"well you shouldnt ride on busy roads then should you"

[VictoriaEDT]

From the safety camera enforcement partnership

............My friend who I ride with lives just down the road from me on the A30 in Somerset. We both have to ride 200m on the A30 where we meet on the nearest lane and go for our hack.

We are fed up with cars flying past us at up to an estimated 80mph; dont get me wrong, some drivers are great. We always have v high viz on.

Last week she rang the Safety Camera department and told them that she has had too many near misses and people fly through the 40mph zone way over the speed limit. She asked whether it would be possible to have it listed as a speed camera area and what she needs to do in order to have it taken into consideration? ...................He said "well to be honest you shouldnt be riding on a busy road if you think its dangerous"!!!

We always wear high viz, ride single file, are polite to car drivers and she has been riding on that stretch for 15 years and said this past couple of years the traffic has become intolerable..

 

[hadfos]

They are not interested,purely because you are not making them money

,why stick up speed cameras when they can hide a van with a camera in the back and gain thousands in half a day because people havnt seen it and slow down too late!
Unfortunately unless people die on that road they dont see it as a problem

 

[PeterNatt]

If you can demonstrate rider usage the local highway authority have in some cases an obligation to provide a safe off the road alternative route (safe haven) for you to ride along on the adjoining verge.

I would suggest that you contact your local BHS Bridleway Officer to assist you with this.

 

[VictoriaEDT]

Really? I will get onto it............thank you

 

[Orangehorse]

And your local County Councillor. Look on the Council website if you don't know the name and contact details.

 

[Natch]

If not BHS Bridleways then at the very least the BHS should be able to help you in some way with this. Are you/do you know a BHS gold member? They get free legal advice

 

[VictoriaEDT]

no, I think I should join!

 

[Natch]

See how far you get, and if needs be PM me and I'll ring their legal helpline for you.

 

[lilym]

[ QUOTE ]
They are not interested,purely because you are not making them money

,why stick up speed cameras when they can hide a van with a camera in the back and gain thousands in half a day because people havnt seen it and slow down too late!


[/ QUOTE ]

If drivers were sticking to the limit then they wouldn't get fined, would they??

 

[lilym]

Get onto the BHS they will campaign on your behalf - what a ridiculous attitude......I for one would welcome hidden cameras on a stretch of road near my yard, it's a 40 limit and they are doing 60/70mph through the village - these drivers are selfish morons that don't give a toss about anyone else.

 

[scrumpygus]

We had this issue with a road at my last yard - we had to cross it every day to turn out/ bring in - we requested a crossing and the council told us that 2 deaths have to have taken place for them to install a crossing! WTF! That is the most ridiculous thing ive ever heard of!

 

[Dubsie]

They will not put a camera up unless there has been a death on that stretch. You should be able to get that information somehow.

 

[ester]

I am not wholly surprised by that response given recent responses I have seen from councillors implying that we should all be boxing to our nearest bridleway, ironically I would then be unloading on the A38!

I do know that 'where are you going to ride' does come up during the planning application stages for new build stables.

we are lucky that our stretch of main road, if we choose to use it is speed controlled and wide for the most part.

 

[Ranyhyn]

Oh yes because we all WANT to ride on the roads, don't we? Jeepers, what a kn0b head.

 

[Nicki85]

It's even the same on smaller country roads though

I find it especially bad on a Sunday morning when the church goers hit the roads... They go fast, pass close and don't wait to get round the bend...

It's horrible! There are a few nice drivers out there though.... one stopped and turned the engine off for me when Jess was having a tiz cause the bracken had changed colour....

 

[PennyJ]

Approach your local parish council... (the one relevant to the stretch of road you ride on)

 

[Cluny]

I was told by an ex policeman that speed cameras are only put in spots where there have been fatal road traffic accidents!

I'm afraid these days I'd rather ride in the school then risk my horse on some of the appalling roads we have. Some motorists seem to see a horse and rider as a target rather than something to be avoided!

 

[Annagain]

I posted a while ago about some racing drivers that nearly hit me and a van while I was hacking on a country lane, it's a 60 but there's no way you can drive faster than 30 safely on it, these two cars were going at about 50, both swerved to avoid me and the 2nd nearly hit a van coming the other way. The only thing that saved the situation was the van was going slowly enough and had a driveway to swerve into.

I phoned the police as they had been spotted a few times in the area and I saw them again later going the same speed in the 30zone 200m down the road. The local PCSO was lovely and phoned me back to tell me that they're trying to get the speed limit reduced on that road and asked me to write to the council to tell them about it.

Response from the council was basically "the road is a 60 zone (followed by very patronising explanation about speed limits) the cars weren't speeding, what are you complaining about. We're not reducing the speed limitdespite what road users AND the police want, it's too expensive."

Actually this has reminded me to contact my Assembly Member about it - thanks!