Hrmmph!!

The nice thing about riding in Amish country is the horses are nearly spook proof. They have to be
otherwise the buggys would end up in the ditch after every third driver passes way too close. I find
that they tend to just ignore everything. I think drivers get even more upset with buggies around
here than cyclists in most locales. Craig

"Colin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Decided to take the bike out for a spin today before the rain came, and *once again* (being a
rural area) I met some horses, this time pulling a buggy. Now I am aware that all horses that I've
met so far are a bit wary of my bike, it being a lowracer recumbent, but I'm getting a bit fed up
having to stop, get off, and stand by my bike until the horses have gone by - Frustrating, and
moreso today as I was told it was my fault the horses were a bit skittish "as I was so low" (so
woebetide anyone out walking a daschund!), as if I'm responsible for the rider/driver's lack of
control of their animal. This is getting so common now that I thought I'd check the highway code
out for the next time it happens, as I'm sure it must say somewhere that all road users should be
in control of whatever mode of transport they are using, or words to that effect: only common
sense, surely. Imagine my annoyance to not find such wording (not yet, anyway), but did find rule
191 (titled "Horseriders"😉 that states "...Look out for horse riders' signals and heed a request
to slow down or stop. ..." So it seems (unless anyone knows different) that despite being a
responsible cyclist, knowing I must be in control of my bike and knowing I'm culpable for the
actions I make whilst on a public road, I can be stopped by anyone riding a horse simply because
they cannot control their animal as I cycle by on the other side of the road 🙁

As it happens, I always end up stopping anyway - I don't want to be even remotely "responsible"
for causing a mishap, and not least because my head would be very close to hoof height of the
horse <g>

I guess, like so many other cyclists, I shall just have to get used to being treated unfairly
whilst out cycling

Colin

---
cycling AT spiralpathways DOT co DOT uk

When I was a wee lad, the horses used for pulling buggies/wagons wore a device called a blinder. The
sole purpose was to blockout everything except what was straight ahead for the horse to see. Seems
that without a blinder the horse would not focus and be distracted by everything except the road
ahead. You could therefore ride side by side with a horse and he wouldn't see you are there and thus
not be spooked.
-------------------------------------
"cbb" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The nice thing about riding in Amish country is the horses are nearly spook proof. They have to be
otherwise the buggys would end up in the ditch after every third driver passes way too close. I
find that they tend to just ignore everything. I think drivers get even more upset with buggies
around here than cyclists in most locales. Craig

"Colin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Decided to take the bike out for a spin today before the rain came, and *once again* (being a
rural area) I met some horses, this time pulling a buggy. Now I am aware that all horses that
I've met so far are a bit

wary of

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

my bike, it being a lowracer recumbent, but I'm getting a bit fed up

having

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

to stop, get off, and stand by my bike until the horses have gone by - Frustrating, and moreso
today as I was told it was my fault the horses

were

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

a bit skittish "as I was so low" (so woebetide anyone out walking a daschund!), as if I'm
responsible for the rider/driver's lack of control

of

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

their animal. This is getting so common now that I thought I'd check the highway code out for
the next time it happens, as I'm sure it must say somewhere that all road users should be in
control of whatever mode of transport they are using, or words to that effect: only common
sense, surely. Imagine my annoyance to not find such wording (not yet, anyway), but did find
rule 191 (titled "Horseriders"😉 that states "...Look out for horse riders' signals and heed a
request to slow down or stop. ..." So it seems (unless anyone knows different) that despite
being a

responsible

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

cyclist, knowing I must be in control of my bike and knowing I'm

culpable

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

for the actions I make whilst on a public road, I can be stopped by

anyone

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

riding a horse simply because they cannot control their animal as I

cycle by

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

on the other side of the road 🙁

As it happens, I always end up stopping anyway - I don't want to be

even

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

remotely "responsible" for causing a mishap, and not least because my

head

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

would be very close to hoof height of the horse <g>

I guess, like so many other cyclists, I shall just have to get used to

being

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

treated unfairly whilst out cycling

Colin

---
cycling AT spiralpathways DOT co DOT uk

Wile E.Coyote said:

When I was a wee lad, the horses used for pulling buggies/wagons wore a device called a blinder.
The sole purpose was to blockout everything except what was straight ahead for the horse to see.
Seems that without a blinder the horse would not focus and be distracted by everything except the
road ahead. You could therefore ride side by side with a horse and he wouldn't see you are there
and thus not be spooked.

Most of the Amish horses I have seen have been wearing blinders.

Tom Sherman - Various HPV's Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

Tom Sherman <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Most of the Amish horses I have seen have been wearing blinders.

