Why can't some riders say thank you?!

[MillionDollar]

It really does annoy me when i pass riders in my car, slow right down and pass wide and you don't get so much as a smile. I passed a girl on a chestnut twice today and she didn't thank me either time, argh, its so annoying! No wonder some cars don't slow down for me when i ride my horses along the road. Its not too much effort.

I always always thank the driver by putting my hand up when they slow down.

Anyway rant over, what do you do when hacking on the road and a car slows down for you?

 

[a1b2c3]

Either nod or smile, even in a bad mood i try to make the effort, it takes nothing to acknowledge their curtesy.

 

[Happytohack]

Smile, nod and raise hand. If their car window is open, I also say "thank you for waiting for me!". Also wear hi-viz and flashing tabard, so resemble a christmas tree, so most motorists stop/slow for me as they probably think I am slightly mad!

 

[YorksG]

Couldn't agree more it drives me mad when I pass people slowly and carefully and they ignore me. I always smile and nod and wave if I can take my hand off safely!
I must admit I shout and scowl if people pass too fast and too close as well, but try to always acknowledge good behaviour, I'm sure it encourages drivers to do it again and it costs me nothing.

 

[Rosyryan]

Some people can be soo rude, 1 of my husband's pet hate is being stuck behind an under-powered horse-box labouring along belching ouit diesel fumes! When we are towing he pulls over when he can to let other drivers by,(only if there is a bunch of cars waiting to get by not just for 1)! My pet hate is when riders fail to acknowledge that I have slowed down or stopped for them,my neighbour just roars past horse-riders because she has been angered in the past when riders don't acknowledge her giving way to them. We have a "revolting" girl who lives nearby who is not really in control of her horse, I had to stop 2 days ago to open a gate for her and lead her horse through to our local woods, well no thank you, wave or nod of appreciation! She had the gall to flag me down yesterday and ask that I help her again, well no way she can dream on ignorant brat! Couldn't help but tell her Mummy that ***** is too much for darling daughter, grr people there is no excuse for bad manners.

 

[katelarge]

We have some local riders who need a big stick taken to their behinds! Horsey husband and I drive slowly by, giving plenty of room, I wave up at them... and get a look as though I've just crawled from under a stone! I really am tempted to say something to some of them when I get the chance.

I really don't know what their problem is, but some of them give the impression that cars shouldn't really be on the roads - which is THEEE best way to wind a car driver up, and get them to think the exact same about horses!

See, you've started me on this one now...

 

[_OC_]

It makes mad when I see this.......because by doing this it effects other riders as next time a non horsey driver would think "Why bother slowing down!"

 

[Rosyryan]

Sorry Caismum! I had to wait up 'til all hours last night supervizing flippin' Christmas pudding, (should have bought 1 from M & S!), and rude horsey people are a pet peeve of mine. they make life difficult for the rest of us a wave or nod of appreciation costs nothing.

 

[clipclop]

I can't stand ignorant riders.

There are loads of ignorant $£*%"£!s around here.

Because of them I do OTT thanking of drivers. Big smile, I say thank you and put my hand up.

I do think some people are just born rude.

 

[RachelB]

I always thank drivers, usually even if they're going too fast I'll give them a wave and grit my teeth and call them a prat. I shouted at a woman once for going past me at 30mph through a gravelly puddle on a narrow road, I waved my arm for her to slow and accidentally called her an idiot, and had a right shock when she got out! She proceeded to tell me she didn't appreciate being called an idiot, and I told her I didn't appreciate my horse being driven at. She then had to pass me again as I had ridden past her car and I still thanked her! Think that got her annoyed...
There are some Icelandics down near me who take rides out, usually about 30 horses at a time (ridiculous), and they never EVER thank anyone. It really irritates me as non-horsey people will then speed past the next horse they see, which is usually me! Grr.

 

[Dovorian]

By sheer coincidence I passed a group of 4 rider this morning, not one even acknowledged my presence (large blue 4WD which maybe they didn't see?), 2 were chatting with loose reins, another was passing her mobile to the girl in front, no reflective or even light clothing and all dark horses. Not too horrific per se, but it was barely light and on a busy road used by lorries!!

