http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Newsnight Scotland TONIGHT (was) en Wed, 13 May 2026 02:46:49 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=4#post-107745 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 22:59:33 +0000 Focus 107745@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Perhaps worthy of its own thread but I just caught the very end of the same discussion now being held of STV's Scotland Tonight programme. It was the last thing on the show so I imagine it's probably the last 10 minutes or less.</p> <p>Same protagonists but thankfully no Gordon Brewer of course.</p> <p>I shall be recording it on STV +1. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=4#post-101080 Tue, 19 Feb 2013 17:29:47 +0000 crowriver 101080@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Brisbane, Australia I do believe. Not exactly renowned as a cycle-friendly country. Just goes to show how far behind Scotland is. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=4#post-101071 Tue, 19 Feb 2013 16:02:32 +0000 TSFDefender 101071@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Tom, that was very interesting to see the diverse route of a commuter, and seeing the imnprovements and adaptions to infrastructure already there. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=4#post-101056 Tue, 19 Feb 2013 15:03:43 +0000 Cyclingmollie 101056@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@TSFDefender. There's shared pavements yes, and then there's <a href="http://youtu.be/fXIAu2b_rHw">this kind of infrastructure</a>. Incredible. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=4#post-101032 Tue, 19 Feb 2013 13:43:26 +0000 TSFDefender 101032@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>This write up by David (Magnatom)is very good: <a href="http://www.magnatom.net/2013/02/cycling-with-enemy.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.magnatom.net/2013/02/cycling-with-enemy.html</a></p> <p>Especially this paragraph: "As a cyclist who wants to see non-cyclists cycling, I think that we should be using our admittedly scarce public money to invest in cycling. Alan thinks we should be focusing on repairing the roads as they stand as that would make it safer for everyone. I got the feeling that he was not too bothered either way if more people cycled or not. My contention is that cycling has to be a real option for travel, especially for shorter journeys, and that repairing the roads and building cycle infrastructure could go hand in hand "</p> <p>Regarding the two example photos of cycling infrastructure - in our usually used infrastructure, the photo shows a foot pavement to the left of the parked cars - can that be adjusted to accomodate both pedestrians and cyclists? I'm not sure about that here, but, am sure that in many areas improvements can be made. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=4#post-101012 Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:03:13 +0000 crowriver 101012@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Tom, exactly like the average taxi driver or EEN commenter then! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=4#post-100974 Tue, 19 Feb 2013 09:26:36 +0000 Cyclingmollie 100974@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Perhaps best seen as an open and honest view from behind the windscreen.</p> <p>All cyclists are the same.<br /> All cyclists misbehave.<br /> Cyclists should police themselves.<br /> Things will never change.<br /> Cyclists do not deserve any kind of encouragement. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=4#post-100968 Tue, 19 Feb 2013 01:01:21 +0000 Dave 100968@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>This (comment from Magnatom's post) is excellent:</p> <p><em>Drivers use language in weird ways, often reversing the meaning of common words. My favourite example is "arrogant", which is usually used to mean "didn't get out of the way of more important people like me." </em> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=4#post-100966 Tue, 19 Feb 2013 00:29:32 +0000 Claggy Cog 100966@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Alan Douglas cites that cyclists could do more to help themselves, red light jumping being one, it is amazing that so many drivers do just that but that seems acceptable. Moving on, cycling two abreast is acceptable, it is in the Highway Code as acceptable practice and it is legal. There are instances where this is not recommended and cycling in single file would be advised and sensible. It gets back to the old debate as to whether a passing motorist would prefer to pass a group of cyclists cycling two abreast or a very long line of cyclists in a single file. The number of drivers that shout and toot their horns suggests to me that they think that cycling two up is not acceptable but other than that I have no way of knowing. As a driver my view is the shorter the group the sooner I will be past them and the safer it is for everyone. