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PoP2 - thoughts

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  1. tarmac jockey
    Member

    No apologies from me for constantly heckling the Wheelhouse. (You can't peddle a portfolio) However, I didn't do it so that the Labour MSP could make some capital out of it, which she did.

    Some points:
    When photographing the cyclists leaving from MMW I thought it would be good idea for every second or third cyclist to double back at Forest Road rejoining the tail of the group at Melville Terrace. A never ending stream of Cyclists.

    I believe the roads in Edinburgh are risky enough for adults/experienced cyclists to negotiate on a daily basis let alone children. If adults rate Edinburgh roads as too risky to cycle on safely, then you have very little or no chance of same adults allowing their children to cycle on the risky roads. "Make the roads safer for adults and the children will follow".

    I think the cycle part of the demo was over way to quick. I cycled from MMW all the way to the "Mirallis Palace" without stopping once. I couldn't have done it quicker on my Schwinn Circuit if I tried.

    I would continue to let the political parties supply the balloons

    @Focus - Lady with the pram was taking part, I think? I believe she was with someone who was cycling close to her.

    We need to make more noise!

    We need to make more impact!

    We need to take control of the demo and not the well intentioned and behaved Police. Leading me out from MMW to "Miralles Palace" - no thank you! I know the way.

    We should seriously consider riding in a loop for a couple of hours.

    Please don't take offence for the work that was put in by those who worked to set up POP2 and those who stewarded.

    Tarmac Jockey

    Posted 10 years ago #

  2. chdot
    Admin

    "I think that if we actually managed to convince thousands of kids to start cycling to school next week they would all be killed."

    That's unduly pessimistic.

    http://sciennesactivetravel.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/may-big-ride.html

    Of course there was a RangeRover and BMW Mini that HAD to get post.

    The cyclists caught up with them at the next lights.

    There are stupid people out there. They are probably in a minority, and more needs to be done to challenge/marginalise them.

    Drink driving was 'normal' once.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  3. cb
    Member

    tarmac jockey :"(You can't peddle a portfolio)"

    Was that you?! I must have been standing quite close by.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  4. tarmac jockey
    Member

    @cb. Yes that was me wearing the red jacket, yellow cycle helmet and sunglasses. I hope that narrowed it down for you as there were probably another five or six hundred wearing a red jacket.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  5. Smudge
    Member

    Some good stuff here, one thing - am a little surprised has not been pointed out to the meedja etc.
    Sunday last four thousand people took personal transport and quietly and efficiently transited through the city, they made minimal disturbance to the traffic, they caused no air pollution, they caused no road damage, they created minimal noise pollution...
    Think about that again and consider four thousand people taking almost any other form of transport and attempting to do the same thing! It would be carnage! If there is a single perfect demonstration of the superiority of the bicycle for city transport, PoP was it. If you don't think so, imagine two to three thousand cars attempting the same feat! :-))

    Posted 10 years ago #

  6. Uberuce
    Member

    Tulyar has also blogged about this very thing, but from the inside-government-wheels perspective: hell yes.

    We had our heids nipped for the ludicrous expectation/turnout ratio of last year's POP along the route, but the mustering and dispersal at either end caused so little fuss that it was never an issue. When the safety elves and Great Gods of Traffic Flow won't complain about thousands of riders, then....yeah.

    Maybe I should tell them at the impending debrief that next year we're going to Bike Rack on Parliament. 4000-5000 cyclists, decked out in their best SUVs, sensible family saloons, pimped hot-hatches, crazy homebrew tallcars and tandems, 500bhp sportscars, motorbikes, minivans, vintage bangers and caravans, all with bikes proudly strapped to the top.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  7. tarmac jockey
    Member

    What about this for POP3. Agree the same route for 2014. MMW to "Miralles Palace". Cyclists to wear BLACK as a mark of respect for those who have regrettably but perhaps unnecessarily lost their lives. One minute silence followed by reading out the names of anyone who lost their lives cycling in Scotland between POP2 and POP3. No Platform for politicians. No PA system. Everyone to disperse and head straight for Princes Street - TRAMSPOTTING. Four thousand cyclists, dressed in black, massing on Princes Street alongside the most expensive road spend in Scotland should get the proper attention of the media, politicians and the anyone else in Edinburgh city centre on the day.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  8. WickyWocky
    Member

    I did some maths.
    If 4000 cars were lined up on middle meadow walk:

    Parking space length 4.8m from http://www.planningni.gov.uk/index/policy/supplementary_guidance/spg_other/parking-standards.pdf

    Metres in a mile approx 1609
    4000 cars x 4.8m = 19,200 metres of cars
    = 12 miles of cars

    Posted 10 years ago #

  9. Smudge
    Member

    "12 miles of cars", or a traffic jam to make the one in "The Italian Job"* look amateur lol

    (wanders off humming "Get a bloomin' move on" :-)) )

    [+] Embed the video | Video DownloadGet the Video Widget

    * The proper one with Michael Caine in

    Posted 10 years ago #

  10. chdot
    Admin

    "12 miles of cars"

    Or about 2 hours if they all came by tram (without their bikes) - plus a long walk.

    http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-evening-news/latest-news/edinburgh-trams-infrequent-timetable-fears-1-2944543

    "Each Tram can carry a maximum of 250 people"

    http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20236/about_the_trams/1968/about_the_trams

    Though other sources say it's 250 standing...

    https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=edinburgh+tram+capacity

    Posted 10 years ago #

  11. Tulyar
    Member

    One detail that Police just don't get is that you don't need to stop all pedestrians crossing a fluid group of cyclists moving along at under 8 mph.

    Most pedestrians can walk their way through a moving stream of cyclists, much in the same way that flows of cyclists can merge and cross without hitting each other on Dutch cycle routes, which are arranged to have merge junctions rather than cross roads.

    If PfS can accept a reporting of the event there should be a display for POP3 at PfS in September, and perhaps a POP2 reprise/reunion for the Road Race in Glasgow just to remind the politicians the call for action is not just a day in May, it is a movement that continues through everyone who came physically, and in spirit on 19th keep meeting up at other events and wearing the T shirts.

    Posted 10 years ago #

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