Would you give 'the finger' to a driver?

If you actually read the posts on the link in the original post you can see that numerous drivers have no idea of the speed they should be at when overtaking a horse & rider. One said it was national speed limit & he'd slowed down to 25mph. Clearly unless you have knowledge of horses or horse riders many drivers would think that 25mph would be acceptable.

As for 'giving the finger', this achieves nothing & can anger the driver into responding & you don't want that as being on your horse you are extra vulnerable. It could also cause problems for the next rider that driver comes across. Additionally if the driver was causing you issues with your horse would your hands not be better placed being on the reins?
 
I thank everybody :o

Those that pass slow and wide get a thank you for obvious reasons.
Those that zoom past seemingly not having seen me, also get a wave in thanks for not killing me or my horse!
 
I know this won't be a popular post but - here goes - road riding is not worth the risk. Was bucked off two weeks ago (no one's fault, pony feeling well!) and staggered up to see her galloping down the wrong side of a busy A road. I won't forget my feelings at that moment as long as I live. Luckily we were almost home and she ducked into my driveway before any collision occurred. Concerned motorists stopped and helped me, but from now on if the school is not available and the fields are too boggy to use, I will do something else like long-lining her round the yard. Riding is risky enough without adding traffic into the mix!
 
quirky said:
I thank everybody :o

Those that pass slow and wide get a thank you for obvious reasons.
Those that zoom past seemingly not having seen me, also get a wave in thanks for not killing me or my horse!
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Ditto. I'm never rude to anyone and thanking drivers regardless of whether they respond correctly is more likely to have a positive effect on how drivers see us on the roads. We do inconvenience motorists, not for an essential reason, but because its our hobby.

Some drivers don't know what to do, don't understand how horses react and some people feel vunerable passing unknown horses that could end up on their car bonnet.
By being aggressive and rude, the result is alienating the people who might be so peed off that they may be very inconsiderate to the next horse and rider they encounter.
 
gelderlander said:
I know this won't be a popular post but - here goes - road riding is not worth the risk. Was bucked off two weeks ago (no one's fault, pony feeling well!) and staggered up to see her galloping down the wrong side of a busy A road. I won't forget my feelings at that moment as long as I live. Luckily we were almost home and she ducked into my driveway before any collision occurred. Concerned motorists stopped and helped me, but from now on if the school is not available and the fields are too boggy to use, I will do something else like long-lining her round the yard. Riding is risky enough without adding traffic into the mix!
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I appreciate you must've been horrified to see her disappearing off but I'm sure for every person who has had an accident on the road, there are umpteen who haven't.
 
I'd never leave the yard if I didn't ride on the road. There are a couple liveries at my yard with youngsters and I can tell you that I don't envy them, introducing them to hacking by jumping straight into the fire: cars, tractors, kids, bikes, dogs, the lot. When I had a youngster, I was at a yard with acres of off-road trail riding. Just had to watch out for deer and mountain lions!
 
I would never, ever, give anyone "the finger" ever, on a horse or not. As other posters have said, if it was bad enough to warrant that I'd be taking a number. Gestures like that are unspeakably rude, and all riders are doing when they use it is ensuring that the next rider to encounter that driver will have a rotten time.

I use the "slow down" gesture to traffic coming too fast, and give massive smiles, nods and waves to anyone who has remotely slowed down or moved over - it's not just a thank you, it's about trying to make drivers see riders generally in a more positive light. Anyone who does pass us at all dangerously or thoughtlessly gets a shake of the head - but it doesn't often happen, on our roads the "please slow down" usually works.
 
gelderlander said:
I know this won't be a popular post but - here goes - road riding is not worth the risk. Was bucked off two weeks ago (no one's fault, pony feeling well!) and staggered up to see her galloping down the wrong side of a busy A road. I won't forget my feelings at that moment as long as I live. Luckily we were almost home and she ducked into my driveway before any collision occurred. Concerned motorists stopped and helped me, but from now on if the school is not available and the fields are too boggy to use, I will do something else like long-lining her round the yard. Riding is risky enough without adding traffic into the mix!
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Interesting - in your case, and especially if you'd been hurt, the traffic was actually a benefit, because someone was there to stop and help :)
 
I would love to not ride on roads having had an accident as a kid that really knocked my confidence for years however, our yard is on a busy A-road with 1/2 hour of nsl country lanes to do before we can access a bridleway. Hacking is an essential part of my horses workload - IMO it encourages the horse to be bold and allows him to let off steam. We aren't able to ride in our fields so our only alternative is to ride on the roads. I'm sensible about it and if the horse is fresh or in one of his moods, we don't go out. Remaining on the yard makes my horse very insular and he's then a prat when it comes to going other places.

I do worry about what would happen if he got loose but I would be just as worried hacking off-road. As a result, I cover him in hi-vis and flashing lights so that he can be better seen.

Interestingly we encounter better behaved drivers on the A-road than we do on the nsl country lanes.
 
2p's worth put in. I have a couple of fast cars, which I do drive fast when it's appropriate, a single track NSL is not the one.

The majority of bods on PH's are pillocks, however they are uneducated when it comes to horses (or anyone else on the road) and when I got my Boris, the first thing I did was read the highway code when it came to horses.

