Cross-Country in Horse-Drawn Camper

From what I understand 2 tk stanley trucks traveling together. One in front saw carriage moved over moved over, one in back was too close to one in front and didn't have enough time to move over.

 

That's the hidden danger of tailgating a lot of drivers don't realize I believe.

 

I hate to hear poor animals hurt or killed by the bequest of an ignorant human being. I'm sorry anyone got into this mess but, here's the highlights:
"Horse + Highway = Disaster" that's just the way it is. He put his team out there in on a highway w/ no shoulder.
As the above poster also stated, if the other truck wouldnt have been tailgating he might have seen the man and his circus. Either way, horses spook and do dumb things, like run sideways when cars CRAWL past them, much less a tractor trailer...
This makes me so mad.

 

I'm sorry this man lost his life but driving a horse drawn camper cross country just sounds stupid to me. I know it's a free country and he wasn't violating any laws but come on. He was clearly a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic.

 

Sorry to inform you both the driver was in the wrong there is no reason 2 other drivers saw and had time to move and this driver did not. He was traveling 70+mph when he hit the horse carriage. Like it or not you live in america where Amish still use horse carriages, where you are free to chose to ride or drive horses on rural routes. This was not an interstate. You are attacking the person that was not breaking the law, the truck driver broke 2 laws.

The fact is this driver was a lability waiting to happen, it could have just as easily been a kid riding a pony yo a friends house, a farmer with a tractor load of hay, a disabled car, a cop with a car pulled over, or hell a huge hole to hell.

I'm not always one to blame the driver but um 3 trucks 2 move over last one hits? Speeding and lack of reaction distance.

I used to have a Percheron stallion, once I needed to move him from the stable he was at to one approximantly 1 mile away. The one he was at was sold so rather then pay 200 bucks to move him 1 mile I decided to ride him over. The road in question had its share of horse riders on it it had 11 horse stables in a 8 mile stretch. The horse was 2100 lbs, 18.2 hh and as I started the ride a cement truck rolled by inches from us much faster then the 35 mph speed limit and blew his horn nearly causing a huge incident. All of which are illegal. But I suppose it was my fault since I decided to ride the horse down the public road that is legal to use hmm?

In the very near future me and my new horse are going to be hitting the road for an awareness trip that will be 1200 miles on the road. This is not due to mental issues, and its not the first time I've ridden a horse long distances.

Quit blaming the victim.

 

I'm NOT saying the truck driver doesn't have his fair share of blame, facts and facts he rear ended the guy. What I AM saying is on a road with no shoulder while traffic is going 70 mph it is this mans responsibility to keep himself and his horses safe. He should have found an alternative route. I think what he was doing sounds pretty neat. If i had the money and ROUTES not to put myself in danger I'd try it.
Maybe we're just from two very different areas, around here and you're riding on the road, they'll run your ### over; no ifs ands or buts.... with that in mind I know my limits.
I do like the fact the amish among others have the opportunity to do such things, I have to be honest here, I don't know how it works with them though, never been around it honestly.

I'm still not debating he messed up or is or is not a liability... if he wasn't to close he could have seen what the driver in front of him was veering left to avoid - heck if there were other trucks in front of the truck in front of him he should have THOUGHT there could be an issue here and slowed accordingly...Also, if he was tailgating doing 70+ then all those trucks you mentioned were doing 70 - If I'm riding someones ### that's going 55 mph; I'm ALSO going 55 mph at the time I'm riding their ###, otherwise I'd be up it. I don't disagree with you either about it could have been ANYTHING, A cop or a farmer or anything, although if it was a kid on a pony his parents should whip his ### - that's the parents fault IF there had been that involved.

Still w/ ya here, but my point was I'm mad at the driver for putting his horses at risk, someone wants to do something to be daring or just a #######, I don't like it, but I can't stop them... This was HIS fault for being there in my opinion.

Well, you're #### right it was your fault. The guy that blew his horn was an #######, not ifs and or buts again...Just a plain jerk.
The reason it's your fault in my opinion is it's a HORSE. I've ridden them all, studs, mares geldings and they've been great, nuts, want to kill me running through fences.... I've been there done that and for some reason still do it.
The one thing ALL of them have in common, even the 'bullet proof/spook proof horses' is when frightened they DON'T stick around to think it through. Horses are reactive animals that have survived the amount of time they have because they first RUN LIKE HELL in any one direction and figure things out later. That's whats scary, they have the ability to run INTO traffic rather than away. I love my animals and am kinda keen on myself, that makes it my responsibility to plan accordingly to make sure I take care of my animal. I'd have paid the 200 bucks, or found someone with a horse trailer to deliver it a mile and bought them dinner...

I think that's incredible, I'm honestly jealous. I wish you the best of luck on your excursion and please you and your mount come home SAFELY.


Maybe we're from 2 different worlds and that's the reason I can't see eye to eye with this guy.... I'm 40 minutes south of San Jose, Ca and there are no 'empty' highways, it's traffic moving day and night. When I think of one of my regular routes I drive and a horse buggy, or even a single horse on the side of the road I just cringe, it scares me for the horse. The rider has NO reason to be on that road, public or not, and it's NOT because I don't like horses. It's a safety issue to the drivers and the horse.

 

I hope with your attitude, you never travel in the Amish areas. They have the right to share the roads and most are always under control. It is the driver of the motor vehicle that should be prepared for what may happen.

 

You just said it - are under CONTROL. They travel in places where they are KNOWN, not some moron in a horse buddy wanting to get a quick jolt on the freeway.

 

This guy had his horses under control and was not on the freeway.

The drivers of these trucks are most likely the cause of the accident. When you drive on 2 lane highways, you run the risk of a farmer out looking at the field or a farmer on a tractor or some implement. You could also come across a bike rider.

If these trucks had been driven professionally and not tail gating, this accident probably would have been avoided.

Consider the fact that this guy has been pulling the vehicle by horse since July, I would believe it safe to state he had the horses under control and was experienced it what he was doing.