Horses

they should pay road tax! everyone else has to,and we dont **** everywhere!

I considered this a big issue that affects biking, so I moved it.


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Originally Posted by SPeeeeDY

While we are on the subject of horses, can some one tell me if this is true or not

I was told agesago that all vehicles need a bail of hay in the trunk to feed their horse. This law is from many moons ago when horse and carrige were used. The law just never got over ruled and still exists to this day. Although i can hardly see some one getting a fine/ point on licence for it anymore.

Anyone shed any light on this???

It's about hackney carriages and was repealed in 1976

Law: London Hackney Carriages (taxis/cabs) must carry a bale of hay and a sack of oats. (Repealed 1976)

Country: United Kingdom


Explanation: The London Hackney Carriage Laws covers hackneys in other towns too and have remained unaltered for over 100 years. Firms have been known to manufacture very small bales of hay to carry in a taxi during disputes during local councils (who license the hackneys everywhere except London). Also the vehicle has to be tethered at a taxi rank, and the council have to supply a water trough at said ranks (that could be fun on a Saturday night!). The one about urinating against the back wheel is a Hackney Carriage Law too, and has also been done, on mass, during taxi/council disputes (allegedly).

Originally Posted by Ceri JC

What would be the insurance position if that horse had had me off? I know they're not road taxed, am I right in assuming they don't need to be insured on the road either?

My friend's Alfa Romeo was severely damaged when an out of control
horse (with rider) ran out of a field and ended up sitting on his
bonnet. The horse (rider?) was not insured: apparently, it is not
compulsory for them. The guy ended up paying for his repairs from
his own insurance (fortunately, it was full comprehensive).

Not sure about insurance, though I have no problem with horses on the road, as Sid said they are the reason we have roads and have been on them a long time before cars and bikes. I do know that it a requirement that horse owners should clean up there droppings when on the highway, not that I've even seen any do it.
So mellow.. take it slower, 25-30 mph is to fast 10-20 is better and remember these words.
'We are both riders, and both suffer the same abuse from car drivers so hold hands together with our horse "RIDIN" friends'.

Horses bug me - in the same way that cyclists and peds do - the fact that they're often badly controlled and also don't need to be taxed or insured.

The general understanding is that they were there first (peds, horses and bicycles) so we have to watch out more for them than they do for us. I'm not sure if it's specified quite as clearly as this by law, but that's the way it's seen by most law-type folk.

It's a pain, but if you're involved in an accident with a horse, you're likely to be held as more/completely responsible, unless there are mitigating circumstances. A horse suddenly jumping would probably be seen as something you (maybe) ought to have expected.

Then again, motorcyclists are down with horses, peds and cyclists as road users at risk, who need to be watched out for, in the highway code, yet most car drivers pay no attention to it and get away with knocking us off.

Maybe if you do hit a horse or a ped, just try that old classic, you know the one...

"Sorry mate, I didn't see you!"

Originally Posted by Grinch

Not sure about insurance, though I have no problem with horses on the road, as Sid said they are the reason we have roads and have been on them a long time before cars and bikes. I do know that it a requirement that horse owners should clean up there droppings when on the highway, not that I've even seen any do it.
So mellow.. take it slower, 25-30 mph is to fast 10-20 is better and remember these words.
'We are both riders, and both suffer the same abuse from car drivers so hold hands together with our horse "RIDIN" friends'.

i'm sorry to disagree Grinch, after all i love you and all that, but i dont believe they consider themselves to be the same as us (bike riders).

same as tractors, horses should be in fields. maybe roads were created for them, but roads is different now. busier.

glue any body?

Horses shouldn't be on the road? Then where should they be?

I don't ride horses so much now but have done a lot in the past and two things seriously bug me. The first is the idiots that take a horse out and haven't a clue what they are doing, such as the one who decided to go on the pavements. Apart from being illegal, its very stupid as the horse will be unnerved by any traffic coming directly towards it and has to look for footing as its going over the roads.

The second thing that bugs me is motorists that don't give enough consideration to horses and riders. Its an ANIMAL not a machine! So if you race past too close then yes, the horse is going to react.

Unfortunately, bikes do unnerve horses more than cars as they are smaller, frequently louder and horses just aren't as used to bikes as cars.

I've had bikers zoom past, rev as they go past and even actually had a horn beeped at me. Car drivers have also done the same. Now a lot of the time I was on my own horse who was bomb proof, the most he would do is twitch an ear. But occasionally I would go out on a horse from a local riding school and have had to deal with seriously spooked horses because of stupid motorists.

Horses will react for a reason, usually something in its environment or caused by the rider. Motorists should give as much consideration as possible and riders should be assessed before being allowed to take a horse out on the road.

Originally Posted by keithd

i'm sorry to disagree Grinch, after all i love you and all that, but i dont believe they consider themselves to be the same as us (bike riders).

same as tractors, horses should be in fields. maybe roads were created for them, but roads is different now. busier.

glue any body?

Well I've riden both for years.. (you probably think I'm biased now) and I know a few horse riders who have bikes too.. and I've always got friendly nods off people. Must be you lot live in a grumpy area....
Plus it only take me a few minutes to wait and then take a nice wide slow ride around the horse I don't see what the problem. If the horse could jump at you then it sounds like you where too close, I always leave a car widths gap.
But thats me... so :P

Originally Posted by Grinch

If the horse could jump at you then it sounds like you where too close, I always leave a car widths gap.

I agree with you about horses (see my earlier post) but a car's width isn't necessarily enough. The mare that went for me last week was at least a car's width away and still almost had me.