A rant: If you're passing me, please let me know!

[kenyonchris]

Forgot to mention that I say "on your left" to the mounted police because it seems to amuse them.

LOL. I have never had anyone say, "On your left" to me when I am on mounted patrol. One would think that a large draft horse (what we use) with big steel drafty shoes with borium clopping behind them might alert them that I am coming, but it doesn't seem to, so I say, "excuse the horse, please. Coming through." A very large horse breathing down one's neck CAN be startling.

At a concert I was working a young guy without a shirt was walking TOWARDS me (on the horse). I saw him coming and said, "Sir?" No response. "Look out, sir." No response. He was talking to his friend and not watching where he was going. I tweeted my whistle and still nothing. Finally, he walked face first into the large chest of my patrol horse, nearly knocking him (the pedestrian) off his feet (my horse didn't even bat an eye, he's a big boy). This amused ME. He wasn't hurt, just surprised.

Point? People SHOULD be aware of others (people, horses, other bikes, whatever). Are they? No...and when they aren't, even an armed police officer with a whistle and a gigantic horse can make them.

[kfergos]

LOL. I have never had anyone say, "On your left" to me when I am on mounted patrol. One would think that a large draft horse (what we use) with big steel drafty shoes with borium clopping behind them might alert them that I am coming, but it doesn't seem to, so I say, "excuse the horse, please. Coming through." A very large horse breathing down one's neck CAN be startling.

At a concert I was working a young guy without a shirt was walking TOWARDS me (on the horse). I saw him coming and said, "Sir?" No response. "Look out, sir." No response. He was talking to his friend and not watching where he was going. I tweeted my whistle and still nothing. Finally, he walked face first into the large chest of my patrol horse, nearly knocking him (the pedestrian) off his feet (my horse didn't even bat an eye, he's a big boy). This amused ME. He wasn't hurt, just surprised.

Point? People SHOULD be aware of others (people, horses, other bikes, whatever). Are they? No...and when they aren't, even an armed police officer with a whistle and a gigantic horse can make them.

What a great story! Thank you for sharing it with us -- I love the image of somebody walking head-first into a huge horse. Also a great reminder that you can't force people to pay attention to their surroundings no matter what you do.