Wanrning - Temporary Road Signs in high winds

[Kenzo]

We've had pretty gusty weather this bank holiday weekend but its been blue sky and the Sun's has his hat on so no doubt most of us have been out riding on the roads at some point.

Well today me and lado had to go past some temporary road works that were just being set out, there was some of those metal round signs attached to some cones, they had not been weighted down with sand bags (which they are supposed to be) and just as we were walking past the first one, gust of wind got up and bang, it blew over right at his feet, poor horse jumped out of his skin and spun right, shot across the road, I nearly came off and got splattered across the pavement while looking like I was conducting an orchestra with my reins and hovering tentively over the curb (you could say I was curb crawling in mid air!)...well you get the idea, while work men stood gorping in horror

 

[Supertrooper]

Gosh, poor you and horse, well done for staying on! It's been mega windy here too, not my favourite weather to go out in, but I don't want to end up using the weather as a excuse

 

[Tabbi]

Blimey, you and your horse were very lucky.....hopefully the signs were then weighted down as they are supposed be!

Glad you and your horse are ok.

 

[Shantara]

Well done for staying on!
Not just signs you have to watch out for, my parents came to watch me jump and they brought fold-up chairs, we forgot how windy it was and when they got up, the chairs blew over! Whoops, we nearly sent a pony galloping across the fields!

 

[Kenzo]

Ok so I've really not got the hang of this mobile HHO, anyway before it decided to post before I'd finished my post, I just wanted to warn other riders to be careful, if road signs and cones are not weighted down please inform the council or the company carrying out the work.

Thankfully there was no traffic passing me but if there had I probably wouldn't be here typing this.

I was so annoyed, god knows how long it will take me to get him used to passing road works or cones now.

 

[Happy Hunter]

Oh I had that this morning too - they make a Cracking noise when sliding along tarmac!!!!

 

[Booboos]

That's very irresponsible of the workmen who set them up, they should have known better! Glad no one was hurt, but it sounds like a close call!

 

[tallyho!]

OMG!! Glad you're ok - hope them workmen have learnt a lesson. It was very blustery here - we have to go up over a thin ridge to get to decent riding - I gave up, dismounted and walked home.

 

[Kokopelli]

Glad your okay, its very frightening when that happens as it's so sudden. Your analogy of curb crawling made me laugh though.

I try not to hack in wind after something similar happened to us.

 

[Kenzo]

Thing is if an accident had occurred, say for example either I came off and injured myself or the horse ran off and caused an RTA or if we'd collided with a car that was passing at the same time and caused damaged to a 3rd party as well as ourselves when it happened, would it of been my fault because my horse spooked or because the signs were not weighted down?

I'll be writing to the company to politely ask their work men to make sure they use sand bags to avoid it happening to anyone else.

 

[MrsMozart]

Glad you're okay m'duck. The letter is a good plan.

I honestly believe these people don't think of what could happen; even though a road sign flying out and hitting a horse would probably never cross their minds in a million years, one flying out and hitting a car/cyclist/pedestrian, resulting in something potentially pretty dire, should not be beyond their thinking.

 

[Hippona]

Glad you're okay m'duck. The letter is a good plan.

I honestly believe these people don't think of what could happen; even though a road sign flying out and hitting a horse would probably never cross their minds in a million years, one flying out and hitting a car/cyclist/pedestrian, resulting in something potentially pretty dire, should not be beyond their thinking.

Happened to me a fair few years ago- driving, not riding.....one flew up and smashed the windscreen All ok...except it took the buggers ages to actually pay for the repairs......they never admitted liability, but there were no sandbags holding the thing down so pretty much their fault.

 

[Kenzo]

Happened to me a fair few years ago- driving, not riding.....one flew up and smashed the windscreen All ok...except it took the buggers ages to actually pay for the repairs......they never admitted liability, but there were no sandbags holding the thing down so pretty much their fault.

Oh heck.

Yes definitely liable, my husband works for a traffic management company and he's gone through all the training etc, they must use sand bags for road signs no matter what the weather conditions are (so he's informed me) to prevent incidents like what happened to you, as I know a couple of occasions they have had to pay repairs to motorists if their signs have damaged vehicles (hope it wasn't the same company!)

Anyway I've contacted the Highways Agency about it (not sure if it will do any good) but if they can pass it on to the various companies that carry out work on the roads to remind them then it could help perhaps, be nice if I do get a response back from them.