http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: "five most terrifying junctions/blackspots in Edinburgh" en Wed, 13 May 2026 02:17:47 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=4#post-170063 Wed, 29 Oct 2014 13:18:21 +0000 I were right about that saddle 170063@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Roibeard</p> <p>My view is very much that the police should be asked to speak to anyone who shouts from a moving vehicle. They will undoubtedly be up to other, even crazier things. This does not happen in isolation. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=4#post-170051 Wed, 29 Oct 2014 12:20:19 +0000 Roibeard 170051@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@559 - you're welcome to borrow my children to see if your approach is generally applicable. I won't even require a deposit!</p> <p>My feel is that it is the only viable approach for UK roads currently, but I sincerely wish that it wasn't required, as it doesn't always work, and isn't achievable for everyone (those slower, less assertive, more sensitive).</p> <p>My boys and I were riding along South Clerk Street like we belonged there on Friday night, and a driver travelling in the opposite direction felt the need to shout "F idiots" as he passed. Note that we weren't impeding his travel, he was simply expressing his opinion that we didn't belong there, even if we were confident and knew where we were going.</p> <p>Aggression and intimidation soon dissuade many folk out of such a confident approach, either into the gutter, or off their bikes.</p> <p>In my case, I object to bullying so much, that everywhere it happens, that will be a place for a primary position in future, even if there should be plenty of room to share were everyone behaving.</p> <p>Robert </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=4#post-169980 Tue, 28 Oct 2014 23:58:48 +0000 559 169980@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Stickman, don't disagree, but that's where the other aspects of my approach come in, until you get to know the road/junction better. I fully realise it is difficult, but portraying confidence and respect on the road does work. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=4#post-169979 Tue, 28 Oct 2014 23:29:35 +0000 Stickman 169979@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Always have a mental picture of where you are going and how you are going to do that."</p> <p>I know what you are saying, but it can be difficult when going through somewhere for the first time. Haymarket is a nightmare if you haven't read all the advice on here. I'm sure there are other places that I've not been to that are similar. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=4#post-169975 Tue, 28 Oct 2014 23:21:33 +0000 559 169975@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@SRD, no, not recently George Street, Iam unclear if you are talking about the cycle lanes or the roads. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=4#post-169968 Tue, 28 Oct 2014 22:54:17 +0000 SRD 169968@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Always have a mental picture of where you are going and how you are going to do that."</p> <p>Have you tried Lothian rd to George street recently? </p> <p>Very difficult to follow your advice there. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=4#post-169967 Tue, 28 Oct 2014 22:47:00 +0000 559 169967@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>As cyclist (40yrs) &amp; driver(35yrs) in Edinburgh do not really consider any junctions as scary.</p> <p>IMO, cycle like you belong where you are on the road.</p> <p>Always have a mental picture of where you are going and how you are going to do that.</p> <p>As Coxy mentioned earlier in this thread, "staring the driver in the eye" is also one of my regular tactics.</p> <p>Do not take any unjustified "sh*t" from other road users.</p> <p>Show respect and thanks when appropriate and due to all road users.</p> <p>Do not ever ride the gutter, leaves you no space for manoeuvres, and cuts the visibility angle at junctions. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=4#post-169956 Tue, 28 Oct 2014 21:55:32 +0000 Kenny 169956@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@acsimpson / @PS - you are better off, IMHO, either sticking to the pavement next to Maybury Road, or taking this route (see below), in preference to that path. As @acsimpson rightly says, it is not a shared use path and thus should not be cycled on (cough), but in fairness, it's crap to cycle on anyway, so I tend to avoid it. There's usually a lot of dog walkers on it too (like me), with dogs off the lead, which they are allowed to do since it's not a shared use path.</p> <p><a href="http://goo.gl/maps/YTosM" rel="nofollow">http://goo.gl/maps/YTosM</a></p> <p>Although the route takes you along a dual carriageway, it has to be the quietest dual carriageway in Edinburgh. Yes, occasionally cars do hit 40mph on it, but I have never in all my years of living near it (12+ years) seen a car need to or try to overtake another moving car on it. So in other words, IMHO it's just as safe as any standard residential street - if not more safe, since you effectively can have an entire lane to yourself while the occasional overtaking car gets their own lane to breeze past you. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=4#post-169924 Tue, 28 Oct 2014 18:28:10 +0000 duncans 169924@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The difficulty with the routes between Barnton (specifically, Route #1) and the Gyle is that they either involve illegal pavement cycling or busy and dangerous roads. The route along Cammo walk has access issues at both ends but leaves you on the wrong side of a dual carriageway at Craigs Road.</p> <p>Difficulties peak at Maybury; the south side of Maybury junction may-or-not be shared use; you emerge from the gyle on a shared use path and the signage sort of peters out. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=4#post-169920 Tue, 28 Oct 2014 18:15:23 +0000 PS 169920@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Ah, can't say I've ever noticed that. Thanks. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=4#post-169918 Tue, 28 Oct 2014 17:58:13 +0000 acsimpson 169918@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>No, coming from Barnton if you turn into the estate at the the bus stop then keep right you'll eventually pop out at the roundabout at the top of the hill. You can get to Craigs Road without too much bother too. The trouble comes if you try to get down to Glasgow Road as Hankchief has details in the East Craigs path thread. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=4#post-169917 Tue, 28 Oct 2014 17:55:01 +0000 PS 169917@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Is that the pavement? I rode along it a couple of weeks back and would classify it as inadaquate for an arterial route cycling facility. Doing something with the (unused) road space seems a very easy win for the Council. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=4#post-169916 Tue, 28 Oct 2014 17:47:39 +0000 acsimpson 169916@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>There's an off road <strike>cycle</strike>path from Barnton to the east craigs roundabout although it only starts at the first traffic island and isn't currently a legal cycle route. It would be very easy for them to change it's status and repair a couple of rooty ruts on it. