Rules Of The Road; Horse and Rider Have The Right Of Way

When I was 12 years old, while riding our horses, my cousin and I were forced out of the breakdown lane and into a huge muddy ditch by a driver who felt we had no right to be riding our horses on the road. He honked his horn, screamed at us, and it was either jump into the ditch or go through his windshield. Between the two of us we remembered his license plate number and when the local police department caught up to him, he claimed to have no idea that horses had the right of way, or any rights on the road at all.  
The unfortunate reality today is that while many people have horses and would like to enjoy riding their horses on trails, there are few trails that continue without the horse and rider having to cross a road or continue for a period of time down the road to get to the next trail. This wouldn't be nearly as unfortunate if motorists knew the Maine State laws pertaining to horses on the road and how to handle an encounter with a horse and rider or horse and cart.
 
By Maine State Law, equestrians, whether riding, driving, or leading their horse have the right of way on public roads; unless the road is marked otherwise. There are 4 simple rules for motorists to follow when encountering a horse and rider:
 
1. SLOW DOWN. Whether the road is posted for 25 or 45, slow down as much as you possibly can before passing the horse and rider. Even if the horse seems completely calm, they can be startled by something and get in your way. If you are speeding by, you are less likely to be able to stop before hitting them and the more force you hit them with, the more likely you are to kill the horse, the rider, yourself, and any passengers you might have. If you hit a horse and rider, that's a 1000lb animal with a person on it's back coming through your windshield and you as the driver of a motor vehicle would be liable.
 
2. MOVE OVER. Give the horse and rider as much space as possible for their safety and to protect your car from getting damage to the side if they should be startled and jump sideways. If you can't fit another car between you and that horse, you're within damage distance.
 
3. WATCH THE RIDER. Equestrians have hand signals, very similar to those of bicyclists and by law, motorists have to pay attention to them. We have turning signals and stopping signals, but one signal that most drivers don't recognize is the "slow down" signal. If a rider looks like they are dribbling an invisible basketball, they are telling you to slow down. This could mean they are riding a young horse, riding an unpredictable horse, that they have young riders with them, or simply that they feel you are going too fast. If a rider puts their hand up asking you to stop, do it. They could be having a problem with their horse and you going by could make it worse and endanger the rider, the horse, and yourself. Another signal you might see is a universal signal called "the bird" and it usually means you did something wrong.
 
4. NO HORN. A common mistake made by often well-meaning drivers is honking the horn to let riders know they are coming. This can startle the horse and cause them to spin around or bolt. This can also be considered against the law under Title 29A, Section 2055, where it states "An operator may not knowingly operate a motor vehicle in a manner to annoy, startle, harass or frighten an animal being ridden or driven on or near a public way."
 
Now I'll address the riders. A few years ago, I submitted a similar article to my local newspaper and not even a week after it was published I came across two teenage riders riding down a busy road, side by side, not paying any attention to traffic. Concerned for their safety, I pulled over to talk to them and they told me that according to the newspaper article that I wrote, they had the right of way which meant they could do anything on the road that they wanted to do. This is not true and thinking this way could get you hurt or killed.
 
Advice for riding on the road, in no particular order.
USE YOUR HEAD. Right of way does not mean you can do anything you want on the road. Keep in mind that you are riding an animal with a mind of it's own and that you are sharing the road with vehicles much larger than your horse. Doing something stupid on the road could get you or someone else hurt or killed. When it comes down to that, it doesn't matter who has the right of way or who was right or wrong; We need both equestrians and motorists to work together to keep everyone safe.
 
GOOD JUDGEMENT. If your horse is acting up and a car is coming, consider getting off your horse and leading them into a nearby driveway or a field. If you have a horse that regularly acts up or is known not to be road safe, keep them at home.
 
RIDE WITH TRAFFIC. Like bicyclists, equestrians are required to go with traffic.
 
PAY ATTENTION. Listen and watch for traffic. If you think you hear a car coming from behind, look over your shoulder. By doing this, you are letting the driver know that you know they are coming and that will usually keep them from honking their horn. Also be aware that motorists aren't always paying attention; they may be distracted by kids, text messaging, or talking on their cell phone. Be ready to get out of the way.
 
STAY ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. Your safest in the breakdown lane or on the shoulder and it gives cars more room to get around you.
 
KNOW AND USE HAND SIGNALS. If you don't know them, I recommend you ask your trainer or look them up online.
 
RIDE SINGLE FILE. Don't ride side by side. It makes you harder to miss if a car comes from around a corner or over a hill.
 
WEAR A HELMET. This is a personal choice, but it could save your life someday.
 
WEAR HIGHLY VISABLE CLOTHING. There are actually trail riding vests available online that are highly visible and have directions for passing motorists written on them. I would highly recommend this or any similar clothing if you are riding on the road.
 
CARRY A PEN AND PAPER. If a motorist doesn't respect you on the road; if they throw something at you, honk or yell at you, speed by you way too close, or ignore your hand signals, take down their license number and file a report. There are laws in place to help keep you safe while riding on the road, but law enforcement needs you help to keep those laws enforced. Something may not have happened this time, but by filing a report you might actually save another rider later on.
 
If you can avoid riding on the road, avoid it. Unfortunately, riding on the road isn't as safe as we'd like it to be.
For a complete list of laws regarding equestrians on the road, please visit www.legislature.maine.gov and go to Title 29A, Section 2055. Be safe and enjoy the warmer weather!

Melissa Beckwith
www.pleasantlakefarm.net