A plea to all car drivers!

[Dave & Rob Lowery]

Hi Jayne,

We have quite a few horse riders in this area and I always crawl past them and give them a wide berth. On the narrow twisting country lanes, everyone should drive with a modicum of care and look out for fresh horse droppings on the road that cars haven’t run over, a sure sign that riders are not too far in front and possibly just around the bend. (I’m not a rider myself but can envisage the carnage of car/ horseflesh collision.

Ride safe.
Dave

[Jayne Marsh]

Dave Im glad that you are so aware, not very many people are, as off road riding is so sparse even in the welsh countryside we are forced to ride on the roads and are entirely dependant on the care and sensibility of other road users. Most local people are brilliant but there is an increasing number of tourists and people taking short cuts that have no idea what to expect on country roads. I have to say that on the whole the best drivers are bus drivers, lorry drivers and tractor drivers.
I have been involved in a major hit and run accident where my horse and myself where thrown over the top of a speeding car and left in the road so I can talk from experience about the damage that can be done.

[John Childs]

Jayne,

My sister had a horse killed under her so I know where you are coming from.

As a motorcycle rider I have similar problems with blind, inconsiderate, and just plain stupid motorists. I wouldn’t say that I have many near misses but that is only because I treat all car drivers like idiots and am usually prepared for them to do the unexpected.

My wife says that bikers are amongst the most considerate road users when it comes to animals, which she puts it down to sharing a common feeling of vulnerability. On the other hand, we don’t give a sh1t about cars, so watch your door mirrors. 😀

[Jayne Marsh]

John, Motorcyclists are also among the most considerate like you say its because they feel vulnerable themselves. Because we are close to the Horseshoe pass and Snowdonia we have alot of motorcyclists at the weekend and more often than not we also have at least 3 or 4 ambulances going that way each weekend, its very very sad when all it takes is for each car driver to slow down and think. The Welsh are promotong a safe driving campaign this week but its mainly aimed at mothers driving to school.

[Lorraine Clinch]

I had a car pass so close once time when I was on my horse that his wing mirror clipped my stirrup.

My daughter & I pulled on to a verge on another occasion to allow a tractor past. Trouble is, the driver didn’t slow down at all, must have been doing 30mph, with an empty trailer behind, clattering all over the place. My daughters pony went into a hedge, with my horse close behind, and we very nearly lost them both. We were very shocked, she was crying, I was MAD!
When I confronted the farmer ( a neighbour with a wife & kids who ride,) he said “if you can’t control them you shouldn’t be on the roads”!

There have been so many near misses I could go on and on, and it’s not as though our horses are badly behave on the roads, they are very good in traffic.

I wish you luck with your council Jayne, I managed to get ours to put up some horse signs up locally a few years ago.

[John Singh]

once I’m passed horseriders I normally flash my lights to oncoming drivers to indicate a hazard ahead

[David Rowland]

there is no win win situatution here…

We have horses on roads often as Devon is full of them, they trek everywhere but we also have a lot of drivers too. On a back road which is often used by a riding school, a lot of drivers do go fast and it is a difficult road. When I see a horse I do go at a safe distance and slow speed until time to pass, I have yet to have a problem and normally get acknowledged for my speed.

But two sides here…

one side: damn horses should not be on the road, cause a danger to the drivers and to themselves. Also if a major accident happened does a car drivers insurance cover injury (if insured)? When did you last see a horse get an MOT and a Tax disc for road worthyness, they also cause a messy road!

Second side: Horses are great for kids, family outings and with difficulties in the right-to-roam across fields they have to use roads, the same issues are for push-bikers and the worry of a car speeding around that corner. Should all roads have hard-shoulders like a bike/horse lane? Should there be more consideration to animal tracks/public large walkways.

I actually prefer to see horses running wild and prefer if they wasn’t owned as pets, if you have lots of running space then thats better for the horse, I also like to see them in groups and not just on their own, so thats my view…

How come we don’t see many Elephants/Giraffes on the roads?

[Hugh Potter]

i grew up around relatives farms and horses, and as such i have always given horses a fair bit of respect, aswell as, as wide a berth as possible, always slow down etc, which is very often around these parts, i don’t mind at all at having to slow down, the only thing that gets me annoyed is with about 1 in ten riders who cant even be bothed to nod their head by way of thanks, if i’m gonna be polite enough to slow down and respect their use of the road, i expect them to at least acknowledge that fact that i bothered ! when i’m on my bike i always thank vehicles of any kind who slow down and give me a bit of space when they pass me, its courtesy !

round here though, there’s dozens of riding schools, posh stables etc, but i’d say about half of them have little to no idea on the highway code, they’re often riding side by side as you come face to face with them on a single track lane round the bends, and i often see them sparing little thought for the horses as they trot along the tarmac roads, soon be glue at that rate !!!

glad to hear we got sensible and courteous riders on the boards !

[Jayne Marsh]

Dave, In answer to some of the points you made,
You should always have your own insurance when riding on the roads, I have third party insurance and also my own insurance which covers me for injury etc. Id like to think that all car drivers have insurance too as well as tax and mot but quite often they dont. The car driver who hit me had no insurance, no road tax and was banned from driving but that didnt stop him.
I agree that some animals should not be ridden on the road if they are unsafe in traffic but it is often difficult to find somewhere off road to ride and quite often you have to travel down the road to get to a bridle path. Its a difficult situation as horses arent allowed the right to roam across fields as walkers are.
Oh and I dont think many people can afford to own elephants or giraffes let alone ride em :lol1:

[David Rowland]

thats exactly what i mean… boy racers who don’t give a monkeys! no insurance etc. i sometimes think about it when driving near idiots on the road.

