Road riding

[Teddy Lancaster <Teddy@runningbear.com>]

Nancy:

I wholeheartedly support your hitting his car.  I think the police were WRONG in
their assessment, but, considering this guys stature in the community, he
probably would have gotten off with it in court.

FYI, MANY years ago, I was fox hunting with a BIG hunt club.  We were on our way
home with the hounds after a long run. We had to cross a road..more than 100
horses and 30 or more hounds.  One of the hunt masters held up traffic while we
all crossed, but one impatient man in a pick-up truck decided he did NOT have to
wait, so he went on the shoulder and very dangerously tried to pass all these
horses and hounds, honking his horn and NOT even going slow...the hunt master ran
up alongside him (on horseback) and POUNDED on his roof yelling at him about the
law...the man ignored him.  Well 100 witnesses all signed a complaint. Than man
was drug into court and lost his drivers license for 6 months.

It CAN work.

I have begun taking the license plate number of those who tailgate me and refuse
to back off....In fact, I am having lettering put on the back of my trailer that
says:

CAUTION: If you can read this, you are a tailgator.  I brake for tailgators.  I
turn in those who do not BACK OFF!!!!

Teddy

Nancy DuPont wrote:

> Make em sweat?  Let me tell you what happened when I tried to make a driver
> sweat! There is about 100 feet of road from my house to the Park Trail head.
> Cars leaving the park on a Sunday afternoon are driven by people who have
> had a bit to drink at the park.  They speed into the Equestrian Crossing
> without regard for the signs.  The Equestrian Crossing is in front of my
> house and I can either go the 100 foot gauntlet to the gate or cross the
> street about 50 feet the other way. With two beginners on my horses
> following me I started down the street. They had not left my driveway.  I
> signaled the driver to slow down coming into the Equestrian signed area. I
> was worried about the beginners lack of control even though my horses would
> follow on their own. The driver kept coming fast.  I had a whip in my left
> hand and as he passed, I smacked his driver side window so hard my whip flew
> out of my hand.
> Then he screeched to a stop.  His wife was with him.  He accused me of
> assault and battery to his car.  After he made a big deal out of it
> including demanding I "get off your horse and look at my car!" I did not
> dismount.  We looked at the roof of the car where he claimed damage from the
> whip. When we looked and found no damage he said, "Well, you can go, but you
> better not do that again or I will have you arrested."
> I said no way - I am taking your licence and reporting you for reckless
> driving. Then he got upset at me and wouldn't leave, demanding that I once
> again get off my horse and show my drivers licence.  My friend, who teaches
> for me, told him to calm down. I said, "I will get off my horse," passing my
> reins to another friend, "and call 911!" I did this while my friends told
> him not to trespass in order to catch up to me to get my licence.
> The call brought two sherriff's cars, one highway patrolman.  Three in all.
> We stayed for 3 hours in the burning heat awaiting the highway patrol so
> that I could make a citizens arrest for wreckless driving.
> The Deputy Sheriffs asked me questions and when I said I hit his car window
> with a whip, they winced.  They apparently were sympathetic to me but my
> admitting I hit the car made me subject to arrest.  They did not arrest me
> however, but warned me.  They stayed while the Black and White came. Officer
> Gottfried (whose daughter came to my summer camp the September a year ago)
> - I will help you fill out the forms to arrest this man but I suggest you do
> not do it. He could slap you with a lawsuit for malicious arrest.
> I said I was not interested in arresting him, just getting him to understand
> what he did wrong and not to speed again. That he put us in jeapordy.
> The Policeman assured me that the man would see the light after he talked
> with him. He said that the man needed to respect that it was my neighborhood
> and he was intruding.
> It turned out that the man (whose name was Don) was the Chief of the Fire
> Department of San Francisco.  A short man complex - very militant and
> controlling.  But if I had him arrested, he would have been fired for the
> incident.  Fire Chiefs are a form of law. Not supposed to disregard crossing
> signs.
>
> If I had it to do over, I would not beat up a car window with a whip.  The
> benefit to me was the guy had to stand around for two hours in 105 degree
> heat in front of my house while we waited for the law.  He was as the
> policeman said: "Shaking in his boots" when he found out he could really be
> arrested. So I wasted my time, but he never got anywhere in a hurry that day.
> Nancy DuPont, Executive Director
> Heritage Trails
> 1350 Castle Rock Road
> Walnut Creek, CA 94598
>
> Our Mission: To preserve and protect trails and answer the question, "Where
> are you going to ride your horses, and where are you going to keep them."
> Telephone (925)937-7661 FAX (925) 943-7431
>
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--
Teddy

AERC# 139422 - Member since 1974
6000+ career miles
Running Bear Farm, Inc.
Your Trail Riding Equipment Headquarters
Teddy Lancaster, President
1348 Township Road 256
Kitts Hill, Ohio, 45645 USA  -  http://runningbear.com/
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1-800-533-2327, FAX: 740-533-0337
Home of Khalarado+/ 1990 IAHA Nat'l Endurance Champion
Supplying the WORLD with quality endurance equipment since 1980



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Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.    
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp   
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