http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: i can't believe how hostile the city centre has become en Mon, 18 May 2026 22:20:36 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14611#post-184996 Fri, 03 Apr 2015 12:05:35 +0000 gembo 184996@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yesterday because most folk already on holiday or I was a tad earlier I had hassle free trip to work in quite clement weather </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14611#post-184994 Fri, 03 Apr 2015 11:34:05 +0000 SRD 184994@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Thanks ih - you're right - Albany street a much better route. I've done it before, but more often in the opposite direction. I will remember this next time. </p> <p>Still too many vehicles 'loading' and am unnecessary overtake from Lothian bus on the mound so as to pull in to stop and then sit waiting for light to change. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14611#post-184763 Tue, 31 Mar 2015 22:28:01 +0000 gembo 184763@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I see that. I have watched marathon man. My current dentist has huge hands and really pummels you. Cheap tho. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14611#post-184761 Tue, 31 Mar 2015 22:14:39 +0000 steveo 184761@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Changing dentist really is the nuclear option! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14611#post-184760 Tue, 31 Mar 2015 22:06:58 +0000 SRD 184760@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I could, but I'm happy with these guys and not keen to experiment with dentists. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14611#post-184757 Tue, 31 Mar 2015 21:34:30 +0000 gembo 184757@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>You could also move to a dentist in the Polwarth area? Though my better half goes from Balerno to Albany lane for dental treatment and not even NHS when there is perfectly good dentist in the village so I know people can be very loyal regards dentists. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14611#post-184756 Tue, 31 Mar 2015 21:28:06 +0000 SRD 184756@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Thanks ih . I'll try that Friday. (I'm seeing my dentist a lot at the moment). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14611#post-184752 Tue, 31 Mar 2015 19:31:31 +0000 gembo 184752@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I do the bit of this route from top of leith walk down to NEPN at Tesco canonmills then on to the NEPN. Have gotten used to it. Quite like the skip you can do at the roundabout beating all the cars. Less pleasant uphill and the roundabout can be more hairy. Less pleasant in snow and gloom. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14611#post-184724 Tue, 31 Mar 2015 16:29:51 +0000 ih 184724@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@srd can I suggest this route then until we get the all singing all dancing protected route (2040 maybe?)</p> <p>Go up Broughton St, gets a bit steep, towards the top, turn right into Albany St. The right turn is not brilliant, but once you're in the centre of the road it feels quite protected if you have to wait. Then along Albany St, cross Dublin St (quiet as it's not a through road) into Abercromby Place, and then left into Dundas and Hanover. Still steep and busy, but you've got a straight run to George Sq. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14611#post-184714 Tue, 31 Mar 2015 15:56:30 +0000 SRD 184714@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I cycle this route a few times a year - when I go to the dentist. Seems far worse than I remember from previous years. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14611#post-184709 Tue, 31 Mar 2015 15:35:51 +0000 ih 184709@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Completely sympathise @srd, and @Bikeability, I too do a lot of cycling in and through the centre, and you do have to get used to it, but that doesn't mean you should<u>have to</u> get used to it. We need safe, direct, protected routes through all the lousy junctions and on all the arterial roads. The planners don't understand this which is why any opportunity must be taken to say that this family network stuff is just a start, and does not constitute a cycle friendly city.<br /> PS safe routes through junctions does not involve in any circumstances dropped kerbs onto shared pavements and island hopping. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14611#post-184704 Tue, 31 Mar 2015 15:07:45 +0000 Edinburgh Cycle Training 184704@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I cycle in the city centre a lot.</p> <p>I do tend to think it really is just a case of you get used to it, or it scares you off and you end up avoiding it. Princes street and George Street can be very frustrating. GS more so because it should be the antithesis of that!</p> <p>I tend to use regents road/princes street/haymarket or Cowgate/grassmarket/haymarket when heading west and HM/GS/canongate or HM/Grassmarket/cowgate heading east</p> <p>I think Bus and taxis combined make up 90%+ of my frustration. cars/vans on GS the rest! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14611#post-184703 Tue, 31 Mar 2015 15:03:50 +0000 wingpig 184703@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Based on occasional lunchtime out-pops it does seem worse during the working day, when impatient turnip-traffic isn't buffered/slowed/diluted/ameliorated by large volumes of commuter-traffic. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14611#post-184700 Tue, 31 Mar 2015 14:51:05 +0000 PS 184700@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>When I go that way, I go Leith Street, Bridges, Chambers Street.</em></p> <p>Likewise. TBH, I've never really had a problem with Picardy Place roundabout, but I tend to move pretty quickly and impose myself [which, just to be clear, is not meant as a criticism of others who don't like Picardy Place]. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14611#post-184699 Tue, 31 Mar 2015 14:37:18 +0000 SRD 184699@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@morningsider that's what I did, just not the Dundas street bit, as I was on Bellevue </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14611#post-184698 Tue, 31 Mar 2015 14:35:48 +0000 chdot 184698@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"I think that the lane change at Bristo is the easy part"</p> <p>It depends. </p> <p>I don't disagree, but I was thinking more in terms of people doing it for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd time. </p> <p>When you cycle to the top of Chambers St what happens next depends on the state of the traffic + what you 'think you should do'. </p> <p>Road layout suggests going along the cycle lane and into the ASL box. If the lights have <em>just</em> gone red, this is probably the simplest. </p> <p>Otherwise (if turning right into Teviot for MMW or Lauriston) 'best' to get with the traffic and 'aim' for the mid-road cycle lane. This can be nerve-wracking especially if it involves a start in the ASL box (slight uphill) and impatient drivers behind/to the right. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14611#post-184696 Tue, 31 Mar 2015 14:25:11 +0000 Morningsider 184696@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>SRD - Not sure where you were in Borughton, but I would have headed up Dundas Street, The Mound and Geroge IV Bridge. Pretty punishing climb, but usually not too bad to cycle and you get to cross the tram tracks at a decent angle.</p> <p>Honestly, you are spoilt for choice (as long as you like really rubbish choices). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14611#post-184692 Tue, 31 Mar 2015 14:12:57 +0000 mgj 184692@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@chdot, maybe I'm just immune now, but I think that the lane change at Bristo is the easy part. The roundabout is difficult, the layout at Calton not ideal (traffic heading towards the station back door should not be undertaking cyclists heading up Leith Street unless they are stationary in a queue...) but its not the worst. The worst is the boneshaking wrist damaging section down Leith Walk in the morning. Given that the bottom is closed, its all on the rubbish tarmac section now. Awful. and guaranteed to put folk off. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14611#post-184690 Tue, 31 Mar 2015 14:12:21 +0000 SRD 184690@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>heh. turns out skip was illegal. thought it must be. to be fined and removed. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14611#post-184685 Tue, 31 Mar 2015 13:37:22 +0000 SRD 184685@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yes, on the way there, I went via NEPN, from Polwarth didn't take much more than 30min (didn't check time at depart). But decided to head straight back to work.</p> <p>next time I may try chdot's route. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14611#post-184684 Tue, 31 Mar 2015 13:34:41 +0000 chdot 184684@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>When I go that way, I go Leith Street, Bridges, Chambers Street. </p> <p>But I'm VERY aware that most people (i.e. those who don't cycle 'yet') would not enjoy <em>the</em> roundabout, the dive for Calton Road, turning right into Chambers Street - then lane shifting for Bristo. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14611#post-184681 Tue, 31 Mar 2015 13:27:23 +0000 cc 184681@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>For that journey I'd take a <a href="http://lothianbuses.com/plan-a-journey/timetables/8">number 8 bus</a>. Or if I had all day, I'd head onto the North Edinburgh Path Network round to Haymarket then through to the Meadows - a very long detour, but off road. It's not worth tackling the chaotic roads you describe unless you really relish the road warrior / combat style of cycling. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14611#post-184676 Tue, 31 Mar 2015 13:16:32 +0000 kaputnik 184676@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Now that London Road - Leith Street - Picardy Place - York Street - George Street is on my regular beat, I guess I've just learned to suck all this up and accept it as normality.</p> <p>You're right though, it's grim, everyone jostling for advantage, no "room for cycling" anywhere and constant lane changes by vehicles (due to either the road layout or the inter-driver competition) meaning you're always in danger of being squeeze out, deliberately or through wanton carelessness.</p> <p>I've yet to capture the reality of it on helmetcam, I really should take a chance to do this. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14611#post-184675 Tue, 31 Mar 2015 13:09:05 +0000 Nelly 184675@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Or........</p> <p>Be grateful you didnt have to drive it :-) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14611#post-184672 Tue, 31 Mar 2015 13:06:23 +0000 SRD 184672@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I know we write and read about it all the time, but I just had the worst ride through the city centre, It wasn't helped by the wind and snow and it being so dark I needed my lights on, but it was the roads that were the real problem.</p> <p>I needed to get from the bottom end of Broughton to George square. Broughton was full of trucks loading/unloading and taxis blocking 'grid' intersections. Queen St had tram tracks, busses, and a racing skip lorry. I hit every set of lights - no green wave there. Hanover street had one of those massive restaurant supply trucks (white/green colours) loading on double yellow/yellow bars. Hanover at Princes St had traffic so backed up Lothian bus was blocking part of pedestrian crossing and pedestrians on both sides started out just as our light was going green (after pedestrian cycle). George IV bus lane was a van park. And Bristo Place has a skip blocking the left hand lane, pushing all the traffic into the right hand. </p> <p>horrible, horrible ride. only grateful I don't have to do it more often. </p>