The Bristol Cycling Campaign has started a petition about the decision of BANES to allow horses on cycle paths in their area. It says "We the undersigned oppose the decision of BANES Council to allow horses on cycle paths in their area. We also note the lack of consultation and demand immediate consultation."
As a tryout, I spent two hours on a Sunday at Bitton seeing if the current users of the path would sign. It was very gratifying, with a signing rate of about 90%, and most people were horrified and astonished that they hadn't heard anything about it.
It would be preferable if this was presented to the council by someone living in Bath. Is there anyone with a Bath address who would be prepared to do this?
The Bristol Cycling Campaign has started a petition about the decision of BANES to allow horses on cycle paths in their area. It says "We the undersigned oppose the decision of BANES Council to allow horses on cycle paths in their area. We also note the lack of consultation and demand immediate consultation."
Highway code, section 40:
You MUST NOT take a horse onto a footpath, pavement or cycle track. Use a bridleway where possible. Laws HA1835 sect 72 and R(S)A sect 129(5)
I didn't realise that a local authority could override the Highways Act.
"PeteC" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
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Rich said:
The Bristol Cycling Campaign has started a petition about the decision of BANES to allow horses on cycle paths in their area. It says "We the undersigned oppose the decision of BANES Council to allow horses on cycle paths in their area. We also note the lack of consultation and demand immediate consultation."
Highway code, section 40:
You MUST NOT take a horse onto a footpath, pavement or cycle track. Use a bridleway where possible. Laws HA1835 sect 72 and R(S)A sect 129(5)
I didn't realise that a local authority could override the Highways Act.
They own it, and therefore they seem to think that they can do exactly as they please without bothering the current users with silly things like asking them what they think. They did ask Sustrans who seemed to think that it was a good idea.
They own it, and therefore they seem to think that they can do exactly as they please without bothering the current users with silly things like asking them what they think. They did ask Sustrans who seemed to think that it was a good idea.
Does the Bristol Cycling Campaign have any official contact with BANES? If not, then that may be something worth chasing (or get the Bath Cycling Campaign, if there is one, to do it).
I'd use the petition to talk to the local newspapers about the 'tyrannical council riding roughshod over cyclists' - get some press releases and interviews set up, and make some noise. They'll ignore a little quiet petition, but can't ignore the local press. Stress that your issue is more with the lack of consultation, rather than the ruling itself, but that the ruling may not have been made had proper consultation had taken place.
The Bristol Cycling Campaign has started a petition about the decision of BANES to allow horses on cycle paths in their area. It says "We the undersigned oppose the decision of BANES Council to allow horses on cycle paths in their area. We also note the lack of consultation and demand immediate consultation."
Many horses are allready ridden on the A4174 cycle track, and I have seen them on the Bristol-Bath cycle track. What I really hate is the amount of horse [censored] on them. Sometimes it is impossible to steer round it. It really is disgusting.
Martin.
-- According to the human genome project, humans are 50-60% bananas. When emailing me, please include the word Banana in the subject line.
"Rich" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
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The Bristol Cycling Campaign has started a petition about the decision of BANES to allow horses on cycle paths in their area. It says "We the undersigned oppose the decision of BANES Council to allow horses on cycle paths in their area. We also note the lack of consultation and demand immediate consultation."
Hold on a minute. I too think the French have the best way of dealing with horses - but it might be well to consider history. I think it was in the late 60s that bridleways were opened to cycles; my cycling would be a great deal poorer if I couldn't cycle on bridleways.
I find that horses chop the land up and make things that bit rougher, they leave vegetarian droppings that are much less offensive than dog muck and sometimes I have to slow down because not all horses are well trained. But on the whole I rub along quite well with horses. The recent horse passport system will make them more rare and I think we should consider calming down and putting the problem into perspective.
