http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Potentially lethal straps... en Tue, 19 May 2026 16:29:04 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036&page=2#post-258317 Fri, 25 Aug 2017 14:19:54 +0000 chdot 258317@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Indeed proper security is completely invisible and avoids all this daft pantomime"</p> <p>"</p> <p>Add to all these factors the desperate plight of all public authorities in a risk-averse age, faced with the inevitability of legal action and huge penalties if they fail to implement recommended security measures and lives are lost as a result, and you have a situation where over-reaction to the threat of terrorism becomes almost inevitable. All the pressure is on the side of expensive and obvious security measures, and on the lavish demonstration that the authorities have made the safety of the public their “absolute priority”; although in truth, if the safety of the public was an “absolute priority”, we would not only ban motor transport, but ensure that no-one ever got out of bed in the morning.</p> <p>In the real world, in other words, we make constant calculations of the benefits and risks of whatever action we undertake, even if only crossing the road to buy a coffee. In the wrong circumatances, motor vehicles kill; but we value the freedom they bring us so much that we tolerate an annual death toll on the scale of a 9/11 attack in Britain every year.</p> <p>"</p> <p><a href="http://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/joyce-mcmillan-call-a-halt-to-the-security-culture-1-4541615" rel="nofollow">http://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/joyce-mcmillan-call-a-halt-to-the-security-culture-1-4541615</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036&page=2#post-258304 Fri, 25 Aug 2017 12:29:01 +0000 unhurt 258304@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'm a very slow/bad knitter but this sounds like case for reflective yarn bombing as demonstrated in Dumfries! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-258261 Fri, 25 Aug 2017 08:43:30 +0000 fimm 258261@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>There are also free-standing crash barriers behind some of them - not to stop anything but does make them more visible... one of the straps has also gained a small strip of bunting! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-258253 Thu, 24 Aug 2017 23:24:23 +0000 Tulyar 258253@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Indeed proper security is completely invisible and avoids all this daft pantomime </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-258116 Thu, 24 Aug 2017 10:36:27 +0000 I were right about that saddle 258116@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The lower string has now been replaced by a chain and a couple of traffic cones, so all is well and we are safe. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-257708 Mon, 21 Aug 2017 10:05:48 +0000 I were right about that saddle 257708@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>It's security versus <em>théâtre de sécurité </em>as ever. Like at airports where all the mass shuffling, banter prosecution and shoe-removing is designed to give an impression of action rather than to actually prevent anything.</p> <p>If you've ever been subject to <em>actual</em> security it looks nothing like the theatrical version and is frightening rather than tiresome. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-257707 Mon, 21 Aug 2017 09:54:50 +0000 piosad 257707@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>This morning the straps were coiled neatly away but there was a no entry sign, ignored not just by me (because really?) but also by the delivery lorries coming up the slope. So really if I were up to no good I would just have to wait for a delivery to come through, because deliveries are king. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-257705 Mon, 21 Aug 2017 09:47:29 +0000 cb 257705@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>For comparison, last year there was a loosely slung metal chain in the same place.</p> <p>I only remember this as, when passing one day, a young chap tried to nonchalantly leap over it before getting his feet tangled in the chain and falling flat on his face. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-257693 Sun, 20 Aug 2017 20:24:23 +0000 Cyclingmollie 257693@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>That would be a strange way to bring about city centre pedestrianisation but you may be right. I fear they would just switch to unprotected targets. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-257683 Sun, 20 Aug 2017 14:34:53 +0000 gembo 257683@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Cars, vans and lorries are mass weapons of destruction. Can be hired with one piece of photographic I D The number of deaths caused by drivers per year is somehow acceptable. However, jihadi drivers might be unacceptable and might lead to things like the centre's of cities being car free.? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-257682 Sun, 20 Aug 2017 13:58:59 +0000 Stickman 257682@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Lots of bins removed at stations etc, so there is precedent... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-257681 Sun, 20 Aug 2017 13:54:27 +0000 Kim 257681@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>As cars are such a risk, surely the most sensible thing Police Scotland could do is to ban them from the whole city during the Festival ...</p> <p>... then forget to let them back in... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-257676 Sun, 20 Aug 2017 13:32:28 +0000 I were right about that saddle 257676@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've perfected a look of unhinged disdain that seems to protect me from flyering, even in the High Street. