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AIBU?

WIBU to politely ask cyclists.....

256 replies

Bruisedarse · 31/10/2017 11:55

.... To shout a warning, ring their bell, sing Bohemian Rhapsody, in fact anything to warn you are coming up behind a horse?

As my (changed from regular) username suggests, I landed on a hard lane from a large horse this morning because 4 cyclists appeared from no where, going quite a pace and scared the living daylights out of me and my horse. She launched forward as they approached from behind but as I regained control, myself not knowing the issue at that moment, they flew past, 2 abreast. Horse shied away and spun and I came off over the shoulder. Not one stopped, despite looking back. Luckily I'm pretty tough and once she realised what they were she stopped.
A warning shout could have totally prevented it, bikes are silent as they approach more or less until they're very close, and if the lead bikes could have warned me they were there then I could have let the horse see, and she'd have heard them call out as well and it wouldn't have completely taken both of us by nasty surprise. I was wearing fluorescent and reflective clothing, and I know that you can see parts of the road from the lane though admittedly they may have missed me.
Luckily there were no cars about or it could have been worse, but I'd like to say a big thank you to the farmer who legged me back on in the safety of his field gateway because I'd have had to walk quite a way to safely get back on and not do it at the side of the road, causing a hazard.
So all you cyclists out there, please, please warn us horse riders you're approaching behind, I can hear a car, so can the horse so we know what to expect, both cyclists and horse riders are vulnerable road users and if we look out for each other then there may be less accidents.

Thank you! Grin

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Sotuko · 31/10/2017 11:57

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Santawontbelong · 31/10/2017 11:59

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RhiWrites · 31/10/2017 11:59

I am a cyclist and understand the rules around horses. I'd be worried about shouting though. I'd recommend my a bell and slow way down and give you a wide berth.

Sorry this happened to you.

I would also like to request that car drivers turn their signal on before commencing the turn. Every single morning people drive right at me as I walk across a road, apparently I'm supposed to psychically intuit they plan to turn?

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containsSpoilers · 31/10/2017 12:01

Yep.

www.thinkbiologic.com/products/blast-airhorn


The problem with horses is they're a danger to all around. You're right. The horse could have caused a nasty accident.

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LookAtMyRingsMyRingsMyRings · 31/10/2017 12:01

why doesn't MN have a 'like' button!

Spot on post and i'm so lucky my horse is totally bombproof but even he tenses up when they wizz past. how hard is it just to call 'hello' or 'bikes behind'?!

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WhatwouldAryado · 31/10/2017 12:02

Two abreast is perfectly OK in the highway code.
Not alerting a horse rider is bad manners but then a lot of road users are pig ignorant or insensitive or the majority just Don't give a one of being a hazard to other road users.

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auntBessiesAreAwful · 31/10/2017 12:02

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messyjessy17 · 31/10/2017 12:04

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Bruisedarse · 31/10/2017 12:05

Ha ha thanks Sotuko and Santa, in theory the horse kicking out would be a greater lesson than I could ever articulate but I'd be mortified if it actually happened and someone was hurt, and likely find myself on the receiving end of a court case! We're both OK, falls are part of horses and to be expected, I'm a bit surprised they didn't stop to see if I was OK though.

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GetOutOfMYGarden · 31/10/2017 12:06

I bloody hate cyclists, but to be fair people are always told to be quiet on approaching horses! Arseholes for not doing anything to help despite looking back though.

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Eve · 31/10/2017 12:06

hacking my horse down 500m of road to get to a bridle path I was often on receiving end of abuse from cyclists telling me I shouldn't be on the road, stick to fields etc

My response was to say that parked in my field is a massive 4x4 that I drive on this road regularly and I will treat them with the same courtesy they are treating me!!

... but completely shocking and a complete lack of basic human comparison that they seen you fall off onto the road and didn't stop... that to me is shocking.

