# Horse on the Golden Gate Bridge on New Years Day



## slow.climber (Nov 25, 2010)

Did any of you guys see this?

Some moron rode a horse across the GGB on the west side this afternoon.

We were dodging horse droppings every 50 meters or so. Don't know a lot about horses but that's a lot of droppings. So may be there were multiple horses.

I can't imagine the kind of idiot that thinks this would be a good idea. As you'd expect, the bridge was crowed with tourists on rentals today. Horses can panic when they're getting buzzed by bikes rolling that close.


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## Buzzaro (Jun 20, 2010)

New Years celebration with Equestrian Police?


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## ChrisRinSF (Jan 2, 2013)

Yeah, saw this guy on horseback with two other horses in tow. I was descending into Sausalito and he was on his way towards the bridge. He gave me a thumbs up when I was checking him out. Cowboy hat, beard, blanket, etc with him.

On the way back into the city, there was lots of horse manure on the western side of the bridge. Just before the southern anchor point, a bike cop had him stopped. A soccer mom seemed to be complaining about him and the cop was requesting they walk their bike around the horses. About 345 pm.

I would not have wanted to squeeze pass those horses on the left...


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## slow.climber (Nov 25, 2010)

Thanks for the reply. I figured one of you guys must have seen this.

Three horses, that makes sense. There was a load of crap on the bike path when we crossed. I talked to the two guys from bridge crew who were headed out to clean up. They didn't look all that pleased.

Hope this clown gets a big fat citation.


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## Fogdweller (Mar 26, 2004)

The the poop on the east deck or west? Commute tomorrow could be interesting...


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## slow.climber (Nov 25, 2010)

West deck. Piles of it were getting smeared around all the way from Marin to SF.

The crew was on their way out to clean up when I talked to them late in the afternoon. Bucket and a shovel was all they were taking. Should be an improvement but the deck probably won't be fully cleaned until the next rain.


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## Rhymenocerus (Jul 17, 2010)

I dont think its illegal, just kinda rude and dumb.

I love how its completely legal for horses and cows to **** all over the road/trails with their massive turds, yet leaving your dogs doodies will trigger the apocalypse.


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## yoshirama (Oct 18, 2012)

Back in the day, horses and wagons were legal vehicles of the road. I wonder if that's still the case today?

You will need one deaf horse to take the lane these days...


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## hummina shadeeba (Oct 15, 2009)

the bridge is privately owned and I bet they can make the rules about what can cross.


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## Buzzaro (Jun 20, 2010)

hummina shadeeba said:


> the bridge is privately owned and I bet they can make the rules about what can cross.


Who owns the bridge?


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## slow.climber (Nov 25, 2010)

Buzzaro said:


> Who owns the bridge?


Bay Area Toll Authority - FAQs



> The Golden Gate Bridge is owned, operated and maintained by the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, an independent public agency. For more information, go to Golden Gate Bridge.


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## slow.climber (Nov 25, 2010)

It is illegal.

Rules here*



> Animals, including dogs and horses, which are being led, ridden or driven, with the exception of service animals, such as guide dogs, signal dogs and service dogs, are NOT allowed.


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## hummina shadeeba (Oct 15, 2009)

sure sounds illegal.
to amend my earlier comment that the bridge is privately owned- it's title of an independent public agency sounds a lot like an oxymoron. 

The bridge is considered a special-purpose district, which according to wikipedia, are independent governmental units that exists separately from, and with substantial administrative and fiscal independence from, general purpose local governments such as county, municipal, and township governments
as far as accountability:
To maintain accountability for special districts, states must maintain ultimate control. The state can freely hand out sovereign power (such as the power to tax) to special districts and can allow them to act autonomously with little supervision.
according to wikipedia


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## yoshirama (Oct 18, 2012)

Actually Horses are legally considered vehicles of the road in the state of California. Maybe the rider was out there exercising vehicular equestrianism.


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## slow.climber (Nov 25, 2010)

yoshirama said:


> Actually Horses are legally considered vehicles of the road in the state of California. Maybe the rider was out there exercising vehicular equestrianism.


1. This discussion has been about horses on the walkways, not in the traffic lanes.
2. Specific types of vehicles can be prohibited from motorways. For example, bikes are vehicles but that doesn't mean you can ride them on a freeway (which Hwy-101 is). Same goes for horses. If you think it's a good idea to ride a horse on a freeway I expect you'll get different advice from the friendly CHP officer in short order.
3. There are specific regulations for the GGB that forbid animals in general and horses specifically. They've been posted and discussed ITT.


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## Fogdweller (Mar 26, 2004)

slow.climber said:


> For example, bikes are vehicles but that doesn't mean you can ride them on a freeway (which Hwy-101 is).


While we're on these topics, Golden Gate Bridge and bikes on freeways, I thought I would share a story. For the 50th Anniv of the GGB I rode my road bike down to try and take part of the festivities and it was clear that it was too crowded for me to take my bike across the bridge... but... the freeway was completely closed so I took the onramp above Vista Point and climbed up through the Waldo Tunnel with all four lanes to myself. I blasted down the other side in a tuck and was probably doing 55 mph by the time I hit the bottom. I rode back into Sausalito and climbed up Spencer Ave to the top and did it again before the CHP flagged me down. There was no third trip. It was one of my best experiences on two wheels.


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