New Highway Code rule of 2 metres between cars and horses for overtaking

[01iv30i1]

If not possible you must wait.

Those of us who live and use country lanes with no alternative are now going to take hours to get anywhere.

Who is passing horses within 2m (eg the height of a man) anyway??

now going to take hours to get anywhere

aw come off it - hyperbole much?

You might get delayed 30-90 seconds.
In practice you might stop completely for a moment, or slow down to crawling pace, no one will get a tape measurer out. Just chat to the riders how to handle the situation.

Can't believe any driver thinks passing at unslowed speed when < 2m is safe for their car!!

Let's hope the horses stop get ridden two abreast then!

I live in the country

Slowing down or stopping for a horse has never once made me late for anything

Don't be ridiculous

@01iv30i1

Hold on a minute. I always leave a huge gap under 10 miles an hour. I live in an area of very thin country lanes. They are the only roads. I am pretty sure if you allow exactly 2 metres or over,the width of the horse and a car they will not be sufficient to over take. Going several miles behind a strolling horse will take ages. It’s not about being impatient. It’s impractical.

Oh DFOD.

Vunerable road user have as much right to use the roads as you do, and it's your responsibility to behave correctly around them.

If that seems too much hassle, feel free to hand your licence in.

Me neither. You didn’t read the op. It’s when you can’t overtake for several miles. You can’t now if you can’t leave 2 metres.

So if you can't pass as there isn't two metres...

The rider usually trots on or if they can't for some reason, at least gets a wiggle on to the nearest passing place..

OR... you stop the vehicle and they pass you is a viable alternative.

Since you should be going slowly anyway, its not a hardship to wind down the window and ask what they'd prefer to do in a situation where there isn't two metres to spare, which is what we all do here on the narrow lanes.

@01iv30i1 I completely understand where you are coming from as I live in an area where many of the rural roads are so narrow that there literally isn't space to allow 2m clearance. I think some posters are having a hard time believing roads like this exist (and add in potholes that are practically paddling pools, because these roads are often in poor state)
I also live in an area with a high proportion of stables and riding schools.
I've always managed to safely pass horses on roads, and am astonished at the behaviour of other cars who don't.
In my experience if I slow enough behind the horse on these very narrow lanes they find space in a verge or field gate opening so I can pass, but this does sometimes mean I am behind them for 50m or so before they find a suitable space. I'm a patient driver but 50m is a long way to crawl behind a horse if you aren't!

Riders get on the verge all the time to facilitate overtaking. They don't want a trail of cars any more than you don't want to be in that Q of cars.

[quote queenrollo]@01iv30i1 I completely understand where you are coming from as I live in an area where many of the rural roads are so narrow that there literally isn't space to allow 2m clearance. I think some posters are having a hard time believing roads like this exist (and add in potholes that are practically paddling pools, because these roads are often in poor state)
I also live in an area with a high proportion of stables and riding schools.
I've always managed to safely pass horses on roads, and am astonished at the behaviour of other cars who don't.
In my experience if I slow enough behind the horse on these very narrow lanes they find space in a verge or field gate opening so I can pass, but this does sometimes mean I am behind them for 50m or so before they find a suitable space. I'm a patient driver but 50m is a long way to crawl behind a horse if you aren't![/quote]
Wow, a whole 50m? Which takes a horse what, a whole minute to walk?

That must be fucking torture.

Don’t think it was as a guide. It’s must.
Lanes vary in width. We have a long network of very narrow lanes. I take over practically into the hedge. Couldn’t get further in. I’m pretty sure the gap isn’t 2 metres. Will be interesting to see what happens with the tractors and farm vehicles that are even wider.

A car actually touched DC's leg when on her pony the other day. I doubt anyone will pay attention

There are very few passing places due to the already narrow width.

Well I will be paying attention as don’t want to get into trouble.

I agree with 2m gap and 10mph with horses.
Not convinced by 30mph limit for overtaking cyclists.
A good cyclist could be going 20mph. If you start off moving 20yards behind the cyclist and pull in 40 yards in front then it'll take over half a mile to overtake.

@WiddlinDiddlin

So if you can't pass as there isn't two metres...

The rider usually trots on or if they can't for some reason, at least gets a wiggle on to the nearest passing place..

OR... you stop the vehicle and they pass you is a viable alternative.

Since you should be going slowly anyway, its not a hardship to wind down the window and ask what they'd prefer to do in a situation where there isn't two metres to spare, which is what we all do here on the narrow lanes.

That ^ I will always move to a drive/gate/wherever I can fit and if possible I will wave a car past as well

It's mostly for people who think please pass wide and slow is 40mph and 6 inches

@bestbefore

Let's hope the horses stop get ridden two abreast then!

Two abreast is defensive riding It's for the same reason that you don't ride a cycle in the gutter, you want to make yourself visible and take up space in the road Also if a horse is young or inexperienced, you can position it so the horse closest to the car is pinning them in or shielding them Most riders will drop back to single file when safe to do so

@01iv30i1

Me neither. You didn’t read the op. It’s when you can’t overtake for several miles. You can’t now if you can’t leave 2 metres.

So in that case, the rider tucks themselves and their horse into a gateway or as close to the wall as possible, stops and allows you past - just as they do now, surely?

Will be interesting to see what happens with the tractors and farm vehicles that are even wider.

Tractors and farm vehicles will have to wait for a gateway or junction like they always have. If the lanes are as narrow as you say then it will not be safe to pass without that regardless of the new rule

@bestbefore

Let's hope the horses stop get ridden two abreast then!

This generally happens for safety reasons - an inexperienced horse or rider, or to make yourself more visible on narrow country lanes with lots of tight corners. The will drop back to allow you to pass or when it's no longer safe.

There literally aren’t take over spaces in our lanes and there are often several riding in groups.

@01iv30i1

Don’t think it was as a guide. It’s must. Lanes vary in width. We have a long network of very narrow lanes. I take over practically into the hedge. Couldn’t get further in. I’m pretty sure the gap isn’t 2 metres. Will be interesting to see what happens with the tractors and farm vehicles that are even wider.

It's not 'must', it's 'should' and the 2m is clearly indicated as 'a guide'.

I am way to wary of horses to only give 2m. It would have to be a really wide road or the rider pulls over before I endanger both horse and rider by driving past.

Can you link?

The rule is a "should" not a "must". I imagine that, unless you are being a total arse, you won't get into any trouble.

I rarely come across horses but when I do drive on country lanes, I stop if horses are coming towards me or wait for them to pull over before overtaking (slow and wide!).