None of us own the roads and are more entitled than others despite what your opinion is - to cause hurt to someone and not stop and check there injuries is beyond any opinion!

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olderthanyouthink · 31/10/2017 12:07

Sorry that happened to you.

I cycle everyday and I would be worried about making a sudden loud noise but would probably ring my bell and pass very wide, preferably with acknowledgement from the rider.

We aren't all arseholes.

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LookAtMyRingsMyRingsMyRings · 31/10/2017 12:07

but that would have messed up their PB attempt bruised

I'm not 'anti-cyclist' per se but the ones local to me do seem to mostly think they own the road, go far too fast on small lanes and have no consideration for other road users - yet are the first to complain when a car gets to close to them etc.

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Sotuko · 31/10/2017 12:08

Exactly OP, if they'd caused the horse to kick off and then stopped to see if you were ok and apologise that would be different - but there moronic idiots didn't even do that. I don't care if people think I'm a heartless twat, a kick off said horse would have been a great lesson to them. Maybe they'd think twice in future.

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Eve · 31/10/2017 12:08
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Pasithea · 31/10/2017 12:09

It’s the club riders who are going so fast to get there trial times and just don’t care for anything else on the road. People just don’t get horses. And their nature. Especially trial bikes riders on the tracks.

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MrsSchadenfreude · 31/10/2017 12:09

I live in central London, and most of the cyclists here think the rules of the road don't apply to them. We live on a corner of a one way street that connects two main roads. A cyclist being knocked off his/her bike as they cycle up the road the wrong way or as they join the main road is a weekly occurrence. I narrowly missed a cyclist coming up the road the wrong way last week, and asked her if she was aware that it was a one way street. She told me to fuck off. Sadly for her, she didn't look where she was going as she joined the main road, and got hit by a Chelsea Tractor coming down the road the right way. Fortunately she didn't seem too badly hurt - as I walked past, she was telling the car driver that they should look where they were fucking going, while someone called for an ambulance.

Cyclists also overtake the police horses too close and at speed - fortunately most of them are bomb proof and don't take any notice, but some do dance about a bit. How hard is it, to slow down and give the horses a wide berth?

Also agree re cars not indicating - are we supposed to be telepathic?

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LookAtMyRingsMyRingsMyRings · 31/10/2017 12:09

for any cyclists unsure i would always prefer you to slow down (you know, like you want the cars to do for you?) and call out 'hello' or 'bikes behind' - a non-aggressive human voice is much more unlikely to spook a horse than a wheeled wizzy thing flying past unexpectedly.

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Lethaldrizzle · 31/10/2017 12:09

What nasty responses there are on here

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Sotuko · 31/10/2017 12:10

And causing someone to fall off a horse without stopping to make sure they were ok isn't nasty?

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Wanderlust1984 · 31/10/2017 12:11

I cycle both road and mountains and always warn and slow if I see a horse. I hate when cyclists are inconsiderate.

Also, I hate people generalising and wishing folk they don't even know would get hurt! Cunts. And smacks of jealousy as they probably couldn't cycle a mile on a flat Wink

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NCforNow955 · 31/10/2017 12:11

My 9 year old DS is a cyclist; nice to know how many MNers 'hate' him and would gladly cause him physical harm just for being a cyclist.

He's very good around pedestrians, dogs, horses - always gives warnings and approaches/passes slowly.

But the doesn't matter because apparently its fine to 'hate' cyclists and wish them to be maimed and killed.

Its also very obvious from my experience on the roads that this isn't 'just talk' from all of you and that there are plenty of you who would actually do it...

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LookAtMyRingsMyRingsMyRings · 31/10/2017 12:11

eve that advice is spot on, shame so many cyclist clearly havent read it.

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Wanderlust1984 · 31/10/2017 12:12

Oh and I ride horses too, lovely creatures Star

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carb0nated · 31/10/2017 12:12

Does everyone like car drivers now then?

Never see a thread about how awful they are.

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