What would really work?

elsielouise

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 February 2005
Messages
778
Visit site
I have just been called a C@&£T for signalling to a driver to slow down. I was riding and leading, full up hi viz, and there was really no room for him to squeeze past at over thirty mph on a village road

My neighbours gardening saw it all and equally horrified. Horses fortunately took in stride but really....

I wonder what is needed to change this? We can petition for signage, greater repercussions in law, fight amongst ourselves about visibility but with the kind of approach I got this morning I suspect none of the above will make a blind bit of difference.

I love hacking and am fortunate to have excellent off road riding and traffic safe horses for the bit I do but bloody hell, I've been riding thirty years do what chance do inexperienced younger riders have against deliberate intimidation from other road users.....?
 

Ranyhyn

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 November 2008
Messages
21,276
Location
Funny farm
Visit site
Greater repercussions in law, however we all know the law doesn't scare anyone any more really. So in answer I just don't know.

I do believe there is room for more hard-hitting adverts. I'm sorry to say I think the namby pamby adverts that have gone on in the past alert no-one to the real dangers of hitting a horse/horse and rider.

To be honest with a lot of these problem people, they have no better nature, to plead to. So I think the only good thing would be to play on their selfishness, so maybe a really gritty evening advert showing a totalled car/driver after a horse related RTA would be useful.
 

Patterdale

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 December 2009
Messages
7,110
Location
Wherever I lay my hat.
Visit site
I think that most drivers are courteous.

However some people are just bumholes and always will be - I don't think there's anything u cab do to change this, same in all walks of life v

Just ignore the morons and say an extra thank you to the nice ones.

IMO the number of riders who dont say thank you is shocking. I stopped 2 last week and told them so.

I had stopped completely on a narrow road to let them by and they didn't even look at me as they passed within 2 feet of my car. They were about 40 and should have known better.
I was on my way back from a lesson, still in instructor mode and gave them a severe dressing down.

To a lot of car drivers who don't know anything about horses, that would probably be enough to make them not bother slowing down the next time.
 

happyhacking:)

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 February 2011
Messages
366
Visit site
Huge cost involved I know but tv ads would possibly work. You must have seen the one with the kiddy being hit and killed at 40mph that was on a while back. That was hugely successful dim what I can gather. Trouble is it would most likely cost a fortune so would need some kind of sponsorship/endorsement.
 

dafthoss

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 October 2010
Messages
4,808
Visit site
I carry a schooling whip on the roads...... not just for the pony :cool:. Had an old lady swerve towards us before and a taxi that I could have kicked as he sped past on a single track road after being asked to slow down :mad:.
 

quirky

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 January 2008
Messages
9,846
Location
Purdah
Visit site
I carry a schooling whip on the roads...... not just for the pony :cool:. Had an old lady swerve towards us before and a taxi that I could have kicked as he sped past on a single track road after being asked to slow down :mad:.

I ride with a schooling whip and have been making trips round the outside of the indoor school, giving it random taps to see what my horse would do :eek::D.
Thankfully she is fine :).

Now, do I dare tap a car roof if it comes too close? Time will tell ;)
 

dafthoss

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 October 2010
Messages
4,808
Visit site
I did more than tap the taxi ;). Was going to kick him but as he had a lady in the back decided not to, he was stupidly close and fast and came past us twice!
 

quirky

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 January 2008
Messages
9,846
Location
Purdah
Visit site
I did more than tap the taxi ;). Was going to kick him but as he had a lady in the back decided not to, he was stupidly close and fast and came past us twice!

We had a taxi minibus squeeze past us at speed in an inappropriate place, I rang the taxi firm and educated them in how they should pass horses safely :)
 

dafthoss

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 October 2010
Messages
4,808
Visit site
We had a taxi minibus squeeze past us at speed in an inappropriate place, I rang the taxi firm and educated them in how they should pass horses safely :)

I was going to but sadly I hadnt been in the area long and no one I asked recognised the logo on his car so we were a bit stuck. I just hope the lady in the back gave him a right earfull.
 

elsielouise

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 February 2005
Messages
778
Visit site
I ride with a schooling whip and have been making trips round the outside of the indoor school, giving it random taps to see what my horse would do :eek::D.
Thankfully she is fine :).

