Nearly taken out by a car whilst hacking on the road.

[Tiddlypom]

Still shaking.

Took the saintly Tammy out for a 20 mins circular road hack in walk this morning, prior to the vet coming to give flu boosters.

There’s a blind bend just before we’re home, but we’ve perfected how to ride it. My accompanying ninja cyclist checks behind til the last minute, then goes on ahead round the bend to steady any oncoming traffic. I take possession of the road so that any cars from behind can on see me. We’re hi vizzed top to toe.

Somehow a car coming from behind evaded all these precautions. He must have been gunning it as I’d checked the road behind and he wasn’t in sight. He spotted us at the last minute and skidded as he swerved round us. Tammy scuttled forward a step then walked, but we were powerless to do anything other than hope he missed us.

The car then sped off. Got part of the reg. no, but the regional driving school livery plastered all over the car helped to identify it. The driving school owner knows who it will be and is going to speak to him and report back, he took the report of this incident very seriously.

 

[Alibear]

Sorry that it happened but I'm please to see the driving school are taking it seriously.

 

[MyBoyChe]

I should think he'll give him the sack, assuming it was one of the instructors in the car either with or without a pupil...Ffs if they dont know how to approach and overtake a horse we really dont stand a chance. I think Id be reporting this to the police as dangerous driving as well, the driving school will be able to provide the drivers details if asked. Our yard is similar, its halfway round a serious of nasty bends on a B road, its one reason I always use my box to go hacking, a bit of a pain but so much safer, the road is just too risky at all times now Let us know if there is any follow up on this please x PS Hope you will both be OK and not too shaken

 

[asmp]

Report to the BHS?

 

[HEM]

Oh goodness! Sound terrifying, hope you are both ok x

 

[dogatemysalad]

So glad you're ok. For a driving instructor to drive so recklessly, it's very worrying. I hope you are kept informed of what action the owner takes.

 

[bonny]

I should think he'll give him the sack, assuming it was one of the instructors in the car either with or without a pupil...Ffs if they dont know how to approach and overtake a horse we really dont stand a chance. I think Id be reporting this to the police as dangerous driving as well, the driving school will be able to provide the drivers details if asked. Our yard is similar, its halfway round a serious of nasty bends on a B road, its one reason I always use my box to go hacking, a bit of a pain but so much safer, the road is just too risky at all times now Let us know if there is any follow up on this please x PS Hope you will both be OK and not too shaken

Sounds to me like it was a driver going too fast into some bends, something I’m sure we’ve all been guilty of, or similar. Wanting him to get sacked is way OTT in my opinion, maybe he got a fright too and will slow down there in future. This all sounds a little over dramatic to me, we take a risk by being on the road, on a horse, a bike, walking or even driving a car !

 

[cauda equina]

Driving along a wiggly country road this morning I had an Audi right up my backside who obviously thought I was going too slowly
My mindset when driving along wiggly country roads is always 'There might be something around the next corner' whereas a lot of drivers seem to assume that they've got the road all to themselves

 

[southerncomfort]

We have a band like that and were also nearly wiped out last week.

We have to ride almost up to the white line so that drivers have a clear view of us as they come round the corner but some of them simply take the corner way too fast and don't give themselves enough time to react.

The road is also heavily used by runners, walkers and cyclists. How their hasn't been a fatality I really don't know.

 

[paddy555]

Still shaking.



The car then sped off. Got part of the reg. no, but the regional driving school livery plastered all over the car helped to identify it. The driving school owner knows who it will be and is going to speak to him and report back, he took the report of this incident very seriously.

The car sped off, didn't bother to check if you were OK and that is the reason I would report it to the police. You could have been writing your horse had been hit and killed. I don't think reporting it is OTT. I would however ask the driving school for the name and address of the driver and full reg no and point out you are reporting it. You may not get it but it may encourage them into an apology and push the message home.

 

[SEL]

If a driving instructor drives like that you've got to ask what hope his pupils have of turning into decent drivers......

Glad you're OK. I hate riding on the roads now.

 

[bonny]

If a driving instructor drives like that you've got to ask what hope his pupils have of turning into decent drivers......

Glad you're OK. I hate riding on the roads now.

I think a lot of driving instructors seem to drive fast when they are on their own, maybe a combination of not much time between pupils and a reaction to spending most of their day pootling around being driven by nervous beginners.

 

[Asha]

Glad you are ok TP, that must have been terrifying. Hope it hasn't unnerved Tammy too much ? Let us know what the company do about it

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I'm glad that you, Tammy and your ninja cyclist are all ok, that could have been an horrific accident.
I am not surprised that the car belonged to a driving school, some of their intructors' driving is appalling! We had an incident many years ago when on a quiet Sunday afternoon 2 adults were leading a Section a complete with rider on a counrty lane ( not single track), leading to a bridleway, DI with pupil, lowered the passenger window and told us we 'should be on the pavement', which actually would have been an impossibility as the pavement was extremely narrow just here.
I hope the manager lets you know that the instructor is being sent for further training, at the very least.

 

[paddy555]

I am not surprised that the car belonged to a driving school, some of their intructors' driving is appalling!

we found that but it was extremely funny in our case. Riding 2 horses on a very quiet, narrow country lane. Met a car, it was far easier for it to back a short distance than for us to go back for half a mile. We sat and waited, and waited. The driver did at least hit reverse and made a tiny amount of progress into the hedge which hid a wall. So we waited and car moved off the wall, after about 10 minutes and numerous amounts of wall hitting the woman driver and male passenger swopped places. He reversed. We stopped to thank him and he was very sheepish. Then he told us that the woman was a driving instructor.

