CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: The War to End All Wars?

CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: The War to End All Wars? http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: The War to End All Wars? en Mon, 18 May 2026 18:50:19 +0000 kaputnik on "The War to End All Wars?" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12797#post-153297 Tue, 13 May 2014 11:44:17 +0000 kaputnik 153297@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ The geniuses at Edinburgh Park have attempted to tackle the horrible surface on Redheughs Avenue with... Cement! So now there's loads of crushed cement and unbound aggregate all over the road surface. Snowy on "The War to End All Wars?" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12797#post-153287 Tue, 13 May 2014 11:40:42 +0000 Snowy 153287@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ @IWRATS ... wonder if there's a reason they don't use postcrete to fill in Edinburgh's water-filled potholes? Sounds a lot more durable than the black tarmac that lasts about 5 days ! I were right about that saddle on "The War to End All Wars?" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12797#post-153134 Mon, 12 May 2014 14:55:54 +0000 I were right about that saddle 153134@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ @crowriver Quadrupedal slaver? Is that someone who forces another to share their tandem? crowriver on "The War to End All Wars?" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12797#post-153130 Mon, 12 May 2014 14:44:02 +0000 crowriver 153130@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ And so as the ramblists, joggists and quadrapedal slaverers declare victory in their territorial conflict with cyclers, in parallel the rowists versus cyclers war begins... All the while the drivists, secure in the knowledge that their land grab is not threatened, look on from the bridges and laugh. I were right about that saddle on "The War to End All Wars?" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12797#post-153124 Mon, 12 May 2014 14:15:08 +0000 I were right about that saddle 153124@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ The ideal product for guerrilla in-fill operations; <a href="http://lafargetarmac.com/media/107905/postcrete-product-data-sheet.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://lafargetarmac.com/media/107905/postcrete-product-data-sheet.pdf</a> You just dump it in a water-filled hole and hey-presto! instant land. Careful timing of operations could see rowists set in concrete. DaveC on "The War to End All Wars?" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12797#post-153121 Mon, 12 May 2014 14:06:44 +0000 DaveC 153121@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ I'm digging a tunnel <strike>over</strike> under from Fife and doing just this as I cycle past each morning. kaputnik on "The War to End All Wars?" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12797#post-153119 Mon, 12 May 2014 14:01:32 +0000 kaputnik 153119@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ @DaveC neat idea. If we were to all drop a few handfuls of cement in the canal each day as we pass, then it can't be long before we've got ourselves a path! DaveC on "The War to End All Wars?" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12797#post-153116 Mon, 12 May 2014 13:50:32 +0000 DaveC 153116@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ Perhaps 'they' should have filled in the Canal inside the Bypass. Can't say I see that many canal users apart from a few rowists from Uni and the odd house boat owner. This would triple of quadruple the width of the path. kaputnik on "The War to End All Wars?" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12797#post-153114 Mon, 12 May 2014 13:42:46 +0000 kaputnik 153114@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ I'd say that it is entirely up to bicyclists to look out for other life forms. If push comes to shove, I'm higher up the pecking order than a dog if we have to decide which is going to fall into the canal. I'll readily throw myself in if it was me vs. child though. I were right about that saddle on "The War to End All Wars?" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12797#post-153112 Mon, 12 May 2014 13:33:36 +0000 I were right about that saddle 153112@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ If the A9 can be converted to dual carriageway, I fail to see why the canal towpath can't be similarly widened. Or heightened, or whatever is necessary to allow mixed recreational and transport use of what is in principle an incredible corridor. Most aquaduct and canal etiquette is outstanding, but the space is so tight that at times there is inevitable breakdown. I'd say that it is entirely up to bicyclists to look out for other life forms. wingpig on "The War to End All Wars?" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12797#post-153111 Mon, 12 May 2014 13:31:31 +0000 wingpig 153111@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <blockquote>"If we had other options, the volume of bicycles here would be less, I imagine."</blockquote> The other option for heading east-west from the centre which springs to mind is the Broomhouse path (plus associated tram-side links) which feature far too many motor-vehicle-flow-obsessed ped-and-cycle-impeding signalised junctions, for which the canal is attractive for having none. I'll only take the canal if I'm in a bimbling-without-being-stopped-several-times-by-junctions-whilst-listening-to-traffic-noise-and-breathing-exhaust-gases mood, whereas if I don't want to bimble I'll go on the roads or the other not-bordered-by-water path. paulmilne on "The War to End All Wars?" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12797#post-153110 Mon, 12 May 2014 13:27:28 +0000 paulmilne 153110@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ Ah, I should have read the article first. Part of the plan is better off canal cycle provision. Good. paulmilne on "The War to End All Wars?" