Forum menu
Out in the car, running an errand this morning. Descending a minor country road I probably use 3 or 4 times a month on the roadie or in a car. Its quite well sighted and I'm not averse to "pressing on" in good conditions in either mode of transport (60mph limit). Its steep enough, that on the bike its a comfortable freewheel at high 20s/low 30s mph.
Today was claggy and horrible and the road was wet and covered in assorted mud/farm slurry, so I was (fortunately) taking it steady.
All of sudden maybe 30 hounds erupted, absolutely no warning, from a gap in the hedge I was barely even aware of, round the front of the car and headed up the way I'd just come, swiftly followed by 15 or 20 horse riders all dressed in tweeds. Not sure if they were galloping, or whatever the state back from that is, but riders stood up and head down, going for it. (think attack position on a bike). 20-30seconds worth from beginning to end.
I stopped hard enough that the ABS on both back wheels triggered. The dogs were diverting course to avoid running into me and the horses were only just clearing the now stopped car. 2 or 3 mph faster, a 1/4 second slower reacting, worse tyres - and there would have been carnage. If I'd been on the bike, I'd never have been able to brake hard enough on the greasy tarmac to stop, so I'd have been down on the deck.
How the * does this happen??? This had to be some kind of formal event - too many people, and with all those horses, the matching-kitted riders and so many dogs there must be a decent amount of infrastructure behind it, and therefore 'organisation'. What kind of Risk Assessment says its OK to let a bunch of animals charge un-marshalled out onto a road without warning? If it was an organised bike event - even a free one - there would have been marshals at road crossings (been there, got the hiviz), and even without - what on earth is going through their minds to go from a minor route to a more major one without giving way and checking its clear. As a rider, I'd never ride out onto any road from a trail exit without a good look first. I'd expect to get flattened otherwise!
Judging by location, I suspect it was the Barlow Hunt, who seem to have form for being *s. Problem is I can't prove anything, and there's no details of events on their website or social media without registering. I was a bit too shocked at the time to get out the car and try and talk/shout/rant at any of them, and I suspect I probably wouldn't have been coherent either!
This has rattled me more than it probably should - something so unexpected and random. I could have coped with a farm vehicle or a car lurching out from the same exit as they would have to have been going a fraction of the speed to make the turn onto the road, and even a tractor with trailer wouldn't have filled all the available space on the tarmac in quite the same way.
The trouble is, you're trying to apply standards, responsibility and liability to a group of people to whom they do not apply. Such considerations are only for us plebs.
Imagine your chances up against the beak if you'd hit one of his friends hounds (or worse still, a horse).
Would have been a waste of breath trying to remonstrate with them. You are but a mere shit they have trodden in that day. Must have been that pesky drag trail setter’s fault 😉
Disgusting barbaric people.
Armed now with my dashcam I'd have taken a little longer to brake than normal.
What is the question OP? You must have heard of fox hunting living in the country? Loads of dogs followed by horse riders. It was made illegal a while back but I don't doubt they still ride out for the lols. I think they're supposed to follow a scent trail these days but I bet they don't.
The 'elite' classes thing that the countryside is there purely for their use and enjoyment, everyone else doesn't matter. All you can do is get a dashcam and hope they miss you againg next time.
I think they’re supposed to follow a scent trail these days but I bet they don’t.
They lay the scent trail to deliberately go past where fixes live or are known to be, that way that can claim to have inadvertently come across one and unfortunately the dogs did what they're trained to do. Have grown up in an area that is well known for fox hunting and they really don't give a shit about the rules.
Lucky you didn’t meet the hunt ‘followers’ as well. In my experience they are worse than the hunt.
What a waste of break pads*
* Not really obviously but they are the most objectional type of people.
@jambourgie
I actually live in a major city. But yes, I've heard of foxhunting. I've never encountered it/them before, wasn't aware there was a hunt in the area and was completely unaware that I may may randomly stumble into one whilst minding my own business with absolutely zero warning. I've been using the roads and trails round this area for a decade now.
