# Bad drivers v Horses!



## Starlight Express

Hey folks!

What is it with drivers (Not All) these days, no clue when it comes to meeting horses on the road! SLOW DOWN!

I had a recent experience with a double decker bus! Myself and 2 friends out riding all Hi viz and lights. Double decker bus driving too fast approching the end of his journey to get his break. Clearly sees us and my friend signals him too slow down yet he continues. Then he barged his way past clipping my sturrip and sending the horses into a panic! Unbelievable! He could have killed someone, or a horse! Are we just invisible. 

I know some people consider there horses 100% bomproof however NO horse is completly free of it's wild inherited instict. Horses are unpredictible and I think drivers should be made aware, it is in the highway code after all! Common sense. 

Has anyone else had such an experience?

Chelle x


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## Guest

Arrogance pure and simple.

How dare you expect him to slow down or wait 5 seconds, his time is very impotent  or is that him :lol:


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## blackdiamond

It was nice to read that you were wearing hi viz as a lot of people don't.

Some drivers think they own the road & don't care what else is about.

I have had my stirrups knocked a few times but luckily enough my horse is pretty bombproof so it didn't really bother her.

Now i take a whip out with me although i never use it on the horse but if i get a car too close to me i whack it on the car whether the wing mirror or the roof.

A local lady to me rides in dark clothes & rides a dark bay horse & never wears any hi viz & she is an accident waiting to happen. I cringe everytime i see her out.

Me, well i resemble a christmas tree & i don't care what others may think so i like to be noticed when i'm out & about.
Did you get the Reg plate of the bus & the company ?? If so i would be phoning & reporting the driver.

XxX


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## CAstbury

I think that people should be made more aware, of how unpredictable horses can be, when they are learning to drive.

I have had abuse hurled at me by people driving past me too quickly , or when I have asked them to slow down they shout that they pay road tax so have more right to be on the road. I have had cars block narrow roads and refuse to reverse to a passing place which was near to them.

Having said that, when I am driving I always slow down to an almost stop when I get to horses and am shocked at the number of people who dont even nod their heads as a way of thanking me.

Good on you for making yourself visible - but as previous poster has said - if you had been calm enough to get the registration number you should have reported the driver - so dangerous.


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## Guest

CAstbury said:


> I think that people should be made more aware, of how unpredictable horses can be, when they are learning to drive.
> 
> *I have had abuse hurled at me by people driving past me too quickly , or when I have asked them to slow down they shout that they pay road tax so have more right to be on the road. I have had cars block narrow roads and refuse to reverse to a passing place which was near to them.*
> 
> Having said that, when I am driving I always slow down to an almost stop when I get to horses and am shocked at the number of people who dont even nod their heads as a way of thanking me.
> 
> Good on you for making yourself visible - but as previous poster has said - if you had been calm enough to get the registration number you should have reported the driver - so dangerous.


Yeah made aware with a good slap.

Inconsiderate,impatient,rude twits in a rush for what?....to play the Xbox and get the Mcdonalds


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## CAstbury

The O'Mali's Dad said:


> Yeah made aware with a good slap.
> 
> Inconsiderate,impatient,rude twits in a rush for what?....to play the Xbox and get the Mcdonalds


Round by me - they are usually car booters!


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## Kinjilabs

Some people just dont care
I always! slow right down and pass as far away from the horse as I can, for their safety and my own


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## hobo99

most people seem to be totally clueless about horses , and think they behave the same as cars ! Where i used to live we had idiot car drivers with suitcases strapped to the roof-rack covered with FLAPPING PLASTIC :scared: , now that was very exciting , could get some very smart dressage sideways for quite a long way down the road .
I used to carry a whip with a (leather covered knobble on the end ) and if drivers came to close i would wallop the top of their car , got some abusive remarks , but they had to go some to match mine . :thumbup:


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## Starlight Express

Hiya,

Yes I did manage to get the plate number and the company name. AND I did forward a complaint, to which the driver got a warning. However, I don't feel that was enough to be honest. 

My horse is great in traffic but we had a youngster (horse) with us which was experienced however, was not expected to be perfect when pushed into a dangerous situation. If he had slowed down he would have been fine. To top it all off the driver had the cheek to honk his horn as he passed idiot!

