Towpath fine, albeit one or two frosty pockets where some crunchy slush remained. I overdressed and took the MTB and arrived at work quite sweaty so I now have a choice of two bikes for the cycle home. So long as no snow sticks today, I will be prioritising getting the hybrid home. Of course, as I typed that, the view changed from blue skies and sun to wind and moderately heavy snowfall. Bloody weather.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting
"Severe weather warning"
(7379 posts)-
Posted 4 years ago #
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@Snowy: I suspect they had 'a plan' for dealing with really bad snow and someone threw the switch prematurely.
Hmm, not sure about that. It certainly wasn't the case on our trip home that the buses were terminating short while all other traffic was moving anything like normally.
For bus operators, the worst scenario is when all their buses for a given route get stuck in the same clot of horrendous congestion somewhere, leaving no buses to serve the other parts of the route. They don't have lots of spare buses to take up the slack, especially (as yesterday) during peak hours. That's why, when traffic starts to gridlock in particular places, they often opt to terminate services short. (Which part of the route gets cut will usually depend on where the depot is and how long they expect it to take for the congestion to clear. They can't shuttle buses back and forth indefinitely on a section of route with no refuelling facilities, and no way to get replacement crew to buses when drivers start running up against working time limits.)
Apart from that, about the only "plan" they have as such is a list of known places where they can easily turn buses when they are terminate short. Hence Colinton Mains Tescos, since there is a roundabout there, and (as yesterday) Firhill for the 10.
Come to think, the fact that the 10 was terminating short suggests to me that there might have been some problem on the bypass which caused people to try to use the "ring road" (B701) instead, leading to severe congestion in Colinton. (I know that there was an accident reported on the bypass eastbound somewhere before Dreghorn, though whether it was on the very worst bit - the steep hill with no hard shoulder approaching the awkward Clovenstone/Baberton junction- I don't know.) Certainly the Firrhill roundabout was not flowing smoothly, with folks coming up from Colinton and wanting to turn right basically blocking the roundabout from traffic approaching from Craiglockhart. Our bus driver had to exert a bit of "I'm bigger than you" psychology, leavened with hope that someone would feel generous towards a PSV (how likely is that?) to get across.
I've no idea what was causing the mess through Bruntsfield and Morningside but, as SRD reported, something certainly was.
I think the bottom line is that, although the road surfaces were passable without much if any difficulty, when combined with a "perfect storm" of roadworks on and around the Dalry/Gorgie/Lanark Road corridor, the Colinton Mains Drive lane closure* and a problem on the bypass, the resulting congestion meant that LB's operations team had little option if they weren't to end up with all their buses to and from the southern outskirts being stuck in non-moving traffic.
* Which was, predictably, deserted, with no sign of any work actually having been carried out during the day other than the deployment of plastic barriers which were blowing over - and worse - in the wind.
Posted 4 years ago # -
I think the traffic congestion is correlated with commuters looking out office windows and deciding "it's a bit dicey, better leave early".
Thus everyone leaves "simultanouesly" and all those single occupant vehicles block roads, junctions and bus routes.
I noticed this on Minto Street (and south) which was gridlocked about 16:55 last night for no reason (roadworks or snow).
Whilst the bus lane was free, it's discontinuous at junctions and if drivers proceed on green when their exit isn't clear, junctions will get blocked anyway.
Grand for cycling, as filtering through the clot was possible, although full speed wasn't advisable in case some idiot decided to pull into the bus lane to undertake the mile long queue.
Robert
Posted 4 years ago # -
@ejstubbs on the plus side your ticket was free - when i reach maturity this will be withdrawn
Made decision to stay indoors last night instead of hitting downtown edinburgh. Vindicated by these posts, ta as drink was free.
Posted 4 years ago # -
@gembo
I will eat my fez the sad day you reach maturity. The pavements in town were hideous, especially with a free Paolozzi lager from Isolde and a couple of fine drams (Ledaig, Lagavulin) under my belt.
Posted 4 years ago # -
@Iwrats - might happen. Just the lager? No brown beer. Did you like the reading of baudelaire? Did the artist not want to take your picture?
Ledaig i tried on Mull in the guitar shop/hardware store/offy, last Lagavulin i had was an 18 year old in Summerhall at the CCE night out. Gem.
Did Isolde climb up on the bar? She did that the last time to great effect. Glad you made it.
Posted 4 years ago # -
The reading was OK. Unfortunately the artist bottled it and another lady stepped in and she worked very hard on the rolled 'r's. Good job.