 

[no_no_nanette]

So agree! And the point is that the rude and ignorant riders make life difficult and dangerous for all the well-behaved ones! Its all down to respect, really, both on the part of the rider ('cos a driver has had the consideration to slow down/pass wide/stop for you), and on the part of car drivers, who should respect other road users even if they come on four legs rather than four wheels.
Most riders round here are great, but there's always the few .... we live on a single track lane, and a couple of months ago I saw a couple of riders coming towards me, so stopped, and backed up a LONG way, until I came to a layby I could pull into. They passed me without a look, so I must admit that I wound my window down and YELLED at them.

It got me so mad! Not least 'cos I'm scared that drivers who come across people like that will then drive like lunatics past my daughter and friends when they are out on these lanes. Let's hope that one or two of these rude riders recognise themselves from our posts, and change their behaviour!

 

[Heidi1]

I always say thank you and if I can't for some reason put my hand up then I give then a big grin and nod my head, it really doesn't take much, but unfortunately there are alot of ignorant people out riding at the moment.........does make me made too..........

 

[MillionDollar]

lol, i had a real go at a woman the other day as well! We lead our youngster along the road with my sis on her bombproof pony. Anyway this big 4x4 came behind us and dollar didn't really like it as she was coming quite fast and very close. He didn't do anything just stuck his bum towards my sis' pony. Anyway the woman didn't stop and wait, no she proceded to carry on going! So she went to put her hand up and my sis gave her a real evil! lol.
So she stopped in front of us, got out and said "i gave you a wide berth" i went on to tell her she didn't and didn't slow down, and why did she think i was leading a pony, for fun? lol. She just repeated "i gave you a wide berth" so i told her to go back to the town where she belonged and with that she got back in and went! lol. My sister also shouted idiot at her as she left!

 

[hollyzippo]

Do you not think the roads round us are particularly bad tho!?
Certainly worse than they were about 5 years ago when moved up here. In my day..... lol!

I know what you mean tho, lots just glare at you for overtaking. I always say thank you unless going at ridiculous speed or close to my leg (had stirrup bashed twice round are way!) In which case they get an alternative hand signal and trotted after until they stop for a b******ing!

Its getting so dangerous riding on the roads at all. Really depressing as so many nice rides if you could safely negotiate a mile or so of busyish road. My two are impeccable even with lorries passing each way but still really worries me.

 

[Twiglet]

Because some riders seem to be very ignorant of anyone other than themselves! It drives me mad - we have enough problems with bad drivers, so the good ones deserve a bit of recognition!

 

[Tempi]

i smile and lift my hand to say thank you if they slow down for me - however if they dont i dont say or do anything.

 

[Reashi]

I nod and wave, even the ones who don't slow down, unless they come from behind and are going too fast because then it just looks like they are going too fast for me to thank them, which they sometimes are! It annoys me when they don't do anything back, and look really sour.

 

[OWLIE185]

I think it is important for the safety of horseriders to explain to these rude riders that their behaviour puts our horses and ourselves at risk when riding on the roads.

 

[MillionDollar]

Definitely yes, 10 years ago when i got my first pony you would hardly get a car past you! And when you did they slowed right down. Although round me the roads really aren't bad at all to ride along at all.
I know round Wellesbourne and Walton its bad though as my best friend keeps her horses down there and she says its now very bad. You might know her family actually?!

 

[bellgave]

I always make th eeffort to say thanks, even if I have my hands full on a young/spooky horse, I'll do a really exagerated nod or something!!

I get SO cross when I slow down and am not thanked I often yell SAY THANK YOU at the top of my voice out of the window if I am ignored, God it annoys me, manners cost nothing.

 

[Lobelia_Overhill]

If I took my hand off the rein to wave thanks to a driver, my mare would bomb off with me, I used to scream "thank you" and try to look like I was smiling and not gritting my teeth