Horses on the roads - AIBU to think its just not safe anymore - who is at fault?

[Heliom]

I am a rider, I consider myself a sensible and safe rider. I've been riding for over 25 years and feel the roads are becoming increasingly dangerous, drivers increasingly inconsiderate and quite literally now forcing riders off the road. I've worked really hard with my horse to make sure she is completely as road safe as possible, trained her to be calm around bikes, motobikes, tractors, buses, lorries etc and thank god I have after today...
this is the list of what I encountered today on a 'quiet' hack on country lanes.

1. Three motorbikes speeding down the road who saw us some way off and didn't even slow down, came thundering past.
2. A car speeding around a blind bend on a single track lane nearly took us and had to mount the verge to avoid us before speeding off
3. a HUGE tractor which took up most of the road which went straight passed a pull over spot and just stopped on the road. He expected us to pass inbetween him and the plough he was towing where we had less than 6inches either side and he refused to switch off his engine. Our horses are extremely good on the road and did pass but this was at their limit!
4. A massive group of cyclists who just came charging pass
5. A car who refused to pull off the road at all (there was room) forcing us to basically ake the horses down a ditch
6. Being beeped at (yes someone actually through it was sensible to beep their horn loudly at us) when they were behind us and we were going round a blind bend trotting as we knew we could pull in just a little way up and let the car pass. This was without doubt a particularly bad hack and probably one of the worst I've had but other roads users behaviours made it a horrid and quite frankly dangerous experience for us. If I had been on a younger or more inexperienced horse I have no doubt today would have ended very badly! Of course there are lots of very courteous drivers on the road, and we always make sure we move over when can, let people pass, say thanks, wear fluorescent clothing, etc. But I do feel it is becoming increasingly dangerous to ride on the road and the attitude seems to be that its my fault for taking on my horse on the road. Sadly I have few places left to ride and all bridleways need some road work inbetween. So AIBU to ride on the road, AIBU to expect drivers to take care of horses or am I being reasonable in thinking some/ many (not all) drivers are increasingly not caring about horses and other on the road....

Some people need to remember that horses were on 'roads' long before cars were.

Yes, genuinely shocked by some people's attitudes. I was brought up to respect other road users on country roads, so knew to slow down whenever there is a horse, pedestrian, and accept that tractors may delay a journey. Some drivers drive like mad things on country roads and then claim people are unreasonable to horse ride as it's too dangerous. It's like everything. We need to accept each other. It's is not just car drivers who are allowed on roads. Actually, slowing down, and waiting until it's safe to pass, exchanging smiles and waves with a rider is a very pleasant interaction and reminds us how important it is to be considerate of others.

Horses do not belong on the roads unless it's absolutely necessary. Sorry but every time I see one being ridden along the road it annoys the hell out of me.

Do you share that view with mounted police officers Trevor? What do they say?

There is no such thing as a "bomb proof" horse! Any horse, a living breathing creature with possibly the highest flight instinct of any domestic animal, can freak out in the right conditions. "bomb proof" complacency causes injury both in the yard and on the road and it's one of my biggest bug bears about modern equestrianism. Standards are not what they were.

While there is no doubt that road traffic is bigger, faster and in higher volume than it was (even rural traffic) we also have a new generation of riders who do us no favours. For every sensible one obeying the rules and observing safety precautions you'll find ten others, clad head to foot in black, riding three abreast while texting and wearing headphones! Teflon riders who are a danger to themselves and everyone else. It's those riders who enrage drivers and I can completely understand why because they piss me right off too.

I wouldn't ride out on the road now and I didn't let my children. I'd far rather box to a safe place. There's no joy in riding out fearing for your life and even less in trying to cope with a panicking horse and traffic. Drivers need to be more aware but so too do riders.

Yanbu. My horse was killed and I was seriously injured as a result of bad, impatient driving on a country road. I like fast cars and driving fast but I respect all other road users and drive in a way that is appropriate for the circumstances. Sadly most don't and that leaves riders vulnerable.

Dh wants me to buy a head cam so I think that's next move
Good. Pass any dangerous driving footage to the police (or at least shame the drivers on social media)

Just as awful are riders who do not acknowledge drivers.
I agree with the poster nell comments. There are a wide variety of people/animals/vechicles using country roads. It doesn't kill to slow down, pass wide and generally just be nice about the whole thing?
Driving home the other day I met an old lady wheeling her disabled and elderly husband down the lane. She struggled to get the wheelchair on th verge. I'm not about to start revving behind her and getting all irate am I? If you use country roads you have to accept there will be a variety of situations. Get a grip. Or use another road.

So sorry lakehouse xx

It's the last weekend of the Easter holidays, so maybe some of the drivers were tourists who aren't great at driving on country roads. Maybe things will be better next week.

I don't think YABU but I do think a lot of drivers are unreasonable/inexperienced with country roads in general and horses in particular, and there are some horse riders who shouldn't be on the road. It doesn't do you any good to be plastered head to toe in hi-viz if you have no idea about the highway code or how to ride safely on the roads. Riders should also have good public liability insurance, just in case they are in an accident.

