near miss on the road, inconsiderate cyclist, grrrr

NeverSayNever

NeverSayNever

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i was out for a hack after work and at 5pm it was really bright and sunny. My horse is a light colour, I was wearing a highviz harness and he had high vis bands on his martingale.

I was going over a small humpbacked bridge, from which the road slopes down a gentle hill on a straight... so good visibility ;) This is a single track, country road. There were 2 cyclists heading towards me, on racing bikes, with goggles etc on and heads down, going really fast. Charlie is really good about bikes, but he realised about the same time I did, that they werent slowing down!!:eek: The one in the front was almost in the middle of the road ! Charlie began to panic and think about about-turning, which would have been really dangerous as the road leading up to the bridge is windy with a blind corner. SO while hanging onto a prancing-pony I yelled at the top of my lungs "SLOW DOWN!!!!"
thankfully he heard me, looked up, and slammed his breaks on, skidding to a stop. By which point the the skidding of the bike was causing Charlie even more concern. Then he muttered to me, "im really sorry, i didnt see you!!!" :eek::mad: The cyclist behind him had a go at him and said "you need to look up more!!".

It could have been really nasty and I hope the guy has learned his lesson:rolleyes:
 
Sounds like he really wasn't looking and would have been in trouble if you were driving! We've had similar problems with cyclists on our lanes. The roads round here are single, narrow lanes with hedgerow on either side, too narrow to allow anything more than one vehicle at a time (car and horse won't fit, neither will car and bicycle, everyone has to move around to find a passing place). Three times we've had cyclists nearly crash into us because they have come round a corner full pelt, with no visibility and no ability to stop. Some of them have been going faster than cars!
 
Booboos said:
Sounds like he really wasn't looking and would have been in trouble if you were driving! We've had similar problems with cyclists on our lanes. The roads round here are single, narrow lanes with hedgerow on either side, too narrow to allow anything more than one vehicle at a time (car and horse won't fit, neither will car and bicycle, everyone has to move around to find a passing place). Three times we've had cyclists nearly crash into us because they have come round a corner full pelt, with no visibility and no ability to stop. Some of them have been going faster than cars!
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cycling should be made a capital offence!!! :D but seriously they are the most agressive and lawless of all road users and a danger to themselves and other non motorised road users..
 
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I'm glad you didn't get nasty, it sounds like they knew they were in the wrong and apologised right away... I'm sure they both got a massive fright! Seems like in these cases, the other party never feel like they are in the wrong so it's refreshing to see some people recognising they are indeed in the wrong. I'm sure they'll always think of you when approaching that bridge. Glad you're both ok. x
 
Unfortunately people like that often don't learn.

The police call inconsiderate cyclists "silent death" - especially on tracks where they are no easily audible to people on foot or to riders. Racing bikes on the roads can easily exceed the speed limit - espeically in areas where it is 20 - but they can't be prosecuted for speeding.

Perhaps if they were road taxed and made to carry insurance it might help a little. And before anyone thinks I am an anti cycling loon my husband cycles everywhere and usually accompanies our daughter hacking on his bike. Much as I love him some of what he does on a bike is dangerous. What others do is not only suicidal - which is their right - but more importantly a danger to others. Not just horses but also pedestrians.
 
Shay said:
Unfortunately people like that often don't learn.

The police call inconsiderate cyclists "silent death" - especially on tracks where they are no easily audible to people on foot or to riders. Racing bikes on the roads can easily exceed the speed limit - espeically in areas where it is 20 - but they can't be prosecuted for speeding.

Perhaps if they were road taxed and made to carry insurance it might help a little. And before anyone thinks I am an anti cycling loon my husband cycles everywhere and usually accompanies our daughter hacking on his bike. Much as I love him some of what he does on a bike is dangerous. What others do is not only suicidal - which is their right - but more importantly a danger to others. Not just horses but also pedestrians.
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I live in the city and cycle to commute and for fun and I follow the sport quite closely... so yes you could consider me a cyclist (though I fit the Shoreditch stereotype more... graphic designer on a fixed speed, yikes)

Anyway, my pet hate is cyclists who don't obey the road rules! It is dangerous and so disrespectful. We are so fortunate to have footpaths, roads and tracks, I just hate seeing people taking advantage of this. Londoners are very tolerant of such behaviour - in Melbourne, you are more likely to get run off the road by a car :S It happens...
 
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I had a similar thing yesterday when I went out, albeit a slightly slower mountain biker. :D

Bikers don't worry me, they are just out to enjoy themselves as much as we are. And fwiw, I always make sure I have enough space, regardless of how little attention others might be paying, :)

Bet they needed a pint when they got home! :D
 
i don't mind cyclists, but has anybody noticed how they can be approaching you in clear sight, quite the thing, and the horse doesn't care in the slightest.

then the next thing you know, they've seen you, and thrown themselves as quickly as possibly in the nearest hedge, therefore, since said horsey can't see them anymore, leading him to believe that they've been snatched by a lion which is obviously (in his mind) going to get him next?
 
At least they were polite and apologetic. I'm a competitive cyclist as well as horse rider and I used to stick up for cyclists in the past, but tbh of about half of the other cyclists I meet when I'm racing are idiots in terms of being slightly socially lacking, unfriendly and unhelpful. It does seem to attract a high proportion of indidivduals who have difficulty in realising that other people exist. I do defend the right to cycle on public roads (and lets face it, far more serious accidents are caused by cars) and most racing cyclists are required by the terms of their BCF license to have third party insurance.

Totally different to OP's encounter but quite funny - when I was out mountain biking on the hills recently, a group of 4 of us had to pass a woman on a Highland pony on a pretty wide track. We were going very slowly in single file as it was partially snow covered, rough and difficult to ride on. The moment she saw us, she started screaming at us to move off the track to give her more room, etc.. The pony wasn't in the slightest bothered, despite the noise she was making - perhaps it had grown deaf. She then berated us for cycling on the same track as her - a public, off road track open to all users. I am afraid that then I told her to "sit up, ride properly and stop ruining perfectly good ponies that she is too nervous to ride forwards properly and that some of us managed to showjump 17.2 warmbloods next to bouncy castles without any difficulty so I'm sure she could manage to ride along a quiet hill track". That did fortunately shut her up!
 
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