YP Letters: Horse riders must face responsibilities

WHILE I have some sympathy with Sarah Todd’s article re inconsiderate drivers, I feel my own experience of horse riders and the damage they can do when not properly under control or insured (The Yorkshire Post, December 17).

Having been brought up in the countryside, I am well aware that horses require to be given plenty of room and speed reduced when passing. Unfortunately I had over £600 of damage to the side of my car when I actually stopped alongside an horse that was spooked by a tractor coming in the opposite direction.

With the benefit of hindsight, I should have probably put my foot down and accelerated away from the uncontrolled horse. The rider, while accepting responsibility for the damage caused by the horse, had no insurance. My insurance pursued my no claim bonus protection from the rider, who incidentally had no hard hat or high vis gear.

The horse escaped unscathed. Had I accelerated to remove my car from the problem, that may not have been the case as my presence allowed the rider to control her horse.

A more considerate attitude from riders and insurance ought to be essential requirements before horses are allowed on busy roads.

From: Cynthia Dewhurst, Hayfield Close, Wingerworth, Chesterfield

I AM writing to correct what is a quite common mistake – this time by your columnist Sarah Todd (The Yorkshire Post, December 17).

The offending word refers to a riding school or area where horses and riders are trained. It is called a manege and not ménage as quoted.

A ménage refers to the members of a household. Menage a trios is an arrangement in which three people live together.

Clean energy, not fracking

From: Frank Colenso, Hovingham.

FRACKING is not needed, more importantly not wanted by the vast majority (The Yorkshire Post, December 21).

The industry is already from a bygone era. Time to move on and focus on future clean energy programmes. We have already reached the pivot point for renewables. The so called “bridge” has been built. In many case’s already cheaper, cleaner, safer with greater job opportunities for the long term.

I would remind any investors in shale gas, the odds are against them. Better to bet on renewables, at the same time leave a positive legacy, protecting the environment for our children and grandchildren.

From: Mr and Mrs Cuthbert, Newton on Rawcliffe, North Yorkshire.

WE are extremely concerned at the possibility of fracking wells being as close as 500 metres from home. This is based on the distance wind turbines have to be from properties.

Fracking sites need to have thousands of lorry movements every week in order to take water to them and remove waste. For people living near this, life will be made intolerable. Fracking wells operate 24/7 so, as well as noise pollution, there will be light pollution.

We live on the edge of the North York Moors National Park so we are also concerned that fracking could take place round the edges of this area in order to drill horizontally beneath.

It would seem that North Yorkshire would be a sacrifice zone in order for the fracking companies to succeed with this totally unnessesary industry.

Mail brings all sorts together

From: David Quarrie, Lynden Way, Holgate, York.

YOUR articles on the fine work the postal service do with the Christmas mail were interesting.

During October and November, I worked as a member of a team on behalf of Royal Mail interviewing people who wanted to work part time in the various sorting depots.

I spoke with people from 90 different countries; indeed three had spent time at the Calais Jungle.

All spoke English, many were well educated, several were ex-university graduates who had never worked.

They all had the same aim – to find work here in England. It made me realise how many folk lead an utterly dysfunctional life, and how very fortunate I am compared to thousands of others.

Our rural litter blight

From: Don Ramsden, Pildacre Hill, Dewsbury.

WHILE I applaud your efforts to brighten our lives with photos of our countryside, this view of our rural beauty is not true.

Our roadsides and pathways are covered with empty drinks cans and bottles. In the last 18 months I have picked up over a thousand, and these were only the ones that were accessible to me.

I have also reported to the councils at Kirklees and Wakefield during the same period at least 20 mattresses dumped at our roadside, not quite so many tyres and sofas but still items we can’t ignore when out walking in our green and pleasant land, a phrase that no longer applies to West Yorkshire.

God bless our careful Queen

From: John Eoin Douglas, Spey Terrace, Edinburgh.

I SEE our Queen has once again demonstrated her concern for her subjects by cancelling a Christmas train trip for fear of infecting fellow travellers with her cold germs. If only more sniffling members of the general public could realise that “coughs and sneezes spread diseases” and do likewise – especially at this time of year.

God bless you, Ma’am!