Text requesting horsebox to pull over

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FFAQ

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Yesterday I was driving my unloaded horsevan near Dartmoor, skidded on black ice and bashed the passenger door in. Luckily I collided with a wall and nobody was hurt. Anyway, I continued my working day once my legs stopped shaking. So a few hours later I was coming back the opposite way very slowly. I was aware there was a queue of traffic behind me but also aware that the temperature hadn't really risen all day so I wasn't going to risk black ice at any speed, and I didn't let anyone pass for the same reason. I use my van for work and my phone number is on the back. My phone pinged and I ignored it as I was driving, but when I got home it was a text asking me to pull over and let the queue past! I did reply explaining and apologise for holding them up, but it did surprise me. Who reads a text when they're driving? A phone call if you have hands free maybe, but a text?

Anyway, just realised this is an entirely pointless post, so thank you for reading it!
 
I take it your van is sign written with your number? Maybe they assumed you’d have a passenger? Bit of a long shot to text you but could have paid off.
Sorry you had a accident earlier in e day, can’t be nice :(
 
I wouldn't have pulled over if I strongly suspected that the road surface was still icy. I don't want an idiot driver skidding in front of me and involving me in an accident.

Some people have watches/phones which read texts to them, maybe the driver behind you has one and hoped that you had too, OP.
 
Pretty thoughtless of the texter the send that measage. If you were that cautious a driver going slow it's not likely you would pick up your phone to read a text! It was horrible yesterday morning round me and it wasn't even that cold. I didn't really realise until I was half way to my venue so decided to carry on very slowly but luckly they're quiet roads with noone hassling me.
 
I got hooted at, sworn at, and had a fist shaken at me yesterday for stopping at a green light because the traffic was built up on the other side of the box junction and the exit wasn’t clear ? so yeah, I was “holding up” the traffic. If you’re driving a slow vehicle in normal conditions then yes, let people past. If you’re driving slowly because of the conditions or circumstances, why should you?
 
I totally sympathise with you, and no, I wouldn't have pulled over either.

I skidded on black ice yesterday morning whilst towing the trailer with pony inside!! Luckily we came to a stop sideways in the verge, and managed to pull straight out again in 4wd. Pony was totally unphased!! I, however, was a gibbering wreck, and my son was shaken up too. Mostly due to the obscenities coming out of his mother's mouth!!

Looking back, I must have only been going about 20mph. I am a cautious driver anyway, and even more careful when I have precious cargo!!

I checked all tyres thoroughly and set off again, slowly... Glad to say, we all got home in one piece and the pony was oblivious. I'm afraid I collected quite a few folk behind me, but there was no way I was going to pull over - they could see that I was towing and the roads were treacherous.

OP, you were in the right, and I would have done the same. Texter is an idiot!

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I get texts through my car system so can read them whilst driving, I can't send them though.

Typical passive aggressive behaviour. I hope you replied and told them they shouldn't be sending texts while driving and you certainly wouldn't be reading them while you were driving, plus as there was black ice on the road you were only trying to prevent any unnecessary accidents.
 
I would feel quite outraged at getting a text like that; I live in Devon and so know what the roads around Dartmoor are like - and especially at the moment with sub-zero temperatures.

I think whoever sent that is really out of order. It isn't so simple to just "pull over"; finding a pull-in is a challenge in the first place, let alone somewhere safe!
 
FFAQ said:
I was aware there was a queue of traffic behind me but also aware that the temperature hadn't really risen all day so I wasn't going to risk black ice at any speed, and I didn't let anyone pass for the same reason.
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If I read this correctly you were deliberately not letting other pass or pulling over because YOU decided it was not safe for THEM to do so ?????????
If that is correct - prepared to accept I read it wrong - then that is totally illegal

Again - I apologise if I read your post incorrectly

Recently retired senior advanced driving observer
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
I would feel quite outraged at getting a text like that; I live in Devon and so know what the roads around Dartmoor are like - and especially at the moment with sub-zero temperatures.

I think whoever sent that is really out of order. It isn't so simple to just "pull over"; finding a pull-in is a challenge in the first place, let alone somewhere safe!
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I live on Dartmoor and feel outraged at the number of people who feel it is OK to even think of taking a horse box or vehicle and trailer out on icy roads. Surely it cannot be necessary in view of the risk to the horse. Of course it happens continually when it is a hunting day.
There are plenty of places to pull over it is just a case that some drivers be it lorry, car or whatever are unwilling to consider the people behind them and do so.
 
