Angry villager

Think i'd prob dismount and walk down that short stretch of road if at all possible. Oh and dont forget to give her a wave when you walk past- vile, jumped up cowbag! I might even take to dropping her a Christmas card in, delivered on horseback of course.
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My friend had a similar situation. She has to ride before work (about 7.30 am) during the week. Once a week she would ride down a 2 way street, which has so many cars parked on it, it is pretty much impassible unless you have smart car! One morning a woman came running out of her house in her dressing down shouting at my friend for riding down the road as it was causing her stress, and was holding up the traffic. My friend asked how her riding down the road once a week at 7.30 am on a week day was causing her stress to which the woman said she spent all week waiting for my friend to ride past on her horse, which meant she kept waking up expecting the clip clop of hooves. My friend made the point it is a rural village, and 7.30 is not particularly early, and it's not her fault if the woman was a light sleeper and prone to stress. And as to the holding up of traffic, it wasn't her horse doing that, but all the cars parked there! My friend kept getting abuse from this woman, so she spoke to the neighbours, who said the lady was a nasty piece of work, they wern't concerned by her riding her horse at that time, so to carry on. In the end my friend contacted the police, who visited the lady. My friend hasn't had a problem since!
 
A good idea to get off horse and walk past, but what if your horse is an ass to get on
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and it's also thought that it's harder to control a horse on the ground so what happens if horse spooks and gets away from rider?
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I ride in a martingale so wouldn't be able to put reins over head etc and she is a pain to mount
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i once had a jogger say to me 'Horses belong in fields'
so I said 'Joggers belong in the gym'
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brilliant! that's the sort of thing i always want to say but can never think of on the spot...
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why thank you
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I too shocked myself when I said it
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normally never good at witty comments
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not on the spot anyway
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Like I said contact the council and get them to make it official that horses and cyclists can use the road both ways, then you can ride past and she hasn't got a leg to stand on. While you are disobeying the guidence given by the highway code it is very difficult for you to be whiter than white and respond to her anger.
 
PMS, batteries ran out in her little toy, who knows, just maybe a generally stressed individual, not everyone is as cool and easy going as me.
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I will always take the safer option, even if it's not exactly legit, but then be extra polite and courteous if in the way.
As others have said, I think the Highway code isn't exactly law, but a code.
There is a reason for part of my sig.
A few years ago a guy came out of his house and called us a dirty bastard when Po dropped a poo out on the road, other side of the road to his house actually, I turned round and said, "I'll get him to drop one outside your gate on the way back if you want"
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Personally I would carry on, but then thats me, yes I would feel uncomfy passing her house, but be f***d if she was going to spoil my ride.
 
Next time make sure your horse has a nice big poo on her drive, then maybe it would give her a good reason to be angry about you passing her house. Just makes you think what sad lives these people have to get angry over nothing!
 
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A few years ago a guy came out of his house and called us a dirty bastard when Po dropped a poo out on the road, other side of the road to his house actually, I turned round and said, "I'll get him to drop one outside your gate on the way back if you want"
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My horse poo-ed in the road....woman came out of her drive shouting...'Your horse has just done a pile in the road'....to which I smiled, and shouted...'Thats ok...I wont charge you for that one'
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It is illegal to ride a horse the wrong way down a one-way street, but all you would have to do would be to dismount, and then you are no different from someone walking their dog. The only problem might be though, that as you are then down at her level, she might be even more likely to scream abuse at you. I would certainly make enquiries to see if it would be possible to have a concession made on that stretch of road - are there many other horse riders in the area who you could ask for support?

There is a term "Normal for Norfolk" implying a very limited gene pool and the subsequent medical problems that arise - perhaps she is a prime example of that!!

Ooh, I've just remembered - it is actually illegal to reverse out onto the road. My driving instructor specifically told me that when I was learning 28 years ago.
 
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A good idea to get off horse and walk past, but what if your horse is an ass to get on
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and it's also thought that it's harder to control a horse on the ground so what happens if horse spooks and gets away from rider?
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I ride in a martingale so wouldn't be able to put reins over head etc and she is a pain to mount
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I do think that everyone who take a horse out on the highway should be able to get on and off it safely if necessary..... it was actuallly part of the reason we didnt buy a pony we had on trial at its yard...... we had an issue on a hack and it really didnt help!
 
If you saw my mini-rant in the Motorway Bridges post on the previous page, you will know my friend and I got a load of hassle for the heinous crime of leading two ponies, at a walk, in single file, along a BRIDLEPATH! Some people are completely intolerant and unreasonable. I have seen the man who ranted at us several times since, and make a point of wishing him a cheery Good Morning, just so I can admire the scowl on his face. It really upset me at the time though.
 
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I wonder if your insurance would pay out if you had an accident due to riding down a one way street the wrong way?

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Exactly what I was thinking. I think the OP should definitely check with the BHS legal department. Horrible woman, but sadly, nearly every village has one now. Best to make doubly sure of the rights and wrongs as this woman could get really vindictive.
 