Isolde remained earthbound. We had a slightly awkward handshake as I wasn't expecting that. British social conventions can be complex ness pa?
Posted 4 years ago # -
"...and no way to get replacement crew to buses when drivers start running up against working time limits."
We should suggest a solution for that, at least. Transporting fuel by e-assist cargo bike would presumably never be permitted but spare drivers could easily transport themselves or be tandemmed between bus and depot.
Posted 4 years ago # -
“
The Met Office said there would be very little let-up, with Storm Dennis expected to blow in on Saturday. Some rail lines and roads remained closed.
The Queensferry crossing between Edinburgh and Fife was closed due to falling ice.
“
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/feb/11/storm-ciara-flood-warnings-storm-dennis-on-horizon
Posted 4 years ago # -
Fairly grim outside again now at Heriot-Watt but it isn't sticking, yet. I suspect I will take the MTB home though.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Black ice everywhere
Posted 4 years ago # -
EVERYWHERE.
Even my schwalbe winter spikey tyres were overwhelmed on the riverside path after murrayfield.
Although they DO only have half the studs they used to...
NEPN well gritted and clear however.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Is it get-the-bus black ice?
Posted 4 years ago # -
Quite possibly - I guess it depends where you are going. Certainly, I can speak for the city centre being clear, but the periphery (Murrayfield, Saughton, Gyle corridor) being treacherously slippy.
If you are happy sticking to big main roads you should be fine, but of course that introduces another type of risk...
Posted 4 years ago # -
We're in Murrayfield. I think I need 4-6 wheels not two today :(
Posted 4 years ago # -
“NEPN well gritted and clear however.”
This is especially good news.
It’s not many years since it was never gritted and could be weeks of icyness and some years, periods of hard packed snow.
Years of campaigning, particularly by Spokes and also people here DID make the difference.
Hope some people on here will thank CEC (Twitter etc.) and tell individual councillors how important this is - safety, health convenience etc. and that more paths and pavements should be prioritised too.
How’s MMW etc?
EDIT Changed CCE to CEC!!
Posted 4 years ago # -
Towpath very icy at 0730 west of Meggetland. The slope up to the canal from the road at Meggetland defeated my spikes. If it's not thawed then it will be practically impassable on an ordinary tyre.
Posted 4 years ago # -
"Hope some people on here will thank CEC"
Indeed - I also made a point of thanking the gritter van drivers on the NEPN both this morning and yesterday for actually spreading it in an even fashion, rather than just dumping it all at a junction and heading off. (Also for stopping at a wide point both mornings to wait for me to pass!)
Posted 4 years ago # -
MMW not too bad, but North Meadows path is treacherous. Some gritting in patches, but long slabs of black ice.
Robert
Posted 4 years ago # -
And now it's snowing again...
Posted 4 years ago # -
Roads fine here in Livingston. Pavements look nasty however and the paths away from the roads will be the same. I think I'll bring my microspikes for my lunchtime run tomorrow. Decided not to do my "long commute" this week.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Not all of NEPN gritted
https://twitter.com/mari_o_ta/status/1227513097784582144
Thanked them anyway
Posted 4 years ago # -
Had to come into the office for a couple of meetings today but couldn't face the weather so I *ahem* drove.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Ended up on the bus despite having the MTB available. Doesn't look too bad out there so far so I'm feeling a little bit silly. I imagine this might change further west.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Very icy on untreated surfaces around Eskbank.
The Pentlands are looking gorgeous!
Posted 4 years ago # -
Sheet ice on the untreated surfaces in the West of the city.
Haven't put my studs on this winter, so was a very gingerly walk/cycle today.
Posted 4 years ago # -
I wore spiked over shoes today glad did as had to stop on ice rink junction
Posted 4 years ago # -
Discovered that while Yak Trax are great on the sheet ice up at the 73m contour they are less well suited to the linoleum floors of Lothian Buses.
Kudos to the few bicyclists willing to venture out and about.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Towpath largely sheet ice. Side streets sheet ice. Spikey tyres made it fine. Shame about the bitingly cold headwind.
Posted 4 years ago # -
I was hoping to cycle the hybrid home after the sun melted this morning's ice but now it is snowing heavily. I should have stuck with my plan of prioritising cycling the hybrid home last night so I would have had the MTB as an option for tonight, although I may be quite glad to take the bus.
Posted 4 years ago #
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