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=3#post-169910 Tue, 28 Oct 2014 17:11:33 +0000 PS 169910@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Barnton to the Gyle is one of Edinburgh's big missing cycling links.</em></p> <p>Seconded. Dead easy to fix as well - loads of room for a segregated cycle lane, especially now they have chevroned off the middle of the road (presumably because they don't believe drivers are competent enough to drive in a straight line). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=3#post-169907 Tue, 28 Oct 2014 17:00:51 +0000 wingpig 169907@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Gilmore Place seemed popular, but it's sort of being addressed by the Meadows/Canal stuff.</p> <p>Gogar roundabout (heading west from north or east, rather than the Gyle), where you end up in the middle of two lanes with the shared-use path a no-stopping-required ex-bypass slip-lane away to your left?</p> <p>Don't know if I ever thought of a fifth. Picardy Place would be a good default, even though I'm happy enough using it, because I'm only happy enough using it because I know how it works and what I have to do and have practised not being caught out by the magic inconsistent lane-markings on the north approach. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=3#post-169896 Tue, 28 Oct 2014 16:02:58 +0000 duncans 169896@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Maybury. Best just avoided. Barnton to the Gyle is one of Edinburgh's big missing cycling links. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=3#post-169866 Tue, 28 Oct 2014 15:07:57 +0000 Ed1 169866@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The round about by westerhails to the bipass seems a bit unsafe at rush hour I now used the sidewalk often. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=3#post-169853 Tue, 28 Oct 2014 14:48:40 +0000 chdot 169853@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Thought it was time to resurrect this thread. </p> <p>Concensus?</p> <p>New suggestions? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=3#post-141355 Thu, 30 Jan 2014 20:43:30 +0000 MrTea 141355@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>If you're heading down Abbeymount the Abbeyhill junction always scares me. Cars rarely seem to be able to see bikes in my experience.</p> <p>I never go anywhere near the London Rd roundabout. Far too dangerous. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=3#post-141346 Thu, 30 Jan 2014 18:34:36 +0000 allebong 141346@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Another one:</p> <p>I don't see many people doing it but trying to go right out of Rosebery Crescent at Haymarket is downright vicious when it's busy. The problem begins when buses and coaches are stopping for passengers close to the corner at your right, that totally obstructs the view of traffic coming and the coaches in particular seem to be bad at pulling 'out' suddenly (more like straight forward into your path). So you're playing a dangerous game trying to get a gap there, in the other direction you have lights immediately to your left and then the second set further back at the jughandle. You often end up with a packet of traffic sitting at the red at the left, when that changes they rush forward exactly where you want to be turning out, then you have to contend with a further stream of traffic coming from the second set of lights further left. Trying to keep and eye on that, what the buses are doing, what might be overtaking the buses that you can't see, the peds swarming everywhere and usually with a car creeping into your back on the slope is very strenuous. I've been caught before with feeling pressured into going out when I thought the right was clear, which it was, but in the time I judged that and started to move out the lights at the left changed and I was cutoff by that traffic. End result was sitting sideways in the bus lane unable to reverse as the traffic behind had taken up the gap. Ugh. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=3#post-141344 Thu, 30 Jan 2014 18:16:14 +0000 EddieD 141344@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Aye, still fine </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=3#post-141343 Thu, 30 Jan 2014 18:16:13 +0000 EddieD 141343@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Aye, still fine </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=3#post-141331 Thu, 30 Jan 2014 16:44:03 +0000 EddieD 141331@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'm stubborn enough to stand in the pouring rain...</p> <p>The lights at Gorgie/Dalry/Ardmillan/Henderson definitely change patterns - sometimes the filter lights for Ardmillan/Henderson come on when the traffic is red for Gorgie, and Traffic is coming out of Henderson, other times all 3 roads go together and Henderson is stopped. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=3#post-141329 Thu, 30 Jan 2014 16:36:03 +0000 Min 141329@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Maybe its a bit like the heart rate monitor I once had that ALWAYS ran 2 minutes slow whether I reset it or not or no matter how long I left it for before resetting it again.</p> <p>Or they just didn't do it right the first time. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=3#post-141325 Thu, 30 Jan 2014 16:20:03 +0000 cb 141325@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Synchronised at 14:00 on Thursday. Are there different settings at different times of day? "</p> <p>Quite possibly. Probably more likely to differ depending on local traffic conditions? We need an Edinburgh Traffic Light Computer expert on here.</p> <p>I'm pretty sure that the Gorgie Road / Balgreen Road / Hutchison Crossway lights don't always follow the same pattern (specfically the green from HC usually comes on a few seconds before BR, but not always). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=3#post-141323 Thu, 30 Jan 2014 16:16:44 +0000 kaputnik 141323@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'll see if I can find a good position to try observe both cycles from this evening. Unless it's pouring down in which case I'm pressing on home! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=3#post-141319 Thu, 30 Jan 2014 15:47:59 +0000 EddieD 141319@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'll check on my way home again tonight </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=3#post-141318 Thu, 30 Jan 2014 15:40:25 +0000 SRD 141318@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@fimm I am happy to forward you email i sent, but don't have your email address (or if i do, i've forgotten it). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=3#post-141317 Thu, 30 Jan 2014 15:37:50 +0000 fimm 141317@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I PMed SRD as I wasn't sure if she'd seen this thread &amp; she said she would email and then did so.<br /> @SRD if you are around, who did you email?</p> <p>Obviously kaputnik &amp; I complained as well. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11902&page=3#post-141315 Thu, 30 Jan 2014 15:27:10 +0000 wingpig 141315@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Synchronised at 14:00 on Thursday. Are there different settings at different times of day? </p>