http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Booby traps set on cycle path behind Davidsons Mains Tesco en Sun, 17 May 2026 07:47:56 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601&page=2#post-132389 Wed, 13 Nov 2013 10:36:40 +0000 Min 132389@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yes. As has already been mentioned, if someone had dropped a brick from a motorway bridge, it would have been in the paper. What is the difference here? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601&page=2#post-132383 Wed, 13 Nov 2013 10:10:26 +0000 ARobComp 132383@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@stiltskin is it a terribly wrong thing that it did though?</p> <p>The main reason I was keen to get this on a few news outlets is that it is a classic example of something that targets cyclists but in reality effects everyone that uses those paths. As the Spokes chap said the more people using the path network the better it is. </p> <p>In this day and age of "lower crime rates" it's worth reinding people that people still do horrible things - often to target cyclists - and it's barely noticed. The only way to get it into peoples heads that cyclists are people is to do things like this and show the pictures of the 50year old who thank goodness only hurt his face (could have been much worse) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601&page=2#post-132370 Tue, 12 Nov 2013 22:48:59 +0000 Focus 132370@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The likes of the Beeb may have contacts who search for local stories or may even useweb technology (such as "bots") to scour for certain keywords or topics. Then it's just a case of an editor saying yay or nay to using the story. That's assuming nobody who was involved didn't simply get in touch of course. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601&page=2#post-132368 Tue, 12 Nov 2013 22:39:33 +0000 stiltskin 132368@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>It's odd how these stories get picked up by the press. This sort of thing isn't terribly unusual. I'm amazed that it has made the BBC website. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601&page=2#post-132366 Tue, 12 Nov 2013 22:20:47 +0000 Rosie 132366@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>There used to be a cycle workshop in one of the units in Roseburn Street - about 10 years ago. The bloke who ran it told me he had been taken down by some teenagers holding a cord or wire across a cycle path. He had been permanently damaged. </p> <p>I was speaking to a friend tonight who once cycled through Craigmillar and saw some kids pulling a cord across his route. Fortunately he had enough time to cycle round them. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601&page=2#post-132327 Tue, 12 Nov 2013 14:41:40 +0000 cb 132327@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Further west on that route (between the golf courses) I almost got taken out by a section of fishing line strung across the path.</p> <p>Fortunately for me I saw it glint in the sun and I was able to stand up at the last second which meant it hit me in the chest and broke. It was aimed at face/neck height though.</p> <p>(This was nearly 25 years ago) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601&page=2#post-132322 Tue, 12 Nov 2013 14:35:44 +0000 crowriver 132322@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@ARobComp, <em>people have the right to be there</em>. Absolutely they do.</p> <p>I also have the right to go walking around the back streets of Craigmillar, Pilton or Wester Hailes* in the middle of the night, if I want to. Doesn't mean it's a good idea!</p> <p>* - I lived in Wester Hailes as a kid in the early 1970s. It was okay then, but I wouldn't hang about there these days. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601#post-132319 Tue, 12 Nov 2013 14:29:27 +0000 Focus 132319@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>You can always trust "Irritatingly Intelligent Chauvinist" to make light of a serious injury or incident involving cyclists. The chipwrapper should never have allowed comments on the article.</p> <p>Be careful if you see the piles of wet leaves on the path, the ones that are normally left when it's not been cleared sufficiently (like right now) - I've discovered bricks concealed in them before. Do not ride through those leaves! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601#post-132313 Tue, 12 Nov 2013 14:12:20 +0000 Colonies_Chris 132313@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I removed a roadblock of logs and bricks from that section of path (Tesco D Mains) as I passed through a few weeks ago - fortunately in broad daylight, so no harm done. So it's been going on for a while. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601#post-132310 Tue, 12 Nov 2013 13:58:07 +0000 ianfieldhouse 132310@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Kim A couple of weeks ago I noticed that someone had scattered large tacks all over the access ramp to the Union Canal from Allan Park Road. I can only assume this was by someone who objected to the pace some people cycle up that ramp from the canal. </p> <p>Not really worthy of talking to anyone in the EEN about and I'm not sure I'd want to help them out since they seem to have taken an anti cycling stance in the past months/year. