Why won't the traffic just slow down!!!

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meandroger

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Hi!

I reckon there isn't much of a solution but venting always makes me feel better!

I have a new and relatively young horse. He was broken in to pull at about 2/3 and because of general sharpness was turned away. One of the main issues his previous owners had was traffic related.

I took him on at 6 (nov-13) and backed him. He is a very genuine horse who just wants to be loved and please you. He is however terrified of everything (except people - loves them). I have spent a lot of time with him and am trying to introduce him to traffic slowly. I then got to the point where I had done everything I could without actually taking him out onto the only road available for me to ride on.

So one morning I took him out.I thought he was prepared for this venture, and I was half right. At the beginning all was going well, although he was very tense and had the occasion spook he held it together and I was so proud of him. Things then took a massive down turn when a lorry passed me at around 40/50, he didn't even kid on to try and slow down. This set my poor horse off on a bit of a frenzy and so I did a little loop and headed back home. On the way home he was (understandably) a little more jumpy and despite this people still flew past me at ridiculous speeds! I was signalling that I wanted them to slow down but I think people must have thought I was trying to fly or something because they certainly didn't listen.

Anyway - the question! Has anyone taken down and reported number plates and heard or anything actually happening?

Sorry for the rant!

P.S. Roger is absolutely fine btw and doing incredibly well. My wonderful bf agreed to walk beside him on the road for a while just until he is less worried. He is now doing fabulous with cars (even ones who won't slow down) but he still isn't a fan of bigger vehicles!
 
Not sure legally, but do you have anything to lose by trying, I was driving in Southampton and was nearly ran off the road by a horsebox, the driver was so aggressive, at one point I thought he was coming over the top of me, for safety's sake I let him pass, took his reg and reported him to the police, who made it quite clear they were'nt interested, on the other hand, my sister had a visit and a warning from the police after she caused a car to slow down when she pulled out in front of it and was reported
 
I'll join you in this rant ! Went out today with friend and most cars do slow a bit but others!! Poor horse who is a little spooky about big lorries since she spooked and reversed into one was walking quietly along when a big pick up truck with a digger on the trailer went past us and didn't even try to slow down. Cue madam trying to get off the road ..jumped onto the kerb but luckily she decided not to brave the ditch and hedge and stopped. Cue me screaming a stream of curses after the driver! I had a bad fall in September when the horse i was riding spun around and slipped and fell on me due to an oncoming motorbike who never bother to slow down. He must have seen the horse fall on me but carried on ! I hate riding on the road!
 
meandroger said:
Hi!

I reckon there isn't much of a solution but venting always makes me feel better!

I have a new and relatively young horse. He was broken in to pull at about 2/3 and because of general sharpness was turned away. One of the main issues his previous owners had was traffic related.

I took him on at 6 (nov-13) and backed him. He is a very genuine horse who just wants to be loved and please you. He is however terrified of everything (except people - loves them). I have spent a lot of time with him and am trying to introduce him to traffic slowly. I then got to the point where I had done everything I could without actually taking him out onto the only road available for me to ride on.

So one morning I took him out.I thought he was prepared for this venture, and I was half right. At the beginning all was going well, although he was very tense and had the occasion spook he held it together and I was so proud of him. Things then took a massive down turn when a lorry passed me at around 40/50, he didn't even kid on to try and slow down. This set my poor horse off on a bit of a frenzy and so I did a little loop and headed back home. On the way home he was (understandably) a little more jumpy and despite this people still flew past me at ridiculous speeds! I was signalling that I wanted them to slow down but I think people must have thought I was trying to fly or something because they certainly didn't listen.

Anyway - the question! Has anyone taken down and reported number plates and heard or anything actually happening?

Sorry for the rant!

P.S. Roger is absolutely fine btw and doing incredibly well. My wonderful bf agreed to walk beside him on the road for a while just until he is less worried. He is now doing fabulous with cars (even ones who won't slow down) but he still isn't a fan of bigger vehicles!
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Yes I have and do report incidents, and it helps when you have a hat cam for evidence
 
I just dont ride on the road anymore, i am sick to my eye teeth of bad drivers. Let alone the tail gaters when you are driving your own car, be off with them
 
I have reported idiotic kids driving around the horses and they been given warnings and then ASBO's when repeating the offence but these guys thought it was funny to drive over the white line right next to a string of racehorses, drop a few gears then tank off at the speed of light next to you. Good job ours are great in traffic else they could have causedhellish accidents. They didn't heed the warning but did the ASBO and now go past slow, smile and wave - they know we don't take no crap no more!
 
