11/08/2023
Statement:
(One that I should never of had to write!)
There will be a few apologies in this essay of a statement!
Before I start the 1st apology goes to the grammar police if some of this is not worded to your satisfaction!
2nd apology is to the impatient people harassing me to apologise! I’m sorry but some of us have to work and working most hours of the day and 7 days a week makes it a bit hard to please you all!
So here it is!
A wise man once told me that there are two sides to every story and never to judge a book by its cover.
The email reply regarding the incident on the 6th August @ 7pm on the Hawkenbury Rd was never meant to offend anyone but to merely express my concern with the safety of riding horses on the roads.
Let’s just be clear, I have no issues with horses being ridden on certain roads.
Yes of course I stated the road being a 60mph limit, that’s because it is! As said in the email, I don’t make up the speed limits, but most of you failed to notice I did not state I was actually doing 60mph!
Yes, you heard it correctly, I, me, myself driving the van. What?
Well done to you Cluedo detectives!
Wasn’t really hard to work out! But to correct some of your absolutely stupid comments, it doesn’t matter if I’m a one man band, I could still have sub-contractors working for me driving the van so your comments there are invalid!
So a bit about me, I’m 37 years old, been driving with a licence for the past 20 years without any accidents, driving for more than 20 years before I had a licence off road. I currently hold an HGV class 1 licence (which is in use most weeks), full car and bike licence, and up until Covid was training to be a pilot.
All car, bike and HGV 1 + 2 passed first time with a 3 day training and 4th day test.
I’ve held all these licences for many years so needless to say I don’t think I have a problem understanding the Highway Code/rules of the road.
I am aware of Rule 215 about passing horses at a 2m distance at a speed of 10mph. As you will see from my dashcam footage posted below, there was never going to be a 2m gap full stop. The vehicle was travelling at 51mph and I managed to slow the vehicle to 41mph but by that point I’m already at the side of the horse. Yes I could have really hit the brakes on a bumpy corner and caused a noise due to my tools flying about hitting the inside of the van and tyres losing friction with the road surface to which in turn is called a skid for all of you that don’t actually drive but are quick enough to jump on the bandwagon with everyone else just bashing keys on a keyboard!
I also have a mobile phone as clearly you all know that from the abusive texts I’ve been sent, so you could have just rung it and amazingly I will answer it!
Funny that, not a single phone call! Only the ones with a withheld number that don’t actually say anything so thanks for that!
I’ll have it be known that from Headcorn Rd, New Barn Rd and Hawkenbury Road where the incident took place, there is not a single warning sign etc of horses, farm machinery, kids or the elderly so that puts all the comments to bed about that one.
I’m happy for you all to take a drive down there one day and let me know what you find!
Nothing, that’s what you will find!
Tell a lie, there is one warning of cattle at the very end of the road by the farm. I suppose they sort of look the same in a roundabout way?!
So for all the people that criticised me saying I should have read the signs on the road, that then also puts an end to that one!
All I was trying to state in the email reply was that why not ride these horses in a safer manor? Your all very big on the pass wide and slow rule as you have your own little group for that too.
First of all to help yourselves out a bit, make sure there is adequate signage warning motorists of horses on the roads you all ride on.
I’ve driven that exact road hundreds if not thousands of times at all times of the night and day and in 20 years i have never seen a single horse riding on it!
The lady in question who was riding the horse had a gentleman walking in front of her. You all know country lanes that have blind bends and a 60mph speed limit are dangerous so why not get the gent to walk ahead round the corner and warn oncoming cars about the danger round the corner just so we all don’t have to get our crystal balls out round every single one.
I will not drive at 10mph round every country lane as I shouldn’t have to.
All I ask is for you to make it safer for yourselves by making sure there is adequate signage warning of horses, farm machinery, children or the elderly and someone walking ahead to warn others. Not that I’d let my children or elderly walk along that road anyway. Wide loads on a truck have to have an es**rt go ahead in front to warn oncoming motorists so why can you not help other motorists out a bit but putting something like that in place, maybe then there will be less incidents and someone else that doesn’t have to endure the hatred and vile comments and messages.
It’s a pretty good job I’m fairly strong minded because if I wasn’t and had mental health issues I would be currently standing at the top of the Sheppey Crossing ready to jump! You would all think differently then I’m sure! Wouldn’t you? Or are you all that heartless that you wouldn’t care if you killed a man from all your slanderous comments and reviews and so desperately tried to destroy a man’s business, and left his wife and kids without a roof over their heads? Next time you are gunning for someone maybe think about that first before you all jump on the bandwagon.
Also all the reviews, messages and comments have been screenshot and reported to the police for Mal Comms (Malicious Communications)
After speaking for about an hour to the officer this morning who agreed with me about how I drove at that incident about it being more unsafe for the horse and rider in this instance for me to get on the brakes hard and make a noise to spook the horse.
Please also get rid of the manure on the road so I don’t have to skid about on it on my bike! Nothing also ever gets said about that does it when it causes an accident?!
I had no issues with handling all the bad reviews as all the people I’ve spoken to about it, customers etc have just basically agreed that it’s pathetic. Anyone would think I had killed her, the horse and her 5 grandmothers.
The thing that took it too far was sending my wife messages and then better still, sending my wife’s boss a message too!
I mean who do you all think you are?
I could go full on here about a select few of you but I’ll refrain and let you sit there and have a think about what you have done. No doubt the police will be in touch anyway. How does my wife or even better her boss have anything to do with this?
(Screenshots below in the comments as couldn’t post photo and video on same post)
And to think you even commented on the racing page for a young kid my company sponsors!
What has he got to do with it?
You have not left yourselves in good light here.
The Mal Comms Crime Reference Number 46/143654/23 just incase anyone needed it.
Police also have no reports of this incident either so well done on that one! 👍🏻
Anyone that knows me personally will know I’m not an arrogant vile man but having given you lot a few days to show your true colours has shown me it’s the other way round!
So my 3rd apology is to my wife, her boss and the young chap I sponsor as they didn’t need to be dragged into this.
But I suppose like a ravage pack of dogs you can’t be changed!
To reply to another couple of comments about the van being used as a personal vehicle for HMRC’s benefit, I’m always working as I’m always on call so unfortunately that suggestion is out the window too!
Obviously I am also aware that the speed limit is 50mph for a commercial vehicle on a country lane but I’m lucky enough to have a van with seats in the back so can be taxed as a car if needed which would then allow me to drive that lane at 60mph! So not much resulted out of that comment either!
So, my phone is always on and I will answer any other questions you have or Sheppey Shutters in general would be happy to help you to get adequate signage along that road to make others aware, but please I just ask the horse riding community to have a think about some other measures like I’ve suggested above to stop this altercation happening again with someone else and to maybe save a life or two.
I’m not a nasty person just someone that can’t understand why people don’t like to make the hobby they so obviously passionately enjoy safer for everyone.
Kind regards
Ben Williams
Director of (probably not for long)
Sheppey Shutters Ltd (Thanks👍🏻)
Just kidding, I’ll be fine! 😘