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601#post-132308 Tue, 12 Nov 2013 13:54:35 +0000 Greenroofer 132308@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@gibbo - I doubt there's a connection. My guess is that the perpetrators of this are younger than we might think and don't read the EEN. They are doing this for kicks and because it's an easy target rather than from any considered hatred of cyclists.</p> <p>The frothing commentators on the EEN site are a different constituency: they spend so long in front of their PCs writing inane vitriol that they won't have time to go and string up clothes lines. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601#post-132307 Tue, 12 Nov 2013 13:53:46 +0000 JohnS 132307@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Agree with Crowriver, I use this route every day, but avoid the that section and go round Cramond Road South and through the houses by JSmarts offices, straight to the pedestrian crossing. Also sure they would be watching from the bridge. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601#post-132306 Tue, 12 Nov 2013 13:48:39 +0000 cb 132306@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-24912111">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-24912111</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601#post-132305 Tue, 12 Nov 2013 13:48:05 +0000 gibbo 132305@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><blockquote><em>Just had a call from an EEN journalist who is interested to talk to any one who has experienced such attacks while riding in Edinburgh.</em></blockquote></p> <p>What's his headline going to be? </p> <p>"Evening News Anti-Cylist Campaign A Success!" </p> <p>Or does he not think there's a connection between their hate pieces and attacks on cyclists? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601#post-132303 Tue, 12 Nov 2013 13:43:42 +0000 Kim 132303@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Just had a call from an EEN journalist who is interested to talk to any one who has experienced such attacks while riding in Edinburgh. I have heard a number of similar stories over the years, has any one here been directly involved?</p> <p>Of course the shrinking police resources following the formation of Police Scotland, means that it is going to be harder for the police to commit to on going patrols. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601#post-132301 Tue, 12 Nov 2013 13:12:05 +0000 chdot 132301@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/lethal-cycle-path-boobytrap-wire-hits-man-in-face-1-3184934" rel="nofollow">http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/lethal-cycle-path-boobytrap-wire-hits-man-in-face-1-3184934</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601#post-132282 Tue, 12 Nov 2013 11:52:13 +0000 ARobComp 132282@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>There will be some press on this later today. I think that it's better to make people aware and careful and make the little barstewards aware that people are looking out for it, and therefore less likely to try it again. </p> <p>Hopefully as well this will increase police presence on bikes on these paths - something that I imagine many people would welcome. </p> <p>@crowriver - fair point however it's a shame that this should happen at all - it;'s a path that is marked on cycling maps (checked last night) and people have the right to be there. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601#post-132272 Tue, 12 Nov 2013 11:09:49 +0000 crowriver 132272@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Just avoid this stretch of path completely and take the official Sustrans route a little further to the north along Cramond Road South. Far safer, and at least lit and surfaced properly. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601#post-132264 Tue, 12 Nov 2013 10:45:00 +0000 fimm 132264@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've read of thieves doing this to cyclists in order to get the cyclist's phone/purse/wallet off them while they are on the ground... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601#post-132237 Tue, 12 Nov 2013 01:44:32 +0000 Snowy 132237@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Attempted murder. No different from dropping bricks on cars from bridges. When will the police get get their fingers out ? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601#post-132230 Mon, 11 Nov 2013 23:49:30 +0000 le_soigneur 132230@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>There was a spate of this about <a href="http://www.scotsman.com/news/yobs-target-cyclists-with-trip-wires-and-bricks-1-979133">6 or 7 years ago</a> on the NEPN - it was on the lit section, they used to brick a lampost to knock out the light, then rope it and throw branches down at every passing cyclist to distract them and get them (&amp; me) roped. Teenagers, they had a lookout posted on each aproach.<br /> They did this to Maggie Wynne, including bricking her at the same time.<br /> When I reported mine to Drylaw police, they sent a Panda car to drive up the cycle path with lights on, duh!