I have a lot of problems with this in the village I stay in. Numerous times I took down registrations and the police spoke to the drivers about it but it was their word against mine. So I bought a headcam.

I put a post on my community facebook page that I was now riding out wearing a headcam and any dangerous driving I filmed would be given to the police.

I also find that if a driver is speeding towards me just pointing at the headcam is enough to make them slow down, and I am also going to purchase a hi viz vest that says CCTV in big letters on the front (two letters each side of opening) and on the back 'Wide, Slow and Smile, you're on headcam'

Since the wearing the headcam I have not had any encounters worth reporting to the police, I find it really makes a difference and drivers are a lot politer toward us as well - they wave back and a lot of them just stop and switch their engine off till I pass which they never bothered to do before ;)
 
Webcam is a brilliant idea! :-) I never thought of threatening drivers with CCTV!

I wanted to report a couple of people but my main priority was controlling the horse - this takes all my focus so I end up missing the number plate!

I just find the whole thing so hateful and uncaring. People seeing you and your horse in danger and thinking - oh well! I cba slowing down to prevent a dangerous accident!

I don't remember giving anyone permission to put my big baby's life (or my life) in danger...
 
I could have written this thread OP, I am in the exact same position as you.
My baby was introduced to traffic and roadwork by me in Oct, she was a little anxious but nothing that a scratch on the shoulder and a few quiet words couldn't solve.
Fast forward to Dec and 1 little short ride out round the 'blocks' and on a main road which can be fast but isn't busy - a motorbike came past us so fast that I couldn't even tell you what colour it was and then a van came in the opposite direction very fast - she had a melt down and shot up on the pavement not knowing what to do with herself.
I went back to hand grazing her near the road and leading her out with my old girl who is very good on the road, she started to improve slightly again.
Last week I was walking down the road, nearly finished our short, sweet road training when a high top transit came steaming down the road towards us, I put my arm out and waved it up and down, signalling him to slow down....... he waved at me as if to acknowledge I was thanking him (I was not thanking him at all!) and carried on past me at speed. My baby just collapsed, legs quivering, then a bronc then she went up.
I am giving up trying to do anything on the roads with her now, she is frightened and every incident is destroying her confidence that little bit more.
Problem is now though I have nowhere to ride at all, school is flooded, fields are flooded and now the roads are off limits.
 
That sounds awful! :-( I think it should be a driving offence. 3 points and a £60 fine!

Your guy with the motorbike should be done for hit and run! If a driver causes you to fall and doesn't stop - they should be prosecuted!
 
You could always try my tactic! A car screamed past me and my sister who was on her 4yr old thankfully being protected by my lad who wasnt fazed by anything so didnt bat an eyelid. But me and my sister were pissed off (alot of people scream past us on our roads) so we screamed slow the f down and then proceeded to regret it!! (Well i did!) As the car stopped, reversed towards us and onto the wrong side of the road so they were along side us, wound down his window.... And..... Apologised profusely!!! Turned out he was a nice american who was sooo unbelievably apologetic... I hope he learnt his lesson and never sped past a horse again!!

Its not actually my tactic! I honestly thought he was guna get out the car and abuse us!! I havent done it since!!

But in answer to your qu no people are stupid they very rarely slow down these days, its just plain rude and inconsiderate!
 
Fairyclare - I am so sorry you have been put into that position!
I wish we could beat them in some way - horses were on the roads well before cars! They built the first roads - all we want is for people to not put us in danger!
Even if places weren't flooded - it isn't fair that you can't get out for hacks. You shouldn't feel you can't get out on the roads.
Me and Roger are luckly - we at least have dirt tracks.
Roger lost a lot of confidence too - we are building this up again and he is doing well (I'm a proud Mum) - hopefully he keeps it and I'm not thrown back to square 1!

