CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure

Hillarious Sunday Post article on A90

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  1. Dave
    Member

    If you don't mind reading some incredibly lowbrow stuff, check out the moral panic at http://www.sundaypost.com/news-views/uk/reckless-cyclists-snub-dedicated-cycle-routes-1.125884

    I used to often ride the A90 instead of NCN1, as did many I knew riding the route at the time (particularly women, including SWMBO, who didn't want to risk the quiet and dark stretches of off-road path in winter for personal safety reasons).

    I never had any issues with traffic on the A90 - it was always when I got into town (where the two lanes turned into one) that it fell apart.

    Old, old video posted years ago as part of a forum argument about when & how often to look behind, but features the A90:

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    Posted 10 years ago #

  2. crowriver
    Member

    Well it would be funny if it didn't confirm every single prejudice that many drivers hold about cyclists.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  3. paolobr
    Member

    Based on no evidence whatsoever.

    I used that slip road regularly on my commute from S Queensferry for about 15 years. When we moved there, I started off using the A90 itself. Soon got disabused of that notion. I started taking the path from the B924 but soon started preferring Standingstane Rd and the Kirkliston Rd to the Burnshot flyover. At that point, even today (though I don't live there any more), I think taking the road and exit slip rather than the cycle path is fine, as you are moving at speed to join traffic mostly slowing anyway (often was at a standstill on a busy morning commute). Taking the path and then trying to rejoin the A90 is not fun. I was heading to Sighthill and so needed to negotiate the Barnton roundabout (as it was then).

    Posted 10 years ago #

  4. cycletrain
    Member

    The article is great.
    "they don't pay any road tax" class, neither does she.
    “Money should not be spent on facilities like this if they are not going to be used." I totally agree with that, spend the money on facilities that will be used - ie commuters wont use the tourist routes and vice versa!
    “If they contributed through taxation then perhaps the money should be spent. But they don’t contribute anything to the maintenance of our roads." Fabulous - you cant make it up - at last, when I'm not using my car I'm living tax free!

    The great thing about all of these groups is that they are so wound up in their own little world they have no idea what's happening around them.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  5. cycletrain
    Member

    The comments after the article are great too, but the thing that really gets me is no one has noticed that kids don't pay any tax! They just take take take and yet expect us to home them, feed them, school them, take care of them when they are ill and on top of that they don't pay "Road Tax". And how many times do you see them running out behind ice cream vans without looking, and some don't even use school crossing patrols that WE pay for....
    lol

    Posted 10 years ago #

  6. cc
    Member

    Hmm, if I've understood this right then "we" shouldn't be funding any facilities for disabled people, since they don't pay road tax. Ditto owners of cars first registered before 1973, they don't pay road tax. Also we shouldn't build any facilities for electric cars since they don't pay road tax. And as for those tax-dodging criminal types who drive a car in VED Band A, well, they don't pay road tax, hanging's too good for 'em...

    Posted 10 years ago #

  7. steveo
    Member

    The problem with the line of argument you're pursuing CC is that the people you're arguing with would agree with you, regardless how ridiculous it seems to you. They'd say Band A should be abolished, classic cars should pay at least as much as a modern motor as should electric cars and the disabled.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  8. cb
    Member

    I thought cyclists were banned from the A90 (the section next to the bit of upgraded cycle path).

    If that's the case, why doesn't the article mention this?

    Posted 10 years ago #

  9. wingpig
    Member

    I am a duplicate post.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  10. wingpig
    Member

    Cycling isn't banned until a bit further bridgewards from the point where the Post's photo was taken.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  11. PS
    Member

    why doesn't the article mention this?

    Because it's mince?

    Bizarre link in the article to the bit about the cyclepath near Egremont - not sure how the Post got onto that. I need to ask my brother (he travels that route everyday to work) about it.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  12. PS
    Member

    This just in from my brother, who has been cycling to work along the A595 at Egremont on and off for a couple of years now. Sounds familiar?

    I, along with nearly all others I know/see, stay on road. The cycle path goes on right side of road from St Thomas Cross roundabout to Thornhill then again from Thornhill to Beckermet turn off for St Bees. At Thornhill there's posts in middle where you have to slow right down. After cycling along Egremont bypass you'd have to go right round roundabout before going 150 yds down to Egremont before turning back round to join cycle path. Then at Beckermet/St Bees junction, you either battle across traffic or go through Beckermet.
    It's a lot easier just staying on road.

    What they need is a constant cycle path that's looked after running alongside the 595 and then maybe more would use it. And all the way from Whitehaven instead of going down to town to follow c2c route. That's what they should be looking at. The only people who'd want to use it are Sellafield workers so set it up for them!

    Sounds like he's developing some sensible cycling views from practical experience, as I'm almost certain he doesn't read cycling campaigning literature etc.

    Posted 10 years ago #

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