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AIBU?

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Original poster

TO be livid at this driving

31 replies

Bridie3 · 15/12/2007 17:09

My son and I were driving to a piano lesson. On a tiny lane we passed a family party made up of a child and mother both on horses and a dad and dog. I carefully checked for traffic and slowly passed them, giving them plenty of room in case either horse got spooked.

I had almost got round them when a car screamed round the road from the opposite direction at a great rate of knots and had to slam on its anchors to avoid me. Ijustmanaged to avoid the party of horses and get back onto my side of the road. The other car, driven by a teenage lass, skidded and drove into the hedge, which absorbed most of the force.

Nobody was hurt. The teenager's car had a dent on the inside front light but she was unharmed.

If she'd hit me and shoved me into the horses it would have been carnage. I feel physically sick at the thought of my car being pushed into that little girl on the pony and what would have happened to her (and to my son).

Why do some teenagers drive so fast?

OP posts:
tiredemma · 15/12/2007 17:11

they have 'no fear' apparently

coldtits · 15/12/2007 17:12

Well to be fair, men in their 30s, 40s and 50s without kids in the car are the most aggressive, twattish drivers I have ever known - but in answer to your question, it's because although teenagers can be gloomy they haven't had (in the main) enough bad experiences in their life to spot when one might happen.

YuleLoveHekateAtSolstice · 15/12/2007 17:12

Because they are children playing with their big toy that they think makes them look cool and all grown up.

Original poster
Bridie3 · 15/12/2007 17:15

I suppose at least this lassie may slow down now after this near miss. Perhaps saving her a future accident. She told me that neither of her parents drove and she'd have to get her boyfriend to tow her out of the ditch. I wondered whether she'd been having lots of driving practice with her a young boyfriend, rather than with a steadying older person who might have rammed home the message about speeds on country lanes where there are likely to be riders out.

OP posts:
bookofchristmascarolsmum · 15/12/2007 17:31

Lots of people drive too fast . I'm a really bad passenger since I prefer to be in control of a car and other people either seem to drive too fast or react too slowly for me. It's probably a matter of perspective though - unlike your case.

I'm glad no real harm came to the horses but they must have been good riders to keep control of their mounts whilst all this was going on.

ninedragons · 16/12/2007 01:36

Seconding coldtits; my 62-yr-old FIL is the worst driver I've ever had the misfortune to meet. I refuse to get in the car with him, and I won't let my husband either. Drives FIL bonkers because he of course thinks he is Lewis f-ing Hamilton, only with more skill and experience.

Did you give her A Stern Warning?

God, poor you and the poor family. Those parents must be feeling just sick.

fortyplus · 16/12/2007 01:40

A friend of mine was out riding in a group that got hit by a car. Her friend's horse had it's leg almost torn off but managed to gallop away on 3 legs. The poor thing had to wait nearly an hour before they could catch it and get a vey to put it down.

I really think that if people just thought about the possible consequences of speeding they wouldn't do it. I ride myself and 99% of people are very careful and considerate when passing horses.

fortyplus · 16/12/2007 01:41

A vet

AndATigerschickInAPearTree · 16/12/2007 07:57

What a scarey experience. Glad to hear no one was hurt.

I remember talking with some 'friends' of a friend in a city pub a few years ago. One of the men was apparently of the opinion that if people can't keep control of their horses they shouldn't be allowed to take them on the road, so he deliberately speeds up when he sees someone riding. Many of the others in the group laughed and seemed to agree. I told him that was all well and good but perhaps he should consider what would happen to the horse, rider, his car and him if a horse spooked and reared up as he drove past. Sadly there are some complete idiots out there who have no idea about the consequences of their actions - whatever their age.

ChippolataMinton · 16/12/2007 08:04

I expect the girl will be haunted by the experience (what might have happened etc) and has learnt a valuable lesson.

bealcain · 16/12/2007 08:05

i'm sorry you had this experience but do think you're being a bit harsh to the young girl. you have no clear idea exactly how fast she was going and could have jsut been your perception. there maybe a reason why her parents dont drive, perhaps they're disabled and she has to drive in order for them to get around and for her to get some independence after being a child carer, you just dont know.

i understand that the implications of her driving could have been catastrphic, but to label all teenagers bad drivers is down right ignorant of whoever mentioned it.

yes some teenageer drive fast, but then so do people in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s,60s and sometimes 70s.

i;m really glad noone was hurt Bridie

edam · 16/12/2007 08:48

Thank heavens no-one was hurt.

