A person riding on horseback on an Oregon road raises a hand as you approach. What must you do?
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A.
Stop if you safely can, and stay quiet. Correct
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B.
Pass quickly to clear the area.
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C.
Continue at speed; the rider is waving.
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D.
Honk to alert the horse.
The answer is "Stop if you safely can, and stay quiet."
A raised hand from a person on horseback (or leading an animal) means the animal is frightened. Stop your vehicle unless stopping would cause a collision, and do not use your horn or make other loud, sudden noises near the animal; those are exactly the stimuli that cause a frightened horse to bolt. Wait until it is safe to proceed. Drivers who fall back on the general "horn as a reasonable warning" habit, the trap in choice D, are the ones who miss this question.
The traps in the wrong answers
B. Pass quickly to clear the area.
Passing quickly does not help; the manual requires you to stop unless stopping would cause a collision. This answer applies the general 'get past the hazard fast' reflex used around road obstructions, ignoring that engine noise and sudden movement are what spook the horse.
C. Continue at speed; the rider is waving.
A raised hand from a rider specifically signals a frightened animal, not a casual wave; you must stop. This answer reads every roadside raised hand as a courtesy signal, the way a pedestrian or cyclist often waves a driver through an intersection.
D. Honk to alert the horse.
Honking is exactly what frightens the horse and is prohibited near the animal. This answer carries the 'horn as a reasonable warning' habit taught for communicating with other drivers over to an animal, which the horn actually panics.
This question tests your knowledge of Emergencies in Oregon. Source: Oregon Driver Manual, "Safe & Responsible Driving, Avoiding a Collision, Animals," p.75..
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