A cyclist has admitted he has risked 'life and limb' on roads south of Ayr as part of a video campaigning for a new active travel route.

A short documentary could pave the way for a new link between Ayr and Girvan by repurposing an old railway track connecting the two towns.

The Culzean Way would cut out hair raising journeys for active travel users including cyclists, runners and even horse riders.

And thanks to the documentary by world renowned cyclist and film maker, Markus Stitz, active travel organisation South Ayrshire Paths Initiative (SAPI) are confident their dream is closer to reality.

Stuart Bates of South Ayrshire Paths Initiative told Ayrshire Live: “The film premiered a month ago at the Cutty Sark and since then the feedback has been great. For us this is the very start of the process but it is a long term project, it is something that will take years to complete.

“The first hurdle is getting the funding from Sustrans and we’re confident we have the support of South Ayrshire Council and Ayrshire Roads Alliance.

“The film showcased the huge potential for Ayrshire. It will deliver such a great coastal route for the region and it shows it can be used for walking, wheels and even horse riders.”

The film delivers a powerful message about the safety aspect of the Culzean Way with cyclists currently forced to go along the hazardous coastal route..

Markus gathered key contributors for the documentary with cyclists and horse riders having their say.

Ron Ireland, a founding member of SAPI, says: “When I arrived in Alloway six or seven years ago, I was very disappointed immediately that I couldn’t cycle anywhere south of Ayr, without risking life and limb on busy roads.”

Nicola Burns, a local horse rider, explains: “I’ve owed horses for over 30 years and have encountered the various issues that come alongside taking a horse onto the road."

She adds: “It’s become more of a problem to be honest after traffic has increased.”

Ayr GP Dr Calum Dobbie also shares his thoughts in the film explaining how the Covid pandemic saw a rise in people becoming more active.

Film maker Markus attended the grand premier of the Culzean Way and Stuart has praised the work of the German-born influencer.

Stuart added: “It’s been great to work with Markus. He’s world renowned, he just has such an incredible enthusiasm for bike routes. In his latest book the first chapter is all dedicated to an Ayrshire cycle route. He is very positive about working with us and he is a great ambassador for the Culzean Way.”

Ayrshire Roads Alliance have backed the Culzean Way proposals.

Kevin Braidwood, Head of Roads at Ayrshire Roads Alliance, said: “ARA supports this initiative and is in the process of making a funding bid to Sustrans.”

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/ayrshire/film-details-how-cyclist-risks-30323898

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> A cyclist has admitted he has risked 'life and limb' on roads south of
> Ayr as part of a video campaigning for a new active travel route.
>
> A short documentary could pave the way for a new link between Ayr and
> Girvan by repurposing an old railway track connecting the two towns.

> The Culzean Way would cut out hair raising journeys for active travel
> users including cyclists, runners and even horse riders.

What’s going to happen if this new wonderway winds up like this:

<https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fzw0lcmaYAEbsOV?format=jpg&name=large>

> https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/ayrshire/film-details-how-cyclist-risks-30323898

--
Spike

QUOTE: Nicola Burns, a local horse rider, explains: “I’ve owed horses for over 30 years and have encountered the various issues that come alongside taking a horse onto the road." ENDS

Horses can give cars a severe twatting with their hooves - be warned!

On 02/07/2023 10:29 am, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:

> QUOTE: Nicola Burns, a local horse rider, explains: “I’ve owed horses for over 30 years

Owed them what?

A duty of care?

> and have encountered the various issues that come alongside taking a horse onto the road." ENDS
>
> Horses can give cars a severe twatting with their hooves - be warned!

Everyone knows that horses are dumb animals. What was never quite so
clear was that chavs-on-bikes need the same level of attention.

Tey could, we thought, reasonably be expected to be able to read the
road and obey the rules. After all... they are not dumb animals, are they?

Well, at least, we didn't think they were until we were advised differently.

On Sunday, July 2, 2023 at 10:29:12 AM UTC+1, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:
> QUOTE: Nicola Burns, a local horse rider, explains: “I’ve owed horses for over 30 years and have encountered the various issues that come alongside taking a horse onto the road." ENDS
>
> Horses can give cars a severe twatting with their hooves - be warned!

A CO Antrim woman has told of the traumatic moment a horse struck the windscreen of her car after its teenage rider lost control of the animal.

Ethel Patton said she is "very lucky" to have escaped significant injury during the terrifying crash on the Antrim Road in the outskirts of north Belfast.

"I have a vivid memory of it, every time I close my eyes, I see the horse hitting the car," she said.

Ms Patton told how she and her husband Jim had been travelling towards Glengormley on Saturday afternoon to deliver groceries to her sister when the shocking ordeal unfolded.

"We were just tootering along, we were near the traffic lights at the Whitewell Road when this horse came flying at us," she said.

