stupid school mum, impatiently drove into my horse!

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MissMincePie&Brandy

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Not far from our yard, is a primary school, and as you can imagine the roads get very busy around drop off times. So, I always ride after 9.30am to avoid the rush hour and to avoid all the school children. This morning there seemed to be some kind of event going on and at 9.45am the roads were busier than I'd ever seen them and kids were running and skipping around the street very excited about something.

I was now in the middle of the unexpected hustle and bustle and my horse is starting to tense up and shake his head, and I can tell he's thinking about venting his fustration, but he's generally being a very good boy.

The cars were parked back to back along both sides of the road and I'm walking down the middle of the road - it is a steep downhill, so not suitable for trotting. There was only enough width for 1 car, and there was no where for me to pull over, and I'm also trying to keep my horse calm untill we can get to the end of the road, which was only a hundred metres away. A stupid woman then tried to overtake me, and nudges my horse with her car, sending him bolting forwards down the steep hill. I pull him up fast, but he is freaking out now. Well, I turned back and go up towards the woman and I totally let rip and used some very ripe language in front of the children (which I'm now ashamed of). The woman muttered something about her being busy, so I pointed out that had she allowed me to get to the end of road we both would have been gone and on our way, instead of having this discussion in the middle of the road, and I went on, and on, and on, for ages... I also told her, that if my horse develops any swelling or lameness I will be sueing her, and I typed her car details into my mobile phone. She refused to tell me her name and address when i asked her, so I gave her a piece of my mind about that too - I told her it didn't matter as there are so many witnesses, and the police will be able to find out who she was, and I would be letting the school know.

Everyone else who was seeing all this moved their cars well out of my way and they all gave me priority. I calmed my boy down and he is fine.

I can not understand what the hell this woman thought she was doing! She hadn't been waiting behind me, but she drove up fast behind, slowed down, tried to overtake and her bumber touched my horse's hock. But the crazy thing is, it would have taken me less than 20 seconds to walk to the end of the road, where I could have safely let her pass. I wouldn't have gone that way if I'd have known there was an event on, but I didn't know. It's normally one of the quietest times of the day.
 
Just want to say, I'm normally very mild mannered. It was very unlike me to have a go, in the way that I did. I was so shocked and angry, I couldn't let her just get away with it.

My boy is absoluetly fine by the way, and he hacked back calmly. I'll be looking out for any heat or stiffness tomorrow.
 
I think anyone would have vented their spleen in that situation, look at it another way - if it had been a child riding, and she/he had been thrown off and killed infront of all those children, Im sure that would have affected them far more than a quick burst of bad language! Very relieved to hear you're both ok, fingers crossed his leg's fine. Please make sure you report it to the police anyway, it is classed as a collision, and you can pass the details on that you took at the scene. If it makes you feel a little easier, you could write a quick note to the school :-)
 
Glad to hear your boy is OK - what a stupid stupid woman
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I think i would have done far worse than you.

That could have been a child by the way you described her driving, i would have called the police and reported her for dangerous driving.

Busy or not that is not excuse for hitting your horse. Would she have done the same to a police horse - I think not.

i would still report her, nothing will happen but a visit from the police might make her think twice.
 
OMG - i hope your boy is ok.
Ive got to agree with what you did, she certaily shouldve given you right of way and room, what the hell was going through her mind. You should report her to the police, make an incident of it, then get them to visit her home address and give her a word!

Ive been hit once by a car approx 3yrs ago now, her excuse for why she hit me was that a car had pulled out of the junction and she didnt want it to damage her car! we found where she lived (by accident - saw her car outside the house) so mum knocked on the door and proceeded to tell her if she didnt buck her ideas up she would report her to the police for dangerous driving - the old woman even lied to my mum and said she wasnt driving anywhere near the horses or that road that day but when she told her shed taken a pic on her mobile, the old woman came out with the truth and apologised.

the time before that was roughly 10yrs ago when I was riding my younster. I was just riding accross a narrow bridge when a car decided he was going to drive on, he caught my horse, she kicked out and damaged his wing. I proceeded to hurl some abuse at him when he stopped, jumped off and checked my girl over. luckily nothing happened to her and she had a gentle walk home.
 