I don't think it was justified her speaking to you that way, but you were in the wrong going the wrong way down a one way street. I totally understand you not wanting to ride on a main road for safety reasons, but (and I hope it never happens) if an accident were to happen whilst you were going the wrong way down said street would your insurance be valid?

I think when it boils down to it you have to ride as per the law
 
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i once had a jogger say to me 'Horses belong in fields'
so I said 'Joggers belong in the gym'
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what made him think he had more right to be on the road than me don't know
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i pay taxes just like everyone else
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PMSL!!! Great answer!!
 
I can mount my horse just not the easiest of tasks
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she is a mare what more can I say
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I would actually be more worried her spooking as there is no way of knowing what she will spook at
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most things are invisble to the human eye
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You said she backed out of her drive way. If you see her again point out that she was breaking the law as it is an offence to back out into the road you are supposed to reverse into your drive and then drive out in the morning. Tell her to put that in her pipe and smoke it. Failing that lead the horse then your a pedestrian.
 
My highway code is obviously very rusty - I didn't know it was illegal to reverse out into the road!
I have sent an email to RSPoA to ask them to clarify the situation re. riding down a one way street and if they ever reply, I will let you know the outcome.
 
She sounds like she has serious anger issues. I would just carry on as if nothing happened, if she tries to speak to you again just say you have spoken to the relevant authorities (us!) and have been assured that it's ok to ride dow the road.

Don't yell, don't get angry, just carry on. The girl at our yard is a police officer so I will ask but I think common sense says using a quiet one way street in the wrong direction is safer than a busy high street where you would cause chaos!
 
What a brilliantly helpful and supportful lot you are on this forum. I am so grateful to all who have shared their own unsavoury incidents - I know we all have problems with non-horse owners at some time or other. Thank you too to the posters who are looking in to rights via the RSPoA and the policeman/woman friend. Dismounting and walking seems to be coming through as a popular option but to be honest this isn't really practical since I'm er... a vertically challenged 5'2" with short legs and my mare's a 16hh round barrelled young cob. Even although she's very well behaved I do have to mount off something. I've just taken a walk along the road and there's nothing whatsoever to mount off.
I shall contact Norfolk County Council and see what they say re. allowing me along it although I doubt very much if they'll change things on the strength of one leisure rider plea. Not ridden again today. Drove down to assess Main Street late afternoon with a view to risking it but saw two articulated lorries grind round the corner just as I sat waiting to turn left at the junction. Just can't begin to subject my horse to that sort of traffic. May phone BHS helpline tomorrow, I'm a Gold member, and see what they advise.
 
Good luck, it would be interesting to read an update about this.

As soon as you know you have the law on the side, if this lady bothers you again, call the ASBO hotline ;-)
 
I feel so sorry for you having to put up with such an awful person. I would totally not change a thing out of bl**dy-mindedness myself, not even get off, but if it's not legal it's not legal I guess. I am another vote for contacting your local police to ask what they think though and casually drop in about the agressive behaviour, swearing etc... Good luck with it and if she has a go again I would literally just ignore her and ride on!! Make her feel like her drivel doesn't even enter your peripheral!
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Hell_bells is right

Good negotiation rule - if there has been an incident like that, and she makes a complaint, if the police speak to you turn it roight round on her by focussing on her behaviour and say that you would like to raise a counter accusation that she was agressive and behaved in a threatening and abusive manner (which she did)

Then she is on her back foot right away.
 
I think I'm correct in saying that it is permissible but not advisable to ride the wrong way down the road. If it said MUST NOT then it would be unlawful.

In the same way, she is no worse than you, the Highway Code advise you should reverse in and drive out of driveways, but it isn't against the law to reverse out.

So If she rants again I'd ignore.
 
Just ignore it and carry on .I think you will find that you are not in the wrong regardless of the highway code, which is not the law anyway.
 
I suggest looking carefully at the 'no entry sign' at the junction to this smaller road. Does it by any chance have a sign under the red circle with white bar? If it has a picture of a car and motorcycle inside another circle, then cyclists and horses are allowed to use it in either direction but motor vehicles are not.
I have to confess to turning left on a horse regularly at a 'no left turn sign' which was designed to stop traffic turning backon itself at a very difficult junction.
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I always justified it by thinking that we got round the turn easily, while many vehicles had to reverse and have a 2nd try. Fortunately I never had to justify it to a police officer.
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Pearls - not so lucky I'm afraid. Two signs only - one a 'no left turn' and t'other the 'no entry'

Rowreach and PrincessSpark1e, I shall be extremely interested in what your respective police contacts have to say. I don't personally know of anyone in the police force to ask informally. Please do report back if you glean anything, good or bad. Thanks!

Dubsie and Mike007 - your suggestions mirror a few others received which will hopefully soon be clarified for us. My fingers are crossed...
 
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