Good idea, i think i will make good use of a whip in future to the cars I mean! 

I have always used my hi- viz even in daylight. And if we are in training a youngster we also have lettering on our back saying so to advise caution. This was ignored. We have just as much right to use the roads as cars. You may trust your horse however, it's other road users that insist on causing problems. It is easy enough to slow down. 

To all those who do slow down, thank you. And I always wave or nod if possible to do so. I do think as the equine industry is growing vastly new learners and existing drivers should be educated on road safety and made aware of horses rights on the road.

Chelle.


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## Guest

Starlight Express said:


> Hiya,
> 
> Yes I did manage to get the plate number and the company name. AND I did forward a complaint, to which the driver got a warning. However, I don't feel that was enough to be honest.
> 
> My horse is great in traffic but we had a youngster (horse) with us which was experienced however, was not expected to be perfect when pushed into a dangerous situation. If he had slowed down he would have been fine. To top it all off the driver had the cheek to honk his horn as he passed idiot!
> 
> *Good idea, i think i will make good use of a whip in future to the cars I mean!*
> 
> I have always used my hi- viz even in daylight. And if we are in training a youngster we also have lettering on our back saying so to advise caution. This was ignored. We have just as much right to use the roads as cars. You may trust your horse however, it's other road users that insist on causing problems. It is easy enough to slow down.
> 
> To all those who do slow down, thank you. And I always wave or nod if possible to do so. I do think as the equine industry is growing vastly new learners and existing drivers should be educated on road safety and made aware of horses rights on the road.
> 
> Chelle.


No really,in the eyes of the law,thats criminal damage and some arsey copper could do you for it regardless of how a numpty was driving, you will be doing it out of revenge or..........Some crazy meathead puts the car in reverse and does some thing really silly.


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## PopcornPastures

This really angers me. I live in Liverpool but we have a few farms around here as we are on the outskirts towards Widnes and St Helens and I always slow right down before, signal and give the horses a wide berth. Usually I get a hands up from the riders to say thanks. 

Horses are beautiful animals, I wish some drivers would respect them.


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## Thorne

I've seen plenty of idiots drive past horses too fast and spook them, I know how it feels to have a horse get jittery over a car so I'm more than happy to stop and switch off my engine if necessary! Such a shame so many people have so little respect for other road users  (but if they're driving like idiots, I suppose they're going to get their comeuppance at some point).

On the other side of the argument, riders who don't wear hi-vis on the roads are asking for trouble in my eyes! I had a scary moment when I came round a bend and had to slam on my brakes to stop myself hitting a horse and rider - the bend was under trees so was shaded and the pair had absolutely no hi-vis on them at all, rider in black on a bark bay horse! 
I maintain to this day that if I'd been in the Landy, which doesn't have the sharpest brakes in the world I would've hit them, scary thought


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## HorseNutritionist

Thanks God I have never had such an awful experience but I do agree that some drivers need to pay more attention to the road and slowdown when they see people riding horses. It is common sense.


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## Melx

I have had a few bad experiences now like this on my horse on the roads. In the last 3 months I have had two experiences where a car has decided that down a narrow road they want to make me move faster so driven up behind my horse (matter of inches away) and revved their engine. The first time was on a main road and around a corner, the most annoying part is I am literally on that road for 60 seconds before getting to the next lane to go down, It was an old woman who was in a hurry and so she drove right up behind Star, Star shot off and luckily I managed to stay on and keep her out of canter until we got to the lane. The woman felt this was my fault for being on the road!! Stupid cow!
The second time was down a lane and seriously think it was a case of not knowing a thing about horses and having no road sense on the matter. They done exactly the same and got right up close behind me freaking Star out but were admiring her and pointing to her kids to see the horsey, I turned round and shouted at them to back off and they did instantly. This just proves a point that drivers should have more road sense when it comes to horses and shout be slughtly educated in the matter for safety reasons!

My horse is bomb proof and loves nothing more than riding out on the roads BUT a car going up behind any horse and revving their engine to hurry u along would freak any horse out, no matter how bomb proof!!


