Riding around a blind corner?

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crystalclear

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Hi All

My yard is down a lane and at the top of the lane is a main road. It is a 60mph road. We never ride far along this road as its luckily only a short distance to the net lane. However, on the way back along this main road, our lane is on the right. But just before you get to our lane you have to ride around a blind bend. It is awful! The lane is probably pretty much opposite the lane.

I don't like riding around this blind corner as there is no verge or anything that side. So what should I do? Is it worth contacting the council or someone to ask to put horse road signs up, try and get a mirror or something put up, or is it possible just on that corner to ride on the opposite side of the road? On the other side of the road, there is a verge which leads straight down to our lane, and if we rode on that cars would see us coming from both directions and it is only a very short distance, but of course it is the wrong side of the road! So unsure what to do, the horses are good, but there are many buses, coaches, double deckers, cars that are going 60mph around the blind corner which I feel is a little bit dangerous!

Thank you in advance for any help :)
 
I would ride on the verge on the wrong side of the road. The council won't put horses triangle signs up unless the area is very high in horse traffic. This is because if its only the occasional horse, the drivers see the sign but rarely a horse and then start to ignore the horses signs in other places, thinking there won't be any. That's what I was told anyway. If there's a hedge wear a high viz hat cover so vehicles can see you over the hedge before they come round the bend.
 
I used to do similar, but on a pavement. It was a narrow lane with a sharp left hand bend. When feeling brave I would ride on the road, but hold my whip far out and I had a fluorescent yellow strip stuck on the end, like a little flag. If I heard a car I would wave it up and down, holding the whip out as far as I could.

Often though, I did just cross over, ride along the pavement for the bend, then cross back. I only ever came across one pedestrian and immediately offered to go on the road, but he walked around me, saying it was a very good idea and he wished more riders did it. As you have a verge, I suspect (but not certain) that you would be more legal!
 
That's interesting about the council and kind of makes sense. Also a good idea but unfortunately the hedge is very high so no one can see my hat but we are always hi-vized right up! The corner is so sharp it's unbelievable!
 
Take the crown of the road ie just your side of where the white line would be. The reason for this is that it makes you as visible as possible to traffic going in both directions. It also gives you an escape route back to the verge if something comes towards you too fast but nothing can try and overtake from behind leaving up trapped.

Always trot on on bends so you are vulnerable for the least amount of time and listen for traffic and be ready to take evasive action!
 
We trotted on our blind bend recently and got shouted at byba rriver saying we shouldnt ride around blind bends...hmm shall we levitate?! We had loads of hi vis on and trotted to get past as fast as possible. I was so angry.
 
Is this a route a lot of people might use? On bikes/foot as well as horse?

It might be worth investigating if you could get a bridleway installed on the verge, with a fence separating you from the traffic. If you can round up the local ramblers and cyclist to support it, as well as the local parish council, you might be able to achieve something,I'm working on the assumption the borough/district council owns the path, soI'd speak to your local public rights of way officer at the council. If a group of you could take ownership of the project you could obtain funding via Paths for the Community. Have a look on the BHS website for more info. http://www.bhs.org.uk/helping-horse...ys-and-routes/protecting-and-improving-access.
 
Hi

Thank you for that. I'm not sure how many cyclist/walkers use it probably not many due to the main road but I will definitely have a look at the link and see. Thank you, it's a great start. I knew H&H would hold the answers or the start of them :)

I do generally try and ride right on the outside of the corner but it is so sharp that it doesn't make much difference until the last minute which is a shame. I think I will cross over and ride on that verge then just for safety. I would like not to ride on that part of the road at all but the hacking after that is fab!!
 
crystalclear said:
Hi All

My yard is down a lane and at the top of the lane is a main road. It is a 60mph road. We never ride far along this road as its luckily only a short distance to the net lane. However, on the way back along this main road, our lane is on the right. But just before you get to our lane you have to ride around a blind bend. It is awful! The lane is probably pretty much opposite the lane.

I don't like riding around this blind corner as there is no verge or anything that side. So what should I do? Is it worth contacting the council or someone to ask to put horse road signs up, try and get a mirror or something put up, or is it possible just on that corner to ride on the opposite side of the road? On the other side of the road, there is a verge which leads straight down to our lane, and if we rode on that cars would see us coming from both directions and it is only a very short distance, but of course it is the wrong side of the road! So unsure what to do, the horses are good, but there are many buses, coaches, double deckers, cars that are going 60mph around the blind corner which I feel is a little bit dangerous!

Thank you in advance for any help :)
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If it's as dangerous as it sounds it might be worth considering getting up a focus group to lobby the council for a change in the speed limit with other horse users, cyclists, local drivers, the school parents group if there is one and any other local people you think would have an interest.

Some police forces and local councils will allow organised citizens' groups to check speeds of passing vehicles under police supervision. They can't prosecute speeding drivers but the police will write an official letter to the driver pointing out that, had it been a police speed trap, they would have been fined and had points put on their licence.
 
Thanks for the info Ellen, that does sound very interesting and trying to work out the best way of going about it and who I need to contact first as focus groups etc are all new to me so any advice appreciated. The trouble is, this main road comes out of a 30mph zone then there is a stretch of road which is 60mph that just has some fields around it. Then it comes to my corner and up to one house and a children's nursery. So what I mean is its not really in a built up area but would this matter?
 
I'd request a mirror - gives you and drivers a heads up. We had horse signs either side of our last yard and were no other properties or riders for a long way, they were up well before us though.

Personally I'd stick on the verge for now too.
 
I've always been taught to trot around blind corners if you cannot get off the road. I'd be inclined to stick with what you are doing for the time being, and I second the idea of getting a group together to lobby for some kind of sign or mirror or something. Blind corners are a flipping nightmare for everyone.
 
From doing my pony club road safety many many :( years ago, I think I'm right in saying that horses are allowed on verges (but obvioulsy not on pavements). Even if i'm wrong I would definitely stick to the verge. From what you describe, I wouldn't imagine there'd be many (if any) pedestrians there so you wouldn't be causing a danger to them and it would be much safer for you and drivers. You might dig it up a bit at this time of year but as long as you're only walking it shouldn't be too bad?
 
I highly doubt that the council will put mirrors up for you... and if they did would your horses start spooking at it when they saw their reflection in it? Not really worth risking on a main road. Stick to the verge on the wrong side of the road.

Maybe contact council about getting height of the hedges reduced? Suspect this would be very difficult to do though
 
Around ours they put up mirrors round for concealed driveways and blind bends frequently. I've never had a horse spook at it, but I have gone flying when in my own world and suddenly noticing it :D
Hedges reduced is a good idea but one that the council would not do here. They're done twice a year and that's it.
 
They cut the hedges round out way too, but this is like a stone hedge or something talk so would be a big job to reduce it I imagine. Mirrors would be a good idea don't reckon they'd shy at it but how do I go about doing any of this? I've not ridden on the verge yet but will do from now on for sure! There's no pedestrians around that way so it's all good.
 
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