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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Funeral Carriage Horse killed by car driver... aibu?

245 replies

AdriftOnMemoryBliss · 26/02/2016 16:13

To think the stupid woman should have the fucking book thrown at her?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-35653240

this second article covers it a bit better and has photos, but they've been edited/blurred. they're not graphic, but a couple do show the horse laying in the road as they were taken before it was removed from the scene.

www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/horrific-aftermath-accident-saw-car-10953991

From what i can gather, the driver overtook the funeral procession and then pulled in hitting the horse so hard it went over the top of its harness mate, and she also smashed the front of the hearse.

The horse had to be put down at the scene.

What on earth is the matter with people that they would so something like this?

OP posts:
OurBlanche · 26/02/2016 16:57

That's a bit harsh, don't you think, Bear?

Samcro · 26/02/2016 16:57

so sad for the horse/owner and the family of the deceased '

I hope the driver......I have no words that are not horrid

MintyChapstick · 26/02/2016 16:58

What kind of self absorbed cunt overtakes a funeral procession?

Original poster
AdriftOnMemoryBliss · 26/02/2016 16:59

typical of the bloody mail to put the picture of the Horse front and center like that.

Would have been nicer to have put the gorgeous picture of him and his team mate they have further down the article, in the headline, in respect to his memory.

OP posts:
Stiddleficks · 26/02/2016 17:02

The driver is recently retired from the police so I think should definitely have known better!
Horrible situation for the family and especially the horse owner, he must be devastated Sad

TinklyLittleLaugh · 26/02/2016 17:08

Did one horse survive then? Poor thing must be totally traumatised.

So sorry for the funeral family. The hearse and horses looked beautiful. What a lovely way to show your love and respect for someone, then some idiot does this.

dodobookends · 26/02/2016 17:10

This is appalling. So wrong on so many levels - how could anybody do something so fucking stupid?

Gabilan · 26/02/2016 17:11

As a cyclist and horse rider I quite frequently find that people will overtake when they cannot see whether or not their way forward is clear and in fact when they can see it isn't clear, but think they ought to be in front of me anyway. We simply don't take driving seriously enough in this country and allow plenty of people to do it when they're incapable of thinking beyond the end of their noses.

A couple of years ago there was a case in which a woman was prosecuted after she killed a cyclist. She overtook on a bend, mid-manoeuvre realised another car was approaching so just swerved into the cyclist. She was prosecuted not for dangerous driving but for careless driving and the legal consequences were minimal. So I'm not surprised there have been no arrests yet. Too often we shrug your shoulders and say "oh accidents happen".

Now there just might be mitigating circumstances in this case. If there aren't, I am entirely devoid of any sympathy for the driver. I hope it haunts them every day.

Sparklingbrook · 26/02/2016 17:12

There was a thread about overtaking funeral processions back in January, there were mixed opinions. www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2547917-Overtaking-funerals?pg=1

The Daily Mail's coverage of all this is awful. To be expected I guess. That poor family, and poor horse. Just awful.

OurBlanche · 26/02/2016 17:14

It isn't just the DM that have gone with the full pictures, The Sun is another one, maybe the Mirror too.

Original poster
AdriftOnMemoryBliss · 26/02/2016 17:15

Tinkly, yes. they were a matched pair. 15yo, been with the company since they were 12. Tom and Will. Will is the one who died today.

OP posts:
Original poster
AdriftOnMemoryBliss · 26/02/2016 17:15

or rather, been with the company for 12yrs, since they were 3, sorry.

OP posts:
NewLife4Me · 26/02/2016 17:18

HTF can you have mixed opinions about overtaking a funeral.
Some people today are so bloody entitled.
Poor horse, poor bereaved family and the drivers.

Original poster
AdriftOnMemoryBliss · 26/02/2016 17:20

i was bought up it was bad manners to overtake a funeral

i was also bought up that you dont over take a horse unless you do so slowly, leave ACRES of room around the horses and do it safely.

This tit did none of those things.

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 26/02/2016 17:20

I would have to reread the whole thread New but at one point IBS was given as a reasonable excuse. It's an interesting and sad read.

Spudlet · 26/02/2016 17:20

The way some people drive around horses is terrifying. No patience, or common sense either. The same with cyclists, livestock, pedestrians... It can feel like you're taking your life m your hands venturing out without being in a car, sometimes.

I hope all the victims (the family, the driver, the people at the company, and the surviving horse, who is quit likely to be traumatised) can all find peace eventually. And that they throw the book at the driver.

5Foot5 · 26/02/2016 17:22

The driver is recently retired from the police so I think should definitely have known better!

That is even more shocking. I had been wondering if the driver might have been young and inexperienced and totally misjudged the situation. But that doesn't seem to be the case.

Totally discourteous to overtake any funeral procession but this is just beyond appalling.

MetalMidget · 26/02/2016 17:22

As a cyclist and horse rider I quite frequently find that people will overtake when they cannot see whether or not their way forward is clear and in fact when they can see it isn't clear, but think they ought to be in front of me anyway. We simply don't take driving seriously enough in this country and allow plenty of people to do it when they're incapable of thinking beyond the end of their noses.

Agreed - the standard of driving in this country is appalling, probably down to the fact that people see is as a right that should only rarely be revoked. A driver can injure or kill a cyclist or horse rider and walk away with barely a slap on the wrist.

This is such an upsetting story - overtaking a funeral procession is pretty tasteless at the best of times, but dangerously overtaking a horse drawn carriage is unforgivable. Poor horse, poor carriage driver, and poor grieving family.

The driver should face a long term ban and a hefty fine at least, but I imagine that she'll get a few points on her license and an £80 fine, if she gets held to account at all. :(

SmellyFartado · 26/02/2016 17:24

Saw this earlier. I have friends that horse ride and frequently the stupidity of drivers and carelessness around horses comes up.

I hope this utter fucking idiot of a driver is arrested and charged. Hugely upsetting for all involved.

NewLife4Me · 26/02/2016 17:26

I'm not surprised it was retired Police, they go through their careers thinking the law doesn't apply to them.
In fact, it answers a lot, like why she hasn't been arrested. Disgusting.

CamboricumMinor · 26/02/2016 17:26

I hope she goes to prison

Mrsmorton · 26/02/2016 17:30

So fucking horrendous. What a cunt.

MintyChapstick · 26/02/2016 17:36

I must admit that was my first thought to, NewLife4Me. The police will always look after their own, don't expect any arrests over this.

DawnOfTheDoggers · 26/02/2016 17:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Gabilan · 26/02/2016 17:43

Metal I also doubt there will be any serious investigation of this. It's hard enough to get a prosecution when humans have been killed or seriously injured. I very much doubt they'll do anything, particularly as it appears the driver is former police.

It will be "oh it was a dreadful accident, the car went out of control" as if cars do these things of their own volition. I sometimes wonder if our language about cars ("it went out of control") harks back to a time when horses were the motive force. Which would be ironic, as the horses in this case were under much better control than the car driver. I really do hope the driver is haunted by this well actually I hope a lot worse