<br /> Looks like the latest crop of teenagers have done all the levels on Assassins Creed V and are looking to get their adrenalin rush low-tech style. Be sure, they are watching from the overpass. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601#post-132227 Mon, 11 Nov 2013 23:28:54 +0000 Focus 132227@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I don't even think it's a case of these low-lifes hating cyclists, it simply easier to cause a cycling crash than a car crash, at least remotely (i.e. without having to be on the scene to throw bricks, breeze blocks etc). Causing a train to derail takes the effort of lifting heavier objects, causing a plane crash - well you pretty much need to be at the airport and get something through security.</p> <p>Cyclist = easy target. Chances are most of these idiots have a bike themselves (note the deliberate non-use of "own"!). They may even have cycled there in order to lay the trap :-( </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601#post-132221 Mon, 11 Nov 2013 23:06:26 +0000 DaveC 132221@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Its not the EEN trolls I'd be afraid of, but the copycats! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601#post-132216 Mon, 11 Nov 2013 23:01:23 +0000 EddieD 132216@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Matthew Paris once recommended this in his Times column to stop cyclists littering. After being condemned by the grauniad and other journals, he published, in an invisible column, a feeble paragraph suggesting it was hyperbole, and not to be taken seriously.</p> <p>There are some sick mofos out there who hate cyclists. The WOL path used to regularly have logs dumped across it at night.</p> <p>Take care </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601#post-132215 Mon, 11 Nov 2013 22:57:03 +0000 allebong 132215@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've heard of this sort of thing happening in disputes over mtb/natural offroad trails in forests and the like. The landowner takes action and builds clothelines, spiked pits, buried nailboards etc. With that the best you can say is at least it's contained to one little-used place and you usually know who done it....</p> <p>There's really no words for this though. If you were prosecuting the culprit you would have to go for attempted murder surely. It's not some stupid prank, it's a literal deathtrap. </p> <p>Still I'm sure if the EEN gets hold of this story they and their resident army of trolls will find a way to justify it. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601#post-132210 Mon, 11 Nov 2013 22:50:10 +0000 Kenny 132210@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I used that part of the path once a few weeks ago in the dark, and vowed never to use it again because it seemed completely unlit and I honestly couldn't see 2 feet in front of me (I was on foot, hence no lights). Even more reason to not use it after this thread. Totally agree too @Focus - can't see the point? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601#post-132206 Mon, 11 Nov 2013 22:46:11 +0000 SRD 132206@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>After using the tesco path the first time we ventured out, we worked out that the road to the north is better, even if the toucan crossing is very slow indeed. But obviously this path should be improved for those who want to go to tesco! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601#post-132204 Mon, 11 Nov 2013 22:40:57 +0000 Claire 132204@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@chdot Yes it's unlit and still gravel/unmade. Wobbly ride through in the morning. Since the clocks went back I've only ventured through once in the dark and it creeped the hell out of me. A dangerous spot indeed. </p> <p>There's another unlit section at the DM park at the top of the hill. Brings you out at traffic light junction at Queensferry Road. Again, I won't go through it as scary in the dark and no idea who's lurking around in there. Anyone got alt options? I have to go along pavement at QF Road at the moment (I know, BAD) as too terrified to cycle in extremely fast traffic. I get off if I see a ped coming, though... :( </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601#post-132197 Mon, 11 Nov 2013 22:29:37 +0000 Focus 132197@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Aside from the morals of doing that, I often wonder what the kick is out of trying to maim someone like that, or to cause punctures with glass. If I was doing that, I'd want to see the results of it in action but you never see anyone hanging around, so they miss the "kick" of it surely.</p> <p>I was using the NEPN only last night after 11pm (not that area though) and I was actually very cautious, looking out for anything that might be strung between lamp posts. That was on the way out. On my return, the thought of it had left my mind. Scary in hindsight. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11601#post-132194 Mon, 11 Nov 2013 22:24:00 +0000 skotl 132194@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>That's absolutely despicable. What kind of animals would want to do that?<br /> I'm staying on the A90 till the nights get lighter. </p>