Now, do I dare tap a car roof if it comes too close? Time will tell ;)

Now this is what I usually do but some bugger stole my schooling whip along with all my head collars and ropes a few weeks ago.

I am angry at the world we live in sometimes and worry about the world my children are growing up in. How do we teach them to live safely and kindly when we are surrounded by this approach as a new norm?

Well, my husband and i have discussed that we will do so for ours by taking them to see what real hardship is when they will understand how fortunate they are - but regardless of that, I find I am becoming less and less tolerant recently... Sigh.

Or is it just age?
 

piebaldsparkle

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 July 2006
Messages
13,017
Visit site
They might take more care if the realised the could DIE too, like the driver of this car. The horse had to be PTS. The driver was found dead.

horse-hit-by-car.jpg
 

piebaldsparkle

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 July 2006
Messages
13,017
Visit site
Have seen this pic on a billboard outside a livery yard (can only assume they had problems with inconsiderate drivers).

horse-hit-by-car-2.jpg
 

RoobyDoobs

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 November 2011
Messages
156
Visit site
Those pictures are certainly shocking. I have shared he Ruby pic on my fb tonight, and do think more needs to be done to educate drivers. Personally I think ignorance is to blame in many situations... I would say that before I had horses I certainly wasn't as thoughtful and considerate passing riders on the road as I am now. These days I drive on country lanes consistently aware that there could very well be a horse / rider around the next bend.
 

kaluki

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 May 2012
Messages
230
Location
Farnborough Hampshire
Visit site
I ride with a schooling whip and have been making trips round the outside of the indoor school, giving it random taps to see what my horse would do :eek::D.
Thankfully she is fine :).

Now, do I dare tap a car roof if it comes too close? Time will tell ;)

YES! I also carry a schooling whip not for horse, but whe n i get on road, whip in hand, hand goes on my knee, ifthey come within reach they get it! thats of course its not going too fast!!!!!!.:)
 

Crazydancer

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 July 2010
Messages
1,738
Location
Wimborne
Visit site
Unfortunately, I think a lot has to do with the 'Jeremy Clarkson' attitude, that horses shouldn't be on the road.

Combine that with the preconception that horse owners are rich, and are therefore stuck-up snobs and you have a recipe for disaster.
Riders who don't thank drivers re-inforce this.

A campaign that addresses these issues as well as the more obvious ones is long overdue.
 

horsesatemymoney

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 March 2011
Messages
2,190
Visit site
I have just been called a C@&£T for signalling to a driver to slow down. I was riding and leading, full up hi viz, and there was really no room for him to squeeze past at over thirty mph on a village road

My neighbours gardening saw it all and equally horrified. Horses fortunately took in stride but really....

I wonder what is needed to change this? We can petition for signage, greater repercussions in law, fight amongst ourselves about visibility but with the kind of approach I got this morning I suspect none of the above will make a blind bit of difference.

I love hacking and am fortunate to have excellent off road riding and traffic safe horses for the bit I do but bloody hell, I've been riding thirty years do what chance do inexperienced younger riders have against deliberate intimidation from other road users.....?

I waved at a driver to slow down, as he was overtaking a car and looking like there was not a lot of space....he didn't slow down, so I shook my head at him, to which he cheerfully asked 'what the (choose your word!) is your problem?' all without slowing down! :mad:
 

POLLDARK

Well-Known Member
Joined
31 March 2011
Messages
1,211
Location
HEREFORDSHIRE
Visit site
I carry a schooling whip on the right hand side, when a car approaches, from whichever direction, I raise the hand with the whip to acknowledge the driver BUt also to draw attenrion to the whip. I lower my hand onto my thigh with the whip sticking out at a right angle straight into the road. It appears that drivers are very concerned to avoid the whip & this gives me around 3 feet of space. They have seen the whip & it is up to them to avoid it, DO NOT touch the car by reaching out just keep it static & they can avoid it. This works, it really does.
 