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## CountrySmiths

Clipped your stirrup - how terrifying for you and your horse. Some drivers just seem to have no idea that horses need for them to go slow and give them room - until a horse lands on the bonnet of their car!


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## Starlight Express

lol! 

Sitting on the bonnet... Well my horse has done that. Like Melx my horse also called Star. We were on another hack yesterday, taking the kids out on there ponies I was sheperone. And A man speeding along in his supped up car exhaust making a terrible noise (don't know why they think it's cool) insisted on driving so close behind us. He wouldn't pass us god only knows why, the road was clear ahead and we had moved on to the grass verg. What was his problem? So i got the ride to halt, and he stopped??? Reving his engine i shouted at him, telling him to pass. Star was not happy being held up, so he got fed up and firmly sat down on the bonnet for a rest. Meanwhile one of the kids had dismounted and filmed it on her mobile phone. Luckily star didn't damage too much cause he did it so carefully...lol! The man wasn't too pleased shouting abuse and threatening all sorts. I just said to him shall we call the police then? And guess what he drove off past us down the road. Why didn't he pass us in the first place. Some strange people on our roads these days......I Just couldn't believe it. 

Well done Star!:thumbup:


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## Jesss

I've always slowed down for horses when driving, I have had many bad experiences whilst on a hack to know better.
What really annoys me though is that none of the riders ever thank me, I think this is why drivers tend to not care. It goes both ways! Obviously I know its dangerous to go speeding past but I wish riders were more thankful and didn't act like they own the road and drivers should slow down. This is around my area anyways, everyone seems quite snobby.


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## Melx

Starlight express, I laughed so much at that story! lol That is the ultimate payback to a silly boy racer, your horse sitting on his pride and joy! :thumbup:
If only my Star had the guts to do that! haha She tends to shoot off as soon as someone gets close, typical thoroughbred style!! 
Star by name, Star by nature :thumbup:


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## Starlight Express

Well my Star is a laid back welsh D, just thought he'd make himself comfortable. I was seriously holding back a fit of laughter. It seems Star found a way of getting back at those unsafe drivers all by himself. So cars beware in future! LOL!:thumbup:


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## Melx

If my Star done that I dont think I would know whether to laugh ro cry!! lol BUT it is definitley the best payback to those stupid drivers!! :lol:


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## jenny22

re the original post, there is nothing in the current road safety booklet about how car drivers should behave towards horses BUT there is a piece about how horse riders should behave with CARS. that says it all I think

When in Ireland recently (well fairly) we obviously went for a pony and trap drive in Limerick and commented to the driver, a lovely chap about how considerate the car drivers were towards the horse nd carriage, his comment was, well the horse still has right of way in Ireland, His final comment when I said I wish it were so here he said, 'well ma'm the english are rude and getter ruder'. I felt ashamed because he was so right. Incidentally, we were accompanied on this 'drive' by 2 children in a pony and trap and another on a pony all tied up with blue binder twine, cart and all, right around Limerick. When we stopped a garda car pulled up behind us and he spoke to them apparently the 'children' had gone through a red light and they wanted to knowif he know them LOL. When we asked if the garda would look for them, he said 'no, not really' I expect they were his grandchildren, but oh what a difference in the attitude of drivers, I want to go nd live in Ireland!!. We had one idiot here who tried to get in between one daughter riding and the other in the pony and trap and the hoots and yells you get 'get those XXXX horses off the road' are frightening. We are fortunate we have woods at the back of us but it would be nice to go somewhere different occasionally, but you darent.


jenn


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## crofty

I wont ride on the roads anymore they are too dangeous and I live in the New Forest! Although have to say the amount of horse riders that I slow down for and dont have the courtesy to say thank you is astounding.


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## Starlight Express

jenny22 said:


> re the original post, there is nothing in the current road safety booklet about how car drivers should behave towards horses BUT there is a piece about how horse riders should behave with CARS. that says it all I think
> 
> Just to reply to the above, there is a huge section in the highway code rule 190 and 191 Animals using the road. This instructs drivers on how to behave towards horses using the road. Drivers that are unaware please have a read!


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## jenny22

Thank for that SE. this must be in the current one as the last one I had said nothing that I could see.

jenn


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