July 8, 2011 4:39 PM
Serene Acres, Bluemont: not good neighbors
[See also: Serene Acres, Bluemont: unsafe practices? for further discussion of legal and safety considerations.]]
This morning I was driving up Hollow Oak Road when I came upon a group of horse riders. That's not uncommon where I live and people here stop or slow down, wait for the riders to pull over to the side, then drive slowly and gently by. It's one of those pleasant aspects of the country - the slowing down, the acknowledgement of each other and the dosey-do of making sure each can proceed.
This was a large group of 7 or 8 young riders and 3 women walking, taking up the entire breadth of the road. Though the road is narrow, there are places where it widens and you can pull over - as well as driveways.
When they made no sign of pulling to the side, I rolled down my window and reminded them that they should. Not only did they refuse, but they sent the youngest woman back to lecture me, then plant herself in front of my car walking even more slowly.
I said I was on my way to the doctor with a sick child. She shrugged her shoulders: Not important enough to share the road.
By now we had passed several places where they could have let me go by. I have never in 20some years of living in he country seen neighbors behave with such rudeness and inconsideration.
This was the owner of Serene Acres (on Walsh Farm Road) taking her summer class for a walk on a public road - not only treating neighbors with arrogance and a sense of entitlement (because she lives around the corner and conducts classes she somehow owns the surrounding roads?), but being a role model for her students of rudeness, arrogance, and poor sportsmanship.
They blocked my car from proceeding for 3/8 of a mile. When we finally got to Yellow Schoolhouse Road, I got out of my car and told them that the road belongs to the public, not to her horse ranch/moneymaking enterprise. But she wasn't about to relinquish her assumed right to make money by monopolizing a public road. I can only imagine other people have had to put up with this too.
Later I called to ask the Sheriff if this was appropriate and he said that horses are supposed to move to the side. He also said a man had called to report that I had tried to run over his daughter.
First of all, there was no man there, so I can only assume the Queen of Serene got her hubby all riled up and had him call to complain about something he never saw but took her word for. That's not very smart.
The country is a great place to live and the people here are so gracious - I was shocked to come up against such arrogance. These people are British - maybe that's a factor? Maybe they think their neighbors are a bunch of American rednecks? They're also, oddly enough, Baptists - a pretty poor witness for the faith.
They may be great at horse training, I have no idea. But they sure have a lot to learn when it comes to consideration and good country manners. And it's a shame their students are not learning those things along with their horse skills.
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If you encounter similar problems with Serene Acre classes monopolizing public roads, please report it to the Loudoun Sheriff 703-777- 1021.
Comments
These people are British - maybe that's a factor?
Oh my goodness Barbara, it sounds as though we have exported one of our dreadful, unmannerly oiks.
My apologies. Our gain is your loss.
Sorry that you have to put up with these ghastly jumped up yobs who act as if they own the roads,but you are quite right to name and shame them here.
The call to the police was obviously an attempt to preempt your complaint.
Dreadful people.
Posted by: Clare | July 8, 2011 5:57 PM
Wow! Not only is it rude for her to do this, it's also dangerous for her to teach this behavior to her riders. A horse is no match for a vehicle. If they tried that on their own, they could regret it.
I went to Google and typed in "Serene Acres of Bluemont" and your post is the 7th link down. They may well regret their behavior today.
Posted by: mary kathryn | July 8, 2011 5:59 PM
So sorry to read about this. I have had two similar incidents recently. It is shameful, but as times get tougher and folks push God away from their lives I feel that we will see more of this type of behavior.
Posted by: a Mac and a Mug O' Joe | July 8, 2011 6:25 PM
Hi Barbara!
I may not always agree with your political point of view, but this is one thing that I certainly agree with! These horse riders sound like a lot of the bike riders in Purcellville! They refuse to bike on the W&OD Trail; but when they ride their bikes on the public road, they don't obey the rules of the road and follow traffic like cars do. They need to be educated and should be fined and lectured by police officers. Just the other day bike riders behind me didn't stop when traffic did; instead they continued on the sides of the cars to pass them. It's ridiculous!
Posted by: Kaitlin | July 8, 2011 6:26 PM
I am sorry that happened to you ! Its not that they are British though. My husband is British and over the years we have visited his parents many times. In the English countryside, horseback riders and cars share the roads, with the smile and nod you described. Near my father and law's house there are many ancient, tiny roads and never a car horn or road rage will you hear. (Hope your sick child is better too !)