Like you, I'm of the understanding the "fox" bit is illegal. So they get a chap to drag a trail for them to follow. Absolutely fine. Unlike the poor fox, the trail dragger has a choice about where to route the event, and the ability to consider the suitability of various routes and junctions - more formally called a Risk Assessment, which I'm sure you're all familiar with. At which point, if the route was planned to cross that road at speed, then it wouldn't be unreasonable to expect signage as a bare minimum (exactly as you would for a "cycle event"), better yet - marshalling. Spending 2 minutes stationary so the riders could get their jollies wouldn't bother me much at all, the same way its nice when walkers wait to let us have a clear run at a bit of trail. The lack of any kind of planning and the entitlement is what's rather offensive. If they had a near miss with me - how many other roads are they crossing like that, how many other road users are having near misses? (as a contrast - in a different direction, I quite often come across Alpaca Trekking, which is always heavily and politely marshalled and are lovely to deal with).
Of course if its not been planned and risk assessed by the trail dragger, because the dogs aren't following a drag trail scent, then that opens up a whole other can of worms....
It the ****ing idiots that follow the hunt that does my head in that thinks it's acceptable to stop in the middle of the road or dump their cars half on the verge either side blocking the road.
Unfortunately they were meeting in my village again today - no sign of the drag. Took my dogs for a walk this afternoon, the horses had been down footpaths were there's no chance the drag would/could have gone as they are too narrow. They were also in dead end woodland with only one entrance/exit, again no chance a drag would have ventured in.
Sorry Jon. Just wrongly assumed you were a country dweller. I live in a city too, but used to live in a village with a hunt so am quite used to them. I guess it's the nature of the activity. Traditionally bounding after a wild animal, if all the riders have to stop at every gate to get marshalled across into the next field then the fox would pretty soon be in the next county. Not to mention making the entire thing quite boring.
I'm not condoning hunting btw. People that kill animals for a laugh are scum. End of story. But the bounding around the fields on the back of a horse does look like great fun.
Scum being scum
Imagine your chances up against the beak if you’d hit one of his friends hounds (or worse still, a horse).
Doubt they would give a shit about the horse, they certainly don't give a **** about the dogs. Hurt a rider and you'd be in trouble though.
if all the riders have to stop at every gate to get marshalled across into the next field then the fox would pretty soon be in the next county. Not to mention making the entire thing quite boring.
So just like mountain biking? Stop, get off, open the gate, go through, close the gate, get on, check its clear, get moving. Not such a big thing, is it? Indeed most of the bridleways round here have mounting blocks either side to make it easier for the horse riders. I wouldn't call it boring myself. Just something that has to happen as part of the ride. Sure it's nice if someone holds the gate for you, but you still slow down, say hi, say thanks, don't splash them etc.
...and there is (of course :rolleyes:) no fox, so what's the rush...?
I would report it all to the police, as a road safety issue and (agreeing with your point that a drag route should be set up to be safe) possible non-drag. It will be on the record, even if they do nothing. It wouldn't surprise me if the hunt has contacts in the police so be careful what you write.
Strangely, none of the people I knew who ride with hunts are posh or rich (partly due to the cost of keeping a horse!)
But agree the practice is not appropriate in the 21st (or 20th) century. Shame there isn't adequate enforcement of the legislation.
So just like mountain biking? Stop, get off, open the gate, go through, close the gate, get on, check its clear, get moving. Not such a big thing, is it?
Yeah, but only because they're not awesome enough to just pop a wheelie and jump the gate. I imagine if most MTB'ers could jump things they would, rather than stopping/applying PPE/Filling out form to use gate/open gate/close gate etc etc... 😉
Skittle the ****s. SMIDSY.
Didn't you hear them honking on a bugle?
Monday’s and Thursdays from September to March the Quantocks are disturbed by the entitled illegally hunting red deer with dogs. The establishment knows and at best turns a blind eye, but is probably taking part. Hangers on abound, clogging up bridleways with their 4x4s with no regards for access laws and no challenge from the likes of the National Trust who allegedly don’t condone hunting on their land. All for the thrill of the chase and the chance to run a magnificent stag to exhaustion and then shoot it once it’s cornered
jambourgie
Free Memberif all the riders have to stop at every gate to get marshalled across into the next field then the fox would pretty soon be in the next county. Not to mention making the entire thing quite boring.
Though of course that's illegal- this hunt would <sarcasm> be drag hunting or trail hunting not an actual animal and so there's no danger of it getting away. Though putting a drag route across a road like that would be pretty daft without some sort of stewarding.
Of course tehy could have purely coincidentally flushed a fox. But in that scenario, it doesn't matter if the fox gets away because the purpose was never to catch a fox in the first place. Right? </sarcasm>
Though of course that’s illegal- this hunt would <sarcasm> be drag hunting or trail hunting not an actual animal and so there’s no danger of it getting away
I wouldnt put "drag or trail hunting". The idiots will always be "trail hunting" since they had to create that term after the drag hunters wanted nothing to do with them.