There will be a lot of perfectly lovely horses/ponies that are going to be rendered unride-able in certain environments because of peoples' ignorance! Some people really don't have a choice but to expose their horses to traffic!
 
I think the helmet camera is a great idea too. It's hard to write down number plates when you're trying to control a horse. Which bit of pass wide and slow don't they understand!
 
meandroger said:
Webcam is a brilliant idea! :-) I never thought of threatening drivers with CCTV!

I wanted to report a couple of people but my main priority was controlling the horse - this takes all my focus so I end up missing the number plate!

I just find the whole thing so hateful and uncaring. People seeing you and your horse in danger and thinking - oh well! I cba slowing down to prevent a dangerous accident!

I don't remember giving anyone permission to put my big baby's life (or my life) in danger...
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It's definitely worth it, and especially if they KNOW you have CCTV chances are they will drive responsibly for fear of being filmed.

alex2601 said:
You could always try my tactic! A car screamed past me and my sister who was on her 4yr old thankfully being protected by my lad who wasnt fazed by anything so didnt bat an eyelid. But me and my sister were pissed off (alot of people scream past us on our roads) so we screamed slow the f down and then proceeded to regret it!! (Well i did!) As the car stopped, reversed towards us and onto the wrong side of the road so they were along side us, wound down his window.... And..... Apologised profusely!!! Turned out he was a nice american who was sooo unbelievably apologetic... I hope he learnt his lesson and never sped past a horse again!!

Its not actually my tactic! I honestly thought he was guna get out the car and abuse us!! I havent done it since!!

But in answer to your qu no people are stupid they very rarely slow down these days, its just plain rude and inconsiderate!
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I done this once, I was walking my boy out in hand to get him used to traffic when some idiot roared towards us at 60mph. I waved and screamed SLOW THE ***** DOWN and he screeched to a halt (which is what scared my horse the most) reversed back to us and proceeded to verbally abuse me, all the while I was trying to stop my horse from bolting off. I got his registration but he denied it to the police, and it was this incident that made me buy a head cam.
 
Well I think I am going to start saving my pennies and buy a helmet cam! May also purchase a tabard saying 'slow down and smile - you're on camera!'
 
alex2601 said:
You could always try my tactic! A car screamed past me and my sister who was on her 4yr old thankfully being protected by my lad who wasnt fazed by anything so didnt bat an eyelid. But me and my sister were pissed off (alot of people scream past us on our roads) so we screamed slow the f down and then proceeded to regret it!!
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This is very much my tactic, I have got a foul mouth when the pass my baby at the speed of light and frighten her! It doesn't do her any good though, she hates shouting.

Meandridger, I am hoping once we get back to our normal routine of being out every day and I am able to work her in the menage that she will calm down and we can start building up the confidence again.
 
p87 said:
I done this once, I was walking my boy out in hand to get him used to traffic when some idiot roared towards us at 60mph. I waved and screamed SLOW THE ***** DOWN and he screeched to a halt (which is what scared my horse the most) reversed back to us and proceeded to verbally abuse me, all the while I was trying to stop my horse from bolting off. I got his registration but he denied it to the police, and it was this incident that made me buy a head cam.
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We are planning to take our youngsters out with my Draft mare who is fazed by no traffic whatsoever, in fact when we passed a coach which had stopped for us recently, she was peering under the back wheels looking for the air brakes.
This mare frightened off the local 'hardman' who drove up a narrow hill behind us, got too close then overtook us and cut in front of sister's mare, nearly knocking her nose off to swing into a yard on the right. Sis & I shouted some rather rude words after him, he parked his car and came back across the yard towards us, in a somewhat threatening manner. Draft mare lifted her neck, tucked her nose in so that her double mane stood up and performed her very best piaffe - which is a sight to behold. I could hear her saying 'Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough'. Hardman obviously decided he wasn't hard enough, as he muttered something and backed off.
I think our youngsters will be quite safe accompanied by her but just in case sis bought me a hat-cam for my birthday.
 
putasocinit said:
I just dont ride on the road anymore, i am sick to my eye teeth of bad drivers. Let alone the tail gaters when you are driving your own car, be off with them
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Same here I have two horses one is totally dangerous on the road mainly through drivers coming past too fast, my other horse is the opposite you could ride her along the M25 so I often do the quiet llanes with her but thats all.
 
