One would hope that of all road users, it would be driving instructors who would know what’s what when it comes to horses and the rules of the road – but it actually took a 14-year-old horse rider to teach a ranting ADI the law.
In a video that has gone viral, 52-year-old ADI Craig Allred is seen telling off two young riders, Megan Lockett aged 14 and friend Callum Mullock aged 12, as they were horse-riding in Greater Manchester. Irritated at the two kids for allowing their horses to poo in the road, the instructor tells them that they should take their horses into a field instead.
Arguing back, plucky Megan tells him that they can’t go in the fields because they belong to the local farmer and tells the instructor to ‘google’ the law about horse riding because they’re doing nothing illegal. Alas, the instructor doesn’t leave it there, accusing the two kids of being cruel to animals because they are, erm, riding horses.
His behaviour apparently didn’t impress Craig’s employers either – the AA Driving School have since let the ADI go, telling the Daily Telegraph: “We were disappointed to see this behaviour, which in no way upholds the views and values of the AA or AA Driving School… We apologise for any upset, particularly to the two children, who dealt with the incident in a mature and commendable manner”.
For the actual rules of the road about horses, their riders – and how to treat them – the Highway Code states:
• Be particularly careful of horse riders and horse-drawn vehicles especially when overtaking
• Always pass wide and slowly
• Horse riders are often children, so take extra care and remember riders may ride in double file when escorting a young or inexperienced horse or rider
• Look out for horse riders’ and horse drivers’ signals and heed a request to slow down or stop
• Take great care and treat all horses as a potential hazard
• Don’t randomly tell off young horse riders for no good reason and be videoed doing it… [That’s our addition – Ed]
Image © Surrey County Council News