Using a mobile whilst riding..

Shadow the Reindeer

Shadow the Reindeer

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You can get an automatic fixed penalty notice if you’re caught using a hand-held phone while driving or riding. You’ll get 3 penalty points on your licence and a fine of £100.

Your case could also go to court and you could be disqualified from driving or riding and get a maximum fine of £1,000. Drivers of buses or goods vehicles could get a maximum fine of £2,500.

Taken from https://www.gov.uk/using-mobile-phones-when-driving-the-law

Now, how do you think they can enforce this with regards to horse riders, ie banning them from riding?
I have sent them a message, asking them to be clearer on what type of rider they're referring to, cyclist, horse rider and motorbike riders. Rider could refer to all three, or just one.
 
Yes, but if a horse rider is using a mobile whilst riding, they're distracted and could cause an accident, even so much as fumbling through your pockets to get a phone out can cause a moment of not looking where you're going?
 
But that's not what the legislation is about. It's irrelevant what horse riders do in regards to that link.

I ride and make calls/text on my private horses. At work I wouldn't.
 
Shadeyoak said:
Yes, but if a horse rider is using a mobile whilst riding, they're distracted and could cause an accident, even so much as fumbling through your pockets to get a phone out can cause a moment of not looking where you're going?
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....Really? If my horse was so dangerous that a moment to take my phone out of my pocket might end up with us causing an accident, I wouldn't want to be riding on the road in the first place! I ride one handed loads of the time, and am very often not looking where I am going whilst I appreciate the countryside....
 
Maisy said:
....Really? If my horse was so dangerous that a moment to take my phone out of my pocket might end up with us causing an accident, I wouldn't want to be riding on the road in the first place! I ride one handed loads of the time, and am very often not looking where I am going whilst I appreciate the countryside....
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I'm not saying about a horse being dangerous, i'm referring to lack of concentration.
 
Shadeyoak said:
I'm not saying about a horse being dangerous, i'm referring to lack of concentration.
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If you could get fined for lack of concentration, I would be bankrupt....I don't want to concentrate whilst I'm out hacking!!

I see what you're saying, but I think its a whole different situation between the speed and danger of a car, to that of a horse.....
 
Maisy said:
....Really? If my horse was so dangerous that a moment to take my phone out of my pocket might end up with us causing an accident, I wouldn't want to be riding on the road in the first place! I ride one handed loads of the time, and am very often not looking where I am going whilst I appreciate the countryside....
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Maisy said:
If you could get fined for lack of concentration, I would be bankrupt....I don't want to concentrate whilst I'm out hacking!!

I see what you're saying, but I think its a whole different situation between the speed and danger of a car, to that of a horse.....
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This ^^^ I use my phone when riding, have even been known to text whilst doing ride and lead. I am obviously careful about where and when I do (wouldn't on main or busy road or riding a difficult horse) but I see no problem in it otherwise.
 
How could you possibly be banned from riding a horse? You dont need a licence as you do for cars or motorbikes so how can they take your licence away? Not that I think its right to use a phone when riding on the road, just cant see how it can be illegal.
 
Ha ha this made me laugh combined with the stubble field thread you can shoot me now,
Last monday I was riding in a stubble field on my phone when a hare shot up between my mares legs, obviously we shot up the field at a rate of knots, the phone call was to a very uptight straight laced official who asked 'are you ok?', i was we both were she just slowed down when she realised the hare was not intending to eat her for tea.

so yes i text and call/take calls whilst riding when I am not on the roads.

I am another that would not when on the work horses but my own I do.
 
Common sense must prevail surely?

I wouldnt use my mobile whilst leading my pony on an A road but would if ambling through my village

Hell back in the day my friends and i would eat whole picnics on horseback!
 
I think it's bad that topspec leisure time balancer shows a rider on the front of the bag on her mobile, they should set a better example really
 
Talk to my answerphone if you ring me on the road in car or on horseback. Concentrate on the job in hand, anything else can wait till I've finished hacking or driving.
 
Only problem being on the phone is when you're 'working from home' and you either have to quietly growl stand at them every 5 mins when they get bored or have your boss ask 'whats that noise in the background?' as you realise the verge is not much quieter than the tarmac!!
 
I would phone on a tiny back road that I knew hardly had any traffic, but other than that I wouldn't, and wouldn't text.

It doesn't matter whether you can get banned/fined or what, everyone should be responsible!
 
Whispers - I do quite a bit of replying to e-mails on my work blackberry but then I spend most of my hacks with just one rein anyway so I don't feel any less in control. I only hack on lanes where if I pass a car it's my OH or neighbour or a tractor!
 
Polos Mum said:
Only problem being on the phone is when you're 'working from home' and you either have to quietly growl stand at them every 5 mins when they get bored or have your boss ask 'whats that noise in the background?' as you realise the verge is not much quieter than the tarmac!!
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haha guilty!
 
Shadeyoak said:
I'm not saying about a horse being dangerous, i'm referring to lack of concentration.
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But a horse has a modicum of self preservation and training, unlike a motorised vehicle. If I dropped my reins I could ride my horse on a whole hack without them. I could even shut my eyes. Even at five she knows what side of the road we walk on!

I agree best not to do it on a road but on a track I don't see the problem at all. No different to fiddling with your stirrups/girth etc.
 
I always have my mobile with me when I ride but it is on silent as my cob is terrified of it if it rings so don't hear if anyone calls me anyway. Just carry it in case I need help when said cob has run away from a mobile phone going off in friends pocket. ;)
 
Reminds me of when I had "Don't stop til you get enough" by MJ as my ringtone, which starts with a squeal. My mare was fine with it, but I rode my friend's horse while he went away and it ran off every time it went off (and I was too stupid to remember to turn it off each day!).
 
I have hands free on my horse!!! My mobile sits snugly in the strap of my skull cap, and have been known to be speaking on the phone whilst galloping along......!

Found out purely by chance out hunting one day.
 
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