Horses and cars: Can't we share the road?

This post is dedicated to the not very nice (okay, mean) grandpa type guy in the green car, who drove past us while we were riding recently.

We were on the side of a dirt road, near our house, headed for a trail, when he drove by us fast. Really fast. It seemed like he was about the break the sound barrier fast. One of the riders in the group made a "please slow down gesture," (like you see the people in orange vests do at construction sites,) just as he passed us, which evidently made him really mad. He squealed to a stop after he had passed us and got out of his car. He was really mad. He said that he could drive as fast as he "@#$%!" wanted to and that all the "@*%$!" horses just better stay off the road.

Note, the legal speed limit on this road is 25. Sometimes my parents let me drive on the road to get practice driving, and I don't even like going as fast as 25! Anyway, we were all pretty shocked, then the mean old grandpa got back in his car and sped away.

So I have to ask, can't we all just get along? Is it really so much to ask a person to slightly slow down as they're passing a horse and rider? They don't need to stop completely, heaven forbid, I know that mean grandpa and places to go and people to see and all, but can't we just share the road?

Comments

[rebecca]

until recently, i never understood how easily horses would spook, and probably didn't slow as much as i should when passing horses with riders on country roads. a few weeks ago a girl was riding her horse and her parents were following her in their car. i wasn't in a hurry and dind't mind the slow pace they traveled at. but eventually rider and horse walked into a yard to let the 3 or 4 cars behind me pass by. i think that driver has no idea about horses. otherwise he wouldn't have been so ugly and impatient. i don't think it's too much to ask drivers to be cautious and patience when horses are on the road.

[photogchic]

That is too bad. I find in those situations you smile as broad as you can and say something like, "great talking to you, now hope you have a nice day." It irks them even more and hangs with them because they know they were a jerk. Wouldn't hurt to have DMV implament common rules of the road for horses in their drivers education.

[Callie]

Karma, There is such a thing and it will come back on him

[Elle]

Well Put!