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Roseanne
Moderator
United Kingdom
6708 Posts |
 Posted - 30 Oct 2007 : 12:03:36 PM
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Thanks everybody for your nice comments and your contributions. As always any more are welcome since we'll be returning to this one next week. It's likely other riders may phone in or write a letter.
Just in case any of you did want to pass on links to your local papers/horsey magazines, the information below may be useful to them.
The British Horse Society produces leaflets on road safety which may be of use, particularly the Horse Sense for Motorists and Horse Sense for Riders - http://www.bhs.org.uk/Content/leaflets.asp?id=21&page=Safety&area=5
There is also some information on recent issues regarding the Highway Code http://www.bhs.org.uk/Content/Ods-More.asp?id=9938&pg=Information&spg=News&area=9
For any further information it may be worth contacting Mark Weston, BHS Director of Access, Safety and Welfare on 01926 707760.
http://www.brake.org.uk/index.php?p=631
http://www.rospa.com/roadsafety/advice/horseriders/index.htm
http://www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk/campaigns/horsesense/horsesense.htm
I've had close shaves like the rest of you. I do quite a bit of backing and leading-out and long reining is very important in that process, around the lanes and village to get them used to the routes. Most of the drivers I come across are very considerate, but you get the odd person who could very well cause a fatality, were it not for the trusting nature of the horse and sometimes, just plain good luck!!
I have to keep my wits about me all the time, knowing where the next driveway is, listening for heavy traffic, remaining in a position sometimes where I'm safe because I can hear something coming too fast...
The blue language under my breath sometimes is unforgivable! But I never fail to thank considerate drivers in whichever way I can, given how full my hands are.
Thanks again  |
Roseanne |
Edited by - Roseanne on 30 Oct 2007 12:04:52 PM |
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nikki
Platinum Member
Wales
4384 Posts |
Posted - 30 Oct 2007 : 3:58:30 PM
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My sister came back in tears one day, which is un-usual as she's a hard nut
Some boys drove their car at speed towards her beeping their horn-thankfully her mare didn't move(she's like my sister-doesn't give a c**p)
To be honest i never ride out in busy traffic anymore-it's just not worth risking my or my horses life. And i have no idea how to train my youngsters on it-as it is far too dangerous-their field is next door to the road so at least they get used to it that way.
It's not the quiet, peaceful road that it once used to be
The problem is also that drivers forget they are driving on a country lane, and even though road conditions do not allow it-they still think just coz it's national speed limit they have to do 60mph.
There was another crash on it last night.
It might be an idea to a film from a riders perspective-hat cam-maybe drivers can see how downright dangerous it can be. |
pagey |
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Grey Girl
Platinum Member
England
1554 Posts |
Posted - 30 Oct 2007 : 5:43:13 PM
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Probably the best 'slow down' poster for drivers would be a nice hard hitting picture of a horse that's gone through the windscreen and ended up on the driver or passenger. It doesn't occur to a lot of drivers that causing half a ton of horse to hit you at 50mph is not going to do them any good either. I keep pointing this out to people at work who object to horses on the road.
In the last few years road safety posters have got decidedly 'nastier' and more graphic - and as such probably more effective. Apparently most drivers mind more about killing their passenger girlfriend than they do killing themselves or any number of strangers or casual acquaintances (hence the Girlfriend series of posters). A good pic of girlfriend with half a ton of horse on her lap might work wonders with some people.
Anything that makes even one person stop and think is worth it.
Grey Girl
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 Said the little eohippus, "I´m going to be a HORSE"  |
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pat ww
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3459 Posts |
Posted - 30 Oct 2007 : 7:58:13 PM
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Bicycles
Horses don't see them as their rear field of vision has a blind spot and they don't hear them either, sudden spook!
They need to call out as they approach and do so much earlier and wider.
