Who was BU, me driving or man on horse?

[EsmeraldaEllaBella]

Sorry for another car thread! Name changed recently but am a regular poster

So today I was driving in the countryside, road is wide enough for 2 cars, 60mph road, very straight. There were 3 people in a line on horses coming towards me on the opposite side of the road. I was going about 40mph but slowed to 30mph when I saw them. The man on the front horse started waving his arms and looked really angry saying slow down slow down! Wtf? horse people around here piss me off so much. Was I BU?!

Yes. Completely unreasonable. Slow down, what was so important that you couldn't spare an extra few seconds to allow them to pass safely?

30mph is much too fast to pass a horse.

Yes you were. You should slow down to a crawl to go past horse riders. Imagine if you spoke those horses and one ended up in your windscreen!

Please be considerate in future.

Slow down. As in under 20mph. You need to crawl past horses

I always slow right down to about 10mph to pass horses. Doesn't matter how wide the road or which side they are on. They can startle easily so I crawl past them.

I'd have slowed to at least 20 mph if not 15 unless it was a really wide road.
30 mph is still pretty fast.
Does that mean if you have met them on a normal 30 mph road you wouldn't have slowed at all?

spooked not spoke!

This says to "slow down and be ready to stop if necessary" - I reckon you probably aren't ready to stop at 30mph.

think.direct.gov.uk/horses.html

I think 30 is pretty fast to pass horses. You could have caused an accident.

YABU, for two reasons:

1. You were doing 40 in a 60 zone.
2. You should have slowed down more for the horses.

I would say that sounds a bit fast, personally I would slow right down to a crawl. Growing up in the country I was taught to do this because you don't want a horse freaking out and putting its hoof through your windscreen! So it's in your interests to slow right down.

YABVU. Horse people piss you off? I expect arseholes driving cars pisses them off?

How wide? Does wide enough for 2 cars mean 2 cars can pass each other but you'd slow down while you went past?

I think you should probably have slowed down more than you did. If it's a very straight road you'd have seen them in plenty of time.

Yes you were , bloody hell

Yes still too fast! You really must listen to the rider as all horses are different.

Idiot drivers like you round here piss me off.

There have been times I've genuinely been scared for my life when riding on the roads. Luckily 90% of drivers are considerate.

So someone asked you to slow down and you think they are being unreasonable? Why do you think they wanted you to slow down, solely for the purposes of pissing you off or perhaps, maybe a member of the group may have some difficulty with their horse if you go past without slowing? Horses and riders are normally competent on roads however you have no idea what has just happened that may have upset those horses making it necessary for that rider to ask you to slow down.
YABU

Jeepers! I always slow right down to a crawl when passing horses. As in first gear 10mph max, as slow as I can go if I'm on the country lanes around where we live. 30mph is too fast. I love animals and would want to worry or hurt a horse. And I definitely do not want a horse to kick my car!

Wow thanks everyone. Lesson learned!

I think you should have slowed right down, I slow down to a crawl when passing horses and also give them as much room as I can. It would add barely a few seconds to your journey.

Yup, horses are unpredictable and unlike the other great hazard of country lanes, recreational cyclists, even experienced riders aren't able to control them if they spook. 30mph is, I'm afraid, much too fast. It sounds a little as though you think the speed limit should apply when passing easily spooked sentient creatures but it can't be because that would be daft.

My dad does this. If he's driving at 20mph, he'll slow to 5-10mph. If he's going at 60mph, he'll slow to 30mph. I've tried to explain that you need to crawl past horseshoes, not just halve your speed, but he's been driving for much longer than me, plus he has a penis, so obviously I don't know what I'm talking about.

YABVU, OP. And driving dangerously and inconsiderately.

Yep, BU and with no regard or understanding of how to drive where you live if you regularly come across horses.

I crawl past horses. Don't ever want to have an incident.

I'm also terrified passing cyclists in case they wobble and fall in front if me And!

Yabu. You ALWAYS slow for horses. 30 is not slow.

I'd be going slower than 30 too. Last thing I want is a horse through the windscreen!