I've already had a thank you from someone which is nice :)
 
I did just the other week! But it was more an in fun jest! It was at a plumbers van with 3 people sitting in it, motionless waiting for the horses to pass and they were all sitting there laughing at us, rubbing their hands and generally being all cosy and warm - we were riding out in high winds and pishing down rain! It was done in jest and they were game for the joke so it's not so bad.

I would never do it to any normal driver. If they drive too fast then I simply don't bother thanking them, if they go to close I make a point of waving them out a bit. Otherwise I am quite polite and wave at anyone and everyone - I have even been known to absently mindedly wave a random dog walking along the grass verge ...
 
I don't think I've ever had presence of mind to when there's been extreme situations.
The few times I've had my life flash before my eyes, all I've managed it "Ohmy-fu-shi-ah-oh!" Or something like that.
 
I tend to go the opposite way, if someone is a pillock on the roads I normally shout 'thank you', big thumbs up and an overly sarcastic grin :) Im the same whilst driving, blowing a kiss seems to wind them up something chronic :)
 
No I wouldn't, hate confrontation. If it was that dangerous I would attempt to get details and report them.

I am always very courteous on the road and my pet hate is riders going along with a scowly face and no acknowledgment of the fact I have just slowed and past widely. Its rude and gives us a bad name.

I always say thank you or at least nod and smile. If a car does pass to fast or close, well its too late any way once there gone and I just give my boy a big pat.

I am always hi vised to the 9s anyway which I do believe makes drivers take more caution.
 
Nah said:
I don't think I've ever had presence of mind to when there's been extreme situations.
The few times I've had my life flash before my eyes, all I've managed it "Ohmy-fu-shi-ah-oh!" Or something like that.
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Haha! This, exactly!

Tbh, the finger isn't something I do anyway, but whether I'm on my bike or on my horse, if it's so bad I want to express my annoyance, I probably need both hands at the controls.
Besides....Karma will get them far better than I can!!
 
Some drivers are inconsiderate and arrogant, some riders are too. Horse riders should ensure their animals can cope with ordinary traffic and should train "off-road". By the same token motorists who want a carriageway clear of all other traffic and to enjoy the excess noise of their engine should find a racetrack.

The highway is for all to share. Fast motor vehicles have intimidated other road users for too long.

Always be polite and kind.
 
At the bottom of the drive from my yard is a nsl road which we have to ride along for about 300 yards to get to the track which runs alongside the railway line where we can hack for miles - cars frequently pass me at 60/70mph and very very rarely ever slow down. Luckily my horse is not phased by fast cars and there is a grass verge between my horse and the road as we do infact ride along the pavement - at a previous yard we had buses fly past us at similar speeds. Its not the cars and their speed I worry will frighten my horse as he doesn't bother with them - my main concern is that something else will spook him and he will leap sideways in front of a car moving at that speed - and I think this is what most of the people on that forum fail to grasp - half a ton of horse landing in front of your car is not good for anyone involved.

I have been known to scream sweary words after drivers as they fly past me but I am fairly confident they do not hear me - however, even when i have been riding on country roads and had a car scream around the corner and come to a skidding, rubber burning halt 10' in front of my horse who remained as calm as a cucumber - I still smile politely and thank them for at least not killing us - why antagonise them
 
I'm halfway through that pistons heads thread and finding it quite an interesting read. I'm actually surprised that there's so many car nuts standing up for us horse riders!

This quote is particularly interesting.

Zoobeef said:
They have as much right but no more. Why should they? They've been here longer isn't an answer.

"A motorist does not have a right to use the road; they have a conditional and regulated permission. A horse and rider do have a right."

I'm remembering that for the next time someone says to me horses shouldn't be on the road.

In this weather I have no choice, I would love to be using the off road access I have but it's all under water. I am always careful to thank drivers though and to get out of the way to let them pass if needs be.
 
No. If it is a bus or lorry/van with any company logo on I do try and complain to the company and give them the details of the vehicle. I've also reported people to the police when I've managed to get their numbers.
I once had a car full of lads who threw beer cans at my horse as they drove past. I got their number and reported them.
 
I think in fairness though many drivers just haven't a clue. My boyfriend, his family & friends are town born & bred, & until I appeared on the scene knew nothing of horses. Numerous times his friends have beeped as they drove past waving, because they genuinely thought it was ok to beep 'hello'. I really think horses should be covered in driving tests.
 
gingerarab said:
Some of the attitudes on that forum are seriously scary :eek::eek:
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I know, I thought so too :(

I always thank drivers whether it be with a wave or thumbs up or a nod and smile if my horse is being a nut job and can't take my hands off the reins.

I don't know how some of these driver's can be so non caring about the possibility of causing the disability or death of someone/ something through careless driving on purpose. :(
 
NEVER! :eek: You're just creating a bad reputation for riders, and whose to say how the driver will respond to it? Not only could they hurt or spook your horse, but they're certainly not going to be nicer next time they come across a horse on the road!
 
This quote has just made me chuckle


Ki3r said:
got a thing for (female) horse riders...
Who hasn't? Except people with weak hips...


Lol!:D

In fairness to them, yes a few are sounding like knobs, but on the whole they seem a fairly considerate bunch considering the forum motto is 'speed matters'
 
No, I am far too vulnerable on my horse. I have reported commercial lorries which were really irresponsible but luckily I am no longer near any busy roads.
 
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