"Eatmorepies" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
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Hold on a minute. I too think the French have the best way of dealing with horses - but it might be well to consider history. I think it was in the late 60s that bridleways were opened to cycles; my cycling would be a great deal poorer if I couldn't cycle on bridleways.
Bridleways are a completely seperate issue. Would you be happy to have to give way to horses on a cycle path, as you are legally obliged to do on a bridlepath?
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But
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on the whole I rub along quite well with horses. The recent horse passport system will make them more rare and I think we should consider calming down and putting the problem into perspective.
You're perfectly right, but:-
* no consultation with the path's users? * the paths are not wide enough for shared use between cyclists and pedestrians, let alone horses. * the danger to both peds and cyclists is considerable. Three years ago a BANES council employee was killed whilst out riding his bike on the road, by a horse. * Many parents have told me that they won't be allowing their children on the path any more, because of the danger and the droppings.
The Bristol Cycling Campaign has started a petition about the decision of BANES to allow horses on cycle paths in their area.
<snip>
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It would be preferable if this was presented to the council by someone living in Bath. Is there anyone with a Bath address who would be prepared to do this?
I've been on their yahoogroups list for a couple of months now. They seem to speak quite a bit to Sir Elgar Jenkins, who I believe is the "brains" behind the horse lunacy.
-- Danny Colyer (my reply address is valid but checked infrequently) <URL:http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/danny/> "He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine
[email hidden] wrote: | Many horses are allready ridden on the A4174 cycle track, and I have seen | them on the Bristol-Bath cycle track. What I really hate is the amount | of horse [censored] on them. Sometimes it is impossible to steer round it. | It really is disgusting.
Collect it.
Honestly, what has happened to this generation of cyclists? Has it given up allotments?
[email hidden] wrote: | Many horses are allready ridden on the A4174 cycle track, and I have seen | them on the Bristol-Bath cycle track. What I really hate is the amount | of horse [censored] on them. Sometimes it is impossible to steer round it. | It really is disgusting.
Collect it.
Honestly, what has happened to this generation of cyclists? Has it given up allotments?
"Eatmorepies" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
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Hold on a minute. I too think the French have the best way of dealing with horses - but it might be well to consider history. I think it was in the late 60s that bridleways were opened to cycles; my cycling would be a great deal poorer if I couldn't cycle on bridleways.
Bridleways are a completely seperate issue. Would you be happy to have to give way to horses on a cycle path, as you are legally obliged to do on a bridlepath?
There is also the fact that horses spook easily and are very dangerous when spooked. Mixing horses with even moderately fast moving cycle traffic is /not/ a good idea.
-- [email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/ ;; If God does not write LISP, God writes some code so similar to ;; LISP as to make no difference.
in message <[email hidden]>, Rich ([email hidden]'😉 wrote:
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There is also the fact that horses spook easily and are very dangerous when spooked. Mixing horses with even moderately fast moving cycle traffic is /not/ a good idea.
Someone should let TPTB, and the equestrians, know what horses' reactions to recumbents often are. Get a recumbent census done and make sure that every 'bent rider in the area is on the path that day.
"Eatmorepies" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Hold on a minute. I too think the French have the best way of dealing with horses - but it might be well to consider history. I think it was in the late 60s that bridleways were opened to cycles; my cycling would be a great deal poorer if I couldn't cycle on bridleways.
Bridleways are a completely seperate issue. Would you be happy to have to give way to horses on a cycle path, as you are legally obliged to do on a bridlepath?
There is also the fact that horses spook easily and are very dangerous when spooked. Mixing horses with even moderately fast moving cycle traffic is /not/ a good idea.
Does that mean you think horses on public roads are also not a good idea?
I must admit, this whole topic sounds like a load of car drivers moaning about cyclists on the road. If slowing down behind cyclists for a few seconds is good enough for car drivers, then slowing down for horses should be good enough for cyclists.