We had a nasty experience with an idiot teenage driver. He pulled out of a side road where he had been stationary, right into us as we were going round a bend. Stupid bastard had seen the car in front of us going into the side road and assumed we'd do the same. He told dh: 'I couldn't see your indicators'. WTF? Dh hadn't indicated because he was going straight on!

He helpfully pointed out most of the dents in his car were old, so has obviously been driving like a prat for some time now. Hope he's learnt his lesson, but doubt it.

edam · 16/12/2007 08:49

And I don't know why the previous poster thinks you had no clear idea of the daft girl's speed, presumably you do given you were there!

THelesbellsRINGOUTFORCHRISTMAS · 16/12/2007 08:54

I think the fact that she ended up in a ditch kind of gives it away that she was going too fast whatever her speed

glad everyone was ok bridie

bealcain · 16/12/2007 09:16

no because it Bridie was her on side, where else could she go??? except crash straight in!!! and lots of epople look like they're going fast when heading towards you, but infact sometimes aren't. i;m not applauding the young driver, just think you're all being a bit quick to judge and not aking the full story (that noone knows) into consideration

Original poster
Bridie3 · 16/12/2007 10:12

Actually the estimation of her speed was that of the witness, who was standing at the side of the road. He said she'd claimed to be doing 45 miles an hour (fast on a narrow country lane) but he reckoned it was more like 50 miles an hour.

But whatever speed she was going, it was TOO fast if she couldn't stop in time, wasn't it? Even if it was 30 miles an hour it was too fast if it meant she couldn't slow down.

And I didn't say ALL teenagers drive too fast, just SOME. And scanning the earlier messages, I can't see that ANYONE said all teenagers drive too fast either.

THanks for the kind wishes. I still feel shaken but am just glad nobody was hurt, which is all that matters.

OP posts:
Eliza2 · 16/12/2007 10:17

'IF you can't stop in time you are going too fast.'

Yes. Especially on a windy country lane. If you drive in a rural area you have to expect to come round a corner and see a tractor, dog, horse, cycle, whatever.

And I can't see anyone claiming all teenagers drive too fast, either. But it's certainly the case that insurance companies think this is true, hence the heavy premiums. Bad luck on sensible teens.

mimi03 · 16/12/2007 20:15

well i hope u gave the girl a bloody good shouting at, i know i would have........well at least she wont ever be so stupid again.

MrsClausinJimmyChoos · 16/12/2007 20:20

I was driving back from nursery the other night with DS in the back...had a bunch of teenage boy racers behind me - so close I couldn't even see their headlights properly in my rear view mirror!!

I started to get really shaky, especially when they started weaving from side to side and then it turned to a raging anger as I had DS with me and there is a sign in the back saying baby on board and I just wanted to smack the lot of them for putting us at risk....luckily I kept my cool, just stayed vigilant and they turned off into a side road.

Sadly, there are a lot of teenagers out there who think this kind of thing is fun and they don't realise the possible consequences!!!

DEBauchedChristmasMUMmers · 16/12/2007 20:56

Glad everyone is OK. But before we all blame the teenage driver. The OP was on the wrong side of the road on a bend and if she couldn't see the teenager coming, obviously the teenager couldn't see then

moljam · 16/12/2007 20:59

'Why do some teenagers drive so fast? '
op asked?its got nothing to do with age-its stupid driving,dont generalise.

Ripeberry · 16/12/2007 21:19

I've always given horses a wide berth even before i drove a car.
When i was 17 i used to ride a moped around country lanes to ge to my job as a kennel maid and at one point the road opens out into a proper A road.
One day i was coming up towards a man on a skittish horse who was riding in the opposite direction to me and so i did not really taken notice of them.
Next thing i know, the horse has run accross the road towards me and kicked out with its back legs!, bascially it was going out of its way to kick me off my bike!
I just laid down low over the handlebars whilst these great big flying hooves the whistling over my head.
The rider just had no control over his mount.
Ever since then i think that horses will kick out sideways and even if i ride a pushbike i always stop and wait for them to pass.
AB

Eliza2 · 17/12/2007 08:34

Where does it say the OP was on a bend? I can't see that in her messages. You know, sometimes I think people on MN just don't read very carefully.

tissy · 17/12/2007 08:38

Eliza, it's implied by the fact that the girl had to slam on her brakes at the last minute to avoid the OP. If the road had been straight (how many tiny country lanes are? ), the driver would have seen OP and the horses and not had to stop suddenly.

WaynettALotOfMincePies · 17/12/2007 08:45

(don't suppose it would be approriate to point out the rules of overtaking on a bend.......)