I would have done the same thing and I would report to the police immediately. Even if no action is taken, you have a report logged in case you do have damage and your insurance company wishes to look to the driver for payment of any vet bills.
 
I think something happens to normally sane people at school dropping off time....its carnage when I drop my daughter off....up a hill, school is at the end on its own......and people park on both sides of the road and try and squeeze past each other going up and down....madness.

I park down the bottom of the hill, walk up and then leg it down to make a fast getaway before the cars come down the hill
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I would have done EXACTLY the same as you...in fact I am now outraged on your behalf.

You should speak to the school as well....they sometimes send letters out about daft parking etc.
 
I think it is actually an offence not to give your details in the case of a collision/accident - if she actually made contact with your horse she should have given you these.
 
What an idiotic and arrogant woman!

I think most people would ahve reacted the same as you did to be honest. Yes we probably all would have thought later on "Hmm, I maybe didn't need to say that or that" but, at the time it is the general shock and disbelief along with the anger that can cause us to react like that.

The woman is very very lucky nothing worse happened and mayeb she'll learn from her stupid behaviour. Still, a report to your local police officer - tell them she hit your horse - wouldn't hurt. Maybe them turning up on her doorstep may hit home to her what a kn*b she is.
 
I come across this all the time. Drivers are not prepared to wait 5 seconds. This happened to me on a hump back bridge. my horse was walking carefully down it and the lights went green. A driver just sat there with his hand on the hooter. My horse then came down sideways into a van. I wont tell you what i called him. Im so glad you and your horse are ok. I really hope the woman was worried about the outcome for some time, she deserves to be.
 
My GOD what a silly little (cant say) person...how dare she do that...I do hope your going to the Police about her, she has purposally driven into your horse and they take this seriously these days...she cant get away with it no way...please go to the old bill tonight and report her.

I would've done the same as you my sweet I think how you sounded you did very well actually think I would've been alot worse..

Makes my blood boil just reading these kinds of stories...I too had been involved in an incident a few yrs ago with a milk tanker....grrrr I still hate that man hate him hate him....
anyway...thats such another story.

I really hope your boy is OK and not too sore in the morning bless his heart...thankfully he didnt kick out either bet it wouldve been different if he'd kicked her car.....

Please report the silly horrible spitful person to the police she cant go around bullying people and horses out of her way..

Glad your both OK though
 
thats disgraceful - i cant believe she actually hit my horse!
a similar story, i was riding down a country lane type road, it was quite steep downhill and for about 25metres there were road works restricting it to a single lane, and traffic lights. I waited til the lights went green, and set off. I went as quickly as i could but couldnt really trot as it was a steep hill down and horse was spooking like crazy at the roadworks/cones/drills etc etc. Came to the end of the roadworks and a woman in her car had a go at me for taking so long to get through the lights saying i was holding her up and that i must have gone through a red light. I explained that i had gone through as it turned green but couldnt exactly go at the speed of a car etc etc and she had a go at me saying if my horse was dangerous shouldnt be on the road holding up traffic. so i told her where to go GRRRR i hate stupid ignorant drivers!!!!!!
 
That's dreadful and I'm glad you and your horse are both ok. A syou are both ok I don't think you need to report the accident to the Police this time. However, I do think you should phone or email the school and explain to them what happened. Also explain that you purposely chose that time of day to ride as you know that the school drop-off is over, but on this occasion you weren't to know that they had an event on. Many of the children will have gone into school talking about what had happened and probably saying that you had used 'bad' words. This will not put you in a good light with the Head teacher even though none of the accident was your fault. You might ask the Head to send a letter to parents reminding them to park sensibly and asking them to drive carefully when horses are using the road.

Hope you get it sorted, and hope that no swelling or bruising appears of your horse's leg.
 
Go to the local police station and report the incident. Ask the desk seargent for an incident number and that way you know it has been entered in to their system and you can refer to it at a later date.

If anyone is involved in a motoring accident they must exchange name and address with anyone else involved in the accident. Failure to do so is an offence. This driver has therefore commited an offence if she has refused to provide you with her name and address.

