WIBU to politely ask cyclists.....

[Bruisedarse]

.... 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!

[ShotsFired]

You know what @Bruisedarse I'm going to take a leaf out of your more positive book and look upon the 'bad guys' in your situation as simply not knowing the right behaviour and attribute it to that rather than deliberate spite.

Thank you for reminding me that a lot in this world should be attributed to genuine ignorance before malice; and disputes would be a lot more easily resolved if we remembered that.

Hope your bruises go down asap. (If OH carries on laughing, ask him to please check one "really sore spot" more closely then fart in his face )

[luckyDuvet]

I cycle all the time (as both a replacement for a jopurney and as a hobby, sorry if that blows your mind MissMisery ) and I thought you were supposed to sory of creep round horses. I would have assumed that ringing my bell etc. would be more likely to startle them.

[MsHarry]

And could they do it before they zoom up behind me in silence when I'm walking my dog!! I can't hear you and no I don't have earphones in!!!

[Rebeccaslicker]

The electric car point is a very good one, I think. I worry about that for pedestrians too.

I once met a man who lost a leg because he stepped out into the road without looking and got hit by a lorry (he was so bloody unlucky, the lorry was only doing about 5mph but the wheel just stopped in the wrong place). A big part of the reason was because the council had dropped the kerb for disabled people to be able to cross the road more easily. As he was distracted because he was on his way to a meeting, he didn't realise he hadn't stepped off the pavement. There was a court case and part of the stuff the lawyers were looking at was the impact of the dropped kerb.

I think electric cars might have the same sort of effect - a distracted person might not be as aware because they are so quiet. Perhaps if they take off more there will be more awareness campaigns.

[Rebeccaslicker]

• didn't realise he HAD stepped off the pavement, sorry

[MissMisery]

"Obviously to people like you, making the roads safer for all is an inconvenience. Sorry for that, but I'm not going to not do something I love because not endangering my life is 'irritating' to someone."

Oh good point. Funnily enough, just today I have decided that my very favourite thing in the whole world is dancing, and that the ideal surface for me to do this on is the road. So, from now on I shall regularly be out in the street dancing* and naturally I will expect everyone to get out of my way/wait for me/warn me they are coming etc.

If anyone fails to do this, I will be sure to come on MN and tell them exactly how they should behave around me whilst I indulge in my new hobby.

*Won't the kids be proud?!

[Ollivander84]

I don't expect accommodating, just for drivers to follow the Highway Code. And that wide and slow isn't 40mph and 6 inches
And if I ask for a driver to stop, there's a reason. If you shout stupid bitch at me and stick your finger up, then sail around the blind bend into the loose sheep I was trying to warn you about... well I tried

Rule 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.

[Eve]

Miss Misery

here is a link to the highway code and the rules by which all road users are obliged to follow.

I suggest you spend some useful time reading it and the rules you as a driver should follow. If you cant follow the rules, stay off the road - simples!!

www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code

[UrsulaPandress]

Oh do fuck off MissMisery What a beatifully appropriate name.

[MissMisery]

Hang on!! Why aren't dancers included in the highway code?? It's discrimination I tell ya! fires off letter to MP

"Oh do fuck off" Brilliant argument there. That's RIGHT told me

[Lethaldrizzle]

Rebecca that aleady happens to us cyclists. People step out in front of me alot because I have no engine and they are distracted

[Spudlet]

I thought there was some talk of having some kind of audible warning on electric vehicles so people could still hear them? Did I imagine that?

Will definitely be a problem for horses, also cyclists - I obviously do look behind me when I'm getting ready to turn or stop, but I almost always hear vehicles coming before I see them. And of course it will be a serious issue for visually impaired people as well. (Sorry to take your thread on a tangent, op).

[Rebeccaslicker]

Ah well, lethal - now you know how it feels for pedestrians when cyclists charge along pavements and through crossings...

[Lethaldrizzle]

Rebecca I sure do being a pedestrian myself!

