AmyMay
Situation normal
Horses and how to accommodate them at a roundabout being discussed as part of the new Highway Code regulations on JV from 12.00 today.
Radio 2 - Horses
- Thread starter AmyMay
- Start date
MuddyMonster
Well-Known Member
I was just about to post the same thing! Not that I'd be anywhere near brave enough to talk on national radio but hopefully someone sensible will be ?
Widgeon
Well-Known Member
Ahhh Jeremy...trust him to find the least useful part of any legislation to get worked up about! I wonder (if we did a poll) how many people actually ride their horse on a roundabout on a regular basis? Couldn't they discuss aspects of the revised code that are actually relevant to the majority of riders, like not overtaking at 30mph?
(This is a semi-facetious post, it's a good thing they are at least talking about it)
(This is a semi-facetious post, it's a good thing they are at least talking about it)
AmyMay
Situation normal
TBF he may talk about more than roundabouts. It’s the one thing I picked up on. I was pleased to hear that it’ll be part of todays discussion as it won’t simply focus on bicycles.
scruffyponies
Well-Known Member
I ride around one in the middle of our little town all the time. It isn't a huge one, and it would be ridiculous to keep to the outside if we were turning right. Common sense has to rule, surely?
Pearlsacarolsinger
Up in the clouds
We used to include a roundabout in one of our hacks, when we were at livery. Clydie mare was completely traffic proof and understood roundabouts, Appy was terrified of large vehicles, so we used to approach the road end, scuttle round the corner to the right,walk a few yards on the pavement, then cross the road to where we needed to be, thus avoiding the actual roundabout and associated traffic.Clydie mare always disapproved but she was no happier about walking on the pavement, which was actually integrated into the bridleway, as part of a different route. Fortunately we have no roundabouts to negotiate here.
Birker2020
Well-Known Member
Annagain
Well-Known Member
We use one regularly. It's actually really handy because traffic has to stop for you when you're turning right. If it was a right turn we'd have to wait for a gap. We don't stick to the outside though as it has two lanes on the approach and even though we know we should go round the outside, cars never seem to know this so don't stop for us as they expect us to go straight on unless we put ourselves in the right lane.
eggs
Well-Known Member
Well it didn't take long for a caller to pop up to say horses shouldn't be on the roads and should be ridden in fields - didn't explain how we were to get to the mythical riding fields though
Berpisc
Well-Known Member
Or the so frequently forgotten concept of the vast majority of public highways being just that, public rights of way...
Rowreach
Adjusting my sails
Jeremy got a slapped wrist for cutting off the PWAS lady on yesterday's segment and letting the lorry driver and the cyclist shout away at each other. He likes shouting does Jeremy. So today they get the bloke from the BHS, which could have been useful (and about time the BHS actually did what they should be doing) and still Jeremy spectacularly misses the point and focuses on roundabouts and horse poo.
Esmae
Well-Known Member
Jeremy Vine is a total twerp! I wouldn't pay him in washers!!
Flame_
Well-Known Member
I don't get it. It's a long time since I had to negotiate a roundabout on a bike or horse but when I used to, I used to get in the middle of the right hand lane if I was turning right. Why wouldn't you? The cars just have to wait behind you then.
Annagain
Well-Known Member
If I remember correctly from doing my pony club road safety (30 years ago!) the idea is that by staying on the outside of roundabout you only have traffic on one side of you. If you go to the middle you potentially have traffic on both sides of you, those in the left hand lane and those on the outside of you in the right hand lane (I get what you say about going to the middle of the lane so cars have to wait but until this new iteration of the highway code which tells cyclists to use the middle of the lane, cyclists and horses riders were always told to stay to the left of the lane) and there's nowhere to go if there's a problem. Technically, you should stay to the left when waiting to turn right too for the same reason.
As I said though, drivers don't know this so it creates more problems than it solves. If you stay left, those coming behind you assume you're taking the first exit and start to overtake you on the roundabout. If they're going left and you then start to go past the first exit the potential for them to take you out is huge. Likewise, cars coming towards you assume you're going left and don't give way - less of an issue on the roundabout we use as it's pretty big so we can stop before reaching them but on a mini roundabout where the junctions are all very close it could be a problem.
scruffyponies
Well-Known Member
Pretty sure in some cases it would be safer to just ride straight across the middle on the grass. 
Rowreach
Adjusting my sails
Pretty sure in some cases it would be safer to just ride straight across the middle on the grass.
I haven’t ridden a roundabout since I was a teenager but when I did, it was a big grassy roundabout and we did just that. If it was busy the horses used to get a pick of grass in the middle while we waited ?
The idea of staying in the left lane is to stop traffic coming up both sides of you at once. So long as you are able to signal properly (ie signal right if you are going past an exit) and keep looking all around for the idiots, it’s the safest place to be.