http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Cyclists - get off and push! en Sun, 17 May 2026 06:37:31 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108607 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:19:10 +0000 crowriver 108607@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Chelsea Tractor</em></p> <p>Surely Trinity Tank or Grange Gondola? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108604 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 17:32:33 +0000 lionfish 108604@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Anth: Yeah, in this case it's clearly to do with the contractors, I was just feeling a bit annoyed by the feebleness in general of the city! Especially when I saw these signs at two different roadworks.</p> <p>I'm not sure the metaphor works well regarding the defence minister - they're considerably more distant from purchasing decisions etc. The transport convenor is the equivalent of an officer, or something. They're much closer to the ground &amp; need to make quite direct decisions (e.g. whether to introduce a 20mph speed limit, whether parking cars on-top of bike lanes is a good idea, etc). The minister for transport merely needs to point money at different projects and not worry about the implementation details.</p> <p>Still, maybe I went a bit far, I see your point that IF they're a good enough listener and can reflect other people's opinions then they would do a good job - indeed I guess that's the role of politicians.</p> <p>She didn't seem to think the fact she was too frightened to cycle was a serious issue... speaking to her at the bike breakfast last year didn't give me much hope: E.g. She didn't seem to get how important infrastructure like a segregated cycle lane up Leith walk would help in making it nicer/safer for cyclists, but maybe I caught her at a bad time.</p> <p>On the more general point, regarding being 'good listeners' etc. I think it's important politicians do more than that: It's never clear what to do when a majority threatens a minority (e.g. trying to get the government to follow up on its report into discrimination against Scottish Gypsy Travellers has been very slow).</p> <p>@kaputnik: Good point it could be a lot worse!</p> <p>Thanks all - I think I've had my mind changed a little :) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108601 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 17:08:37 +0000 kaputnik 108601@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Not sure we need a transport convenor who cycles.</em></p> <p>Agree with this, it's a right / priveledge to cycle, not an obligation. Obviously it's great if he/she "understands" or "get's it". I'd rather they got the bus and found cycling a nice thing but that Edinburgh's a bit too scary for it in practice (might get things done that way) than drove a Chelsea Tractor and thought cycle lanes get in the way of parking it in town. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108598 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:53:21 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 108598@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Not sure we need a transport convenor who cycles. Obviously it helps with understanding, but she can't be au fait with every mode of transport and their needs, which is where advisors and seeking input from groups comes in.</p> <p>We don't insist that the government minister for defence has been a serving soldier, or the foreign minister has lived in every country he could have to deal with, or the chancellor is able to count without running out of fingers.</p> <p>Same goes for transport. But what we do need are people who will <em>listen</em> and act. And actually, having a convenor who has said she's too scared to cycle can and could work in cycling's favour as she clearly directly understands the concerns of many.</p> <p>I think the issue here appears to have been entirely with the contractors, and as soon as the council have been informed... the signs are coming down. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108595 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:39:11 +0000 chdot 108595@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"this city is not going to be a 'Model Cycling City' with a transport convenor who refuses to cycle"</p> <p>She doesn't refuse, she's genuinely scared. </p> <p>Her 'greatest fear' is Crewe Toll roundabout - which is understandable. </p> <p>She knows there are off-road routes near her and she has had offers to help/teach her. </p> <p>I am confident that she will one day. </p> <p>But I'm sure she keep travelling mostly by bus. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108592 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:30:13 +0000 Morningsider 108592@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Excellent work - thanks to Dave (and anyone else who raised this with the Council).</p> <p>I'm not sure who the contractors are - I was told by someone in the know that the road works are something to do with Edinburgh Uni extending their district heating system. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108590 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:24:32 +0000 lionfish 108590@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Good work people - but who's the contractor? I noticed Tarmac (boo!) had done a similar thing down nearish to Stockbridge/New Town (was there a thread about that too?).</p> <p>Who decided to put them there in the first place?</p> <p>To be honest, this city is not going to be a 'Model Cycling City' with a transport convenor who refuses to cycle! (Imagine the response if she said that she refused to use buses or refused to walk anywhere?!). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108589 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:17:55 +0000 DaveC 108589@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Good!! Why companies think they can invent their own road signs is beyond me! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108574 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:31:54 +0000 chdot 108574@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>CEC says -</p> <p>"contractor has agreed to remove the signs and should be down by<br /> the end of today."</p> <p>CCE strikes again. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108391 Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:19:34 +0000 DaveC 108391@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Shurely Shome Mishtake!! Slower cars = safer roads. No? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108378 Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:44:15 +0000 Uberuce 108378@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@kaputnik It's because cars are faster than bikes. Always. Thus bikes would slow down cars.</p> <p>It's one of those beliefs that is entirely impervious to something as trivil as empirical evidence to the contrary. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108370 Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:43:10 +0000 Dave 108370@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>(sorry):</p> <p>Dave McCraw ‏@david_mccraw 14h</p> <p>@CllrJimOrr @LAHinds , is 'get off and push' really the best a model cycling city can offer its residents? <a href="http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998" rel="nofollow">http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998</a> …</p> <p>Lesley Hinds ‏@LAHinds 2h</p> <p>@david_mccraw I will check this out and her back in touch with you </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108355 Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:16:54 +0000 kaputnik 108355@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>How is there room for motor vehicles and not for a bike? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108345 Tue, 23 Apr 2013 09:40:19 +0000 DaveC 108345@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Thanks I'd forgotten about that episode! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108343 Tue, 23 Apr 2013 09:39:03 +0000 Morningsider 108343@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>For consistency, there is now an identical sign at the top of the road works. Madness - bikes are generally quicker than the cars on the way down here. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108320 Mon, 22 Apr 2013 23:17:18 +0000 Coxy 108320@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHtCNhABlLw">You couldn't get out your car and push it through a redlight</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108318 Mon, 22 Apr 2013 22:59:29 +0000 DaveC 108318@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I often get off and push. I ride upto the red light, get off, cross on the green man with other peds, remount when through the junction &amp; continue on my bike. You couldn't get out your car and push it through a redlight. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108315 Mon, 22 Apr 2013 22:34:38 +0000 crowriver 108315@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Cyclingmollie, reminds me of that scene in 'Get Carter'. "Carter! Your car needs a wash!" </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108306 Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:34:44 +0000 Cyclingmollie 108306@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'm still waiting to see one like this:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44681630@N02/8673466358/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8260/8673466358_4baaa5c367_o.jpg"></a><br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44681630@N02/8673466358/">A0iP2X9CIAAcDRm</a> by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/44681630@N02/">Cycling Mollie</a>, on Flickr </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108304 Mon, 22 Apr 2013 20:52:51 +0000 ARobComp 108304@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I saw one of these on the A7 on my route back in from my saturday ride. It was completely insane. I think it might be some way of the contractors absolving them of responsibility should their roadworks cause an accident? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108302 Mon, 22 Apr 2013 19:56:23 +0000 Roibeard 108302@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@EddieD - no black line...</p> <p><img src="http://www.roadwise.co.uk/uploads/userfiles/image/childdrens%20images/sign_no%20cycling.jpg"></p> <p>Robert </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108300 Mon, 22 Apr 2013 19:43:34 +0000 Min 108300@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>They have the same at Eyre Place which is being dug up for re-laying at the moment. Fornicate off I say. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108298 Mon, 22 Apr 2013 19:12:04 +0000 wingpig 108298@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I got off and pushed this morning but only because the entirity of the westbound green sequence was blocked by stationary cars and a bus heading east but unable to get clear of the one-way section. The car in front of me went through on red after the stoppage was cleared. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108297 Mon, 22 Apr 2013 18:51:54 +0000 EddieD 108297@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Surely they'd have to use a red circle, white field, bike symbol with black line through it to have the status of an order. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108296 Mon, 22 Apr 2013 18:44:11 +0000 Dave 108296@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Surely it should say: "Drivers MUST not overtake unless safe to do so" instead.</p> <p>But as you say, this is Edinburgh. Model Cycling City. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108294 Mon, 22 Apr 2013 18:34:01 +0000 crowriver 108294@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yeah well, f**k the guy in the Fiesta! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9998#post-108292 Mon, 22 Apr 2013 18:15:49 +0000 Morningsider 108292@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>A road sign next to the bottom end of the contraflow system for the interminable road works on Holyrood Road has appeared which states:</p> <p>"Cyclists dismount and use footway"</p> <p>Very, very annoying. I'm almost certain it won't have any legal backing, is there a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order banning uphill cycling at this point?</p> <p>Basically, it's saying - You cyclists are too slow and getting in the way of real traffic, so get off and push. </p> <p>Model. Cycling. City</p> <p>Just for the record - I didn't dismount and carried on cycling, much to the apparent displeasure of a guy in a beaten up old Fiesta. </p>