[UrsulaPandress]

You can't argue with stupid.

[Bruisedarse]

Well MissMisery, all I can suggest is you try and get it into the highway code, then rules will be set regarding safety etc and other road users shall be obliged to follow them. Of course, should they think personally that your 'stupid hobby' shouldn't be accommodated, despite the inclusion in the highway code, and you are injured, seriously injured or killed because someone sees it as an irritation, you won't mind will you because that's how you behave.

[Bruisedarse]

Shots - you're welcome, and yes I do honestly think that with some people it's genuine ignorance. The issue arises when someone feels threatened because their ignorance has been shown and they react badly. That's why I didn't come on ranting and raving about cyclists but used the tone I did. And yrs, OH may get that if he's not careful!
Ursula - how true!

[TitusPullo]

Miss Misery - you do realise horses were on roads long before cars and bikes were right? As in hundreds of years. Appreciate that horses are no longer needed as a form of transportation but they have every right to be there.

[ivykaty44]

Horses are on the road by right
Motorists are on the road by licence which can be revoked and taken away

[MissMisery]

Bruisedarse I'm afraid you have completely missed the point I was making.

I wouldn't dream of disregarding the highway code, neither would I ever drive in a dangerous or inconsiderate way.

It just never ceases to amaze me that people can entertain themselves whilst inconveniencing others without the slightest sense of embarrassment. In fact, to approach it with total self-righteousness! Hence the dancing metaphor: ie I would never do that, because I would be mortified at the thought of how selfish I was being (plus I'm a dreadful dancer, but that's beside the point!)

Genuine question... Do horses not 'work' on grass? They can't possibly have evolved to be ridden on tarmac surely? Could you not stay in a field?

P.S. I also need to inform you that I have a phobia of noisy cars, so were I to take up the dancing in the road thing, I will expect you all to crawl past me very, VERY slowly so as not to startle me. After this, I may give you a slight nod by way of thanks.... or not, if I'm too busy enjoying myself.

[heron98]

I cycle and am terrified of horses on the road.

I always slow down in case I need to jump off and run away.

Even so, one horse reared up once and its rider yelled at me that it was a young horse and I should have got off.

a) how do I know that?
b) if the horse is so jumpy it really shouldn't be on the road.

[UrsulaPandress]

Horse riders do not ride on the road to piss you off Misery. They ride on the road as there are not enough interconnecting bridlepaths on which to ride.

Where are these fields we should be riding in?

pillock

[deadliestCatch]

@Bruisedarse

"That's why I didn't come on ranting and raving about cyclists but used the tone I did."

You thought the idea of them being kicked off their bikes was amusing.

I have no idea what kind of moral high-ground you think you own? Going to explain?

[TheHobbitMum]

I agree as a cyclist a lot don't give enough consideration, I always shout coming upOn your left/right and slow down but others I know on club rides consider their times to be more important :(

[Doublechocolatetiffin]

Missmisery horse’s can be ridden on grass yes, however in order to exercise a horse you need space. If I just rode in a field, I’d be going round and round in circles, usually at a walk. Fields are usually only suitable for riding at speeds faster than a walk for a few weeks of the year. In the autumn and winter they are too slippery and there is the risk of the horse falling. In the summer they are too hard and the concussion on the horses legs again limits you to a walk with possibly short bursts of trot.

Most riders therefore choose to ride outside of the land they own or rent because going in a small circle in a field in walk is really very dull for both the horse and rider. Instead they usually choose to go out for a hack, they’ll often have to utilise the roads to access the few bridleways available to them. Sadly there aren’t anywhere near as many bridleways as there are footpaths so often their options are very limited.

Some people are lucky enough to have access to an all weather surface which allows for much more exciting riding in circles (in walk, trot and canter - possibly even jumping). However usually for the sake of sanity of both horse and rider, it is best practice to do at least some hacking each week as it works different muscles of the horse and gives them a rest from the much more intensive work of going in circles.

I hope that helps your understanding of why people choose to ride on the roads.