually never had a single car go too fast was when riding out in a bikini top... best traffic slowing measure ever!! :D
 
Jenni_ said:
up here its old people that have no respect for the horses.

'Boy Racers' as you call them or 'Car Enthusiasts' as we call ourselves, have the upmost respect for orses on the roads up here and will always slow down and dip the clutch if they can.

probably because I've drilled it into them though :P
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i dont think you can generalise like that. I am only 45 minutes south of edinburgh and as i say i had a bad experience with a boy racer. I have also had quite a few that have gone out of their way to slow down... it makes sense really a horse can do a lot of damage to their pride and joy!
 
Katikins said:
Although the only time I actually never had a single car go too fast was when riding out in a bikini top... best traffic slowing measure ever!! :D
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It's generally too cold here to try this but the theory sounds good :D


Up here, again boy racers, lorries, bikers and cyclists are really good - slow down and give space. Elderly are the WORST and there was one van that squeezed past me when cars were oncoming so I took my whip and thumped the top of his van - you could see him **** himself. - The horse was bombproof though.
 
Jenni_ said:
up here its old people that have no respect for the horses.

'Boy Racers' as you call them or 'Car Enthusiasts' as we call ourselves, have the upmost respect for orses on the roads up here and will always slow down and dip the clutch if they can.

probably because I've drilled it into them though :P
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I agree, I live very rurally and it's the young lads who are the most respectful and considerate drivers when I'm riding. They turn down their music and always pull over for me, might be because they are from farming families so understand the country or because they've spent alot of time or money on their cars and want to keep them safe but either excuse I'm grateful for them. Old people and esp middle aged housewifey type women (I think they are jealous of me enjoying the freedom of a horse and not stuck ferrying the kids to school etc :D;)) are the most rude, inconsiderate dangerous drivers around.
 
I've found that the boyracers are some of the best for slowing down or even pulling up into a gate way when you pass. I find the worst to be the 'yummy mummies' . Had a bad experience with one during the summer, was coming down a hill, on a straight stretch, she could see me coming a good way away, just as she was approaching (not slowly) poor horse slipped, he was half scared and slid along on all fours (about a foot), he was evidentally slipping and yet she sped past us, not even trying to give us room, poor horse was pretty freaked out, she was so close that if I'd put my hand out I could have hit the car, horse practically jumped the ditch, much to the drivers amusment.

I was out hacking with a friend one day when someone slowed down to a stop, friend went past, then me, just as I was passing the car sped off, with something squeaking and banging in the engine, poor horses got the fright of thier lives.
 
We don't get on with our neighbours and they have very deliberately speeded up while passing my children riding.......! I always walk with them and was amazed that anyone could take out their temper on a child! Was subtle but still obvious! The previous neighbours were worse and acually sat behind my horse and revved up and accelerated towards him-that time I sent the police round to explain that their actions would kill them as well as me! Which definately helped.

On the other hand a lot of riders I pass could do with learning some manners and wearing some high viz. Some riders do come across as rather ignorant too!
 
I really don't know why people are like this - just ignorance, I guess. They must want to protect their vehicle, one supposes? Maybe they haven't heard that a horse can be frightened by the noise of the car and may kick out? I know my OH used to try to move his car out of the way or past the horse(s), rather than pull over out of the way, if you see what I mean?! He knows now that it's the revving that upsets most of them and will wait as far over to one side as he can manage. But he had no idea before.

Maybe they could include some guidelines in the driving theory lessons (or do they now?)
 
I do wonder whether some of the elderly drivers are actually going for the brakes yet hit the accelerator instead?:confused:

I went berserk at one chap in the summer. He drove up behind my daughters pony, on a souped up dragster type vehicle ( he was headed for a dragster event further up the road - which I wasn't aware of or I wouldn't have been out!) and revved said penile extension.

