Update to thread re. 'Angry Villager'

CeeBee

CeeBee

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I promised I would write an email to RoSPA to ask them if they could clarify the law regarding riding a horse the wrong way down a one way street. Below is a copy of my emails and RoSPA's responses.....

I wrote
Please can you tell me if it is illegal to ride a horse the wrong way down a one way street? A friend has asked the question, as the alternative for her is to ride down a very busy main road with many parked cars and she causes a hazzard by holding up the traffic? Many thanks,

IRoSPA replied:
Thank you for your email.

Rule 53 of the Highway Code States:

Before riding off or turning, look behind you to make sure it is safe, then give a clear arm signal.

When riding on the road you should

· keep to the left

· keep both hands on the reins unless you are signalling

· keep both feet in the stirrups

· not carry another person

· not carry anything which might affect your balance or get tangled up with the reins

· keep a horse you are leading to your left

· move in the direction of the traffic flow in a one-way street

· never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends

It is not an legal requirement as it would have read MUST/MUST NOT in bold red letters, unless there’s a very good reason they should follow the normal rules of the road.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_069853

I wrote
Thank you very much for your swift reply. I had already checked Rule 53 and it is the 'should' aspect I wanted to clarify, from a 'prevention of accidents' point of view.
My friend has a young horse, who is good in traffic, but it can get worried when there are lorries etc. trying to pass on a narrow busy road. Due to the parked cars she has to pass, the road becomes very narrow and other road users are not sympathetic when she holds up the traffic. There is no other route to the one bridle path in her area, other than a short strip of this one way street (which is a residential street, not commercial). Could this be construed as a 'very good reason not to follow the normal rules of the road'?
Thank you again for your timely response, it is very much appreciated.

RoSPA reolied:
Thank you for getting back to us.

I am afraid we cannot say yes or no to your question, it would be up to the Police, if your friend was stopped by the police and she gave her reason then it would be up to them to decide.

We can only suggest perhaps having a word with your local police station or contacting The British Horse Society for their views.
=====================

So... I'm afraid I haven't really found out any more than was already posted on original post, but did promise I would let you know their reply.

Have you been past the 'Angry Villager' again yet?
 
Has the OP of the original angry villager tried contacting her local council yet as I suggested???

I think that in this sort of situation a two way lane for horses and cycles would be an ideal solution and cheap to impliment too!
 
my thought is that noone is going to say yes thats fine keep doing it with the road as it is............ they would be opening themselves up to some serious liability!

but that there might be the possiblity of getting changed like katt says.
 
I would go ahead and use the road anyway, if the rospa don't know if your allowed or not then I doubt the police will, and the village idiot certainly wont!! Just tell her you called the police and they said you were fine to use the road due to the safety issues of using a different route.
And if she still has a go tell her to f*** off and then gather as many local riders as you can (loud children would be ideal) and then proceed to trot up and down outside her house at 7am sunday morning.
smile.gif
 
I would carry on using the road too. We had a talk from the Police at a bridleway group meeting and they even said that a horse doesn't have to stop at a red light as it is not a vehicle. They also said they would prefer to see a horse on the pavement on our local trunk road, than out in the carriageway.

I would carry on until told by the Police to stop and I think you have a very good defence anyway.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I would go ahead and use the road anyway, if the rospa don't know if your allowed or not then I doubt the police will, and the village idiot certainly wont!! Just tell her you called the police and they said you were fine to use the road due to the safety issues of using a different route.
And if she still has a go tell her to f*** off and then gather as many local riders as you can (loud children would be ideal) and then proceed to trot up and down outside her house at 7am sunday morning.
smile.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Nice. A reputation for harassment would be exactly what local equestrians need
mad.gif
 
Just as a matter of interest, can any-one clarify what the penalty would be, if the police did decide that the op should not go the 'wrong way' down this street? Points on her licence?
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I would go ahead and use the road anyway, if the rospa don't know if your allowed or not then I doubt the police will, and the village idiot certainly wont!! Just tell her you called the police and they said you were fine to use the road due to the safety issues of using a different route.
And if she still has a go tell her to f*** off and then gather as many local riders as you can (loud children would be ideal) and then proceed to trot up and down outside her house at 7am sunday morning.
smile.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Nice. A reputation for harassment would be exactly what local equestrians need
mad.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Oh for gods sake - the woman is clearly an eejit, besides the comment was meant to be tongue in cheek.
I would continue to use the road though
tongue.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Just as a matter of interest, can any-one clarify what the penalty would be, if the police did decide that the op should not go the 'wrong way' down this street? Points on her licence?

[/ QUOTE ]

Good question, i really don't know? fine maybe? I doubt very much that the police would persue it tbh, unless there was an accident - then it could get messy regarding liability and insurence claims....
 
QR

To be honest, I think the villager just said it in the hope of scaring the rider into not using the road, as she didn't like the horse using the road - at all!
 
We had the loss adjuster down today from the NFU and I asked him this question, his comments were

"horse riders have to obey the Rules of the Road and the Highway Code, if a road is One Way to all road users, horses are classed as road users, you have to obey the Rules, if an accident happens, say horse kicks car going in the correct direction, the rider would automatically be at fault, and her policy would be more than likely not cover her, it certainly would not pay out for an injury to the horse, and more than likely not on the public liability, as she was not riding "correctly" in the flow of traffic or following the highway code".

He gave an example, if you rode down a footpath and a dog bit your horses leg, and you claimed under your policy for vets fees, it would be declined as the accident was caused by you, riding where you are not permitted and therefore increasing the risk of an accident. He did in fact quote a case where a rider sued a dog owner and lost, purely for this reason they were riding on a footpath.

So unless the police specifically say it is ok, then I wouldnt risk it from the insurance point of view alone.
 
No a pedestrian is not a "road user". Road users are cars, horses, cycles, motor cycles, tractors etc all modes of transport that are NOT allowed to use pavements, only pedestrians can legally use pavements.
 
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