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The "cyclists please use the dedicated lane" sign appears to have fallen over, ho hum.
There was a white van blocking the taxi rank entrance this morning.
I was thinking; if they hadn't put in the "jug handle", no one would be asking for it, would they? And that taxi rank isn't big enough to serve Haymarket. And I don't think there's any more space for taxis/private car drop-offs going to appear anywhere else even when all the tram stuff is gone and the station building is finished.
"if they hadn't put in the "jug handle", no one would be asking for it, would they?"
Hadn't thought of it that way before, but I think you're absolutely right!
Just went through it for first time on lowrider. It seemed ok but traffic was quiet and got chance to start from a red light at bottom of Morrsion St on a bright dry day. If you were to go through on a green at speed then making sharp course adjusts would not be safe. Particularly in the dark and wet.
Didn't even notice the sin bin / jug handle. Full attention on traffic behind and trying to progress across tracks.
Went along route to Russell Road mail office via the zig zag ramp.
Came back same way and only crossed tracks to use the tram lane in W Maitland St to get to Torphicen St. Surface between tracks is quite bumpy to discourage this I think. Everything very slow and standstill so little risk.
Kaputnik did similar thing and noted how jammed up traffic here is now. Only two lanes and no space for bikes I could see.
And I don't think there's any more space for taxis/private car drop-offs going to appear anywhere else ...
You could argue that Haymarket is extremely well served by bus (and tram) routes, so should we really lose any more public realm space to taxis or private car drop-offs?
I think I will check this out for myself (on a bike) on Saturday morning. Wish me luck.
Jug-handled on the way home tonight and watched another cyclist's approach. At first I thought he'd be joining me in the bike lane, but he took a very tight line between the innermost tram line and the kerb. He then took an extremely sharp turn across the tracks, which wouldn't have been possible if any traffic had been behind him - not sure what his tactic would have been if there had been.
Even though we've been repeating it ad nauseam (me included!) it still staggers me every time I go through just how bad this is. A couple of new "careful now" signs haven't improved things.
I didn't have to wait too long for the ASL light to change tonight as a taxi pulled up behind me, triggering the sensor. He started creeping forward and revving the engine in what I felt was an aggressive manner, even more so when the light turned amber, before making a right turn (despite the no right turn sign!).
Got this reply back from Cllr Jeremy Balfour:-
Dear Ms Bell,
I refer to mt emails last week. I am pleased that this issue was addressed at the Transport Committee on Tuesday. There was agreement on all sides that things need to change at Haymarket to make it safer for cyclists. I understand a number of proposals are going to implemented and hopefully these will resolve you and others concerns. If things do not improve over the next few weeks then please do get back in touch and I will take up the issue again.
Kind regards,
Jeremy
Good for Mr. B.
That's the sort of interaction/response that more councillors should try to deliver.
But surely "I understand a number of proposals are going to implemented" would be better as "I understand a number of proposals are going to be communicated to groups representing the affected people for a swift response before implementing what could be costly and time-consuming to back-track on"
I say swiftly as we all want something done quickly, but not as half-baked as the extra signs we've seen so far.
This morning: one Ginsters van in the taxi rank: driver of which was about to be told off about it by a traffic warden.. I assume it was the traffic warden's moped at the entrance to the rank...
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Glenn Tait (@glenntait)
01/11/2013 09:51
@EdinCityPolice @Edinburgh_CC @CyclingEdin they still don't seem to be obeying the rules :( @SpokesLothian pic.twitter.com/8zjZyyblDH
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EdinburghCityPolice (@EdinCityPolice)
01/11/2013 10:01
@glenntait @Edinburgh_CC @CyclingEdin @SpokesLothian Wider solutions needed. Can't stand there al day, other demands draw us away.
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How much would it cost just to station an officer there full time? Less than the cost of a compensation payout if there's a death attributed to the road layout?
How about traffic wardens, isn't that their thing?
They'd be cheaper than a fully paid constable.
Council parking Wardens can do double yellows, no? The council should have a pair of wardens there for significant portions of the day. Once a raft of tickets are handed out, word will spread amongst the taxi drivers that they mean business and it's simply not acceptable to take your lunchbreak here.
Personally I agree that the Police shouldn't need to have officers there all day to make Taxi drivers obey the law, it's a waste of their time if it can be resolved by civil officers instead.
£170 a day should cover a plod's pay.
They'd be in profit after issueing 6 tickets (assuming £30 for quick pay)
In the 5 mins I was there t'other day they'd have got 6 right away!
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MOTORISTS face parking chaos and shops will lose business if Police Scotland go ahead with plans to scrap traffic wardens, it was claimed today.
...
In some areas, including Edinburgh, parking enforcement has already been transferred to the local authority, but in Mid, East and West Lothian, the service is still provided by the police.
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Funny how the EEN only mention this now when it was known at the same time as the announcement of the closure of police counters. Anything justify a separate article (and to give the idiot commenters something to bump their gums about - and yes. more anti-cyclist comments have even made it onto that one!).
I'm confused. So now EEN loves Police Traffic Wardens but still has it in for Council Parking Attendants?
Wish they'd make up their minds.
The sign about "cyclists use the provided lane" is still on the ground.
I tried going from Princes Street to Shandwick Place to the left of the southernmost tramline last night, to see what it would be like for someone not wanting to cross them. Not only is there much less space than between the tramlines but there's a significant height difference or rut between the green plastic and the remaining road, which briefly tramlined my front wheel. I'll try and get a picture of it and Clarence it today.
@wingpig
yep - the same happened to me the other day. The taxi driver behind me suddenly decided to give me a lot more room after my 'wobble'.
This reminds me of the old adage about drivers giving wobbly cyclists more room. Just slow down, wobble all over the place and look like a complete novice round trams lines.
@DaveC perhaps we should have a sign suggesting to cyclists to 'wobble here' on approach to Haymarket to get extra space.
Afterall signs will solve anything.
Sorry Hank, I'm not good with photoshop, perhaps someone else on here could help out?
Looking at the Google image from PS, I do see that there is a path off the road to allow riders to come at the crossing at a better angle.
I use the tactical wobble and indecipherable arm waving ( am I indicating or adjusting my helmet?) to make sure drivers give enough space.
And I see there are jug handles here too. Highland council apparently take the issue of taxi drivers encroaching on asl more seriously and have installed metal gates to stop such incursions.
@DaveC / @Baldcyclist It's a triple-whammy for cyclists - cattlegird, shallow angle train lines, cattlegrid. Throw in prevailing wet and windy conditions and I now appreciate why the Bealach Mor is such a feared sportive... ;o)
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