crazy driver and police update!!! :)

I am wondering if i should get a helmet camera or new body protector for my Birthday this year!

It is a shame no-one manage to capture anything on their mobile phone, or did they? Fingers crossed that the right outcome is decided...
 
In defence of my fellow motoring enthusiasts, I think if you look at other horse-related threads on PistonHeads, the vast majority are very pro-horse and keen to share the roads in a responsible and safe way. There are a couple of individuals with an axe to grind for some reason known only to themselves, but they are very much in the minority and you soon recognise the names cropping up several times.

For a lot of drivers, they simply don't realise/know the right thing to do when they meet horses on the road, so we need to educate them in a polite way. I had an occasion a couple of weeks ago when a biker zoomed past me at a rate of knots (didn't bother Reefing, tbh) so I made a point of stopping to chat when I noticed him pulled up with his mates further along the road. When I explained that what he had done was the equestrian equivalent of a SMIDSY (Sorry Mate, I Didn't See You - normally said to a biker who's now lying bleeding in the middle of the road) he was horrified and apologised. I said not to worry, but there's now one more biker who sees things from our perspective. I'm a biker too, btw.

We need to be aware of our responsibilities too, though:
-Hi-Viz
-Keep full control
-Let people pass if you can
-Don't ride two abreast unless you have to

but most of all:

Smile/wave/nod/say thanks/acknowledge the driver in some way

If you read the car/bike threads, this is the thing that really seems to get backs up and it's the easiest thing in the world for us to remedy. I know it bugs me when I'm driving.

Sorry about all this - the Blue Helmet is coming off now and I'm turning off the peace-keeping mode...
 
We need to be aware of our responsibilities too, though:
-Hi-Viz
-Keep full control
-Let people pass if you can
-Don't ride two abreast unless you have to

but most of all:

Smile/wave/nod/say thanks/acknowledge the driver in some way
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I fully agree, although it is impossible to keep totally fully in control at all times when horses are concerned. A dog leapt out from a gateway, barking and snarling at my mare the other day and it did take some serious shouting at the dog and a few seconds to get my scampering mare back under full control.
 
Just checked on Pistonheads and it appears the driver had a court hearing last week. Still no mention of any outcome, however, which makes me think it didn't go well for him.

Interestingly, it also appears that he's quite well-known over there - and not in a good way!
 
Well done. Good to hear this was taken seriously and you had witnesses which is vital.

I wonder if he was known to them already?

Let us know if you find out what punishment he gets(even if its minimal I hope it inconveniences him well).
 
Faracat said:
I fully agree, although it is impossible to keep totally fully in control at all times when horses are concerned. A dog leapt out from a gateway, barking and snarling at my mare the other day and it did take some serious shouting at the dog and a few seconds to get my scampering mare back under full control.
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Yes - there are always some extreme events, but at least we can LOOK like we're in control - not chatting on the phone, paying attention to our surroundings, etc, etc.

Driver found guilty today and fined £815, btw.
 
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Glad you got a result but I would have been suprised if he had got away with just a slap on the wrist as I don't think the CPS would progress unless they think they'll get a result.

A few years ago a couple of friends and I were involved in a very similar incident where we flagged a sports car speeding towards us (riding well over in single file) to please slow down. He screeched to a halt alongside us then rammed his foot down hard on the accelerator and shot off again right at the side of one of the horses which threw it's rider into the road - there was no way he didn't know what had happened as I don't know how she didn't end up in the car with him, he drove off and left her lying there. We had to push the police to take it on but we got it to court and we had to stand up and give evidence - he had a nasty solicitor who tried to intimidate us but we'd been warned by the witness support people that that "was his job"!

The driver in our case got a hefty fine and points on his licence.
 
I'm so glad the police have reacted so positively. We cannot afford to let these idiots get away with things 'in case of repercussions'. We're still awaiting the trial (after four court appearances, so far) of the driver who drove into our pony last year. People are getting more and more nasty in road rage incidents and must never be allowed to win. Good luck.
 
OP well and good for you for following it though.
The following comment is not referring to the situation OP found herself in but,
I have just read the threads in the forum on the link given and if there was ever any doult that drivers are affected by riders behaviour its dispelled by reading that thread now some people will be pratts but others do seem to have been on the receiving end of some very rude behaviour from riders .
That does not help us at all.
 
Am I only one who found that motorists' forum thread a little scary? The hatred and prejudice of some of the drivers towards riders: we're all rich, pompous, arrogant toffs who think we're above them. :eek: Just because we have "an expensive hobby" we think we're more important. :eek:

I'm sure some of their tales of rider rudeness will be true, sadly. But such riders are a very small minority.

