‘Appalling’: police share footage of car passing horse at high speed

Police have released a video of a car appearing to pass a horse and carriage at high speed on a narrow country lane.

Members of the Wimbourne neighbourhood police team, in Dorset, used the footage as an example of “appalling” standards of driving around horses.

The sergeant urged drivers to pass horses wide and slow, following the social media post with a link to government safety advice for riders and drivers.

“I wanted to share this short video clip, which is one of several concerning incidents of appalling driving standards around horses,” the officer wrote.

“This is sadly a common problem in our area. Driver and rider were lucky on this occasion but I’m sure you’d agree, this is completely unacceptable.

“Please pass horses wide and slow. Thanks, Sgt760.”

While some commenters on the post backed the driver, saying he was coming round a bend and may not have seen the horse, others disagreed.

“It’s silly to speed round country lanes; I’ve no idea why a sensible speed limit has not been set,” said Sonia Cresswell.

“It’s a mad world we live in especially when drivers zoom around like this.”

Others called for a lower speed limit on rural roads, and agreed with police that the area’s roads are dangerous for riders.

“It’s not rocket science to pass wide and slow,” wrote Lynn Kenchington-Groom.

“I have had cars speed past, been verbally abused and have had cars drive by beeping their horns shouting and cursing just because I am walking my horse on the road. It’s a sorry state of affairs really.”

But driver Dan Lehmann pointed out that riders also need to act appropriately.

“I pass horses very slowly, and usually get a friendly wave from the rider,” he said.

“However, every now and then I’ve gone round a corner on a 60mph road doing 30-35 mph and met with a horse, to which my reaction is to brake.

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“I am then given a very different greeting, the last time was yesterday I got “slow down you f****** ****!”. It’s almost like they’re looking for it and ready to pounce at someone going slightly too fast.

“I notice this same thing with cyclists with cameras on their heads, they over-react to things when the driver couldn’t have done anything differently, just to upload the footage online. That is also unacceptable!”

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