Judging by location, I suspect it was the Barlow Hunt,
I think I went past that today. Above Chesterfield?
Seemed to be all ladies the group I saw. All looked very free of mud etc so maybe they hadn't started yet.
Yeah, that's probably fair Dissonance
If I’d been on the bike
You'd have heard them. Not that I approve of their behaviour, it's just that hunts make a lot of noise. Just one cantering horse makes a fair bit of noise and dogs aren't silent.
Met a pack of dogs on the road closely followed by a pack of twits on horses. Luckily I was being show my friends dad’s new John Deere.
Conversation went like this:
“You will have to reverse”
“No I won’t and you can get off my land”* (road was verged by family farm for miles and we had an idea which way they came)
“The dogs will lose the scent”
“It won’t matter when I have run over them” accompanied by Revving of 9 litres of agricultural diesel.
They then retreated.
Guess who got a visit from the police?
* purely for comic effect you understand
Lucky you didn’t meet the hunt ‘followers’ as well. In my experience they are worse than the hunt
I'm not a fan but I've usually found the actual hunt to be fairly polite and considerate. Those peculiar forelock tugging arseholes on the other hand...
These clowns have no regard for the law and break it routinely. a trail hunt would not go over a road like that so you know they are breaking the law - and a recent case has made it clear that like all other dog owners they have a duty to keep their dogs under control - which means them not running onto a road. the hunt is liable for all damaged caused by the dogs
its now totally banned on national trust land as well
Are hunt horses as easily spooked as normal horses? If so a loud peep of the horn and hopefully the guy riding it will fall off when the horse bolts…
Horse fine, rider not so much
This is why you need a dash cam.
If one of the dickheads manages to jump in front of your car you want to make damn sure you have proof they were idiots and caused it
Whilst I've no love of hunting, country roads are full of all sorts of things which run out into the road or just happen to block out and so on from pheasant and deer or hare's to tractors and horses and cyclists.
Slow down, watch where you're going (which isn't just the five metres wide strip of tarmac) and stop blaming other road users and wildlife for the fact you're driving sufficiently quickly your abs had to kick in you had to have great tyres and generally be an STW certified driving good not to have killed someone or something with your ton and half of metal.
Replace "hunt" with cyclists and see how different a response your post gets.
Yeah I've see I've seen this sort of thing before around where we are. Spilling out on to the road with chaotic scenes.
No regard to safety for anything.
Nothing countryside about it. Toffs enjoying excitement at wildlife's expense.
****s.
We can do without them.
This is where you need the anis soaked pack to drag behind your car 😀 That should confuse matters.
it won't dyna ti - they are not trained to follow it. they are trained to follow fox scent
True, this site shouldn't tolerate blatant hate speech against minorities who have been on the delivering end of privilege and oppression for centuries.
Beagles?
What "hate speech"
The unspeakable in pursuit of the inedible
Hunting is a huge criminal conspiracy as has now been proven. They have been flouting the law and killing animals for fun after chasing them to exhaustion. Its deliberately cruel and has no utility
the sadistic bullies who do this should be expecting the opprobrium of every right minded individual
they are hateful criminal thugs.
they are hateful criminal thugs.
When they break the law.
Which they do constantly and have done since the hunting act. They flout it every time they meet.
Its proven that they are a criminal conspiracy and its proven they are by and large thugs - see the beatings dished out to Sabs on a regular basis.
I'll mention that to my petite and dainty 60 year old cousin who used to ride with a hunt.
mattsscm
Its not hate speech if its true BTW - thats always a good defense - its not libellous when its true. Hate speech only refers to a protected characteristic and being a sadistic thug is not a protected charectaristic
I’ll mention that to my petite and dainty 60 year old cousin who used to ride with a hunt.
So has she been present for fox kills since the "ban" has she ridden with a sham trail hunt that continues to kill foxes illegally?
If yes to either of those then yes - she is one of the criminal conspiracy and kills are sadistic - thats the point of it.
TJ, are you suggesting that every hunt, every huntsperson, takes part in illegal activity because it sounds an awful lot like you are.
It sounds an awful lot like you're saying that people with similar beliefs and hobbies to those that do are guilty by association.
It sounds a lot like you're advocating extrajudicial punishment of people who break the law*.
*I assume only particular ones mind.