It's to stop them being tempted by all those nonbelieving lady horses on the trails out there :-P

I was riding with friends along Nine Mile Ride near Ascot recently and there was a pair of gigs
coming the other way, trotting along peacefully. One clueless [censored] cager overtook me too fast and
too close, and veered sharply in (when he was halfway past) in order to avoid hitting one of the
oncoming horses. Two gig drivers and three cyclists all shouted "[censored]!" pretty much in unison. How
self-obsessed do you have to be before you would rather risk the lives of three cyclists and a horse
than wait fifteen seconds? It gets me every time.

Guy

Tom Sherman <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Wile E.Coyote said:

When I was a wee lad, the horses used for pulling buggies/wagons wore a device called a blinder.
The sole purpose was to blockout everything except what was straight ahead for the horse to see.
Seems that without a blinder the horse would not focus and be distracted by everything except
the road ahead. You could therefore ride side by side with a horse and he wouldn't see you are
there and thus not be spooked.

Most of the Amish horses I have seen have been wearing blinders.

Funny, i haven't noticed any on the police horses clomping about central London. I particularly love
the way they obediently stop at all the red lights, etc.

"we're not blocking traffic--we ARE traffic"

class.

-Luigi

Luigi de Guzman said:

Tom Sherman <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Most of the Amish horses I have seen have been wearing blinders.

Funny, i haven't noticed any on the police horses clomping about central London.

Police horses, which may be used in riots, are much more highly trained than most horses.
--
David Damerell <[email hidden]> Distortion Field!

David Damerell said:

Police horses, which may be used in riots, are much more highly trained than most horses.

This is true, but even some police horses will get a bit nervous and twitchy when they encounter a
recumbent...

Dave Larrington - legslarry.crosswinds.netlegslarry.crosswinds.netOpen ↗
===========================================================
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
bhpc.org.ukbhpc.org.ukOpen ↗
===========================================================

"Dave Larrington" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

This is true, but even some police horses will get a bit nervous and

twitchy

Quoted message said:

when they encounter a recumbent...

Its because they know their immortal soul is in terrible danger.

T

"Dave Larrington" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

David Damerell said:

Police horses, which may be used in riots, are much more highly trained than most horses.

This is true, but even some police horses will get a bit nervous and

twitchy

Quoted message said:

when they encounter a recumbent...

My old office was close to the Cleveland Mounted Police stables, and I would often ride by a group
of police officers on horses. They never spooked or gave trouble with the Haluzak.

"Wile E.Coyote" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

When I was a wee lad, the horses used for pulling buggies/wagons wore a device called a blinder.
The sole purpose was to blockout everything

except

Quoted message said:

what was straight ahead for the horse to see. Seems that without a blinder the horse would not
focus and be distracted by everything except the road ahead. You could therefore ride side by side
with a horse and he wouldn't see you are there and thus not be spooked.

Most horses I have seen on park trails do not use blinders. They generally seem well-behaved and
used to cyclists here. The main park trails have more regular cyclists than horses.

However, I did have to wait for four deer to cross the road on the way to work this morning.

Hillel said:

"Wile E.Coyote" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

When I was a wee lad, the horses used for pulling buggies/wagons wore a device called a blinder.
The sole purpose was to blockout everything

except

Quoted message said:

what was straight ahead for the horse to see. Seems that without a blinder the horse would not
focus and be distracted by everything except the road ahead. You could therefore ride side by side
with a horse and he wouldn't see you are there and thus not be spooked.

Most horses I have seen on park trails do not use blinders. They generally seem well-behaved and
used to cyclists here. The main park trails have more regular cyclists than horses.

However, I did have to wait for four deer to cross the road on the way to work this morning.

WHAT! you never heard of venison. Did you scream/swear at them :-).I think you will find that when
you encounter Amish horses that they will only object if the colours on your bent are not black or
black. :-)

Brian

Quoted message said:

"Brian Martin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hillel said:

However, I did have to wait for four deer to cross the road on the way to work this morning.

WHAT! you never heard of venison. Did you scream/swear at them :-).I

"Venison" was my first thought, but I think I should be nice to creatures that seriously outweigh me
on my Rotator. :-) I often see these deer grazing by the smaller road I take on my return trip. This
was the first time I saw them walking across a wide high-speed road (state highway next to
interchange of two interstate highways) during rush-hour.

Quoted message said:

think you will find that when you encounter Amish horses that they will only object if the colours
on your bent are not black or black. :-)

What about a white cycling shirt and black shorts? Near the office there is a new housing
development being built (big houses, cul-de-sac, etc.) that uses Amish workers. They wear
blue shirts as well as white. They usually wave to passing cyclists. Haven't seen any horses
there, though.

Colin:

Well, according to the Monty Walsh, if you chase the equine down at a reasonable pace without
attacking the animal it will eventually "surrender" and regard you as its leader. Horses are
peculiar animals.