When I'm out on my old girl (worth a fraction of the cost of an old 2nd hand car, and who I keep on a shoe string out of my very small income) I rather hope the drivers will be thoughtful and considerate as my life and hers depend on it. :o There are some on that forum who definity wouldn't be. :(
 
The other day I nearly carved up two horse riders with my truck . I was well within the speed limit on an A road but at the wrong moment the sun was in my eyes. Thank god one of the riders was wearing High viz because as soon as I saw it I hit the brakes. What could have been nasty turned into a very sedate overtake. Lets put our own house in order HIGH VIZ day or night!
 
FionaM12 said:
Am I only one who found that motorists' forum thread a little scary? The hatred and prejudice of some of the drivers towards riders: we're all rich, pompous, arrogant toffs who think we're above them. :eek: Just because we have "an expensive hobby" we think we're more important. :eek:

I'm sure some of their tales of rider rudeness will be true, sadly. But such riders are a very small minority.

When I'm out on my old girl (worth a fraction of the cost of an old 2nd hand car, and who I keep on a shoe string out of my very small income) I rather hope the drivers will be thoughtful and considerate as my life and hers depend on it. :o There are some on that forum who definity wouldn't be. :(
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but there was a common thread running though all the complaints wasn't there.
there are clearly some very short sighted rude riders out there.
 
FionaM12 said:
Am I only one who found that motorists' forum thread a little scary? The hatred and prejudice of some of the drivers towards riders: we're all rich, pompous, arrogant toffs who think we're above them.
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Major overdose of testosterone on that site! I don't think they're all such 'big men' as they like to come across... ;)

Think this says it all about tvr drivers, see this one at a lot of track days here :D :D :D

images


I do see quite a few ignorant, rude riders around and it makes me cringe :(
 
When I got Mollie, I rode out onto the road from the farm the first time alone (I had no-one to ride with) and both she and I were very nervous. We only went a short way along a country lane, but as we turned for home, a motorbike appeared over the brow of the hill behind us, at a distance.

The bike rider seemed to slow right down, for which I was grateful. As he approached behind me, I turned back and raised my hand to thank him. I guess that he thought I was instructing him to slow down or something and took offense, as everything suddenly changed.

He abruptly revved his bike right back up, suddenly roaring into an incredibly high speed, and raced up behind and passed us so fast it sounded like an explosion.

It gave me a terrible fright. He was gone in seconds, my heart was pounding with fright but to her credit although Mollie jumped as I did, and clattered about a bit on the spot, she didn't do anything dangerous.

I was trying to thank him, but maybe he's on a forum somewhere talking about the poncy horsey type who rudely raised her hand at him and got what for...... :(
 
FionaM12 said:
Am I only one who found that motorists' forum thread a little scary? The hatred and prejudice of some of the drivers towards riders: we're all rich, pompous, arrogant toffs who think we're above them. :eek: Just because we have "an expensive hobby" we think we're more important. :eek:

I'm sure some of their tales of rider rudeness will be true, sadly. But such riders are a very small minority.

When I'm out on my old girl (worth a fraction of the cost of an old 2nd hand car, and who I keep on a shoe string out of my very small income) I rather hope the drivers will be thoughtful and considerate as my life and hers depend on it. :o There are some on that forum who definity wouldn't be. :(
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Unfortunatly if they have met MS RUDENESS in the Eartham area of west sussex I can quite see why riders get such a terrible reputation. I now have a name for the rude cow and will be speaking to the local bobby about her and see if they can cruise past and see the rudeness themselves (local bobby is a fellow horse owner too and will stop and have a word.)
 
Only reading of this incident for the first time but one thing that glaringly jumps out at me from the pistonheads forum is that people appear to think our signal for slowing down is in fact to flag them down??!!?? perhaps it would be worth noting the relevant authorities that this should be taught when people are learning to drive. I recently was asked to speak to a group of young people learning to drive about the safe procedures to pass a horse. It came about after having done my trailer driving test and the instructor asked me would I do it.

I had an incident a couple of years ago with a boy racer. He was a nightmare for flying around the local wee roads around us and took great pleasure in zooming past the horses "to see what would happen". A week later the snow and ice came and on way to yard one day around the corner I found him with car stuck in a ditch where he had been speeding and lost control. He wasn't hurt, surprisingly little damage to care but he was petrified that his parents would find out. We made a deal....he copped on and stopped speeding and safely passed horses, I would get OH to pull car out with tractor. He agreed (think he would have signed his life away he was so scared) but in fairness to the kid any time we ever meet him on the road he pulls in and turns engine off.
 
