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?!

I frequently meet horses around where I live (semi - rural) on 30/40 mph roads, and will slow right down to 15mph or slower.

However I think the riders were BU a bit too, using a 60 mph stretch of road.
Also since horses have eyes on side of their heads so a different field of vision to us, I wonder if the aggrieved rider was also likely to "spook" his mount by waving his arms about

When my friend from school was about 12, her dad was killed by a horse on the road. it's good that you've learned this lesson.

If a car isn't safe to be on the road, it shouldn't be on the road. If a horse isn't safe to be on the road, it shouldn't be on the road. Roads are for cars. Entitled behavior on the part of the horse rider. 30 is fine.

There was recently a horse that was tracked going sideways (spooking) they move sideways into the road at around 60 mph. That is a vast amount of the road in a tiny amount of time. Therefore the recommended speed past a horse is maximum of 15 mph. Until you have been in vulnerable position of having a car bearing down on you too fast and knowing something could go very wrong it is difficult to really understand what it is like. Imagine the feeling when you are on a pedestrian crossing with your dc and you're not quite sure the approaching car is going to stop. You have nowhere to go and no opportunity to change the outcome - it makes people tetchy and rude

I'm glad you are taking these comments on board, OP - well done for taking it on the chin .

There are a lot of horses round where I live. I always slow to walking pace and stop completely if the horse looks in any way agitated.

You could have killed him, his horse, and yourself.

Little story for you. I was riding once along a road, we passed in front of a junction (minor road joining our road). Driver got into her car and drove up to the junction as we crossed in front. Horses not knowing the Highway Code, my horse thought he was about to be hit, and leapt sideways, turning 180 degrees as he did so - we landed in the centre of the opposite lane, in one move. This was a not particularly flighty or athletic horse... No driver could have reacted quickly enough to avoid us. If there had been a car coming, we would quite likely have been killed.

That's what horses can do - if you scare them, they will try to save themselves and there isn't much you can do to control that initial flight reaction. When they spook, they move at about 50mph, according to gps - in any direction. It doesn't take much to avoid that - a wide, slow pass.

Thank you to all the good drivers on here who behave with consideration!

However I think the riders were BU a bit too, using a 60 mph stretch of road.

Why? Horse riders have as much right to be on the road as cars, cyclists and pedestrians. Where I live horses and their riders sometimes have to be on national speed limit roads as there is no other option unless they learn the art of teletransportation.

Blimey, I know very few country roads (unless they are designated "A" roads) where it is safe to do 60 - even on a straight bit. If I saw three horses coming towards me, I would slow right down and then stop as they passed. Never sure about the stopping, but where I live most roads are too narrow for two cars to pass without taking each others wing mirrors out so I'd rather stop than risk having a horse come through my windscreen. I am also someone who has witnessed that sort of accident and have no wish to be involved in one.

Fair enough to you for seeing the light OP!

I used to love passing horses as a child, they are beautiful animals. Next time OP, slow down and stop even and enjoy their beauty.

OP if a rider actually asks you to slow down it is likely either their horse or one of the others with them is likely to spook.

I had a horse that wouldn't spook for fast cars and lorry's (cyclists were a different matter), so I never bothered asking drivers to slow down. If I was with another rider on a horse where there was a likelyhood of that horse spooking I asked people going to fast to slow down.

You should always pass slow and wide but if a rider tells you to slow down, it usually means there's a damn good chance of a horse spooking if you don't. Even if you were doing 10mph, if a rider still signals to slow down, do. If they signal to stop, do. Trust them to know the horse(s) they are on /with.

Well nobody you obviously dont care about anyones safety or indeed life. Including your own.
Plus you are very ignorant. All horses are unpredictable flight animals and can shy.
Horses legally have the right to the roads, cars only by licence.

Although this doesn't answer your question, I used to ride a lot and cars vary in their consideration for horses. I would never have taken a horse I didn't trust in a road, but I would still hope and expect drivers to slow down. Oddly, motorbikes were the best at slowing right down and often stopping if the situation allowed! (I'd have assumed it's more of a hassle for them to stop/ slow down than a car?)

I can see you've already got the message, OP.

Just another cautionary tale. On a 40 mile an hour country road near where I grew up a horse was spooked by a car, bolted and ran straight into oncoming traffic. It ended up with its front legs crashed through the windscreen of a car. The horse had to be put down and it was very fortunate that nobody else was killed. I always slow right down for horses and only pass when it's safe to do so, wide and slow.

I suspect they are considerate because they also face danger and inconsideration and frequent deaths on the roads redcaryellowcar

Motorcyclists understand about being a vulnerable road user, thats why.

You were being u OP for all the reasons you have been told.

But I personally would have to think very long and very hard before I ventured onto a 60 mph road. And I say that with 3 ponies of my own and 30 years experience. I even make dd walk through our estate on foot and I lead her pony to get to the off road hacking.

In theory we should be safe through a residential estate with 30mph roads. The reality is it takes one idiot driver or drunk driver or even a loose, aggressive dog for a disaster to happen.

I can't ever see me doing a 60 mph road unless it had wide verges/bridleways I could use. And even then it would only be in a horse that I knew was cock on in the heaviest of traffic.

If a car isn't safe to be on the road, it shouldn't be on the road. If a horse isn't safe to be on the road, it shouldn't be on the road. Roads are for cars. Entitled behavior on the part of the horse rider. 30 is fine.

ODFOD

Yep you were being totally unreasonable. You should pass as slow as possible without causing an accident with any vehicles behind you. If the horse is spooked and the rider is thrown, the rider can die, be seriously injured or paralysed and all because you felt the need to travel at 30 rather than 10 mph for one minute out of your life.

Yabu

Oh and FTR nobody, us riders just LOVE having to ride up a nice stretch of national speed limit road to get to a bridle way. It's great fun. Such an adrenaline rush.
In fact sometimes, I go to the hassle of getting the horse in and ready, and take half a day off to ride up and down roads so I can be 'arrogant' to car drivers.

Such fun.

All credit to you for taking on board the responses, OP.

If an animal crashes into your car you'll find out why its your responsibility to drive so slowly you can stop in time.

Check the Highway Code. You have full control over your car, animals and people are soft and have right of way.

If a car isn't safe to be on the road, it shouldn't be on the road. If a horse isn't safe to be on the road, it shouldn't be on the road. Roads are for cars. Entitled behavior on the part of the horse rider. 30 is fine.

^wow.