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12797#post-153108 Mon, 12 May 2014 13:25:12 +0000 paulmilne 153108@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ This sounds like a symptom of the lack of alternative attractive bicycling provision. If the canal is a main quiet off-road cycleway into the center, it's bound to lead to conflict with walkers. If we had other options, the volume of bicycles here would be less, I imagine. Morningsider on "The War to End All Wars?" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12797#post-153107 Mon, 12 May 2014 13:22:56 +0000 Morningsider 153107@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ It's worth reading the proposals developed for SPOKES - which aim to take fast moving cyclists off the canal and onto safe, on-road cycle facilities - leaving the canal free for pedestrians and cycling bimblers. <a href="http://www.spokes.org.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/UnionCanal_DRAFT_15march_lrs.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.spokes.org.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/UnionCanal_DRAFT_15march_lrs.pdf</a> I'm not sure about transferred violence and food chains - the canal always seems pretty civilised to me, and I only ever use it as a meandering pedestrian in charge of small children. wingpig on "The War to End All Wars?" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12797#post-153106 Mon, 12 May 2014 13:22:29 +0000 wingpig 153106@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <blockquote>"I'd be interested to know whether people think uncontrolled dogs are worse or not."</blockquote> Worse. Uncontrolled dogs can inconvenience/threaten/terrify toddlers, their operators, normal non-toddler-associated pedestrians and cyclists. And canal-inhabiting wildlife. DaveC on "The War to End All Wars?" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12797#post-153105 Mon, 12 May 2014 13:18:01 +0000 DaveC 153105@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ wishicouldgofaster:"I was walking on the canal a few weeks ago. Frozen canal or deity? ;O) Instography on "The War to End All Wars?" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12797#post-153104 Mon, 12 May 2014 13:14:09 +0000 Instography 153104@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ "The best way to frame the debate..." How would that help? Dave on "The War to End All Wars?" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12797#post-153095 Mon, 12 May 2014 12:42:51 +0000 Dave 153095@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ People should totally be multi-modal on the canal. I absolutely hate cyclists when I'm running on the towpath (and I'm slightly more tolerant of out of control dogs). I can well imagine that if you just want to grab the pram and meander around with a toddler off the reins then cyclists are a real barrier. I'd be interested to know whether people think uncontrolled dogs are worse or not. At least you know that cyclists will be trying extremely hard not to end up in A&E (regardless of the social stigma of running down a toddler) but this isn't true of some of the slavvering monsters that are cut loose on the towpath. Then again, you don't exactly hear of many dog attacks (even fewer than cyclist attacks?) Positioning the issue as one of cyclist behaviour is a non-starter either way. The best way to frame the debate would be to see issues on the towpath as transferred violence from drivers (at the top of the food chain) to the people lowest down, and in fairness that's sort of what's going on here. Cyclingmollie on "The War to End All Wars?" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12797#post-153087 Mon, 12 May 2014 11:57:39 +0000 Cyclingmollie 153087@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ Bax is complaining about similar language on the BBC. Details on <a href="http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12665#post-152993">this thread</a>. wishicouldgofaster on "The War to End All Wars?" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12797#post-153085 Mon, 12 May 2014 11:52:53 +0000 wishicouldgofaster 153085@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ I was walking on the canal a few weeks ago. I was outraged at all these pesky cyclists we met slowing down to a walking pace, ringing bells and the politeness of passing on their thanks. It seems a strange war to me or could it be sensation journalism to sell papers :) kaputnik on "The War to End All Wars?" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12797#post-153083 Mon, 12 May 2014 11:45:24 +0000 kaputnik 153083@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ @gibbo yes I'd agree there's a minority who get in the way/go too fast/generally make a nuisance of themselves. Same goes for off-the-leash dog walkers and side-by-side joggists however. It's a lot of people trying to use a fairly confined space with a lot of obstacles. It's always gonna happen. gibbo on "The War to End All Wars?" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12797#post-153081 Mon, 12 May 2014 11:26:46 +0000 gibbo 153081@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ TBH, at peak times, I'd suggest it's the cyclists that are the issue. Too many of them are going too fast, IMO. It's just not a fast route. kaputnik on "The War to End All Wars?" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12797#post-153068 Mon, 12 May 2014 10:00:16 +0000 kaputnik 153068@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <a href="http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/bid-to-end-bikes-versus-walkers-war-1-3404744">Bid to end bikes versus walkers war </a> There's a war. Apparently. Actually the article is fine, just a summary of recent proposals on improving access and provision on both the canal and surrounding streets. I assume the trollcommenters will be along and on it like flies on dog**** though.