-- Keith Willoughby http://flat222.org/keith/ "I dwelt alone in a world of moan And my soul was a stagnant tide"
On Mon, 12 Sep 2005 16:19:11 +0100 someone who may be Keith Willoughby <[email hidden]> wrote this:-
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Quoted message said:
There is also the fact that horses spook easily and are very dangerous when spooked. Mixing horses with even moderately fast moving cycle traffic is /not/ a good idea.
Does that mean you think horses on public roads are also not a good idea?
1) Roads are wider than cyclepaths, almost without exception.
2) Horses are particularly frightened by cycles, for some reason. This isn't so much of a problem on a road, as there is more width, though the council member of staff killed by horses was cycling on a narrow lane.
3) In addition roads tend to have harder surfaces, less likely to be broken up by hooves.
-- David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government prevents me by using the RIP Act 2000.
Does that mean you think horses on public roads are also not a good idea?
Personally, I think horses on unsurfaced public roads less than 2m wide are not a good idea.
I have been thrown off my bike by a horse that reared as I went past very slowly. A steel-shod hoof went past just in front of my face at one point in the melee. The rider of teh horse in question went ballistic (though why she was screaming at me when she proved herself incapable of controlling her half-tonne of horse-flesh I'm not sure), though her companion told her to pull herself together, and enquired as to my well-being.
"Simon Brooke" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
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There is also the fact that horses spook easily and are very dangerous when spooked. Mixing horses with even moderately fast moving cycle traffic is /not/ a good idea.
With horses, it's a good idea to speak to the rider well before you draw level with the horse. I also slow down. A simple hello/goodmorning/goodafternoon/cyclist approaching ... will suffice. Apparently, so a couple of horse riders have told me, this identifies you to the horse as a human and not some strange predator, so horse is less likely to be spooked. Seems to be working okay for me so far on narrow lanes. Mind you, I tend to speak to the horses as well as the riders 🙂
Many horses are allready ridden on the A4174 cycle track, and I have seen them on the Bristol-Bath cycle track. What I really hate is the amount of horse [censored] on them. Sometimes it is impossible to steer round it. It really is disgusting.
Horse [censored] isn't disgusting, it's just a bit of grass. I come home on a bridleway, and I keep meaning to get a big bag so I can collect it for the compost.
Daniele -- For sale: Apple PowerBook G4 17", 1.67GHz, 1.5GB RAM, 80GB HDD, DVD writer, Airport Extreme, Bluetooth, backlit keyboard. Almost brand new - has been used exactly once, on 8th September 2005, for a one- day project. Absolutely perfect condition. £1500 + VAT or offers.
Does that mean you think horses on public roads are also not a good idea?
Personally, I think horses on unsurfaced public roads less than 2m wide are not a good idea.
I have been thrown off my bike by a horse that reared as I went past very slowly. A steel-shod hoof went past just in front of my face at one point in the melee. The rider of teh horse in question went ballistic (though why she was screaming at me when she proved herself incapable of controlling her half-tonne of horse-flesh I'm not sure), though her companion told her to pull herself together, and enquired as to my well-being.
I must admit, this whole topic sounds like a load of car drivers moaning about cyclists on the road. If slowing down behind cyclists for a few seconds is good enough for car drivers, then slowing down for horses should be good enough for cyclists.
It's not a question of slowing down for a few seconds, it's a question of slowing down until either the equestrian or the cyclist leaves the path. The path is *not* wide enough to safely pass a horse.
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If the surface was designed with cycles and not horses in mind, then sure, maybe horses shouldn't be allowed on.
Thank you. That is the case here.
-- Danny Colyer (my reply address is valid but checked infrequently) <URL:http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/danny/> "He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine
Horse [censored] isn't disgusting, it's just a bit of grass.
The fact that it does not disgust you does not mean that it is not disgusting. Personally, I dislike getting covered in excrement.
-- Danny Colyer (my reply address is valid but checked infrequently) <URL:http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/danny/> "He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine
