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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to be a bit cross with this motorcyclist and to have told him to give more thought to others ...

23 replies

Eve · 31/05/2011 17:52

..1st ever AIBU...

out riding my pony down the road to the bridle path. A single track country lane on edge on New Forest.. pretty rural, lots of cyclists and riders are regulars on the roads.

I'm decked out in High-viz gear, hat band, waistcoat and on stirrups, I look like a luminous Michelin man , you cannot miss me.

Met a great big noisy motorbike on the corner and pony freezes. I have heart failure and put my hand up asking him to stop plus mouth stop clearly.

He doesn't stop but continues to head straight at us, I have no where to turn of to, pony spins and bolts flat out gallop up the lane.

Does motorbike stop, no!! he keeps on coming directly behind us. After 150m of terror I get pony stopped fling myself of and stand ranting at motorcyclist.

He at least stopped to see was I OK and ask what problem is? He didn't stop when I asked as he didn't see my hand, thought pony was OK and I was only running up the road to get out of his way.

so please, can I appeal.. horse riders are perfectly entitled to be on the roads, as are cyclists, pedestrians , everyone, we don't wish to be there but sometimes we have to be. So please stop and go carefully when you meet them.

A little thoughtfulness for others goes a long way.

OP posts:

IDontThinkSoDoYOU · 31/05/2011 18:10

Wow! YANBU. I'm a motorcyclist and love riding down the little lanes but when I see horses, I completely stop. I don't turn off my engine because I worry it will give the horse a fright when I turn it back on again but I do stop on a single track road and let the rider ride around me.

Cannot believe the bike rider thought chasing a horse on a powered 2 wheeler was perfectly acceptable!

StellaSays · 31/05/2011 18:11

When I was about 5 a motorcyclist came round the corner on a small road and nearly ran me over. I was with my dad who walked up to the lad, grabbed his helmet and explained to him why he needed to be careful, shaking the guys head to emphasise his points. My dad is also an avid motorcyclist.

IMO everyone needs to be careful, aware and thoughtful on the roads, motorcyclists, cars, pedistrians, horseriders, everyone.

Hope you gave him a good bollocking, if your riding around country roads you need to be really aware of horses and how they can be skittish around motors.

sue52 · 31/05/2011 18:12

There are some idiots on the roads. Please slow down for horses.

LordOfTheFlies · 31/05/2011 18:17

I used to ride a very skitty pony (years ago,wouldn't be brave enough now)
and some pillock on a moped told me horses have no rights because they don't pay road tax.Eh?Huh?

millie30 · 31/05/2011 18:17

YANBU. The other day I was walking past our local fire station when a group of bikers decided to park up there in the car park. They started to walk off, and looked incredulous when someone suggested that blocking the exit for fire engines might not be very sensible! I do however know a few people who ride motorbikes and most are very careful.

Trinaluce · 31/05/2011 18:18

Moron! (Him, not you!) I ALWAYS slow for horses, I can only imagine how scary us people in moving tin cans must be for them.

I'm all for the whole 'Think Bike' campaign - but it wouldn't do bikers any harm to 'think other road users' from time to time. If I had a pound for every time I've nearly decapitated a biker cornering with his knee to the road on one particular corner, I'd be a very rich woman...

Bigglewinkle · 31/05/2011 18:19

I'm a biker too - and yanbu the biker should have slowed right down for you, as any other vehicle should.
I would think it is pretty obvious a pony is frightened!

AngryFeet · 31/05/2011 18:22

People are so stupid! Don't they realise how dangerous this sort of thing can be? Not only for the horse and rider but for other people nearby and themselves? If a horse freaks out it can really hurt other people in the vicinity including other drivers

IDontThinkSoDoYOU · 31/05/2011 18:26

Hello Bigglewinkle! Let's start a group for considerate bike riders!

And just to be really argumentative......those that are riding skitty ponies on the road shouldn't be!

And yes to think bike thinking other road users, that's for sure. Biking has a fair proportion of stupid idiots, as do the car driving contingency, the horsey ones and the truckers, the pedestrians and the cyclists.

HorseWhisperer · 31/05/2011 18:26

Clearly he is a bit of daft, selfish twit. Hope you and your pony managed to enjoy the rest of your hack.

Glad to say that most people I encounter when I am riding are very considerate.

Bigglewinkle · 31/05/2011 18:43

Hello IDTSDY! Yes let's start a biker thread. I actually think I'm a better driver since biking because I need to be aware of others and their intentions for my own safety!

maddy68 · 31/05/2011 19:43

any pony would react to a motorbike heading towards them and to be fair this was on a bridle path!!!

a pony needs to be trained to be good in traffic so to the poster who said skitty ponies shouldnt be on the road - how will they become 'unskitty' unless they are exposed to traffic?

TheMonster · 31/05/2011 19:47

He was certainly in the wrong, but I would not be amused at someone telling me to stop.

lljkk · 31/05/2011 20:12

I'm not sure your pony should be on the road -- sorry. I would be very careful if I saw your pony, and Motorbiker was selfish not to slow down for you, but it sounds like your pony isn't ready to be out there.

cricketballs · 31/05/2011 20:19

whilst i agree that the biker was in the wrong; in terms of horses on the raod and Lordoftheflies moped rider I do agree with the moped rider.

A horse and cart hit my car as the horse bolted and caused a lot of damage. (my car was parked up and no other cars were using the road) The rider at first admitted responsability, then decided not to. his excuse was 'the horse had never bolted before' and I lost my no claims as it ended up being 'my fault'! My insurance company took this further as they didn't like the precedent it made and 5 years later, I finally have it on record that it was not my fault. So in terms of road tax, insurance etc I also am in the position of not wanting horses dominating the roads

hanaka88 · 31/05/2011 20:39

My DS goes to a disabled riding school. He ha ASD and unfortunately hears everything even the slightest mumble. Before even learning to say 'walk on' he said 'stupid cars' and 'slow down idiot!'

purplepidjin · 31/05/2011 20:43

I'm New Forest, and drive a bright green aircooled beetle which makes a hellava noise. I go past horses in first gear at not much above walking pace, and as wide as I can get.

That biker as much of a twunt as the guy who overtook me on Gore Road this afternoon, outside the school . Unfortunately when they wipe out, they're liable to take a bus queue of old grannies with them

purplepidjin · 31/05/2011 20:46

lljkk and cricket, round here the horses, cows, donkeys and pigs roam free on the roads and surrounding areas. Horses with riders are in the minority and usually only on short stretches of road between the riding school and the open areas. It's a basic road safety to be aware that there is wild livestock around!!

If I were hit by a deer (luckily have managed to brake in time up to now) I wouldn't expect it to be insured...

Oh, and I don't pay road tax either. Historic vehicle

ziptoes · 31/05/2011 20:48

There is no such thing as road tax.

Original poster

Eve · 31/05/2011 20:51

I didn't TELL to stop I asked,

And in terms of dominating roads, I was in a rural area, decked out in high viz gear, taking every precaution including spending years walking the pony out in traffic before breaking him to make sure he was safe .

It was a single track road he had no room to safely pass me ...if I had met him in my massive 4x4... And it is massive.... We both would have had to stop.

They are unpredictable animals ...a small amount of caution is surely not to much to ask for?

OP posts:

maddy68 · 31/05/2011 20:53

This is taken from the highway code: the rider did nothing wrong by asking him to stop!

214

Animals. When passing animals, drive slowly. Give them plenty of room and be ready to stop. Do not scare animals by sounding your horn, revving your engine or accelerating rapidly once you have passed them. Look out for animals being led, driven or ridden on the road and take extra care. Keep your speed down at bends and on narrow country roads. If a road is blocked by a herd of animals, stop and switch off your engine until they have left the road. Watch out for animals on unfenced roads.
215

Horse riders and horse-drawn vehicles. Be particularly careful of horse riders and horse-drawn vehicles especially when overtaking. Always pass wide and slowly. Horse riders are often children, so take extra care and remember riders may ride in double file when escorting a young or inexperienced horse or rider. Look out for horse riders? and horse drivers? signals and heed a request to slow down or stop. Take great care and treat all horses as a potential hazard; they can be unpredictable, despite the efforts of their rider/driver.

Original poster

Eve · 31/05/2011 20:54

Purplepidjin

This was in new forest..... Have you seen the campaign from someone to fence all the animals in and speed limit raised as they think 40 is too slow!

Guess what.... It's someone who move from London a few years ago... [hmmm]

OP posts:

purplepidjin · 31/05/2011 21:00

F

F

S
[angry

Really? Have they lived here longer than the animals, then?

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