He was less than a foot away from the pony's hocks. Thankfully both mine and my daughter's horses did not bat an eye lid (thank god for Irish horses!) but I spun round and gave this chap a right mouthful. Most unlike me, but if he had done that to the majority of horses then he would have caused them to bolt. I made him aware in no uncertain terms that he could have killed my daughter. He looked genuinely shell shocked and in hindsight I do believe he had no idea of the possible consequences of such actions. I just hope my rabid outburst will make him think next time, rather than hate all equestrians with a passion.:(
 
I'm sure that for the majority of drivers, it's simply that they don't realise that the rider needs the horse to co-operate in order to sty in control, or that they can easily be frightened. But some of it is simply impatience and stupidity - look at the number of drivers who push their way past parked cars into on-coming traffic, or even on the A-road near us drive on the wrong side of the road past the central bollards to overtake a car which is overtaking parked cars.
 
Once I was riding my friends cob not really when you feel the most comfatable riding a horse that isn't your own and you don't 'know'

But we had just come off the farm track onto the road and there was a guy jet washing his car, H got a little worried by this (backing up ect) so the girl I was with rode up to the man and polietly (sp) asked him to stop he agreed and looked quite happy then as I was riding past turned on the jet wash and started srting at H's legs :eek:


Then I was riding H again and we had to go past a building site, thats fine both horses were ok but a builder was at the metal grill temporary fences having a smoke then as we came past he grabbed the fence and started shaking it. H did a massive sidewards jump I came off luckily he ran straight to the girl I was with. I was lay in the road with blood pouring out my arm
(It had grazed quite badly) did any drivers who saw it happen stop ? No
Did the builder ask if I was ok ? No Luckily we were only about 10 mins from the farm and I had my phone with me so we phoned someone at the farm to come down with a bandage just because my arm wouldn't stop bleeding.


I was riding F who gets anxious when out in traffic by himself, so we were out in quite a large ride 4/5 of us, we were on the road and everytime we got a vehicle behind us if it wasn't safe for it to pass then we would pull in and let it. We were riding along and a white van came up behind us, he was really close to the person behind me so she turned round and signalled for him to slow down/back off, he didn't then he noticed the horses distance in between the rider in front and me. He proceeded to try and force his van past me and the rider behind me and into the gap. F went mad, bucking, rearing, spinning, did he even apoligise, no


We were riding on the sand track next to the speed way and we had a bit of a situation where my stirrup had somehow managed to snag on a branch in the foresty bit and had come off. So we stopped and sorted it out at this point a jogger ran past with music blaring. Foxy white eyed at him, but did nothing. When we were trotting alond the track home the jogger came in the opposite direction to us and was asked by 5 riders in front of me if he could slow down and it was signalled by the rider behind me, he didn't and luckily foxy only did a bunny hop and sidestep but if he had been fresh it could of been a lot worse.

And a nice one to finish off on :o

When we were riding we had a situation where bus drivers were driving less than half a horse behind us, It was the bus that I get everyday so I politely spoke to one of the drivers and explained that there were a lot of young horses on our farm and if they just stayed back a little then we would pull in at the next avalible spot, Well he must of gone and spoken to the others drivers because we haven't had an issue with that bus service since :cool:
 
I hate hate hate some drivers. Went out for the 1st time yesterday in what seemed like months with all the snow, and about 1 person slowed down out of what must've been a good 50. Something really should be done.
 
metalmare said:
I have found the same as you - the elderly seem to be worst, boy racers are very often lovely (maybe just want a closer look at jods!)
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My wife and daughter have made similar observations when they are out and about. Me too, as a driver, and not just rural.

But one only has to witness the curmudgeonly behaviour of pensioners (who are the first to bemoan the 'youth of today') to think that along with their pension books and bus passes comes a massive chip for their shoulders. :mad:
 
We had a lovely old couple once slowed to pass us on a country lane, waved to say thank you to them and what did the driver do...........blew the horn, just as level with my horse which was in front, to acknowledge my wave!!!!!!! I am so glad all our horses are so good on the road!
 
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