Fraser Valley – Spring weather, motorcycles are on the road. So are horses.
Horse Council BC has again, taken to social media to remind drivers what the rules of the road REALLY are.
Recently, a poster has been circulating on equestrian-related social media in BC, stating that horses have the right of way on all roads. The poster is based on a statute from the state of Vermont.
It does NOT reflect BC law or regulation.
There is a lot of good information for drivers on the poster, but it is misleading when it comes to actual rules of the road here in our province.
Sharing this kind of information can be risky if it gives riders a false idea of their rights or duties around road sharing.
An excerpt from the Council’s website:
FACT VS FICTION
“Horses have the right-of-way over cars.”
FALSE!
The law that stated such has long since been repealed. In B.C., anyone who uses a public road is considered a “road user”, so the days of ultimate right-of-way are gone!
“I have every bit as much right to be on that road as those cars do!”
TRUE!
…but every road user has a specific set of responsibilities to ensure their own safety and that of other road users. Being able to properly control their horse is the principal responsibility of every rider.
“Horses cannot be controlled as well as cars can, so cars should be made to yield to horses”
To confirm your rights and responsibilities as an equestrian on the road in BC, go here: https://www.hcbc.ca/index.php/trailsrec/road-safety/rules-of-the-road/
