Road Rage!!

[LMSmith]

People drive me insane! Why do motorist have to be so d**n rude to people on horses?

I have nearly been driven into about 3 times this evening when out on a hack simply because people don't slow down or wait for you to get past a parked car

Horses were on the road well before any car so why do we get treated like some sort of inconvenience to those who don't have horses!

Its not hard to slow down and pass as wide as possible (or so you would think)! No wonder a lot of people don't hack their horses out anymore!

Sorry about my rant just get really bad road rage

[nia2311]

I personally think there needs to be a separate, compulsory section on driving tests on driving around horses. I took the hazard perception test - it had just come out when I learnt to drive, and did loads of practice ones with a CD. Not one scenario involved horses on the road. This is wrong. Most people are just plain ignorant, but Joe Public has no idea about horse's behaviour and why they have to "pass wide and slow."

[chalky284]

Not that I am condoning ignorant drivers, but I have seen a distinct deterioration in riders road safety too. Not just from youngsters but all ages. In fact some older riders I've ridden with have been downright dangerous! Riding and road safety should be compulsory for horseriders. I've had a near miss or two, not pleasant. But as a driver I've seen some rude riders, not checking behind when overtaking parked cars, not thanking drivers who slow down, pulling out without looking when turning right. Just because they feel they've a god given right as "horses were on the road years before cars" yes that's very true and they should be given extra care. But unfortunately we now live in a world where it's more selfish and aggressive, faster cars, younger drivers and we as riders need to be extra careful. Good signalling, read the road ahead, be aware of surroundings and check it's safe before manoeuvring. Thanking drivers also makes them slow down again for the next horse!

[crazyshetlandlady]

Im lucky as my mare is absolutely 300% bombproof on the road but my friends pony is just 4 and at times gets a bit spooky if cars are coming up too quickly behind him ect, but it seems everyone round here just couldnt give a hoot?
we went out the other day and i ended up riding in the center of the road people were starting to pass dangerously close so it was take the risk or pee them all off but save an accident! seems the more hi viz you wear the closer they get???

[sometime]

Best cure for drivers getting too close is a very long dressage whip held out at right angles to the horse the driver get quite a shock when he hits something and it thankfully wont be your horse. Makes them think wider next time but always be polite and thank drivers that do go wide and slow. Recently we took a young rider out and she was foot soldiered in front to either side and behind all with hi viz it made a huge difference because driver thought carefully about running over the foot soldier and probably assumed they may end up with half a ton of horse on the bonnet of their car

[sageandonion]

I live on a very long single track road with pulling in points that takes people to the main road. If they turn the other way, they have miles or beautiful bridleway. Nevertheless, they insist on riding on the single track and the majority expect all the drivers on their way to work or to a hospital appointment etc., to pull over for them whilst they saunter along chatting, on the phone or smoking.

They might if they are bothered wave a casual hand without even looking at the driver that has broken his/her journey, possibly missed their train (as has happened to my husband numerous times).

So no, from my experience the main cause of drivers having no patience with riders, is riders having no manners and thinking it is their right and drivers should accommodate them. So two sides.

[LMSmith]

I completely understand that there is two sides to every story however I am always polite and thank every driver that slows down etc.

I also try to make sure there is nothing coming when I am making my way round parked cars however on some of the roads I hack on you cant always see round a sharp corner etc. If I am holding a car up I will always trot to somewhere I can pull in and let them past...

I am never rude to drivers and understand that they have somewhere to be however sitting on my ponies rear end it not a clever thing to do :/ and is potentially very dangerous!

[GinaGeo]

There are two sides to it. I was hit by a car whilst out riding on the road a couple of years ago, the driver wasn't at total fault, my horse did spook at a herd of bullock that all came running over toward him in the field next to us. So we were on the wrong side of the road at the time and it was an oncoming car, not a car behind us. If he had stopped when my horse first went to spook and I did signal for him to stop, then it would have been OK. He however, decided to try and squeeze past, and ended up with half a tonne of horse sat on his brand new BMW bonnett. Horse's shoes and my stirrups did the most damage though as he had slowed down significantly, when he realized the horse wasn't going to avoid his car. He later apologized, for that and said that he just didn't realise how fast a scared horse could move.

The horse was OK, it was out of character, but to be fair a herd of bullock running at me would have me worried. Had I known they'd been moved into that field (they weren't there the previous day) I'd have avoided that route.

I have my Riding Road and Safety test through Pony Club and am always very aware of what's happening. I frequently pull out of the way to allow traffic past in safe places and don't block the road. I always smile and make eye contact with people as they pass regardless of whether they slowed down or not, they might slow down next time that way. I do signal people past if it's safe to do so and thank them for being patient.

I have in the past ridden out with some very good riders, with no manners whatsoever. They did irritate drivers and seemed to take on the attitude that everyone else will just have to stop and then gesticulated rudely when they didn't read their mind. It's people like that that give Horse Riders a bad name and I didn't ride out with them again.

I very rarely ride on the road anymore, they're busy round us anyway and drivers are in a rush, so it's not safe. I also became a gibbering wreck on the road after the accident which makes matters worse and I no longer enjoy it. We trailer up now to hack off road and make use of the Livery Yard next door's all weather exercise track.

[chalky284]

Jun 28, 2012 10:41:23 GMT LMSmith said:

I completely understand that there is two sides to every story however I am always polite and thank every driver that slows down etc.

I also try to make sure there is nothing coming when I am making my way round parked cars however on some of the roads I hack on you cant always see round a sharp corner etc. If I am holding a car up I will always trot to somewhere I can pull in and let them past...

I am never rude to drivers and understand that they have somewhere to be however sitting on my ponies rear end it not a clever thing to do :/ and is potentially very dangerous!

Problem is people like you and I are in the minority, I live in a horsey area, and the villages I ride in are a main route to many of the bridleways. Yet I see horses being ridden just as S&O states, also on pavements on verges infront of people. Ive ridden out with a woman who just put her horse in the middle of the road and wouldn't let traffic pass, saying she had right of way "horses were here before cars". Well I'm sorry but that just infuriates drivers and makes them take risks. Then to have rider rage at them with foul language and rude gestures, just adds to the same issue.

[quintet]

My now retired mare was an absolute saint on the roads and would march past anything! I always thank drivers but I did become rather complacent about things. I now ride my sons spooky and umpredictable cob and have realised that I have a responsibility not only to myself and pony but also to car drivers, cyclists, pedestrians etc. We are all road users!!!! My hi-vis has been dusted off and I am much more vigilent! I think a lot of drivers in our area are so used to seeing horses on the roads that they do take more risks! Its down to me to make myself visable, be as considerate as possible, always say thank you and just smile through gritted teeth when a driver decides to ignore all this and still pass too close and fast!!!!