 

[spacefaer]

Every time a sign written vehicle comes past me too fast, I ring their company. Most of the local firms now know me and they all slow down. It's doubly stupid to drive like an idiot when your name, or the company's name, is plastered all over the side of your vehicle!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

We did actually report one driver to the police (no driving school involved). Heading towards the bridleway up a hill which ends in a farm track on 2 of the most traffic-proof, sensible horse you could ever wish to meet. Idiot driver shot passed us, through some pebbles at the side of the road, making horse jump, stamped on his brakes, skidded on the pedals, yelled at us through the car window and shot off again. We caught up with him a few minutes later, he seemed to have gone to his mum's for Sunday lunch after the pub (must have been late!). We had his reg number, so rang thepolice who took it very seriously as there recently had been a serious traffic incident, involving an off-duty police officer on a horse, locally. Driver was charged with careless driving, points on his licence and a fine.

 

[paddy555]

Every time a sign written vehicle comes past me too fast, I ring their company. Most of the local firms now know me and they all slow down. It's doubly stupid to drive like an idiot when your name, or the company's name, is plastered all over the side of your vehicle!

lorries, usually large tankers used to tailgate me very badly on the 30mph road into work each morning. An emergency stop and I would have had no chance. If you phone a transport manager at 7.30 am and say you are just ringing out of courtesy to warn them before ringing the police it wakes them up.
One of our local policemen was a horse owner and rider. That is the best sort to have.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Thanks, all.

I have reported it to both the police and the BHS.

I have been back to where it happened to photograph the skid marks, and it’s not making me feel any better. It was bloody close. And there’s nothing more that me, the horse or my ninja cyclist could have done to have avoided it. My ninja cyclist is an Advanced motorist, too.

Plus I’ve been on the driving school website to identify our man. He’s ex army and ex Cheshire Fire and Rescue service.

 

[PapaverFollis]

What an absolute tool.

I'm so sorry you experienced that, Tiddleypom. Really frightening. He must have been flying if your corner approach tactics hadn't spotted him.

I always drive round blind bends as if there's a massive tractor with a spike on the front coming round it the other way. Because there could be!

 

[Keith_Beef]

Plus I’ve been on the driving school website to identify our man. He’s ex army and ex Cheshire Fire and Rescue service.

Possibly soon to be "ex driving instructor".

 

[ElectricChampagne]

oh how scary.. but glad to hear by the grace of a higher entity that you are ok and safe if a little shaken.

I had a similar experience recently where I was actually hunted in a car by two scrotes on a drug run. Fake plates and everything. Gunned the car right at me and I was already in a ditch trying to get away.
They passed us one way and turned around (well handbrake skidded) and came back at us so we ran for the ditch. The sound of that car coming back for us that day was the most frightening experience I've ever had and only for my mare rearing and spinning out of the way we were gonners.

 

[Annagain]

I wore my head cam for the first time last week. I was amazed at the difference it made. I wasn't recording (as I'm a complete luddite and still haven't worked it out yet!) but every car coming towards me slowed right down - even the couple that were going a bit fast before they saw me. A few behind where I turned to look behind me gave me lots more space than usual too. One driver even commented on it. I know it wouldn't have helped in this situation but I felt the drivers behaved far more respectfully when they saw the camera.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Plus I’ve been on the driving school website to identify our man. He’s ex army and ex Cheshire Fire and Rescue service.

Gordon Bennett!

 

[ycbm]

I wore my head cam for the first time last week. I was amazed at the difference it made. I wasn't recording (as I'm a complete luddite and still haven't worked it out yet!) but every car coming towards me slowed right down - even the couple that were going a bit fast before they saw me. A few behind where I turned to look behind me gave me lots more space than usual too. One driver even commented on it. I know it wouldn't have helped in this situation but I felt the drivers behaved far more respectfully when they saw the camera.

I find this too. I wear one facing forwards and one backwards.


TP I'm glad your are safe and sound.

The last person who screeched to a halt scattering loose road surface after coming too fast round a blind bend 300 metres from my house was ...... my own vet!


.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I always drive round blind bends as if there's a massive tractor with a spike on the front coming round it the other way. Because there could be!

Great analogy, PF!

 

[Ruftysdad]

I once reported a police car who came towards me at a great speed on a narrow road where the speed limit was 30. When I saw him coming I raised my arm to ask him to slow down. He ignored me. According to his sergeant he had no need to speed as he was going for his lunch break. He got a telling off and sent on a course. Result!

 

[Tiddlypom]

This is the driver’s view of the road ahead and the blind bend at the end. The bend is visible up ahead from several 100m’s away.




I joined the through road by turning right at a T junction about 25m from the bend. We halted, listened, looked both ways and as it was clear, proceeded.



I stay in possession of the middle of the road until we are rounding the bend, when I start moving over to the left side of the road where there is a length of rideable grass verge. My cyclist is ahead of me to watch for traffic coming towards us. It was in this few metres of road that the driving school car came up behind us, far too fast, hugging the near side and heading right up our backside.

But he should have spotted me and Tammy in all our hi viz well before he got to the bend, if he was only looking ahead.

ETA I’ve already heard back from the BHS, who I’m still a member despite all their shenanigans.

 

[PeterNatt]

I am very sorry that you had this incident. Unfortunately some people fail to use any common sense. Please report on www.horsaccidents.org.uk which is the BHS web site for reporting incidents.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Thanks, PeterNatt, it has been reported to both the police and to the BHS .