Jazzy B

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 September 2011
Messages
1,240
Visit site
Combine that with the preconception that horse owners are rich, and are therefore stuck-up snobs and you have a recipe for disaster.
Riders who don't thank drivers re-inforce this.

A campaign that addresses these issues as well as the more obvious ones is long overdue.

^^^^ I agree with this, I also think stronger campaigns which I believe the BHS could play a large part in is improving bridleway network - so many bridlepaths have been changed to footpaths only and/or shut down I'm sure if most of us had the choice we wouldn't ride on the roads anyway.....
 

pogface

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 April 2012
Messages
415
Visit site
My instructor (old school, learnt to ride in the 30s) used to carry a show cane with a nail in the end. Car came to close and their paintwork got it!
I don't suggest that we do this now.... But I do wonder.
I regularly have to ride on a 60mph country road though thankfully not for long. Most drivers are fine, but nearly had an accident this week with a car overtaking at speed on a blind bend and a taxi coming the other way. Maybe those pictures above should be shown more often, shock tactics.
 

MrsHutt

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 October 2010
Messages
1,063
Location
Kent
Visit site
I think there are some people who you will never convince - I mean, I see people with their children on the back seat without a seat belt etc - they obviously don't have a lot of common sense!?

I do think, though, that what someone else said about education is very valid. My OH is a very safe, considerate driver (he also rides a motor cycle so is very aware of safety) and I know that since I got more into horses he is far more aware of the possibility of them being around the next corner. He always stops if he can now, or slows right down and goes into a minor rant if he sees horse/rider without hi-viz ;)

I don't think a lot of drivers realize the damage that can be done to their car in the case of an accident - we should be telling them! After all, that's probably what really matters to them!
 

livetoride

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 April 2002
Messages
206
Visit site
I carry a schooling whip on the right hand side, when a car approaches, from whichever direction, I raise the hand with the whip to acknowledge the driver BUt also to draw attenrion to the whip. I lower my hand onto my thigh with the whip sticking out at a right angle straight into the road. It appears that drivers are very concerned to avoid the whip & this gives me around 3 feet of space. They have seen the whip & it is up to them to avoid it, DO NOT touch the car by reaching out just keep it static & they can avoid it. This works, it really does.

Yup. That's pretty much what I do and it works....especially if accompanied by a smile!
 

moana

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 March 2011
Messages
2,128
Location
Bedlam
Visit site
As in every walk of life, there are those people who could not give a s*^& and never will. We will never change them.
 

Dry Rot

Well-Known Member
Joined
31 May 2010
Messages
5,847
Location
Scotland
Visit site
Well, I'm going to get a few of those photos printed off and ask if I can stick them up on the notice board at my local supermarket! Quite shocking.

Does anyone ever report the offender to the police? Of course, it is usually, "And what do you expect us to do?" but occasionally, "We'll send someone round to have a chat with the driver". Maybe 10 don't, but every one that does is a small victory. Even if they don't do anything, the incident should be recorded and will be there as evidence if/when there is an accident.
 

Auslander

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 November 2010
Messages
12,622
Location
Berkshire
Visit site
My first horsey job was in the stables of a public school, which was run by a retired Army Major. He used to hack out with a hunting whip, and had no issue with giving any car that passed too close/fast a crack with the lash! Used to give them a hell of a shock (and looking back - v dangerous) but it certainly gave them something to think about!
 

TrasaM

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 May 2012
Messages
4,742
Location
Midlands
Visit site
I've had the same thing happen. I signalled a car to slow down and he totally ignored me and whizzed past without even slowing down. I suspect that those @&$3ho£es who do this won't take much notice of adverts or anything else. But I do think that a few well placed adverts might educate a few people.
 
Top