From today new driving laws
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That DD, is the usual cop out by most folks who get wound up about horses sharing public roads. Horses don’t understand tests and even the best behaved, any animal for that matter, can be spooked by something, anything that frightens them. Cows crossing a road, sheep herded down a country Lane, etc…. So best to expect the unexpected if passing.
Both myself and OH undertook and passed our BHS Riding and Road Safety Tests, but that never stopped drivers getting too close to us, cars pulling out in front of us, drivers with blaring horns and shouting and swearing at us. I don’t disagree that some horses are perhaps not wise ridden on roads, but it’s often not the traffic that spooks them, but something as innocuous as a paper bag blowing towards them. They have a flight response to danger, and even the best of riders cannot stop something that has bolted. No horse rider really wants to be on the road, but the bridleways network doesn’t always link up, and roads have to be crossed, used even if for a few hundred metres. It’s more a general lack of understanding and impatience that causes most accidents, but trust me, you do not want to see the aftermath of when a horse and rider meet a car head on. That’s why these changes, not perfect by any means, are important. It’s a mindset change, a recognition that other, occasional road users are more vulnerable.0 -
I’ve found if a driver approaches a skittish horse, realises this so slows down to creep speed the rider will generally either stop & soothe the horse or pull far away from the road. Animals can’t assess risk as we do they fight or flee. It takes time to win over most Animals, Drivers need to accept this.
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Yep, that’s the way to do it Rocky. A horse’s natural instinct is to try and turn to face danger, their eyes are arranged to see things “over their shoulder”, so they expect danger very much from behind as well as in front.
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Let’s not forget that the Highway Code is about ALL road users. Horse riders also have responsibility. If they can’t control the animal safely on a public road they should stick to other routes. Some of the riders I see in the lanes locally are just kids. I also see quite a few who seem to be borderline impersonating a police office with their ‘polite’ hi viz jackets. Yes, I know why they do it, but I wonder what would happen if I adopted similar tactics with my car?
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I can’t remember the last time I drove out & didn’t see(in passing or at a distance) at least one rider hacking out, stables & schools everywhere. Friends & friends of friends always talking of equine things at some point, I was schooled early by the tales of frightening drivers & close calls☹️. My first time upon a horse was Arnie a big horse with hoofs bigger than my head, but a gentle Giant, he lifted his head I shortened the reins he’d try to pull me over his head-‘he likes you’ they said, I’ll try not to upset him then-ever🤣🤣
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The new rules seem to be pointing out that everyone is responsible for their own and other's safety but, when it comes down to it, the biggest onus is on we drivers of the hard metal machines.
I don’t have an issue with the 'polite' jackets, btw. I think they’re putting the point across in a non-aggressive manner.
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The Polite hi viz jackets are very much a means to an end, and very effective. Seen from a long way away, predictive text kicks in, and drivers do slow down. I wish we had had them from my first days riding. We deliberately kitted our horse out to look like a Police horse, he was a big, 16.3 middleweight hunter, so looked like one. Add loads of hi viz blankets, bandages, boot lights and a hi viz jacket and he an us looked the part. You use any ideas you can to stop drivers getting too close.
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Suggest you take it up with the manufacturers of the Hi Viz gear DD.
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Please explain how using hi viz equipment, available on the open market, in an effort to stay safe, might be illegal? Certainly, on the Riding and Road Safety courses we attended, and co hosted by our local mounted police section, it was encouraged? All the bandages, quarter sheets, bibs, stirrup lights etc….
On the one hand folks are saying riders should be more visible, then we have others, for whatever strange reason, upset if such equipment might make them slow down because they think they might be doing something wrong🤔 If there’s logic there, it’s beyond my comprehension. As I said, it’s a mindset change that’s required.🤷♀️
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DD is saying that just because you can buy something on the open market doesn't mean it's necessarily legal to use ..... what ever the something is. There are loads of things you can buy for your car .... they're not all legal to use - HID conversion kits, General Lee car air horns etc etc
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No he’s not, he’s having a personal go at me ED. I took what was available, at the time to try and keep me and my horse safe. That’s been taken a stage further now, legally, by equine wear manufacturers who are making drivers pay more attention to those riding out.
