Paralympic gold medal winner supports road safety campaign
A petition launched to encourage safe driving around horses has reached over 45,000 signatures.
Paralympic gold medal winner Natasha Baker is among the many riders who have supported the cause.
“Hacking for me consists of riding on the roads and although I think it’s important for riders to be polite and courteous and know how to act on the road, I meet so many drivers that pass way too close and fast,” she told H&H.
“It will be difficult to execute, but if it raises awareness it will help.”
Cornish rider Debbie Smith set up the petition last year (14 September) after several run-ins with motorists driving too fast around Penzance.
In one incident, Debbie was left with just one foot between her horse, Noel, and a car towing a trailer.
“[They] drove at us and went straight past ignoring my hand signals to stop,” said Debbie.
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“The roads are becoming much more dangerous. There’s more traffic using the country lanes and drivers are going too fast and don’t slow down for riders.”
The incident was recorded on a camera fitted to Debbie’s helmet.
Debbie’s petition intends to make it a legal requirement for drivers to pass horses wide and slow and abide by hand signals to slow down and stop when asked. It also encourages more riders to wear hat cameras when riding, so that dangerous drivers can be recorded.
The petition has been presented to Debbie’s local MP, Derek Thomas, and he is organising a date for to meet the transport minister to discuss the campaign.
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Rachael joined Horse & Hound in 2014, initially as a digital sub editor then became part of the news team as a writer in 2015. The philosophy graduate studied journalism at the Press Association before working as a local reporter at the Brentwood Gazette. Rachael is now a mum of two and still loves all things equestrian, including hacking, dressage and jumping with her cob Bert. Rachael left the H&H staff to go freelance in June 2019, but still contributes to our magazine and website, as well as our sister magazine Country Life, among others.