Share the road: The B.C. government wants you to look out for horses when driving this summer
As summer approaches, the B.C. government is reminding drivers in rural areas to expect more horses on the roads.
"Horses and their riders are recognized road users under the Motor Vehicle Act," the province said in a news release Saturday.
"Drivers, cyclists and pedestrians are expected to share the roadway and give appropriate space to horses."
Some rural roads in the province have signs reminding drivers to look out for horses and share the road, and the provincial Ministry of Transportation recently shared the origin story of one of the signs on social media.
The ministry says it was contacted in 2011 by the Cariboo Country Carriage Club, an organization that trains horse-drawn carriage drivers on roads in and around 70 Mile House.
The club was hoping the ministry would install warning signs letting drivers know that the side roads were being used by carriage drivers.
There's no national standard for what road signs depicting horse-drawn carriages should look like, so the ministry had to design its own.
Today, the signs can be found in 70 Mile House and a number of other areas in the province, including southern Vancouver Island, the Okanagan, Barriere, Kamloops and the Peace region.
"Drivers are advised to watch for these signs, especially at the start of any roadway or along narrow or winding rural roads," the province said, adding that even when signs are not present, motorists should expect "a wide range of road users" and drive accordingly.
The B.C. government offers the following tips for drivers encountering horses:
- Slow down long before getting close
- Pass at a slower speed and give the horse and rider a wide berth (typically a one-car width).
- Brake and accelerate gently to avoid making extra noise or spraying gravel.
- Turn off stereos. Do not honk, yell or rev the engine.
- If travelling by bicycle, scooter or motorcycle, ride quietly and approach single file.
If a horse appears agitated, wait for the rider to get it under control before passing. Once past the horse and rider, accelerate gradually.
The province also recommends that horse riders use caution when travelling on narrow roads or in times of low visibility, wear reflective vests and – when possible – outfit horses with high-visibility leg bands.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Statistics Canada reports real GDP up 0.6% in January as Quebec strikes end
Statistics Canada says real gross domestic product grew 0.6 per cent in January, helped by the end of public sector strikes in Quebec in November and December.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
Ukrainian child asylum seekers in St. John’s get class of their own
Roughly 50 children will gathered in a St. John’s classroom for the first time on Saturday for unique lessons on Ukrainian language, culture and history.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.