We got hit by a car

Digger123

Digger123

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 May 2009
Messages
1,089
Location
in the hovel
Visit site
Four of us out.I was second in line the back 2 were riding 2 abreast because one was a real baby,a car over took them and then got closer to us as we were riding singly.He was apparently on our side of the white line.I think,but to be honest, not completely sure that my boy sidestepped to the right to avoid a drain cover.Long and short of it the pair of us ended up on his bonnet and then we hit the deck.Had the vet out to the horse and he is ok, just a few scrapes and bruising .Myself,well I have been to A&E , had a couple of xrays but nothing is broke.

It all happened so quickly and we were so lucky as it could of been so different.I just hope the insurance will sort out the damage to the chaps car.It was me who hit the windscreen and broke it:(.Thank goodness we are insured.
 
Last edited:
Oh god, how awful and very scary! Glad to hear you're both relatively unscathed. Sounds like the driver was maybe a little closer than he should have been to you though although seems he must have been going slowly or things could have been somewhat worse!

Your insurance will sort out the damage to the car - I assume the driver was unhurt and there were witnesses at the seen to verify as often in these cases the driver suddenly develops these 'injuries' if they know you're insured. Still, that's not your issue, that's for the insurers to sort out.

Scary how these things can happen so quickly!
 
gosh I hope you're all ok!

Have you admitted liability though? If you're horse was only walking around a drain cover and he was that close that he hit you I would say he wasn't giving you enough room!!!! If your horse suddenly spooked sideways that's different, but that's not how you've described it, and you have witnesses....
 
poor things, this is awful!
I got knocked off my bike by an idiot driver. At the scene he admitted it was all his fault and his insurance would sort it so we didn't take down any witness details. He later denied it was his fault and tried to put the blame on me even though there was no angle you could look at the accident from that would make it my fault - he literally turned straight into me. despite this and no witnesses, my dad sent a very well written and quite angry letter to his insurance company and they sorted us out anyway, so please do persist even if driver says it's your fault!
 
OMG I am pleased to hear you are both OK albeit battered and bruised, if he was too close I certainly wouldn't be claiming on your insurance... I'd be after his it's in the highway code to pass horses wide and slow.... for the case of what happened today that your's moved sideways to avoid the drain.

Overall just glad your both OK :)
 
We were only walking and it was literally a side step.Difficult to say who's fault it is really.My horse sidestepped - he was to close. I did make a point of saying my horse is traffic proof,I didn't admit liability I just said my insurance company would be in touch.We have had artic's and buses pass in the past and not even a quiver from him.
I am just glad we are all in one piece and his passengers weren't to traumatised.The woman passenger must of thought her days were numbered.I just can't understand why it took him so long to stop.
 
can i also add that nowadays (I'm saying that because I don't remember it being the case when I did mine 10+ years ago) for the Riding and Road Safety Exams the kids are taught NOT to ride right next to the kerb (which would mean you go around the drain covers) but to ride 1/3rd of the way into the road. This ensure that drivers have to properly pull out to overtake you and not try and just slip past.

Just incase you think it was your fault because you weren't right next to the kerb. You don't have to be!
 
Glad to hear you are both OK but what a frightening experience.

Many years when I was a child riding at the local riding school the instructors were always very insistent that we left no more than one horse's length between us so that cars couldn't overtake and tuck into the middle of the ride. Your experience confirms what good advice that was.
 
Glad you're both ok. It does sound like the driver was far too close.

Just one thing though, from a visibility point of view, riding single file in front of riders two abreast is a MASSIVE no-no as drivers coming from behind cannot possibly see you properly and make a real forward-thinking decision about passing you. You should really have been 2 abreast also. I've almost hit people for the same reason. Even if there are three of you, the single rider should be at the back.

I hope your horse is still ok in traffic - you were both very lucky.
 
OMG, I am so glad you are both ok! He was obviously driving way too close but TG neither you nor your horse were injured. I bet you will be sore tomorrow though and your poor horse too!
 
I saw the title of this thread, and it made my blood run cold. Memories will never go away I suppose.

So glad you are all ok, just be prepared for the shock to set in, maybe tommorrow, maybe the next day, but it will come.
 
If it was as you describe, it's his fault. He was overtaking you -a manoeuvre he shouldn't have undertaken unless he was sure he had room. Technically YOU had right of way and therefore it was his fault... If you weren't in control of your horse then this is another matter but from what you said you were...

HTH

BnBs
 
eggs said:
Glad to hear you are both OK but what a frightening experience.

Many years when I was a child riding at the local riding school the instructors were always very insistent that we left no more than one horse's length between us so that cars couldn't overtake and tuck into the middle of the ride. Your experience confirms what good advice that was.
Click to expand...

Thing is there wasn't a space, he just decided - wrongly- that as we were not riding two abreast he could pull over a bit. I go mad when I take a ride out and people don't keep up.It is one of my pet hates.
 
OMG poor you! I am really glad both you and your horse are OK. Sounds to me that the driver was way too close so please don't even think you are to blame! Thank God he was at least going slowly or it could have been so much worse.

xx
 
I am glad you are both OK but it shakes you up non-the-less.
A similar thing happened to me last May - normally sensible horse was spooked by a pheasant flapping in the bushes on our left and danced across the road. Car coming towards us (on a country lane) saw him messing about BUT JUST KEPT COMING and he knocked into the side of her car. At this point I must say that I was VERY visible in a bright yellow fleece with a bright pink body warmer, along with hi-viz reflective tapes on my (western saddle) stirrups at driver's eye level. Horse was totally unscathed, me too but I couldn't believe the damage she claimed he had done to her car (I think it was already damaged) - she followed me back to the yard and we exchanged details - when I got a pen and paper out of the car I also grabbed my digital camera which is always with me and before she could ask why I took photos of the car and the damage. She had asked me to pay her £500 and not involve the insurance - I said I paid my horse insurance for a reason and was not coughing up if I felt I wasn't to blame!
When she had gone I sat and wrote everything down (while it was fresh in my head) and submitted this with the photos of the damage to the insurance company (NFU).
Anyway the long and the short of it was - I had to pay my £250 excess as the insurance company couldn't make the blame stick on her! Expensive hack that was! :(
 
How awful and terrifying for you! I hope it all works out re your insurance and that you don't get blamed, because it sounds like the driver was at fault.
 
Glad it wasn't any worse outcome. I would say you're lucky you had people with you, especially as they can act as a witness to your riding and horse if anything does come from it.
 
Glad to hear that you and your horse is ok. Hope this doesn't affect him out on the roads in the future.
So scary, people travel really fast down our roads and i'm terrified that Lady will jump at something one day, they slow down but not much.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top