Posted by: Cynthia | July 8, 2011 6:41 PM
in most places (can't think of where it would NOT be the case) you may not obstruct traffic on a public road. In Maine, when you get on the Turnpike, there is a sign saying certain modes of transport are forbidden, among them "animals, whether ridden or driven". Even the Amish have to give way to cars in their communities.
Posted by: Marye | July 8, 2011 6:44 PM
Actually, I don't know why I said that. My son Matt has a girlfriend in London and she is simply the nicest person in the world. And then there's my friend Clare.
It's just a mystery to me when people think they're the center of the universe.
Posted by: Barbara | July 8, 2011 6:44 PM
Bingo Barbara!
Posted by: A Mac and a Mug O' Joe | July 8, 2011 7:20 PM
Wow, Barbara, this woman needs a refresher course in A)Manners and B)the rules of the road!!
Can't believe she's passing this rudeness on to her students!
Posted by: Heather | July 8, 2011 10:09 PM
So sorry this happened to you. Perhaps it is some leftover Independence Day crabbiness. One 4th of July, I had to pick up my daughter from the airport, on a flight home from Japan. She was hungry, so we stopped by a local breakfast place. While the rest of our town was at the big parade, this restaurant was FULL of British immigrants! I was so surprised that they were speaking somewhat resentfully of the holiday, two and a quarter centuries after the war. Unbelievable.
Posted by: Kate J | July 8, 2011 10:18 PM
Unfortunately, I think that rudeness crosses all ethnic and religious lines. It's not just relegated to the British and the Baptists! :)
Posted by: Angela | July 8, 2011 10:45 PM
I'm sorry that you had such an unpleasant experience today, but I hope you and your sweet children will continue to enjoy sharing the road with the other Bluemont equestrians (and runners, cyclists, kids, dogs, llamas, and the occasional pot-bellied pig!). The vast majority of these good folks are the hard working salt-of-the-earth type, and the best neighbors in the world.
Also we have some marvelous and exceedingly gracious Brits here in Bluemont, so there's definitely no heritage/cultural connection to this incident. Ditto for the nice Baptist contingent. :)
Posted by: Laurie in VA | July 8, 2011 11:44 PM
Barb,
So glad your guardian angel was there to help you keep your cool! And, glad their guardian angels were there helping protect them. That lady is really playing with fire trying to provoke a driver--especially being a teacher!!?? She does not sound like a stable individual and this should be reported to the proper authorities so that no students or herself get injured in the future.
Posted by: Eileen | July 9, 2011 12:34 AM
Laurie - well, you certainly captured the neighborhood :)
Posted by: Barbara | July 9, 2011 12:52 AM
Funny, I was just taking a look for somewhere reasonable to spend the night while attending a wedding at Whitehall Manner in August. Their rental looked very reasonable, but I hadn't inquired yet. Don't think I will. The bogus call to the police really shows what kind of people they are.
Posted by: marian | July 9, 2011 7:17 PM
I agree that their behavior was rude (and dangerous for you and them). Our livelihood depends upon horses and I agree that their lack of etiquette was appalling.
However, I am sad that this was brought up:
These people are British - maybe that's a factor? Maybe they think their neighbors are a bunch of American rednecks? They're also, oddly enough, Baptists - a pretty poor witness for the faith.
Neither being British nor Baptist has anything to do with their behavior. People of all nationalities and denominations have it in them to be rude. Would you have worded it the same ("oddly enough") if they were Catholic?
I love your blog and enjoy reading it immensely (I grew up Baptist and my husband grew up Catholic - I do understand the underlying tension). And I do look forward to continue reading it.
I'm sure the situation was very frustrating for you (as it would have been for me). I hope that the sheriff will at least talk to them and let them know the rules of the road (or perhaps someone could find something in writing and mail it to them ;) )
Posted by: Melinda M | July 10, 2011 12:04 PM
Melinda -
Sorry you didn't get the tongue in cheek. Clare, who is British got it. And I didn't say their behavior was due to being Baptist, only that it was a terrible witness. As yes, it would be a terrible witness for Catholics too. But to tell you the truth, having been on both sides of the divide, I find that Baptists tend to have a stronger sense of entitlement than Catholics.
Posted by: Barbara | July 10, 2011 2:16 PM
You are right, I didn't pick up the tongue in cheek. I am sorry if I misinterpreted your post.
We each have our own personal experiences from which we view the world :)
Posted by: Melinda M | July 10, 2011 8:06 PM
I wonder if this riding school's insurance carrier is aware that off property lessons with possibly inexperienced riders on public roads are taking place. I wonder if the rider's parents are aware of the jaunts along the road.
Posted by: Kelly | July 11, 2011 9:16 AM