"We couldn't have avoided it, it came up over the roof, cart and all, striking the car. The reins appeared to have got caught on my wing mirror too.

"The horse was on its own, no-one was in control of it.

"The windscreen was smashed, if one of its hooves had hit me, I would not have been here today."

The couple were able to get out of the car as people nearby came to their aid before the arrival of the emergency services.

"We were very lucky, Jim has a cut to the bridge of his nose and I have a cut on my finger, but it could have been much worse especially with the glass over us from the windscreen smashing," she said.

"Apparently the horse landed further up the road and was lying in agony, but I couldn't bring myself to look anywhere near it. A vet came and euthanised it."

The horse was harnessed to a two-wheeled cart, which is used for so-called sulky races.

Footage of the horse and cart travelling along the Antrim Road has been shared on social media, including clips of the animal without its rider.

Other shared video appears to show the same horse and sulky driver out of control in the Glengormley area before the crash, veering onto the footpath on the left hand side of the road and then across onto the right side pedestrian walkway.

Police said a 16-year-old had been cautioned.

"One boy, aged 16, was cautioned for failure to stop and remain at the scene of a road traffic collision and being in charge of a horse drawn vehicle without due care and attention/without reasonable consideration," a spokeswoman said.

He got away with a caution!

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Sunday, July 2, 2023 at 10:29:12 AM UTC+1, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:

>> Horses can give cars a severe twatting with their hooves - be warned!

> A CO Antrim woman has told of the traumatic moment a horse struck the
> windscreen of her car after its teenage rider lost control of the animal.

> "One boy, aged 16, was cautioned for failure to stop and remain at the
> scene of a road traffic collision and being in charge of a horse drawn
> vehicle without due care and attention/without reasonable consideration,"
> a spokeswoman said.

--
Spike

A car was left badly damaged after a ‘horse mistook it for a potential mate’ and ‘proceeded to make advances’.

The bizarre incident was revealed among some of the most unusual claims for damage to property, which insurance giant Aviva dealt with last year.

The insurer also replaced a mobile phone after a monkey snatched a customer’s bag during a holiday and smashed the handset after rifling through the person’s belongings.

https://metro.co.uk/2019/04/10/car-written-off-horse-tried-mount-9143549/

Spike <Aero.Spike@mail.invalid> wrote:
>
> He got away with a caution!

Perhaps Simon Mason, who follows these things closely, could say whether or
not Mr Arsehole was on the case?

> swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Sunday, July 2, 2023 at 10:29:12 AM UTC+1, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:
>
>>> Horses can give cars a severe twatting with their hooves - be warned!
>
>> A CO Antrim woman has told of the traumatic moment a horse struck the
>> windscreen of her car after its teenage rider lost control of the animal.
>
>> "One boy, aged 16, was cautioned for failure to stop and remain at the
>> scene of a road traffic collision and being in charge of a horse drawn
>> vehicle without due care and attention/without reasonable consideration,"
>> a spokeswoman said.
>
>

--
Spike

He was driving along in his car and a horse (who had bolted its owner) ran into his car causing damage.

Long story short, the owner of the horse said to go through insurance. The insurance companies have said it has to go through my friends insurance because there is nothing governing insurance for a horse (horse to car doesn't exist). The car isn't worth that much so rather that destroy his future insurance premiums, it's most sensible to just scrap the car off.

However, something here doesn't sit right with me. How can someones horse escape their control, write off a car and have zero consequence for the horse owner? The owner can simply walk away from this like it never happened, while my friend needs to scrap his car and buy a new one (because its a worse option to go through insurance).

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> He was driving along in his car and a horse (who had bolted its owner)
> ran into his car causing damage.
>
> Long story short, the owner of the horse said to go through insurance.
> The insurance companies have said it has to go through my friends
> insurance because there is nothing governing insurance for a horse (horse
> to car doesn't exist). The car isn't worth that much so rather that
> destroy his future insurance premiums, it's most sensible to just scrap the car off.
>
> However, something here doesn't sit right with me. How can someones horse
> escape their control, write off a car and have zero consequence for the
> horse owner? The owner can simply walk away from this like it never
> happened, while my friend needs to scrap his car and buy a new one
> (because its a worse option to go through insurance).

As your friend has had an incident, he will have to report it to his
insurance anyway. If he doesn’t do so, and his current or any future
insurance provider find out, it will not go well for him.

--
Spike

A friend of Mrs Puff stopped her car in a country road to let a horse and cart past as the horse was a bit 'frisky' - this happened recently in Somerset so I think it may have been a traveller's caravan rather than a 'cart'.

The cart swung round, hit her car and caused some damage.

She has the owner's name (if genuine...) but he doesn't have insurance and her insurers can't (or won't) process a claim unless she gives the other vehicle's registration - which doesn't exist of course.

Any ideas?
============================
KEEP AWAY FROM HORSES IN FUTURE?