Following on from the Hacking Nightmare post below

happyhack

happyhack

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I thought I'd have a quick look on the Road Safety site to see what sort of campaigns are coming up and am DISGUSTED!!! Look here:

http://think.dft.gov.uk/think/mediacentre/calendar

WTF do we as horse rider have to do to be able to educate the other to55ers that use the roads!!

I am so damn angry, there is so much protection for motorcyclists and cyclists, what about us!!

We do everything we can, we wear hi-viz, we thank drivers that are considerate when they pass us and some of us even do the BHS R&RS.

Personally I think that people should be educated about what to do when passing a horse and rider more than a cyclist or motorcyclist as its a live animal and far more unpredictable. (Sorry to any cyclists or motorcyclists-I am just sick of seeing campaigns for them and not for us)

gaaaaaaaaah!!!
 
Not surprised by that at all Happyhack! Nobody seems to give a damn about riders on the roads. I have always been fairly gutsy but have pretty much given up hacking lately because it is just too scary and frustrating going out on my local roads.

My horse was actually hit, in view of the police, by a foreign driver a few years ago. Luckily my boy was just a bit shocked rather than hurt (the BMW in question was dented though - hehe). But the police officers at the scene didn't give a damn and did everything they could to persuade me not to take any further action. The driver's excuse was he didn't know horses were allowed on the road in the UK as they aren't in Romania. (Don't know why that could be a valid excuse though - no reason to hit one!! I suppose toddler's aren't "allowed" on the road either???!).

Perhaps we should start an online petition to number 10, there are so many people on this forum it would probably get quite a big signing esp if it were launched on facebook too.
 
If the police fail to take action then simply contact the Chief Superintendant at the County Police H.Q and make an official complaint.

(By the way horses are allowed tio be ridden and driven on the Romanian roads).
 
i have just sent them an email about my views on their whole campaign not including horse riders!
I wonder if the do instill the horse tax whether we will get more notice then? & a campagin?
 
Hels_Bells said:
Perhaps we should start an online petition to number 10, there are so many people on this forum it would probably get quite a big signing esp if it were launched on facebook too.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a good idea and I'm sure many would go for it.


Horses were here before cars so they have the right to be on the roads more! yet you get idiots shouting out the window they shouldn't be on the roads!
There is not harm in passing slow or being polite but they would rather speed.

My aunts horse was killed last year by a van, he tried to over take, fast i am guessing, spooked the horse who reared up and went over, it split all hos back end open and his leg was hanging of, some how the poor horse manages to run a bit further up the road with 3 legs, yet the person said they wasn't going fast, they must have been doing some for the damage he caused.
 
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I sent them this email last night:

As a horse rider who has been involved in a collision with a car, I thought I would have a look to see what campaigns are coming out to make drivers more aware of horses on the roads I have to say I am DISGUSTED!!!

What do we as horse riders have to do to be able to educate the other road users on the hazards of driving like a complete imbecile around horses?

I feel very frustrated and feel that there is so much protection for motorcyclists and cyclists, but what about us!!

We do everything we can, we wear hi-viz, we thank drivers that are considerate when they pass us and some of us even do the BHS Riding & Road Safety Test.

Personally I think that people should be educated about what to do when passing a horse and rider more than a cyclist or motorcyclist as a horse is a live animal and far more unpredictable. A driver that acts inconsiderately or one who does not know how to drive past a horse could end up killing not just the rider, but the horse and themselves.

I am a 25 year old female and I can honestly say that there are times when I am terrified of riding on the roads, I am lucky to ride a sensible horse that looks after me and I wish I could say the same for some of my friends.

Are there any plans to EVER have a marketing push for horse riders or are we forever going to be worried for our lives on the roads? I also feel the need to point out that it is not just adults that ride on the roads, but children on ponies too.
 
The thing is they don't think we are high risk. From their own website...

In 2006 a total of 123 horse riders were injured in road accidents, of which 3 riders were killed and 26 riders seriously injured.

It would be FAR more interesting for them to put up how many actual RTC/RTAs were reported involving horses - and, for the drivers, HOW MANY CARS WERE DAMAGED!

However when you look at this...

In 2008 493 motorcyclists died and 5,556 were seriously injured in road collisions in Great Britain.

You can see why they spend more money on motorbike awareness, it makes a lot of sense.

All we can do is high-viz up and look after ourselves, be courteous and hope that drivers are courteous back.
 
493 motorcyclists - that's quite a bit of carnage. Almost the same as a Jumbo jet crashing with all hands lost every year. You can see why it's unacceptable. I lost 2 friends in the eighties to bike accidents so I've pretty much seen it first hand. It really is like your life hits a brick wall.

They also go on to say that bikers are 16 times more likely to have a fatal accident than car drivers. What would be interesting is the PERCENTAGE of accidents for horse riders too. I suspect they would be more than cars as well. What would be more interesting to see would be the figures for who was at fault in those accidents.

Amazing how you can bend statistics.
 
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