I got shouted at..

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Thanks everyone, I rode the same route on each of my girls tonight, we were much more assertive and encountered no issues so feeling alot better about it all now

I don't think anyone came out of the previous situation smelling of roses but I've got things more in perspective now, just one of those things, onwards and upwards

Excellent!!

 

[PeterNatt]

Your horse was clearly a 'Star'.

First of all it is not 'Road Tax' it is 'Vehicle Excise Duty'.

You are quite correct to be more assertive and to take charge of the situation.

 

[[59851]]

Sorry this is long...
Out hacking my youngster yesterday and I made a bad decision, I've typed out a huge post with all the ins and outs but was very hard to follow..

Essentially I tried to give way to a motorist at a usually very quite junction to a steep single track lane, they then had to give way to another motorist, whilst they were doing that another car arrived, then another, then a moped and despite my hardest efforts to the contrary (including circling twice to try to get out of the way). I actually managed to confuse everyone/ get in the way quite alot, and had two motorists and a pedestrian inform me of this, some more vocally than others (the pedestrian told me I shouldn't be on the roads as I don't pay road tax, that I should go back to the stables, and why did I think it was okay to ride on the road anyway as it's the 21st century).

So not ever so pleasent, but perhaps justifiably so as I was in the way (however not in the way of the pedestrian at all just to clarify I wasn't mounting the pavement etc).

My girl was very good and took everything in her stride although did get a little fidgity waiting for everyone to reverse here and there to get themselves sorted as to who was going up/down the lane.

So all well and good, and my plan is next time at this junction I'll just trot straight up the hill (there is space for a horse to pass a car just not two cars to pass), let the cars sort themselves out and I can pull into a suitable passing place further up the lane to let anyone who need to get by.

However, I'm really shaken up by the incident, in 20years I've never had a bad word said to me when out hacking, then three at once! (On reflection I think as I had a caution young horse tabard on and was circling people thought I was having trouble and it was me holding up the traffic rather than who was giving way to who etc)(I'll also just be wearing plain hi Viz in future as don't find it makes a positive difference anyway).

I can be quite anxious about some things and am now dreading my next ride incase I see some of these people again!

Does anyone have advice on moving on when you know you've made a mistake?

Sorry, that was really rather long anyway!

TBH I would in future let motorists make their own decisions, I find drivers around my way very nasty indeed so I have given up riding, I hate schooling and riding in arenas so had no other option, TBH I think in the near future horses will be banned from the roads anyway...