Anyone annoyed by such a jacket needs to think beyond the knee jerk reaction of slowing down, and recognise why that jacket is being worn. It’s to make a driver think more, and politely ask them to slow down.A number of Police forces are now working with local horse riding communities, and letting them be the eyes and ears in the local areas and providing them with the extra bibs, bridle covers etc….
https://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/19766033.wiltshire-police-reveal-50-strong-horse-force/
A bib on the back of a rider is a safety asset. A General Lee air horn🤷♀️
Here’s another example of police helping riders to stay safe……
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It’s probably illegal when purchased for the purposes of deception e.g. “We deliberately kitted our horse out to look like a Police horse” It’s very subtle and I don’t suppose the police would be in the slightest bit interested, but let’s not pretend that black is white.
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@ Take the Dog .... Duke's of Hazard😉
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Semantics DD. I used bibs and hi viz gear, you might have thought “police”.
I am bored with debating above, but for anyone interested, and perhaps adding a bit of information when encountering a horse and rider, found this that might be useful…….
https://www.yourhorse.co.uk/hacking/bhs-dead-slow-campaign/
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Wearing a high vis bib with “Polite” written on it is not impersonating a police officer. The police don’t wear high vis with “Polite” written on it do they? Has TTDA ever tried to indicate that they are part of it in some way connected to the Police? No. No impersonation has taken place at all.
If as a user of the road, you saw the high vis, miss-read “Polite” for “Police” then that is your issue, not the riders. If you further modified your behaviour because you believed the rider to be a Police officer, not a member of the general public, then maybe as a road user you should consider why you felt the need to adjust behaviour on this occasion? There are no specific rules for passing a police officer on horseback that are not also applicable for passing a member of the general public.
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Despite your comments, the intent to deceive is clear.
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I'm not sure why it would make any difference to one's reactions on seeing horses being ridden on the road, whether it's police or not, but I suspect one would have to be pretty dim witted not to be able to tell the difference anyway. The "polite" label on hi-viz jackets is no different, surely, from the hundred of cars one sees on the motorway decorated with stripes resembling police vehicles?
Anyway, back to the main point, I'd be more confident about the success of these new measures if many drivers followed the previous version of the HC. We have to cross a fairly busy commuter road twice every morning when walking the dogs and I've lost count of the number of times we're forced to wait at the 2 zebra crossings we use because of drivers refusing to stop, or even slow down to appear to be stopping.
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... and I've lost count of the number of times we're forced to wait at the 2 zebra crossings we use because of drivers refusing to stop, or even slow down to appear to be stopping.
But that's how a zebra crossing works .... traffic has priority. You only have right of way once you've stepped foot on the crossing
"Remember that traffic does not have to stop until someone has moved onto the crossing"
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Has anyone seen any of these new cycling lights? (Taken from new HC link in OP, that shows a photo)
6. People cycling at junctions
The code has been updated to clarify that when turning into or out of a side road, people cycling should give way to people walking who are crossing or waiting to cross.There is new advice about new special cycle facilities at some junctions.
Some junctions now include small cycle traffic lights at eye-level height, which may allow cyclists to move separately from or before other traffic. People cycling are encouraged to use these facilities where they make their journey safer and easier.
There is also new guidance for people cycling at junctions with no separate facilities.
The code recommends that people cycling should proceed as if they were driving a vehicle where there are no separate cyclist facilities. This includes positioning themselves in the centre of their chosen lane, where they feel able to do this safely. This is to:
make them as visible as possible
avoid being overtaken where this would be dangerousWe don’t live in a city or large town, so never come across them. However, we do have a lot of the road boxes at the head of junctions, and at cross roads. Most drivers don’t seem to notice them, and drive into the box, just before the traffic lights, or if you are a cyclist waiting to turn left, will pull up alongside you, in the box.
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So you’re ok with dressing up and impersonating officials? People are generally warned to be on their guard about such people.
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Bill - are you really saying that, in your opinion, someone on horseback wearing a hi-viz jacket bearing the, often barely visible, word "polite" is in the same league as the sort of criminal lowlife who terrorise elderly folk by knocking on their door impersonating officials?
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I think impersonating an official in any circumstances is wrong. Condoning it is the thin edge of a wedge.
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