Gypsy tradition

[LotusEater]

Could someone please tell me the (old?) Romany Gypsy tradition whereby if someone were killed or injured on the road, those involved would "neither drive nor ride." Thanks!

[rugeleyboy]

so sorry but i dont understand this question?

if they were killed they couldn't drive anyway?

[dot.hawkes]

I have been a past memebr of the Travellers and gypsy family History Society and I have checked their lists of raditions for all the various Gypsy cultures and cannot pick up on what u mean, other than they sell their horse (to a non gypsy) and burn their wagon

[smurfchops]

Do you mean, if anyone kills a gypsy in a driving accident, they will themselves suffer??

[noxlumos]

There's a tradition in some travelling communities to walk for seven miles ( some traditions three) from the scene of a death, might that be what you are referring to? i.e they "neither ride nor drive" away from the place? Other than that I can't think of anything even remotely relevant and it's not something that gypsy's today would do.

[rugeleyboy]

from the scene of another gypsy's death??

or any accident they pass?

[LotusEater]

Not sure if it was the case that it was another Gypsy who was killed, or a non-Gypsy. My great-grandfather who was involved in some kind of accident before the turn of the century and afterwards vowed that he "would neither ride nor drive" again. So he walked everywhere. I don't believe he was a Gypsy himself and it's unusual for someone to make such a decision on that basis.

Sorry, I wasn't clearer in my question as I'm not too clear about it myself. Thanks anyway for all your help.

LE