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Posted By MAK
Hi all,
Ive just started horseriding in an attempt to remember what the outdoors and exercise are like, and the stables where I am currently paying for the pain is situated off a country road but the trek route is across the road.
As this thoroughfare is between 2 villages, the speed limit while 30mph in the villages does not apply in the key crossing area. The stables have been there for 15 years. There are 2 warning signs on lampposts erected thanks to a lengthy campaign from the stable owner but the road has 2 bends either side of the access road/crossing point. This chicane becomes a natural training ground for some want-to-be rally drivers.
Obviously every rider and the experienced hands (some of them are children) who lead them become very nervous when crossing this point so my query is this.
Can anyone provide advice on how best to approach the council to consider installing a suitable crossing system here? will the stable owner have to contribute to the cost?
any other advice or suitable guidance would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks
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Posted By J Knight
Hi MAK,
My partner's dad is a parish councillor for a small Derbyshire village. They've just succeeded in getting enhanced speed notices & some road markings and stuff put at the start of the village in an effort to slow down some of the people who use all our roads as race-tracks. It's taken them six years of lobbying to get High Peak to take action. So my advice is start now and prepare for the long-haul,
John
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Posted By Paul Leadbetter
I know it's not Friday but I can't resist; is a horse crossing a zebra crossing in plain clothes?
Paul
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Posted By Edward H
You could try the self-help unofficial approach...
Assuming the road outside the stables has no parking restrictions; try parking one car by the side of the road just before the stable entrance and park a second car just before the entrance coming the other way. Result = instant traffic calming chicane.
If you use normal saloon cars you should be able to see over them when attempting to cross.
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Posted By Bob Baynes
Quite fortuitously, I recently came across a description of something called a Pegasus crossing, intended for use by horses crossing roads. Never seen one, but sounds like what you need. Just Google for it. Good luck, hope you are successful in your endeavours.
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Posted By J Knight
I also know its not Friday; but why would Pegasus need a crossing? He can fly,
John
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Posted By Chas
I'm not sure of the legality side of things, but if the stables' property extends far enough along the road would it not be possible to install your own hazard warning lights on your side of the boundary/fence/hegde. These could be activated remotely by the riders/handlers as they approach the crossing point, thereby giving warning to drivers. A suitable sign posted alongside the lights would show the purpose of the lights. As long as the system was not abused, (ie left on all the time), then I would argue that you were fulfilling your obligations to other road users and hopefully you would get a suitable response from drivers. Just a thaught.....
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Posted By MAK
love the jokes guys, they really brighten up a dreary monday.
Update what Ive now found is that the Local authority can do an assessment of the road i.e volume of vehicular traffic vs nummbers of horses etc. But one section of the form " local Transport Note 1/95" has an Example site assessment record which in section 4.1 asks for a record of accidents i.e "mean personal injury accident frequency". I dont want to belive that the local authority will consider such a crossing based on how many riders or children have been injured or killed first, so I must be miss-interpreting this form.
I have called the local authority and am currently awaiting a response.
thanks for your posts guys.
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Posted By MAK
ps yes it is a pegasus crossing that is used for horses but to sell it to the local auhtority I have been reliably informed that youve got more chance if it can also serve as cyclepath and a pedestrian route, none of which apply, neither is parking permitted.
thanks again.
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Posted By Clare Gabriel
As a horse rider myself (have got my own) I am afraid there is very little sympathy for the predicament you describe. however one of the best agencies to try is the British horse Society (www.bhs.org.uk) who have special access officers to help with exactly the type of query you have put forward. They have sufficient clout, and if there is an active BHS group in the area then over time something may get done. please dont hold your breath. However there are a couple of things that you can do to help yourself. NEVER got out without Hi Vis clothing. My horse insurance company has written to me in the last 12 months telling me if I have an accident on the road and I am not wearing it then I will not be covered. To be fair - dark horses, dark clothing, dingy weather - recipe for disaster.
I hope your riding school is already telling you this - again the BHS website has loads on road safety. It is a sad fact that most road users see horses like bikes- not entitled to be there and drive accordingly - too close, too fast - and the number of fatalities involving horses and riders is increasing as a result. the joke is the 4x4s are 'green laning' and taking even our bridleways. but now I'm getting on my soap box.
Please do your research and ensure your stables are fulfilling their duty of care to you and the horses and also look at the website
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Posted By MAK
Thanks Clare, some useful points, i have already been in touch with the BHS Press Office and they pretty much gave me the same advice as you.
I dont think hi-vis will work on this road because of blind corners and the speeds the racers can attain before the hit our access/egress route point, but perhaps I should go and do a more appropriate self-assessment of the situation before I go an upset the local authority.
thanks all
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Posted By alison lothian http://www.thecourier.co...0/newsstory7976879t0.aspthis link describes the pegasus crossing - however I would imagine that the costs involved would be high. This was installed on a road upgraded to dual carriageway. I have to say that riding on the road anywhere is becoming more dangerous - I have been very quickly on the scene of an accident when a (loose) horse went through a windscreen, fortunately there were no serious human injuries, and the animal was killed instantly. As mentioned in a previous post, BHS statistics on road safety make grim reading for horse riders. Any commercial establishment must make a risk assessment for this activity, taking into consideration the experience of the rider, staff, temperament of the horse etc. and decide if it is worth the risk to continue until such time as the crossing can be made safer. Good luck, and I hope you enjoy safe riding
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