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=4#post-100959 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 23:58:18 +0000 sallyhinch 100959@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Alan Douglas did at least get on his bike and agree to meet Dave Brennan</p> <p><a href="http://www.magnatom.net/2013/02/cycling-with-enemy.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.magnatom.net/2013/02/cycling-with-enemy.html</a></p> <p>Don't suppose he's changed his mind much, but a worthy effort from Dave B I thought </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=4#post-100958 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 23:48:49 +0000 Focus 100958@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Just watched the Newsnight discussion and you could tell Brewer was going to side with Douglas as soon as he said (in relation to increasing cycling's budget from 1% to a still small 5%), "What about this argument that we ought to spend a fortune?" A loaded question for someone (Douglas) who was looking for that exact ammunition!</p> <p>And then Brewer asks the stupid question about the wind and rain to Mr Oliver and allows Douglas to immediately interrupt just in time for the "debate" to run out of time. A total stitch up and a rehearsed one I agree.</p> <p>An interviewer sometimes needs to act as devil's advocate to represent an opposing view, but not when the opposing view is also involved in the debate! At no point did he make a pro-cycling comment.</p> <p>I'm always sadly amused by the number of anti-cyclist or pro-car types (in and out of politics) who have double (or triple) chins. It would do them some good to get on a bike and see how good they think we have it on two wheels! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=4#post-100402 Thu, 14 Feb 2013 11:16:27 +0000 fimm 100402@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yes, I haven't watched it either (we have a recording of that "The War on Britain's Roads" programme from the end of last year sitting at home and I haven't managed to bring myself to watch that either...) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=4#post-100400 Thu, 14 Feb 2013 11:13:14 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 100400@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'd say that's the best option - it annoyed me greatly. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=4#post-100397 Thu, 14 Feb 2013 11:00:25 +0000 steveo 100397@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>If it helps, I am point blank refusing to watch it! </em></p> <p>Ditto. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=4#post-100396 Thu, 14 Feb 2013 10:59:59 +0000 Min 100396@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>SRD <em>Confession: I've not watched it either. Issues to do with (un)sleeping children and prevented me watching it live, and I have totally failed to find the gumption to force myself through it.</em></p> <p>If it helps, I am point blank refusing to watch it! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=4#post-100393 Thu, 14 Feb 2013 10:56:21 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 100393@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>In fairness to Mr Oliver, I think he did better than was suggested earlier in the thread. He stayed calm, and knowing he was simply staring into a camera lens with no view of the studio it's difficult to catch on entirely to the mood between Douglas and Brewer (which was scarily smug, someone really should have a word with Brewer, even his intro to the piece was vaguely sneering towards cycling). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=3#post-100390 Thu, 14 Feb 2013 10:53:34 +0000 SRD 100390@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Confession: I've not watched it either. Issues to do with (un)sleeping children and prevented me watching it live, and I have totally failed to find the gumption to force myself through it. I did watch both of the earlier segments, if that counts for anything. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=3#post-100348 Thu, 14 Feb 2013 01:33:39 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 100348@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Good grief. I hadn't seen that until now. How utterly gobsmackingly stupid was Alan Douglas?</p> <p>Saying cycling already gets £6m a year. Erm, that's peanuts compared to ONE road measure such as the forth crossing or dualling the A9.</p> <p>Saying that Scotland is different because the other countries have a cycling culture... Erm, how did they get to that point?</p> <p>Saying that it rains more in Scotland than Denmark etc etc etc etc.</p> <p>How utterly depressing! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=3#post-100347 Thu, 14 Feb 2013 01:23:34 +0000 olivercw 100347@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Program is now preserved on YouTube <a href="http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=2LHNUM7BYPs&amp;desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D2LHNUM7BYPs" rel="nofollow">http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=2LHNUM7BYPs&amp;desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D2LHNUM7BYPs</a></p> <p>Lots of nice complimentary comments about Alan Douglas to read </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=3#post-100096 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 16:56:04 +0000 Calum 100096@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Wilmington's Cow: the Bridge to Nowhere is being completed right now - opens in June - and cycling will be permitted. Links up with segregated cycle tracks between Kelvingrove Park and Central Station at each end. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=3#post-100048 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:40:50 +0000 kaputnik 100048@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Perhaps next time they should have a debate about how nice it was of the North British and Caledonian Railways to provide all those lovely cycle paths around Edinburgh at a cost of what would now be hundreds of millions (billions if the council tried to run it) and surely we should be paying a massive cyclist tax to cover the cost of their construction. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=3#post-100042 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:20:04 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 100042@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The Birdge to Nowhere over the M8 is a cracking ped bridge (which I assume cyclists were also going to be able to use) that has a spiral access that just... Ends... With a barrier protected sheer drop. No idea why it was never finished.</p> <p>It's the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M8_Bridge_to_Nowhere#Anderston_Footbridge">Anderston Footbridge</a>.</p> <p>(I assume, I didn't watch the programme) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=3#post-100011 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 10:23:13 +0000 SRD 100011@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>sounds like a set up to me. </p> <p>point is that we need infrastructure that is designed and joined up. cyclists need to be integrated into travel planning, not tacked on as an afterthought, on bits they no longer want/need for cars and trains. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=3#post-99996 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 00:45:14 +0000 chdot 99996@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"</p> <p>CyclingSurgeon (@CyclingSurgeon)<br /> 11/02/2013 22:00<br /> @AlastairDalton @magnatom @BBCDavidMiller @AlanDougla5 @CyclingEdin bridge to nowhere was not purpose built for cycling!</p> <p>" </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=3#post-99990 Mon, 11 Feb 2013 23:19:54 +0000 PS 99990@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>IIRC, Brewer's first question followed on from a new bike/ped only bridge in NL featured in the film. Something along the lines of "Wow, £4million on a piece of cycling infrastructure - we don't have anything like that in Scotland, do we?" </p> <p>The way he said it made me think he ws going to be sympathetic to the cycling infrastructure argument, but his tone changed once he got chatting with his mucker (I assume) Douglas. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=3#post-99989 Mon, 11 Feb 2013 22:57:44 +0000 chdot 99989@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Can anyone who watched the programme explain this?</p> <p>"<br /> Alastair Dalton (@AlastairDalton)<br /> 11/02/2013 21:53<br /> @CyclingSurgeon @magnatom @BBCDavidMiller @AlanDougla5 @CyclingEdin Amazed CTC guy seemed unaware of Bridge to Nowhere project over M8 Glas</p> <p>" </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=3#post-99974 Mon, 11 Feb 2013 21:29:23 +0000 Cyclingmollie 99974@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>olivercw: "Newsnight Scotland cycling debate was unbalanced and ill-informed"</p> <p>Alan Douglas provides media training courses. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=3#post-99969 Mon, 11 Feb 2013 20:57:00 +0000 olivercw 99969@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Newsnight Scotland cycling debate was unbalanced and ill-informed. Herald Monday 11 February 2013 </p> <p><a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/comment/letters/newsnight-scotland-cycling-debate-was-unbalanced-and-ill-informed.20177867" rel="nofollow">http://www.heraldscotland.com/comment/letters/newsnight-scotland-cycling-debate-was-unbalanced-and-ill-informed.20177867</a> </p> <p>Thank you John Luader </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=3#post-99764 Sun, 10 Feb 2013 13:19:11 +0000 chdot 99764@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"<br /> David Brennan (@magnatom)<br /> 10/02/2013 11:16<br /> Don't forget....whilst the discussion afterwards was bad, what Keith Brown said was equally shocking. <a href="http://www.magnatom.net/2013/02/balance-and-vision.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.magnatom.net/2013/02/balance-and-vision.html</a> #popgoesdutch</p> <p>" </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9445&page=3#post-99755 Sun, 10 Feb 2013 11:25:06 +0000 wee folding bike 99755@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>And magnatom never seems to find conflict on the road… </p>