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Dazzler
Silver Member
United Kingdom
290 Posts |
Posted - 30 Oct 2007 : 10:28:47 PM
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HI, Myself and a friend ride every day have been the victims of a deliberate campaign to keep us from riding our horses out on the local lanes.In desperation we have contacted the local police who told us to report every car owner who does not slow down, gives us abuse or endangers our lives in any way, my neighbour has
instigated this - about 4 yrs ago she drove straight at me and my then green broke mare it was attempted murder, the police ( in the interest of neighbourly harmony " encouraged" me to drop the charge and them to "talk to her" and ask her to not do it again, she stopped but has rallied everyone else to do her dirty work for her. Including getting people to let their dogs run out to bite our horses as we pass by!
Things have got soo bad that the local police have issued a warning in the Derby Telegraph to drivers to the effect that they will be prosecuted if they do not heed any horse riders signals and show caution. Wea re int he process of taking several to court (this time I wont be "encouraged" to drop any charges its gone waay too far.
Dont even mention cyclists to me they take great pleasure in cycling up behind us and making us rear! Then cycle off laughing. My friend has actually taken this to local government, we are trying to get legislation. So many people think that people who ride are the idle rich, all the bridleways have bene closed , cyclists take over public footpaths, there really isnt anywhere to ride now thats safe.I went ona charity ride on Sunday and it was so nice to feel safe in a crowd of riders and indeed to ride in a horse freindly area where the cars stop and say hello. Made a pleasant change, I resetn ahving to trail my horses to ride in safety, I should be safe on home ground.
This is one of my pet hates sorry I could go on and on . . . but I wont lol |
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moldequine
Gold Member
Wales
858 Posts |
Posted - 31 Oct 2007 : 12:18:52 AM
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I have trouble with drivers passing my horses on narrow lanes and much too close, ive touched their wing mirror a couple of times. they just cant wait and try and fit through a tiny gap and i dont think that they are aware that horses often step the side and dont always go in a straight line especially when they get spooked at something in the gateway on your left for example, ive had too many near misses |
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moldequine
Gold Member
Wales
858 Posts |
Posted - 31 Oct 2007 : 12:19:59 AM
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| also i forgot to add that i always thank drivers for slowing down :) |
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Valentine Arabians
Gold Member
United Kingdom
586 Posts |
Posted - 31 Oct 2007 : 06:02:53 AM
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Oh, thank goodness everyone else seems to be having the same 'road rage' problem...I thought that I was just being a pain!
Courier driver in a hurry, slows down on a tickey right up behind a very spooky mare of mine (3 broodmares being led down the road to our extra paddocks - 0.6 mile distance from home, grooms with hi viz jackets on), gesticulates wildly and kept revving his engine until the horses have been pulled off the road to allow him to pass - dust and small stones flying as he shot past. We have dykes on either side of our road, so pulling off isn't easy or safe until you get to a field entrance, so drivers have to be patient. I phoned the Courier Co and the driver was found and sent his apologies.
Saw the same man racing along 2 days later, and he waved, but did slow down!!! Even our Postman races up and down our road.
The following week, a couple (red citroen) came around the corner, as our yearling fillies were being led to the extra paddocks, no regard for the grooms or the horses. One filly nearly ended up in the dyke, the other swung her bum into the road. The driver didn't even slow down!
We always 'thank' the drivers who are patient and wait, even the farmers keep a safe distance with their tractors or crawl past, if we manage to pull off the road, give us a cheery wave as they go.
The unfortunate things is that our road is a single track, with dykes either side, as I said, but the speed limit is 60mph...as the Police website states and you can't do much about that. I have even tried our local council and asked them for 'horse warning' signs, however I have been told by others that if you want the signs, you have to pay for them!!
I have written 'a letter to the Editor' of our one local papers, should be in today, complaining about drivers and horses. I do know that a couple of years ago, a nearby village had their annual show and had the Police in, giving the public a talk on road safety around animals...doesn't seem to have paid off, or the general public have forgotten!
Earlier this year, Jeremy Vine had his lunch time discussion programme about horses and riders and there were a lot of angry drivers who said that we should not have our horses out on the roads, and if you wanted to cross a road, the horses should be moved by transport from one side to the other! I was driving at the time, so couldn't ring in with my comments!