I do wonder if the time has come for a minimum age limit for riding on the road alone- 16 or 17 might be sensible. So many car drivers are dangerous these days, and I don't like the idea of a younger teenager having to cope with an accident alone.

As a rider, I find cyclists some of the worst other road users to deal with- pass wide and slow applies to them as well, slow is under 10-15mph, so you may need to slow down. It's also a good idea to shout/say something, especially if you are approaching from behind, and not a great idea to cut between a horse-rider and the hedge at a junction, or ride in between horses that are crossing a road as a ride.

I deliberately ride (bike) around country lanes because I don't like much busier roads and these are usually deserted of cars.

So I tend to meet a higher proportion of horses and dog walkers [as I also tend to go early morning to avoid even more traffic]

Yesterday I stopped entirely for two horses and we exchanged pleasantries as they passed. Unfortunately the car that also came from my direction didn't slow down much and the riders did v well to control their horses.

This morning I had 2 sets of dog walkers stop to the side and hold their dogs for me. In my turn, I slowed right down, thanked them and wished them a good morning too.

It was all lovely and amicable. So it's more than possible.

(I am a car driver too, but not a horse rider)

I wonder what drivers would say if country folk/horse riders/cyclists/dogwalkers said

You shouldn't be on country roads, motorways where built for you so stick to them

As far as I'm concerned (sorry, going to sound harsh now - can't think of a milder way of putting it) ignorant townies do not belong in the countryside.

I think your problem is not with townies katronfon, but with people who live full time in your midst and want to change it.

I live in an extremely urban area and no longer have a car because I don't need one.

When I drive to my MIL's in Somerset I hire a car and expect cows, horses - domesticated or wild - reckless deer, cow shit, low flying owls, flooded roads, tractors, falling rocks, ramblers, cyclists, people crossing and tipsy people making their way from pubs along unlit roads without a pavement.

I've never hit one yet and I've visited her since 1989. I must be an excellent driver. Or maybe I think that other people are entitled to be on the road and I should expect hazards.

limited - totally agree

I have become more and more disgusted by how few riders signal thanks these days. It only takes a raised hand, a nod, or a mouthed 'thanks' and a smile.

katronfon I agree. As a pedestrian I always wave and mouth thanks. You don't have to, but it makes the world go round.

YANBU - we live in a rural area that is very popular with tourists and touring cyclists. We've seen all sorts of behaviour, some downright dangerous.

Having said that, when I first moved here I was pretty clueless, there should be something about it in the driving test.

Actually, I did hit a low flying owl on the way to MIL's . I felt like shit, but under the circumstances, I was not being unreasonable.

I live in a rural area. I have no interest in horses but always overtake with care. I saw a horse when I was young which had been hurt by a car. It wasn't a nice thing to see and I felt very sorry for the horse. I have never forgotten it.

I live in a semi rural area, and regularly have horse riders go past our house, and have to drive past them. I am extremely careful - pass wide and slow, and will always wait for them. I always get a waved acknowledgement/thanks.

The thought of upsetting a horse, and causing an accident would just be too awful - but unfortunately there are some crazy drivers round here too. They frighten me lurching round blind bends on country roads, when I'm in the car. I can only imagine the horse riders come across them too

there should be something about it in the driving test.

It's been a long time since I took my driving test but isn't there an element in it that you're meant to take due consideration of other road users and potential hazards?

Correct me if I'm wrong but I would take that to mean expecting to encounter horse riders, cyclists, pedestrians, vehicles merging from side roads, tractors, milk floats, in line skaters, stumbling drunks...

It doesn't mean it's necessarily your fault if you collide with them. But it would be nice if you could look out for them.

Not so clever Trevor.

We all ride and find most other road users fine and considerate (and try to be the same) but of course we are allowed on the roads. And of course cunts who get annoyed by horse's on the road shouldn't be allowed on the roads

I'm not sure people in cars always see people on horses as people
I'm not rich, I work for the NHS and frankly sometimes I'm terrified by the way drivers act when I'm on the road. My aim is to get home with me, horse and every other road user safe (rather than have a nice enjoyable ride)
I don't want me or my horse dead or injured and I don't want anyone else injured. But I'm not sure the people that drive like complete dicks see me. They just see "oh it's a fucking horse on the road" and don't think of the consequences. If I go through their windscreen the chances are they will be dead as well

I rode about 10km one day and decided count how many people passed at a decent distance and under say 20mph. Two. That's it. I had a mini squeeze in between me and a hedge and actually under my horses head. Someone with a strimmer who could see it was upsetting the horse and took great pleasure in setting it off as I went past. A van driver that hurtled round a blind bend, slammed on, screamed "THANK YOU" out the window and sped off. Someone who drove so close they touched my stirrup
I could go on and on

If it's a business car/van that passes me really slow and wide I always find their FB page and put a thank you with time and date on so it gets back to the driver
Common courtesy. It takes maybe 30 seconds to hold back, I will trot or pull in or do my best to let you past but people now think 30mph is slow and 6 inches is wide