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Watch out on cycle path near Crewe Toll

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  1. Kenny
    Member

    This evening around 17:05, I was cycling west along the cycle path between Ainslie Park Leisure Centre and the Red Bridge and came across around 8 teenage boys. They separated to each side of the path so I had to cycle through them, so I slowed down as I was suspicious, and rightly so - one of them in the middle of the group suddenly made a grab for my right handlebar, but did not manage to get a good grip, and I shook him off. A couple of them then started to laugh as if they thought this was a big joke, but it didn't seem that way to me.

    So, beware in this area. I had similar concerns yesterday on the way home too as there seemed to be a much more significant presence of similarly aged boys than is usually around at that time of day, although nothing happened yesterday. Maybe they were "having a laugh" and didn't really want to mug me, but either way, I'd rather people were aware of what happened, just in case.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  2. chdot
    Admin

    "
    EdinburghNorthPolice (@EdinNorthPolice)
    12/06/2013 18:26
    @CyclingEdin @north_team @LAHinds Noted thanks - we patrol the cycle routes regularly on bike and foot. Please tel 101 or 999 to report ASB

    "

    Posted 12 years ago #

  3. Arellcat
    Moderator

    That's awful, mkns. If it makes any difference, I've encountered the locals in the same place and had the same 'them and me' semi-confrontation a couple of times. The first time I felt confident and I accelerated and bellowed "Out of the way!"

    I just avoid the path nowadays, unless it's raining, because people tend not to hang out when it's raining.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  4. Firedog
    Member

    Exactly the same happened to me at around 5pm - same grab for the right handlebar. I didn't stop, but there were a couple of stones that came flying past.
    Suspect it's because it's the last couple of weeks of term and kids are looking for a bit of excitement. Something similar happened last year, except that time it was a group of girls.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  5. EddieD
    Member

    If you go to google groups and look on ed.general, you'll find that it's been a problem for a decade - back then they also used to congregate on the disused bridge and drop bricks on cyclists - on one occasion, injuring someone quite badly.

    I just tend to avoid that bit of path

    Posted 12 years ago #

  6. Kenny
    Member

    I just tend to avoid that bit of path

    That's two of you who avoid it. Out of interest, how do you avoid it? I mean, obviously you don't go along it, but I cycle from the Ocean Terminal end to the Red Bridge, so is the recommendation to come off early? And if so, where do you recommend?

    I'm also keen to point out that this is the first time I've had a real incident on the path in a year of cycling daily along it. Before this evening, the biggest problem I had had was trying to get past so many slow moving peds / cyclists at Fiveways, which happened this morning.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  7. Firedog
    Member

    mkns:I've cycled this path for more than five years and only had a handful of similar incidents - last one a year ago - and nothing serious. That's not to say it won't happen, but I prefer my chances there than on Ferry Road.

    The number of cyclists using the path has ballooned in recent years and that can only be a good thing for all of us.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  8. Kenny
    Member

    @Firedog - That's good to hear. I'll stick to the path. The incident could have just been the boys larking around, but it scared me a bit, as I was clipped in and could have taken a painful tumble (no, I'm not going to mention anything about a helmet here). Who knows what they were thinking - and that's largely the problem. I'll be more wary in the next few days, just to be on the safe side.

    You're not the guy on the road bike with the large black rucksack are you? That doesn't really narrow it down, but that person went past me just before we came across those guys. Largely irrelevant, really...

    Posted 12 years ago #

  9. Bhachgen
    Member

    Used to use the path a lot as I lived just off it for many years. All without incident until I got shot at with an air gun further down towards fiveways a year or so back. Whistled right past my ear.

    Not on it so often these days as I don't live there any more.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  10. EddieD
    Member

    I use the roads.

    Being a victim of crime/asb is incredibly rare - but it does happen, and it does tend to happen in certain areas more than others - and the vicinity of Crewe Toll is one of them (I live near the Telfer Subway, which has a similar reputation, but in 17 years, I've never had a problem)

    10 years ago, or thereabouts, someone was hurt,quite badly, when rocks were dropped on them from the bridge near Telford Drive, and at the time, the authorities made the same statements saying it would be patrolled, report all incidents, etc, but I still hear of gaggles of folk hanging round the area, cyclists being threatened, and so I get the heebeegeebies cycling along that section on my own, and so I avoid it.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  11. stiltskin
    Member

    I've used that path at various times of day for at least 13 years or so. You get the occasional problem, but it is pretty rare. I cycled on it today @ 16:45 and back again at 18:30 with no issues. I wouldn't let it put you off.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  12. recombodna
    Member

    It was near there that a group of wee neds tried to steel my motorbike while I was riding it!!!

    Posted 12 years ago #

  13. 559
    Member

    IMO if you are suspicous of other path users, accelerate, and shout.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  14. Dave
    Member

    "IMO if you are suspicous of other path users, accelerate, and shout."

    Because that worked out so well for Jason Howard... shouted a warning but knocked over (in the road) a teenager who had been drinking in the local park.

    After googling how the above was spun nationally, you may prefer just to take what's coming to you?

    I used to switch off my cam on the path network, but the above case prompted me to reconsider.

