A new overtaking rule is being considered for all drivers in England, as a petition calls on the Labour Party government to act. The petition requests that the government add a photographic page of horse riders' hand signals used while on the road to the Highway Code.
Petition Highlights Safety Concerns
The petition argues that this addition would clarify for safety reasons what is currently referenced in two sections of the Highway Code: section 215 and the section on signals to other road users. It would align the code with what is taught to horse riders.
Horse riders are taught to use an extended arm moving up and down as a request for vehicle drivers to slow down. Section 215 of the Highway Code states: 'Look out for horse riders’ and horse drivers’ signals and heed a request to slow down or stop.' However, the petition notes that the Highway Code does not show what this signal is, and confusion arises because elsewhere, in a photograph of a motorcyclist, the same gesture is explained as indicating that the horse rider is slowing down.
Consistency Needed in Highway Code
The petition emphasizes that consistency is needed in the Highway Code, and the current advice could cause dangerous confusion. Rule 215 of the Highway Code advises drivers to be particularly careful of horse riders and horse-drawn vehicles, especially when approaching, overtaking, passing, or moving away. It instructs drivers to always pass wide and slowly, slow down to a maximum of 10 mph when seeing a horse on the road, be patient, avoid sounding the horn or revving the engine, and pass wide and slow when safe, allowing at least 2 metres of space.
The rule also notes that feral or semi-feral ponies in areas like the New Forest, Exmoor, and Dartmoor require the same consideration as ridden horses. It reminds drivers that horse riders are often children, so extra care is needed, and riders may ride in double file when escorting a young or inexperienced horse or rider. Drivers are urged to look out for signals and heed requests to slow down or stop.
In conclusion, the petition stresses that horses can be unpredictable, and drivers should treat all horses as potential hazards, remembering that there are three brains at work: the rider’s, the driver’s, and the horse’s. Horses are flight animals and can move incredibly quickly if startled.