Perhaps getting a Safety Programme on the tellie will be the only way to educate the general public to the horrors if an accident should (God forbid) happen and then a general safety section. Nothing else seems to be working.
Years ago, I bought a high viz tabard which had 'young horse' printed on it, but was warned that if anything happened, the rider was liable, so I think that you have to be very careful with warning signs on hi viz clothing.
Liz |
Liz & Walter Downes
www.ValentineArabians.com
Lincolnshire |
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Dazzler
Silver Member
United Kingdom
290 Posts |
Posted - 31 Oct 2007 : 5:01:21 PM
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| Hi Liz, the company that printed the hi viz clothing has liablility not you. |
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Valentine Arabians
Gold Member
United Kingdom
586 Posts |
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Roseanne
Moderator
United Kingdom
6708 Posts |
Posted - 31 Oct 2007 : 5:51:20 PM
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Liz I use Young Horse tabards and I find the vast majority of drivers, once they see it, do slow down. I too was told about the insurance risk but I chose to take advantage of telling people what I was actually doing!
Well done for getting the courier driver told off. If I were in a group of three horses being moved by three handlers and encountered that kind of driver, I would form a line of horses across the road, turn around facing the driver and have a conversation with him - mobile in hand, threatening to call the police til he took his foot off!
Occasionally, if a car or tractor is coming at me and not slowing down (and there is enough distance obviously) I move into the centre of the road and wave it down. It works, (though this is not to advise others to do it). I've long reined in the centre of the road with a wretched school bus a couple of feet behind me and trying to press me on with a young stallion at the end of the reins. I had to turn around and tell this moron driving to back off while we walked to the nearby turnoff. He honestly didn't realise what it was doing and I believe he was embarrassed in front of the school kids! Most of this is complete ignorance of horses among drivers.
If I could, I'd scan the article going in our paper tomorrow and you could all offer it to your papers (with pictures of you instead of my neighbours!). Would a scanned article reproduce on AL?
Dazzler you sound like you have a big problem on your hands. Can you get help from your local riding club? Perhaps if an official equestrian organisation put out an appeal in your local paper it would be taken more seriously than two young riders trying to sort out some very selfish, rude and dangerously stupid village drivers. |
Roseanne |
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erica giles
Gold Member
United Kingdom
767 Posts |
Posted - 01 Nov 2007 : 08:06:33 AM
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I had a nasty incident a couple of months back. I was riding through some back lanes and I heard something coming up very fast behind me, fortunately I pulled in by a gate just in time, a 4 wheel drive went hammering past at about 70 mph. I shouted and waved my fist, fortunately my little ginger horse always looks after me but never the less it was nasty.
We continued on our way and saw the said vehicle heading back a bit slower, he pulled up and I thought here goes. So I said do you realise you could have killed me back there you were driving much too fast. Reply was well how can I see around a corner. To which I retorted all the more reason for not driving at that spped.
I have never worried about hacking out but it does make me wonder whether any of us are safe any more |
erica giles |
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gcarrie9
Bronze Member
England
103 Posts |
Posted - 01 Nov 2007 : 4:06:19 PM
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| I think we have all encountered extreme rudeness and had near misses with traffic when out riding, but I always remember riding my anglo mare on the verge of a busy road on our way to the park. She was actually very good in traffic but on this occasion there was a crisp packet hiding in a bush which neither of us saw until we were upon it. In a split second she had jumped sideways about fifteen feet, straight into the path of a builders lorry. How he missed us I will never know and after swerving around us, skidded to a halt and got out. He was as huge as his lorry and I remember quickly thinking that I was going to be on the receiving end of some very choice language at least. But, bless him, he apologised, asked me if I was ok and promptly produced a packet of polos from his pocket for the mare! I said it was entirely our fault but he was really quite shaken and felt to blame. He made sure we were both ok before he drove off, and I have never forgotten his kindness. |
Carrie |
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