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Difficulty: MediumAnimals and Horse Riders

You are following a horse-drawn carriage on a quiet road. The carriage driver signals with their arm moving up and down to indicate that following vehicles should slow down. What should you do?

  1. A
    Sound your horn to alert the carriage driver that you are directly behind them
  2. Stay well back, reduce your speed, and be prepared to stop if requiredAnswer
  3. C
    Flash your headlights repeatedly to signal that you are continuing past
  4. D
    Pull out sharply into the opposing lane without checking vehicle blind spots

Answer

Stay well back, reduce your speed, and be prepared to stop if required
When a horse rider or carriage driver signals with an up-and-down arm motion, they are requesting drivers behind them to slow down or prepare to stop. Drivers must remain patient, hold back at a safe distance, keep engine noise low, and be ready to halt if necessary to avoid startling the animals.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify and interpret the hand signal given by the carriage driver
Recognise that an arm moving up and down is an instruction to slow down or prepare to stop
Equestrians and carriage handlers use hand signals to manage traffic when animals are uneasy or when road conditions ahead require caution
2
Adjust your driving by dropping back, slowing down smoothly, and maintaining a safe separation distance
Your vehicle stays at a safe distance and speed without startling the animals
Highway Code rules 214 and 215 require drivers to pass wide and slow, and to obey requests or signals to slow down or stop near horses

Key Concept

Safe driving conduct and hand signal interpretation when approaching horse-drawn vehicles and equestrians
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Animals and Horse Riders

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