--
--Scott [email hidden] Cut the "tail" to send email.

"Colin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

<Chas> wrote: <snip>

Quoted message said:

Give the horse, and it's rider/driver a break _and_ a wide berth if necessary.

I do just that - being a bit peeved is not an excuse for not doing the

right

Quoted message said:

thing

Quoted message said:

They aren't dogs/people/cats etc. They're are a 1200+ lb, totally irrational animal capable of
doing substantial damage.

But this was my point - If you put a totally irrational (or drunk, or
psychotic - in other words someone not in proper control) driver in

control

Quoted message said:

of a 1200+ lb car, capable of doing substantial damage, I can't think of anyone in this group who
would argue that they should be out on the road with other users. Now before anyone has a go at me
because they think I am saying horses shouldn't be on the road, I'm not: I'm simply saying that if
the riders choose to take their horse on the road (which they are

perfectly

Quoted message said:

entitled to do, exactly the same as car drivers, cyclists and

pedestrians),

Quoted message said:

then they should be in control (exactly the same as car drivers, cyclists and pedestrians), for
their own safety as well as that of others. Had I

not

Quoted message said:

subscribed to alt.rec.bycycles.recumbent for some months before I got my bike, I would not have
been aware that they can spook horses. This would have meant that when I encountered the first
horse out on the road, I

would

Quoted message said:

have been expecting nothing different to the countless other times I have passed horses on my
upright bike without any problems. This could have led to a nasty incident for both me and the
horse rider: the fact I was aware there might be an issue meant I took extra care.

Colin

--
cycling AT spiralpathways DOT co DOT uk

Dave:

Approximately the size and speed of a large cat. Shape doesn't matter to horses. They just aren't
that discerning.

--
--Scott [email hidden] Cut the "tail" to send email.

"Dave Larrington" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

David Damerell said:

Police horses, which may be used in riots, are much more highly trained than most horses.

This is true, but even some police horses will get a bit nervous and

twitchy

Quoted message said:

when they encounter a recumbent...

Dave Larrington - legslarry.crosswinds.netlegslarry.crosswinds.netOpen ↗
===========================================================
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
bhpc.org.ukbhpc.org.ukOpen ↗
===========================================================

Might be Pennsylvania Dutch. "Hillel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Brian Martin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hillel said:

However, I did have to wait for four deer to cross the road on the way to work this morning.

WHAT! you never heard of venison. Did you scream/swear at them :-).I

"Venison" was my first thought, but I think I should be nice to creatures that seriously outweigh
me on my Rotator. :-) I often see these deer grazing by the smaller road I take on my return trip.
This was the first time I saw them walking across a wide high-speed road (state highway next to
interchange of two interstate highways) during rush-hour.

Quoted message said:

think you will find that when you encounter Amish horses that they will only object if the
colours on your bent are not black or black. :-)

What about a white cycling shirt and black shorts? Near the office there is a new housing
development being built (big houses, cul-de-sac, etc.) that uses Amish workers. They wear
blue shirts as well as white. They usually wave to passing cyclists. Haven't seen any horses
there, though.

In message <[email hidden]>, harv <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Might be Pennsylvania Dutch. "Hillel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Brian Martin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hillel wrote:
>
> However, I did have to wait for four deer to cross the road on the way to work this morning.

WHAT! you never heard of venison. Did you scream/swear at them :-).I

"Venison" was my first thought, but I think I should be nice to creatures that seriously outweigh
me on my Rotator. :-) I often see these deer grazing by the smaller road I take on my return
trip. This was the first time I saw them walking across a wide high-speed road (state highway
next to interchange of two interstate highways) during rush-hour.

Quoted message said:

think you will find that when you encounter Amish horses that they will only object if the
colours on your bent are not black or black. :-)

What about a white cycling shirt and black shorts? Near the office there is a new housing
development being built (big houses, cul-de-sac, etc.) that uses Amish workers. They wear blue
shirts as well as white. They usually wave to passing cyclists. Haven't seen any horses there,
though.

I took a tour of the Amish country, east of Lancaster, PA, yesterday. In a visitor centre they
explained that the Amish can wear any colours they please, providing the colour is solid. All the
horses I saw were blinkered. The carriages normally go along the shoulders of the road, a good place
for cyclists if they can dodge the horse manure! I also saw signs for an official cycle route. This
looked very well done with lots of signs asking motorists to be considerate.

In the centre of Lancaster I met a guy called Walt who was two months into a coast to coast ride to
his daughter's graduation. I took a picture of him and his sturdy Trek tourer and BOB trailer. He
was extremely satisfied with the trailer, saying that you could notice it on the climbs but it was
quite manageable.
--
Michael MacClancy