FionaM12 said:
When I got Mollie, I rode out onto the road from the farm the first time alone (I had no-one to ride with) and both she and I were very nervous. We only went a short way along a country lane, but as we turned for home, a motorbike appeared over the brow of the hill behind us, at a distance.

The bike rider seemed to slow right down, for which I was grateful. As he approached behind me, I turned back and raised my hand to thank him. I guess that he thought I was instructing him to slow down or something and took offense, as everything suddenly changed.

He abruptly revved his bike right back up, suddenly roaring into an incredibly high speed, and raced up behind and passed us so fast it sounded like an explosion.

It gave me a terrible fright. He was gone in seconds, my heart was pounding with fright but to her credit although Mollie jumped as I did, and clattered about a bit on the spot, she didn't do anything dangerous.

I was trying to thank him, but maybe he's on a forum somewhere talking about the poncy horsey type who rudely raised her hand at him and got what for...... :(
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Hard luck, you have the one bad bike rider, ours are pretty good round here. A bike rider passed my horse a bit too fast once and I said nothing,but watched in interest as his mate gave him a complete bolloking,for it.:D
 
Mike007 said:
Hard luck, you have the one bad bike rider, ours are pretty good round here. A bike rider passed my horse a bit too fast once and I said nothing,but watched in interest as his mate gave him a complete bolloking,for it.:D
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I find bike riders are usually brilliant around horses; always wondered if it is partly because they know what being a vulnerable road user feels like!
 
The carriage produces different reactions can't quite put my finger on it but it really seems to spook the drivers perhaps because you don't see many.
 
Well done for all of you giving statements, as just one alone wouldnt have done anything. And great to hear the police taking it serously - what area/force was it?

As someone else said, I doubt it'll make him re-think how he drives, especially driving a kit car! And hold a grudge BUT he will think twice about being nasty again as then his car will be gone!

I have experienced many many appauling drivers (my experience mostly motorbikes), but I have to say, I have had some very very considerate ones too. And just to balance this, would like to say that yesturday I was hacking out alone (on my girly who I am bringing back into work and she isn't too impressed with the idea of loan riding!) anyway, EVERYTHING is scary when out alone. We were going down the country road and a white van man with a trailer on the back came along (I was deading it!) but to my amazement, he not only stopped, but turned his engine off and waited until we were well past him and trailler to turn the engine on again! My girly still spooked at the trailler,...but thats just horses! I was so impressed and regained my thoughts of drivers!
 
amage said:
Only reading of this incident for the first time but one thing that glaringly jumps out at me from the pistonheads forum is that people appear to think our signal for slowing down is in fact to flag them down??!!?? perhaps it would be worth noting the relevant authorities that this should be taught when people are learning to drive. .
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That's exactly what I was going to say amage.

I don't think that many, if any drivers, understand the signal from a rider to slow down - which is right arm oustretched, palm facing the ground and waved slowly up and down

I have used this on many occasions and all it seems to do is annoy the driver who then speeds up and flies past you..

These days I tend to crane round and ask them to stop with my palm facing them - they do tend to at least slow down this way ..... and then thank them profusely and most people are OK with that.

I'm also rather scared at the hatred and vitriol against riders on that Pistonheads website. I just hope I never meet any of their horse-hating members on the road as I fear I won't live to tell the tale.
 
I take it you are exaggerating ever so slightly? Your story is he went passed at 100mph and screeched to a stop beside you? Do you know what the stopping distance is from 100mph? About 500 ft
 
Vectro said:
The fact you have a vendetta against one person, makes you a sad, pathetic little dogsbody. hopefully the police will warn YOU off and send you away.
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Nice !!! sorry dont know any of the parties invovled but it only takes one stuck up and manerless yob on a horse to give non riders the impression ther're "all" like that!!!
so if the post refers to you just think about your actions and dont be so selfish..
 
Vectro said:
The fact you have a vendetta against one person, makes you a sad, pathetic little dogsbody. hopefully the police will warn YOU off and send you away.
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Is it you?????? If so well - I can see the point of your post. If not keep your beak out. I do not have a vendetta but I am RIGHT ROYALLY FED UP of her behavoiur which is now causing problems for OTHER riders in the area regarding drivers not slowing down as they are tarring us all with the same brush. The local bobby has actually taken a dim view of the behaviour in question and as she keeps her horse locally IS going to look out and have a word. We are a tight horsey community here and except for this rude creature we all keep a look out for each other and try to be as polite and helpful as possible - something you would probably know nothing about.
 
The comment on Pistonheads that made me laugh was ....... Horses are only afraid of 2 things, everything that moves and everything that is still :D.
You can kind of see how a non horsey person could come to that conclusion.
 
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