[Peter Normington]

Driving standards in this country are atrocious, better than some places I’ve been but, as the uk we used to boast high driving standards. nobody gives a monkey’s now….
Well, thats not entirely true , there are a minority that still like to drive with care and consideration,
but if you talk to everybody you know, they all drive with care and consideration!
So who are these idiots that drive around causng mayhem? The answer I am sorry to say is most of us.

Its an attitude thing that happens when our alter ego gets to be in control of a car.
Most drivers dont even notice what is going on around them, they are on the phone, listening to the radio, or loud music, looking at there sat-nav, chatting with the kids or passsengers,
and numerous other things.
The last thing on their mind is car control and whats going on outside.

All obstacles on the road should be considered a danger, horse, bike or another vehicle, all should be given as much room as possible, you dont know what they will do next.

Although a road is not an ideal place for a horse, if its there, give it plenty of room
the riders are just the same as car drivers, they have a right to be there.
but having said that,
I have yet to see a rider of horse or bicycle pull over to let a car pass.
especially when riding 2 abreast, and chatting to each other without a care in the world,

I will duck down now,

Peter

[Andy Gorman]

I despair at what people become when they get in their cars. Would you angrily shout at someone who was walking too slow in front of you on a footpath, and make an obscene gesture when you walk past them? That will happen to me at least once on every journey I drive. I hate people.

[Hugh Potter]

good points jayne, i dont mnd horses on the road, or cyclists for that matter, they were both there first if we wanna really get into an arguement, so car owners won’t win ! just think many of them seem to think they have the right of the road, tractor drivers are legally obliged to pull over when the traffic queue behind them is x amount of cars long, many don’t, but on the whole most of them respect this, i just wish more horse riders would give the same considerations, after all, if someone is out on a hore, they’re hardly late for work, or trying to get to a job ! i think the few obnoxious and ignorant riders give the rest a bad name !

Peter, spot on, i like to think i’m a considerate driver, and for the most part i think i am, i rarely drive over 50mph most of the time these days, that is.. until some idiot p’s mee right off, or sits on my ass at 80 in the fast lane, i’m easily riled by tailgaters, at that point (conditions being fine, i usually show who’s got the faster car, i’m consumed by a demon who just wont lift off my foot til the speedo is almost double what it ought to say, and said idiot is looking at another new idiot in the distance ! its one thing i wish i could stop doing !

[David-Foster-]

quote Hugh Potter:

if someone is out on a hore

:lol1: :lol1: :lol1:

Sorry Hugh, we all have typos, unless thats what you meant 😳

[Phill Fenton]

I honestly believe I became a more considerate driver when I got my first signwritten van. Knowing I was driving a vehicle that was promoting my business meant I was more aware of what other road users thought of my driving. Consequently I made a conscious effort to be more considerate to other drivers. I was no longer an anonymous road user, anyone who was upset about my driving would know who to blame.

Perhaps the answer is to pass a law whereby all vehicles should have the persons name and telephone number plastered across the vehicle. Good business for us signmakers – and it might actually make people drive in a more considerate manner

[Hugh Potter]

i was watching jeremy clarkson on something the other night, he was in switzerland, apparently, you’re assigned a number plate/s when you pass your test, and they stay with you for life, there’s no beeping of horns etc in the country, cos if you upset someone they’ve only gorra look in the big reg plate directory to find out where you live !

David, genuine typo, but i would probably had left it had i seen it !! i’m scared of hitting the keys too hard on the laptop, consequently i miss quite a few !

[David Rowland]

Tailgaters… thats another issue!
I don’t get it, when someone follows you so close with no stopping distance and when your in someone elses car following a van and cannot see…. my heart races sometimes

[Gordon Forbes]

Don’t have much horses on the roads up here but what we do have is a lot of twisty roads and drivers goin at 40 with ques of abot 10 to 20 cars behind em and if you don’t have 2 L petrol you are stuck one of the most frustratin things i come across.
I stay in Aberdeenshire as you will probably have heard on the news 7 killed in the last 4 days or so some speed others just pure carelessnes in driving.
Personnally i have started driving my car like i do the bike not as a speed merchant but same positions in the road and same observations.
People who have bikes will understand this as most car drivers haven’t a clue about looking ahead. Most of em cant see past their bonnet (the one on their head)

Goop

[Graham Martin]

Being in the green wellie band, and living in the Fens we do see a lot of horses. O Boy believe me I do slow right down, I don’t wish to miss having a good look, at the nice shapes and curves, 👿 Um very nice, the young girls do a dam good Job,Ha Ha Ha dressing up. With the Steam Eng we make lots or straw and we do make Hay. I aways love getting it, in the barn. Stop it!!!! before it rains.
Ex Blues and Royals do understand your love. Just think of the hell it can be with steam and horse, that’s not much fun, I just stop and hope all will pass OK, it’s always fun. Its always nice to get back to the barn.

[Graham Martin]

Jayne, I am also writing to our local Council, but about the paths this way. Have not been looked at for about 18 years, maybe a patch or two, lots of cracks and children keep falling over. So we all are holding a meeting with the Council in the Hall next Monday. But all we will get, Sorry no money at this time, I keep paying poll tax. Jayne it’s so nice to hear about your hobbies also. Did a Steam Show at Sandringham, with HM the Queen Mum at show, but Steam and our four legged friends, it did not mix, Do you do many shows, yourself.
Kind Regards Graham

[Jayne Marsh]

Hi Graham, no I dont do shows anymore although I used to. I am jusy a “happy hacker” now, enjoy the peace and quiet of the countryside. We have a big show here once a year called the “vintage and veterans” show which is full of your sort of steam engines, have you heard of it?

[Graham Martin]

Can you see it at our events webb page, http://www.ntet.co.uk/ if so please tell me, Sorry are you North, South of the UK, what is your village that the Steam Event is held ?