To the driver of VA57 FKA towing south on A417 south just now

Landcruiser

Landcruiser

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:mad::eek:
I just followed this vehicle, a Defender type Land Rover, towing an Ifor with two large horses in it. They were travelling at an average speed of over 60mph, and often up to 70mph all down the A417 from The Hot Air Balloon pub to the Spine Road junction.....WITH THE FRONT FLAP OPEN. The horse on the right often had its head out. Lorries coming the other way passed within feet - a combined speed of 140mph.

Driver, have you any idea of what damage a piece of flying debris can do to an eye at those speeds??? I was hit by a bee through my car window earlier in the year...doing about 30...and it missed my eye by a fraction. It hurt like hell! You may still be enroute to your destination. I last saw you about half an hour ago, heading south from Wootton Bassett. I hope your horse still has two eyes when you arrive. If it does, count yourself lucky and NEVER RISK THIS AGAIN.

BTW, I was in the Passatt which passed you at the Spine Road, and drove maddeningly slowly all the way to Bassett, 'till I had to turn off. Bon voyage...
 
Deary me :(

If you're on Faceache, can I suggest that you post this on some of the horsey pages and get it shared around? Not only for this particular person - but raise awareness in general :)
 
If it upset you enough to post about it on here which will be of no earthly benefit to the horse why on earth didn't you flag the car down, which might possibly, as you point out, have saved an eye?
 
jemima*askin said:
If it upset you enough to post about it on here which will be of no earthly benefit to the horse why on earth didn't you flag the car down, which might possibly, as you point out, have saved an eye?
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Really? Flag down another driver? Do you think they didn't know the front of the trailer was open and they were driving too fast?
 
I once drove behind a 4x4 towing a trailer with a single horse loaded - on the left hand side and to cap it all the driver was paying so little attention that he failed to notice that the trailers nearside wheel was bouncing in the rough and on and off the verge. He was also going too fast for the type of road. The poor horse must have been having a terrible ride and the risk of turning over on the camber was high.
 
It's out of order for you to post the number plate here. You are not the police. If you were worried, that is who you should have called but only if you felt the driver was doing something illegal. If not, you really should mind your own business. I hope to goodness after this post, you don't have any unsavoury types looking for you.
 
I wouldn't often post on subjects like this on here, but actually posting the number plate is an error on your part imho. I hope all arrived safely at their destination with eyes, and I hope that you don't get any nasty repercussions from this post, although I can understand your frustration at witnessing this act of welfare?
 
Maybe I'm alone but I don't see an issue with the number plate - it's not that traceable unless you are the police etc. It is a good safety point so maybe Facebook minus reg number is the way to go. Also not sure why unsavoury types will be on her case any more that the usual cat fights on here mumsnet et all.
 
Twinkley Lights said:
Maybe I'm alone but I don't see an issue with the number plate - it's not that traceable unless you are the police etc. It is a good safety point so maybe Facebook minus reg number is the way to go. Also not sure why unsavoury types will be on her case any more that the usual cat fights on here mumsnet et all.
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Agreed if they weren't doing anything wrong/ stupid then OP wouldnt have posted
 
Sorry but am I missing something here, some of you are talking about the risk of getting flying debris in an eye, and if so happened, the possible risk of losing an eye due to the damage, but if a horse is sticking out his/hers head through an open front flap on a trailer, is not the worse risk that the horse could actually lose their head! If e.g. one of those lorries going the other way accidentally came too close... A horse could live without an eye, some horses can even live as blind, but without a head, they're dead!

And perhaps you could ask Admin to edit the title of the thread, and remove the number plate info.
 
I don't see the huge issue with the numberplate, you only have to go on Facebook and find the "parking/driving like a t*** in *town name* groups and there's loads of them!

You can't trace someone by their number plate and if they weren't do anything wrong op wouldn't have posted it in the first place!
 
I think it would be difficult for us to trace the person using the numberplate details (unless you had access to such systems anyway), but personally I would have left it off. You get just the same affect by stating the road, time of day and type of car- if the person who was towing was reading it- they would know it was them, and the point would be made.
 
I don't care if they are traced...that's why I put the numberplate on, in the hope that someone knows them and can speak to them. I did put it on the local FB rider's page too. The reason I didn't flag it down was because I was travelling alone, I'm a 50+ female, and tbh was nervous of doing so. I couldn't see the driver (or drivers), and couldn't think what I might say to them that they didn't already know. But I was very tempted, all the same.
 
I hope they arrived safely - I was following a trailer recently with the front flaps open and it was so frightening to watch as the horse travelled along with it's entire head hanging out over the door.
 
fatpiggy said:
I once drove behind a 4x4 towing a trailer with a single horse loaded - on the left hand side and to cap it all the driver was paying so little attention that he failed to notice that the trailers nearside wheel was bouncing in the rough and on and off the verge. He was also going too fast for the type of road. The poor horse must have been having a terrible ride and the risk of turning over on the camber was high.
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so because I tow a horse on the left hand side - I too am a bed person!!
 
Twinkley Lights said:
Maybe I'm alone but I don't see an issue with the number plate - it's not that traceable unless you are the police etc. It is a good safety point so maybe Facebook minus reg number is the way to go. Also not sure why unsavoury types will be on her case any more that the usual cat fights on here mumsnet et all.
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Of course it's traceable it's easily done .You do it online or on your phone it costs a tenner if I remember right my OH does it every time he buys a used car.
 
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Goldenstar said:
Of course it's traceable it's easily done .You do it online or on your phone it costs a tenner if I remember right my OH does it every time he buys a used car.
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It doesn't give a name and address though, just tells you if the car is taxed and insured. Believe me, I've tried lol
 
Goldenstar said:
Of course it's traceable it's easily done .You do it online or on your phone it costs a tenner if I remember right my OH does it every time he buys a used car.
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You can do an HPI check on a vehicle but, unless you have access to the Motor Insurance Bureau database then you can't trace the owner of the vehicle/who it's registered to.

If you work in motor insurance or the police you would have access to the MIB but, quite honestly I don't think posting a number plate is an issue at all. They re out there for the world to see every day!
 
OP Why don't you speak to the Accident Prevention Officer at Thames Valley Police? I agree with regard to the risk of the horse actually being decapitated by an oncoming HGV. Also illegal to tow at those speeds.
 
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