    Caught some neds on a moped on NEPN last week. They weren't doing a very good job of being antisocial (not worthy of comment except insofar as the fact that their motor wasn't electric)

    Posted 12 years ago #

  15. Instography
    Member

    Even how it wasn't spun by Bikeradar.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  16. Dave
    Member

    Even the above fails to highlight a couple of pertinent points (as I understand them):

    - no evidence was presented to the court that the cyclist shouted "move because I'm not stopping" - that's just quoting the prosecution (this is based on someone who attended the court and posted on another forum, in the interests of disclosure. I obviously wasn't there)

    - the police were of the opinion that the cyclist was on the road. Apparently his error was to move his bike onto the pavement after the collision rather than leaving it on the tarmac (there's something else for us all to ponder next time we have an off). IIRC, it allowed there to be some confusion in the witness statements ("was the bike on the pavement at any time?") hard though I found that to believe. There was a direct quote from the police on the road/pavement angle which you may be able to dig out if morbidly interested.

    I don't particularly want to fight this corner... ultimately the cyclist should just have worn a headcam.

    However, "shout and speed up" certainly doesn't sound like good advice when you consider that this chap by all accounts was in a similar enough situation (adolescents out drinking, standing in his path).

    You wouldn't have the defence of being in the road at all on NEPN.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  17. minus six
    Member

    its not going to work every time, but i find that approaching with a confident air and a breezy colloquialism such as "awright there, troops?" works wonders.

    sure, someone might throw something at you after you've passed, but a friendly communique tends to be disarming enough that you can at least get through unruffled.

    remember, its their territory that you are passing through. show them you know it.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  18. minus six
    Member

    alternatively, you might just shout:

    "where's yer kneepads, then !!!"

    Posted 12 years ago #

  19. allebong
    Member

    In my experience if someone wants your bike they'll have it from under you before you know what's happened. Not to say I'm not hesitant around groups of 'youths' but if I've spotted them and they've spotted me they're usually content to let me pass. It's the ones that hide out of sight that I really worry about. They're not stupid, if they know you have a nice bike and/or are worth mugging they're not going to stand about in plain sight on the path all day waiting, they'll set up an ambush instead. Nice thought eh?

    Posted 12 years ago #

  20. Kenny
    Member

    I think you're right, allebong. These lads were in plain view and were clearly walking somewhere. I do admit, though, to being slightly nervous about tonight's journey, but it will likely be incident free like every other evening.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  21. chdot
    Admin

    "
    EdinburghNorthPolice (@EdinNorthPolice)
    13/06/2013 16:52
    @CyclingEdin @jazznikki Officers out again this afternoon giving attention to walkways around Drylaw, Ferry Rd and Ainslie Park

    "

    Posted 12 years ago #

  22. marccr0wley
    Member

    I cycle the Crewe Toll to Roseburn stretch on and off. The malicious attempts to knock cyclists off are few and far between in my experience. I commute 4-5 days a week and have done so for years.

    The biggest problem on the cycle paths are the blissfully unaware pedestrians walking with their backs to oncoming traffic, some with earphones in, others with dogs not under control.

    I've come off a couple of times as the result of having to take evasive action to avoid the unpredictable behaviour of these pedestrians. As a result of this I find it's safer on the roads!

    If pedestrians were better educated that the shared use paths are not pavements and that they too have a responsibility to behave in a sensible and predictable manner (walk facing on-coming traffic as per the highway code and look before changing direction) the cycle network would be much safer to use.

    Back on topic on the subject of the natives: I find being in the right gear to accelerate if need be, shouting 'thanks' loudly and confidently as the pack splits to let you through and being ready for sticking your elbows out to protect the end of your bars, brake levers and self from grabbing hands.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  23. Kenny
    Member

    As expected, no problems today. Paranoia fading.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  24. DaveC
    Member

    mkns, I was discussing this with a mate who works for the big company on that bend by the red bridge. Apparently they have mail groups and this incident you spoke of in the first post was in one of the dicusstions. I wonder if you perhaps worked there too?

    Posted 12 years ago #

  25. Kenny
    Member

    @DaveC - no, I work down in Leith, next to Ocean Terminal. The big company you refer to would be whatever Marconi are called these days, I presume? Although I have friends and a neighbour who work there, I didn't mention the incident to them either, so I can only assume that someone else had the same issue in my OP?

    Posted 12 years ago #

  26. kaputnik
    Moderator

    The big company you refer to would be whatever Marconi are called these days, I presume

    Selex ES. Ex-Selex Galileo. Ex-BAE Systems Avionics. Ex-GEC Marconi Avionics. Ex-GEC Ferranti. Ex-Ferranti Defence Systems. Ex Ferranti (Scotland) Ltd.

    And probably some others...

    Posted 12 years ago #

  27. Tim Puntis
    Member

    I had to intervene to extract a young and pregnant woman from such an attack near the slope from Ferry Road up to the bike path. This was some time ago now, but I see the same groups of youths there regularly. She was very upset and shaken because the youths had managed to stop her and had already slapped her face and sent her spectacles flying, and were in the process of trying to remove the saddle of her bike.
    There was a positive ending in this case, except that the woman would not countenance my reporting the incident to the police, and became tearful again when I tried to stress the importance of it.
    Incidents are far more likely to affect the vulnerable. More vigilance by police is needed in this area.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  28. chdot
    Admin

    "
    EdinburghNorthPolice (@EdinNorthPolice)
    25/06/2013 13:07
    Please report any instances of groups of youths drinking alcohol in North Edinburgh so we can ensure our patrols combat any problems caused

    "

    Posted 12 years ago #

  29. chdot
    Admin

    "

    EdinburghNorthPolice (@EdinNorthPolice)
    25/06/2013 13:05
    Drylaw officers patrolling walkways today at Telford and Ferry Road after reports of youths harassing cyclists and joggers.

    "

    Posted 12 years ago #

  30. DaveC
    Member

    I'm begining to look fwd to winter now.... :O(

    Posted 12 years ago #

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