Yup I've had to sell a 5 year old and buy an ex driving pony just to get something who can cope with the A hole drivers. Hat cam is on my list just can't afford one yet.
 
I would strongly advise you to wear a long sleeved Hi-Viz jacket when riding on the roads so that other road users can clearly see your hand signals.
Take the BHS Road Safety Course and exam as this will teach you valuable skills for riding on the road and controlling traffic.
If you want to slow a vehicle down don't wave at them it means nothing. Point at the driver for 3 seconds and then hold up the palm of your hand towards them until they come to a halt.
If you report a driver then go to the police station and tell them you were in fear of your life and always ask them for an incident number as this will ensure it is logged in to the system. Many local forces have a Rural Police Team and it is also worthwhile reporting it to them as well.
Please also report all incidents on the www.horseaccidents.org.uk web site.
 
People don't want the cars to come to a halt unless the horse is flipping out in the road hence why they wave there arm up and down to ask them to slow which I believe was in the Highway Code last time I looked.
 
OrangePepper said:
If you want to slow a vehicle down don't wave at them it means nothing. Point at the driver for 3 seconds and then hold up the palm of your hand towards them until they come to a halt.
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This is not the way to get someone to slow down (as per the highway code!!) you need to stick your arm out and move it up and down...
 
This isn't an option for me unfortunately as the only other horse around I can ride with is very newly backed/nervous and hasn't been in contact with traffic at all. I built Roger up to being on the road very slowly and carefully - and to be fair he is fine with most traffic at 30mph and less - which is hardly something I can blame him for!
 
The highway code does indeed state that you should stick your arm out straight and wave it up and down 3 times (not wave as in a say 'hi' wave).

I was in a hi-vis jacket with hi-vis gloves. I am on a 15.2 coloured cob, not a small grey shetland and it was a long straight road - there was no corner. There is no way the lorry in question didn't see or understand that I was asking him to do - he just chose to ignore me!
 
fairyclare said:
I could have written this thread OP, I am in the exact same position as you.
My baby was introduced to traffic and roadwork by me in Oct, she was a little anxious but nothing that a scratch on the shoulder and a few quiet words couldn't solve.
Fast forward to Dec and 1 little short ride out round the 'blocks' and on a main road which can be fast but isn't busy - a motorbike came past us so fast that I couldn't even tell you what colour it was and then a van came in the opposite direction very fast - she had a melt down and shot up on the pavement not knowing what to do with herself.
I went back to hand grazing her near the road and leading her out with my old girl who is very good on the road, she started to improve slightly again.
Last week I was walking down the road, nearly finished our short, sweet road training when a high top transit came steaming down the road towards us, I put my arm out and waved it up and down, signalling him to slow down....... he waved at me as if to acknowledge I was thanking him (I was not thanking him at all!) and carried on past me at speed. My baby just collapsed, legs quivering, then a bronc then she went up.
I am giving up trying to do anything on the roads with her now, she is frightened and every incident is destroying her confidence that little bit more.
Problem is now though I have nowhere to ride at all, school is flooded, fields are flooded and now the roads are off limits.
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Actually that is the hand signal to say YOU are slowing down. It isn't asking other drivers to do anything at all.

Sorry to hear you had such a frightening experience :(
 
meandroger said:
The highway code does indeed state that you should stick your arm out straight and wave it up and down 3 times (not wave as in a say 'hi' wave).

I was in a hi-vis jacket with hi-vis gloves. I am on a 15.2 coloured cob, not a small grey shetland and it was a long straight road - there was no corner. There is no way the lorry in question didn't see or understand that I was asking him to do - he just chose to ignore me!
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I had exactly the same thing yesterday( wave arm up and down) to a white van man just before big truck made Madam panic ! That driver totally ignored me.. I've done it before and had the (HGV) driver wave back at me! I'm not hard to miss..horse is over 17h and I wear a long sleeve yellow fluorescent jacket
 
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