I would aslo write to the headteacher of the school and explain what happened.
 
report her. ring the police now (not 999) and give her registration number, description of her, car, when and where it happened. if you can supply names of witnesses, so much the better.
you are VERY VERY lucky she didn't break your horse's legs.
she needs a telling off from the police, not just from you, the stupid impatient woman. for all our sakes...
very glad to hear your lad is okay.
 
Glad to hear your boy is okay. It sounds as if you kept a fairly level head considering the circumstances and she appears to be the one totally in the wrong.

School Mums can be terrifying to encounter- I hack along a fairly windy road which leads to a country school and some of the townie Mums in their Chelsea Tractors scare the life out of me and I've had some near misses.

It's all fine and well saying that we should avoid rush times but sometimes there is no other time to ride whilst extra trips/ clubs/ sporting events cause unusual traffic.

You'd tihnk drivers such as this would be especially careful with so many children around!
 
<font color="red"> </font> A syou are both ok I don't think you need to report the accident to the Police this time.

I dont wish to start anything here....but you wouldnt drive off after an accident would you without changing details as it's against the law...yes no harm done initially but horse could end up with injury and she has to know that she cannot get away with such irratic behaviour
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Glad your both ok, but do report to the police. I'd do a letter to the school as well.
I used to ride a friend's horse out before work and a couple of times accidently got caught up in the school run. I've never come across such inconsiderate drivers (the school bus driver was the worst!). If I'd driven around their kids the way they drove around my horse, I'm sure they would be the first to complain!
Lets hope she's a bit more careful in future!
 
Sounds like a few of you have had similar experiences. I don't get people sometimes! We have as much right as they do to be on the roads.

I always wear high viz, and I always try to go out at quiet times, and never ride in rush hour specifically to try to avoid these idiots in a rush.

I am writing my letter to the police now. The more I think about it, I'm realsing how lucky i was. My horse could easily have slipped on the tarmac down the hill, or could have kicked out and ripped his leg open though her car, or he could have jumped into another car, or I might not have been able to stop him before the junction. Oh my god. I was lucky!
 
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"As you are both ok I don't think you need to report the accident to the Police this time."

I dont wish to start anything here....but you wouldnt drive off after an accident would you without changing details as it's against the law...yes no harm done initially but horse could end up with injury and she has to know that she cannot get away with such irratic behaviour

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, you're probably right.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Sounds like a few of you have had similar experiences. I don't get people sometimes! We have as much right as they do to be on the roads.

I always wear high viz, and I always try to go out at quiet times, and never ride in rush hour specifically to try to avoid these idiots in a rush.

I am writing my letter to the police now. The more I think about it, I'm realsing how lucky i was. My horse could easily have slipped on the tarmac down the hill, or could have kicked out and ripped his leg open though her car, or he could have jumped into another car, or I might not have been able to stop him before the junction. Oh my god. I was lucky!

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I'm so glad you are contacting the polce, but I really would recommend phoning too. As someone has already said, make sure it is your local police station and make sure that you stress the fact that she failed to exchange information - they do take this very seriously!!
 
You were both very lucky indeed thank your lucky stars!

Dont be writing a letter, get down to the local station to get someone out to visit her, smacked wrist and stern words to driver needed ASAP before she does this again and who knows could be worse??....

Hoping your boy is ok in am
 
Report her and have her charged! That is dangerous driving that put everyone's lives in danger and there is no way she should be allowed to get away with it. Don't feel embaressed about your language, had some one threatened my life like that I would have dismounted and punched them through the open window.
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Ditto the others, tell the Police.

If the woman is stupid enough to do that, just think what she might do next time she's 'in a hurry'!

Glad you're both okay.

Totally understand your anger/angst. There would have been a fair bit of blue air if it had been anyone I know.

Hugs hun.
 
The circumstances you give are a Road Traffic Collision as per the Road Traffic Act &amp; you should report it to the police. You do however need to report the incident to the police in person 'as soon as practicable &amp; certainly within 24 hours'.

When you do give them all the details of the incident, details of the vehicle involved, description of the driver, anything that was said &amp; details of any independent witnesses. They can follow up the incident &amp; even if they don't take the matter to court the incident is logged for future reference.... OK
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