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-257674 Sun, 20 Aug 2017 12:55:46 +0000 dougal 257674@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@IWRATS It's exactly same, replacing 'shoot' with 'flyer'. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-257671 Sun, 20 Aug 2017 11:43:16 +0000 I were right about that saddle 257671@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Thinking about these 'block and ratchet strap' arrangements I'll bet they were invented by squadies short of concrete in Iraq.</p> <p>Put them in front of a checkpoint and you have a lightweight improvised barrier where you can shoot anyone trying to undo the ratchet prior to an attack. </p> <p>Hopefully that's not the arrangement here. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-257662 Sat, 19 Aug 2017 23:11:22 +0000 I were right about that saddle 257662@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@gembo</p> <p>I once appeared on Reporting Scotland talking about yarn bombing and MI5 won't leave me alone now. </p> <p>My brother's an expert on personality disorders if you need help with that theory? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-257653 Sat, 19 Aug 2017 20:43:03 +0000 Frenchy 257653@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@chdot - I don't <em>think</em> so - I think there was space to the side of the concrete block for cyclists. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-257651 Sat, 19 Aug 2017 20:23:28 +0000 gembo 257651@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Oops, should have encrypted that. Was watching the film The Prestige the other night. Christian Bale writes in a code and the key is Tesla. Nikolai Tesla is played by David Bowie. Then yesterday at work I was proposing a theory about borderline personality disorder and multiple personalities. But then I said. Wait, I have to tell you I was watching the Prestige last night. The others at the meeting accepted this and said it was a good Fillm.</p> <p>Cheltenham ladies college ready to yarn bomb? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-257646 Sat, 19 Aug 2017 19:26:12 +0000 I were right about that saddle 257646@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@gembo</p> <p>Alarm bells are ringing in Cheltenham mate. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-257645 Sat, 19 Aug 2017 19:23:22 +0000 gembo 257645@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Where are the terrorists coming from at that end of George sq? The access is at the other end?</p> <p>Yarn bomb the straps? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-257644 Sat, 19 Aug 2017 19:18:26 +0000 I were right about that saddle 257644@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Can two cargo straps really stop a loaded speeding van? If so makes you wonder what all <a href="http://l7.alamy.com/zooms/8ee019797ec74e6aa93928b6c9eb3161/dh-edinburgh-airport-edinburgh-front-of-airport-building-with-security-cef02j.jpg">this junk in front of the airport</a> is for.</p> <p>Given the twisted and bent state of the city's bollards we'll soon find out I suppose. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-257643 Sat, 19 Aug 2017 19:03:08 +0000 chdot 257643@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Irrespective of 'safety', were the G St. ones across the obligatory cycle lane? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-257640 Sat, 19 Aug 2017 18:11:53 +0000 dougal 257640@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Police: now proven to not know anything about safety either. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-257630 Sat, 19 Aug 2017 15:15:18 +0000 Klaxon 257630@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>edited </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-257629 Sat, 19 Aug 2017 15:14:09 +0000 Klaxon 257629@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@edinhelp reply to Lesley: Police say shut up because terrorism.</p> <p>May have paraphrased.</p> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/edinhelp/status/898906546276630528" rel="nofollow">https://twitter.com/edinhelp/status/898906546276630528</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-257620 Sat, 19 Aug 2017 14:07:55 +0000 Stickman 257620@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Lesley Macinnes on the case: should be removed imminently. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-257611 Sat, 19 Aug 2017 12:07:59 +0000 piosad 257611@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Completely unclear. They put them in and out, and they do the same with one way signs trying to prohibit eastbound traffic on the north side. In general there is this year again zero thought about how cyclists coming from the Meadows are meant to get to/from the north/east side of George Sq at Festival time. Some of us still have to work don't they know. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-257601 Sat, 19 Aug 2017 09:51:31 +0000 Stickman 257601@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@iwrats Already done on George St:</p> <p><a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/lollercake/status/897922230029504512" rel="nofollow">https://mobile.twitter.com/lollercake/status/897922230029504512</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-257600 Sat, 19 Aug 2017 09:36:23 +0000 I were right about that saddle 257600@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Certainly puts the Magdalene Bricks in perspective. That stuff is lethal.</p> <p>It wouldn't be a surprise if somebody cut them for safety's sake. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18036#post-257598 Sat, 19 Aug 2017 09:22:37 +0000 neddie 257598@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Cyclist decapitation string.</p> <p>Also found on George Street:</p> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/Lollercake/status/897076394819289088" rel="nofollow">https://twitter.com/Lollercake/status/897076394819289088</a> </p>