I nearly hit a horse!!!!!!

WelshRuby

WelshRuby

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Coming back from my field, along a shaded lane, turned a corner and very nearly ran into a horse and rider. Obviously not a stitch of hiviz or any light clothes. I know this woman and she always does it, puts her horse at risk. She said she was going to ring the police as I was driving at her horse!? WTF!
I can't stop shaking and the wine hasn't helped!
No point to this post really, just needed a rant
 
let her, she will be the one who gets warned as if you had hit the horse (god forbid) she would have been libel as she wasn't wearing any high vis. It wasn't your fault go drink some more wine and relax :)
 
i had the same last week - was driving at a safe speed on a narrow lane and a very blind bend, i was keeping very left in case another car came round, took the corner and just suddenly appeared up behind two horses and riders!

I hadnt realised how easy it is to nearly hit a horse, there was NO WAY to see them around the bend and even going slowly they were just suddenly there.

Really unnerved me :(
 
Im not sure if this is true but i was recently told you are not covered by your insurance if you are not hi vized??? Dont worry - the police know the importance of hi viz hence we are all buying the polite equisafetey range!!!:)
 
How awful for you. The police should be understanding once you explain that you couldn't see her. They should really tell her to always wear hi-viz in future.



I was riding yesterday (pink and yellow hi-viz) and a farmer was fertilizing the other side of a tall hedge. He saw me through the hedge and kindly paused while I went past (good job too because the fertilizer can ping through the hedge). He'd never have seen me without the hi-viz, so it's not just traffic on the roads that it helps.
 
Hi all. New here. I had a real fright last winter driving along a narrow lane round a bend with the full glare of a low sun in my face. I didn't think I was THAT blinded, but a tree cut the sun out for a second, and to my horror there were two horses in front of me inches from my bumper - I hadn't seen them at all. It really shook me. When I hear of accidents when people say they were blinded by the sun I used to think 'oh yeah, you weren't looking', but now I realise it really is true!
 
LadyRascasse said:
let her, she will be the one who gets warned as if you had hit the horse (god forbid) she would have been libel as she wasn't wearing any high vis. It wasn't your fault go drink some more wine and relax :)
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This is not true in any way, shape or form. if you had hit her horse YOU would have been liable. How fast were you going??
 
Think you wil probably find the policeman will tell you it's your fault, fair or not, I have a feeling that is how it will be, if you hit a cyclist who has gone through a red light, not used the cycle track which is available, no hat, no viz gear, gone against 2 cars before you, and not took the hint he is in the wrong place, and then knock him off cause you didn't see him, the police will be looking to prosecute you for dangerous driving, well they do round here, I know someone who is waiting to hear, police say it could take 6 months for them to decide :mad:
 
As the law stands, you are very unlikely to be prosecuted in circumstances like the OPs (if she had hit the horse) but you may be held liable for any damage.

THe Highway Code says that you must always be able to stop in time for any obstruction in the road i.e always be travelling at a speed suitable to the available visability so if you're going around a blind bend you should be crawling...

In fairness, hi viz wouldn't have made much difference in this case but it would nearly every other time. Some insurance companies strongly advise that you wear hi viz but AFAIK none have ever refused to pay a claim because of a lack of it.

Personally, I wouldn't go out without high viz and I always trot on around blind bends and on narrow roads to try and put distance between me and any following cars so they have a chance to see and hear us - riders are entitled to consideration on the road but they have to take responsibility and be a little pro active about their safety too.
 
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I wonder how you went on? Might not have been a good idea to have a galss or two of wine? I'd have done the same, as would others BUT maybe after an incident, having a drink isn't the best thing to do if it's likely the Police might visit.

Hi Viz is getting a lot of publicity at the mo, and you have a very good case to argue
 
Thanks very much for all your replies. An officer has just left. He was sympathetic and said he had to warn me not to drive too fast but he was guessing that I wasn't when I said that I was a horse rider and I'm always meeting horses on that lane so drive with consideration and my usual speed there is probably 20 or bit less.
He is going to tell the woman to always wear hi viz on both her and the horse and never to use her mobile when riding (I foregot to mention in the first post she was texting).
She has lied about the incident but I won't bore you with that.
Incidently, we used to be on the same yard, and for some reason she just stopped talking to me, no idea why, but there you go, lol!
Clippy, I had one glass of wine, lo alc. and wasn't expecting the police until today as it was Saturday evening and they would have had a lot more pressing things to attend to!
Anyway I'm forgetting about it now and going for a hack!
 
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cbmcts said:
As the law stands, you are very unlikely to be prosecuted in circumstances like the OPs (if she had hit the horse) but you may be held liable for any damage.

THe Highway Code says that you must always be able to stop in time for any obstruction in the road i.e always be travelling at a speed suitable to the available visability so if you're going around a blind bend you should be crawling...

In fairness, hi viz wouldn't have made much difference in this case but it would nearly every other time. Some insurance companies strongly advise that you wear hi viz but AFAIK none have ever refused to pay a claim because of a lack of it.

Personally, I wouldn't go out without high viz and I always trot on around blind bends and on narrow roads to try and put distance between me and any following cars so they have a chance to see and hear us - riders are entitled to consideration on the road but they have to take responsibility and be a little pro active about their safety too.
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Very well written, Oz
 
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