ROG said:
If I read this correctly you were deliberately not letting other pass or pulling over because YOU decided it was not safe for THEM to do so ?????????
If that is correct - prepared to accept I read it wrong - then that is totally illegal

Again - I apologise if I read your post incorrectly

Recently retired senior advanced driving observer
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that is exactly how I read it. Tractor drivers get pulled up by the police for not pulling over and letting the queue past. We always pull over with a tractor, trailer or even a car if we don't want to drive as fast as others on icy roads.
 
I don’t know for sure, but isn’t allowing other drivers to pass a courtesy and not manditory, especially if there is no ‘safe’ area to pull over or you risk getting stuck? Getting over the ice safely would have been my first consideration in this instance.

I think a good dose of patience would go a long way in modern road craft!
 
Melody Grey said:
I don’t know for sure, but isn’t allowing other drivers to pass a courtesy and not manditory, especially if there is no ‘safe’ area to pull over or you risk getting stuck? Getting over the ice safely would have been my first consideration in this instance.

I think a good dose of patience would go a long way in modern road craft!
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I there was a SAFE place to allow others to pass and the driver decided not to use that opportunity then a charge of inconsiderate driving is likely
 
ROG said:
If I read this correctly you were deliberately not letting other pass or pulling over because YOU decided it was not safe for THEM to do so ?????????
If that is correct - prepared to accept I read it wrong - then that is totally illegal
Click to expand...

ROG, are you saying that a rider putting themselves in the centre of a carriageway on the approach to a blind bend to prevent people being tempted to overtake is illegal?
 
scruffyponies said:
ROG, are you saying that a rider putting themselves in the centre of a carriageway on the approach to a blind bend to prevent people being tempted to overtake is illegal?
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NO - that is completely different
If the rider stayed in the middle of the road after the bend on a straight bit then YES
 
HeyMich said:
I totally sympathise with you, and no, I wouldn't have pulled over either.

I skidded on black ice yesterday morning whilst towing the trailer with pony inside!! Luckily we came to a stop sideways in the verge, and managed to pull straight out again in 4wd. Pony was totally unphased!! I, however, was a gibbering wreck, and my son was shaken up too. Mostly due to the obscenities coming out of his mother's mouth!!

Looking back, I must have only been going about 20mph. I am a cautious driver anyway, and even more careful when I have precious cargo!!

I checked all tyres thoroughly and set off again, slowly... Glad to say, we all got home in one piece and the pony was oblivious. I'm afraid I collected quite a few folk behind me, but there was no way I was going to pull over - they could see that I was towing and the roads were treacherous.

OP, you were in the right, and I would have done the same. Texter is an idiot!

.
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Crikey! I would have been terrified with a horse on board. So glad you are both ok!
 
Yes, with hindsight I should've found somewhere to pull over, although in my defence I got the text after about 2 mins of turning onto that road. There was only one layby to pull in to which I'd just passed. I reckon I was doing about 25. It's quite a twisty stretch of road and as I said there was black ice so I felt I was driving to the conditions...
 
If there is a large queue building up behind you, it is the correct and polite thing to pull over occasionally and let people past. I'm surprised someone bothered to text you, but I can imagine the annoyance of those behind you, even if you were driving safely.
 
I had a very similar experience a couple of years ago. I’d slid on the black ice on the way to where I was going so on the way back I was taking care and driving really slowly. I could see a van behind me, he was getting irate and coming up really close to try to push me to speed up. I thought I was doing him a favour slowing him down as he obviously wasn’t aware the roads were as bad as they were. I got just ahead of a t junction of a busy A road, moving slowly and applying brakes carefully I managed to stop right on the line as it was so slippy. Then bang! The van who was a foot from my rear slipped on the ice and pushed me in to the path of an oncoming lorry!! The lorry applied his brakes and began slipping and I put my foot down and my wheels spun under me, finally managed to catch the tarmac and I was catapulted on to the embankment. The lorry missed me by an inch. The van managed to somehow stop just over the line facing the wrong way.
when it’s icy or whenever, let them pass. For your own safety xx
 
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I got told to pull over and let cars past by the police when I was out in the pony and trap once. Granted I was only a teenager at the time so not a car driver and not really considering other road users , I do let people past these days.
 
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