CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh

Preparing for Winter (yes, already)

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  1. gembo
    Member

    Wow BBC had it at 3 degrees and wind from SE? Will double check that. Might flip the wheels

    Posted 11 years ago #
  2. Min
    Member

    Yes, v.frosty this morning.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  3. DaveC
    Member

    I'm not on marathon tyres and will put off the studs until a prolonged frosty period. I'm now wearing mor and more layers, and my usual over flowing cycle kit drawer is looking a little less stuffed. Soon be half full again, mid winter.

    I've had lights on the bike for months.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  4. Charterhall
    Member

    Left the house at 6.15 this morning, just below freezing, took the Lang Whang until just before airfield then looped back through Balerno and Lymphoy track. Chilly but nice seeing the dawn over frosty fields. Only the odd bit of ice about.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  5. Stickman
    Member

    @Cyclingmollie:

    "*This year I like the look of the Knog Blinder Road."

    I've got the rear light version of this and am pretty pleased with it so far.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  6. chdot
    Admin

    "
    @SpokesLothian: #Winter #cyclepath #gritting again thanks to @Edinburgh_CC cycle budget & grateful users http://t.co/4jUbaC3rCm @CyclingEdin @ReadyScotland

    "

    Posted 11 years ago #
  7. panyagua
    Member

    Good to know, but sadly Cramond Brig (eastern side) on NCN Route 1 definitely had not been gritted this morning. I know that, because as a consequence I have a very grazed arm, and large holes in my nice windproof jacket and merino base layer.

    It was over 4 degrees when I left the house so wasn't expecting black ice, but just goes to show you can't be too careful - grit would have been most welcome. (A friendly cyclist who'd stopped for a smoke by the bridge did check I was OK - thanks again, if you happen to be on here.)

    Posted 11 years ago #
  8. amir
    Member

    Bad luck, panyagua. I know from experience what a shock that can be (not expecting ice) and what a pain in various ways.

    For that reason I tend to avoid paths in low temperatures. I have got caught out in the past on a main road in similar circumstances (be careful on the road south of Inveresk).

    Posted 11 years ago #
  9. DaveC
    Member

    I wasn't on the bike this morning but know yesterday was the same. They finally cut back that 5th section of the A90 path but all the cuttign remain and have become a frozen mass of slippery matting. I wonder who is responsible for it?

    Posted 11 years ago #
  10. minus six
    Member

    @DaveC -- the council have no interest in putting together a regular maintenance programme for this "high quality" route.

    Its full of broken glass, leaf mulch, discarded road signs that will never be collected.

    Gritting? fugettaboutit......

    Posted 11 years ago #
  11. DaveC
    Member

    I've sent an email off to cycling@edinburgh.gov.uk with a request for more information about who maintains the path. The bushes were cut recently and the cuttings appear to have been left on the path. For me o_0 the glass if half FULL.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  12. minus six
    Member

    Good luck with it Dave!

    I used to pester them about maintenance, but its a never ending battle. They only seem to consider it on that basis, rather than actually plan and implement a mature regular maintenance programme.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  13. chdot
    Admin

  14. DaveC
    Member

    @chdot.

    1) I have to exhaust all other lines of enquiry and can only appeal to councilors as a last resort.

    2) I don't live in his ward, so he won't be allowed to help me.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  15. chdot
    Admin

    "
    can only appeal to councilors as a last resort.

    I don't live in his ward, so he won't allowed to help me.

    "

    Not sure how 'absolutely' true that it.

    That's the way MPs work, but this is about infrastructure in their ward - which can be used by anyone (even their voters).

    I think they ought to know about it.

    Last time there was a 'really bad' winter I went by a school where one of the footpath routes was solid ice - and had been like that for weeks.

    I emailed one of the local councillors. The next day there was a CEC lorry and two men with shovels...

    (Photos probably helped.)

    Posted 11 years ago #
  16. minus six
    Member

    One of the difficult things about this path is that its beyond Cramond and clearly seen as a minor rural connector and not core path.

    In my opinion its more important than NEPN because there are so few alternative routes in comparison.

    When the snowploughs come out for the A90, as they will again this year, its all piled along the path daily and stays there in a mound until it eventually thaws weeks later.

    I'm game to petition the councillors about the need for a regular planned maintenance programme, but make no apologies for my general cynicism.

    Should you beat a dog regularly over the years, you can't complain about its lack of optimism next time it flinches in response to your approaching hand.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  17. DaveC
    Member

    Here goes!

    'Hello Alastair,

    I cycle along the A90 route 1 path daily and am seeing the path surface covered in icy slippery leaves more and more. A day or so ago the bushes were cut back on the A90 exit slip road section of the cycle path as the road goes up to the Burnshot junction (heading into Edinburgh). This was overdue and welcome but unfortunately the cuttings appear to have been left on the path, looking like a tractor with a large cutter just drove up and left the cuttings where they lay. This is doing nothing to aid cyclists as we’re now not being pushed out by the bushes but, being pushed off the path by the cuttings and other fallen vegetation on the path. The A90 exit sliproad at Burnshot is not idea as vehicles do tend to use it as a shortcut to the front of queuing traffic at the Cramond Brig pub. I have given you a link to click on showing the exact location below:

    http://www.cyclestreets.net/journey/38474560/

    I have asked the Council if there are any plans to clear this section – the worst – of the path from Cramond Brig to Dalmeny. As yet I have not heard anything back from them!

    Kind regards'

    Dave C

    Have you heard the story about the competition between the sun and the wind in getting the man to take his coat off? I prefer to coax not hit.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  18. minus six
    Member

    Dave, I'm sure you'll spur them into lukewarm action as a one off response to your friendly message. What you aren't going to do is get them to take any responsibility for planning and implementing a sustained regular maintenance programme.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  19. chrisfl
    Member

    The worst thing here is that there isn't even the option of taking the road instead.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  20. DaveC
    Member

    Oh you can cycle either Burnshot road, or through the Dalmeny estate, but neither are a national cycle route.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  21. chdot
    Admin

    "
    All access roads into schools, health centres, residential and day care homes, emergency service facilities and bus routes will get the priority treatment. Edinburgh’s key cycle paths will also be gritted for the second year running.

    The cycling lobby said it was essential cycle lanes and paths were properly treated.

    "

    http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/edinburgh-s-grit-supplies-cut-ahead-of-big-freeze-1-3175961

    Posted 11 years ago #
  22. Focus
    Member

    My Garmin showed it was 1.7 degrees at around 3:30pm this afternoon. Given that it tends to overestimate the temperature by a couple of degrees because of the silicon cover on it, I think we were definitely at or around sub-zero today.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  23. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Edinburgh’s key cycle paths will also be gritted for the second year running

    Shame South Meadow Walk hadn't been done on Saturday evening when the leaf-mulch had frozen into a sheet of teflon, otherwise I might not have come off and broken the leg off my glasses as my head was introduced to the tarmac.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  24. Stickman
    Member

    Nasty. Hope you're ok otherwise.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  25. chdot
    Admin

    "

    @CllrChasBooth: North Edinburgh paths had clearly been swept this am but v patchy - some sections still mud baths! Anyone seen a sweeper? @CyclingEdin

    "

    Posted 11 years ago #
  26. 559
    Member

    It is excellent, that the NEPN between Roseburn and Craigleith (presume beyond Craigleith?) has been cleared of leaf mulch.

    Why cant the Drylaw spur also be cleaned?, you go a few metres beyond the junction and there is a huge mulch pond, which is almost invisible and slippy.

    Posted 9 years ago #

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