CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh

I wish Edinburgh was like this...

(17 posts)

  1. rbrtwtmn
    Member

    I wish Edinburgh was like this:

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    Think how much nicer it would be to get around it, to live in, to bring up kids in. How much quieter it would be. How much cleaner the air would be. How much more friendly this looks.

    A world where people on bikes were people not "cyclists."

    A world where normal sensible behaviour on a bike might include using a phone, holding hands, carrying kids, taking out your 5 year old child (on the road, on their OWN bike), carrying an odd piece of shopping, without a helmet, without flourescent clothing, without cycle gloves, without lycra, with the respect of those around you....

    A world where cycling in front of a tram so it has to stop for you would be regarded as just a little inconsiderate at the worst.

    Can anyone tell me what the downside would be??

    Can anyone foresee Edinburgh being like this? Ever?

    (If you haven't seen this film it's definitely worth watching. It'll expand your imagination... I've checked for links to this on the forum and can't find any - sorry if someone else already pointed it out, I only just came across it.)

    Posted 10 years ago #

  2. SimonS
    Member

    Firstly, let me say that I live in Fife but work for a Dutch company and commute to and from Amsterdam every week.

    Secondly, I disagree with the OP's title sentiment. My wish is for the whole of the country (regardless of a yes or no vote) to be like this but we have many decades to make up.

    If you have the chance, look out an old war film called 'One of our bombers is missing' - it is the story of a Wellington bomber crew that gets shot down over the Netherlands and their attempts to return to England. The one abiding memory of that film that I have is that virtually all the transport was by bike. It has been that way since long before WWI let alone WWII. We have a long way to go to catch up with Dutch culture.

    Their culture is far far more centred on public/personal powered transport. In virtually every town/city the bus station is located alongside the railway station and the timetables are integrated so that you get off the train onto the bus or v/v(name me any town/city in the UK that has the same if you can!). Also, every station has plenty of bike parking (I'm sure that you have all seen pictures of the multi-story bike park in Amsterdam.

    Other than maybe Cambridge (somewhere I have also lived), Edinburgh has, in my opinion, one of the most friendly cycle path systems in the UK. Yes, it could be better, and it think that will be in time but It will be beyond my lifetime before utopia is achieved - and I intend to be around for another 40 years or so!

    We are not the Netherlands and never will be but we can dream.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  3. chdot
    Admin

    "Secondly, I disagree with the OP's title sentiment. My wish is for the whole of the country (regardless of a yes or no vote) to be like this but we have many decades to make up."

    I'm sure OP does too - just even less hope for anywhere outside Ed...

    Posted 10 years ago #

  4. i
    Member

    I wouldn't give up hope.

    Western society is still coming to terms about a sedentary lifestyle brought about by the car. Amsterdam shows a real example of how bike transport brings so much to society. Its so compelling that the more people are aware of how things could be, the more politically acceptable utility cycling becomes.

    Once the political will is there, a functioning bike network can be made within a decade. Look how fast the first UK motorways were built, changing traffic laws in the process.

    Thanks for sharing the video, its really conveyed the feel of Amsterdam well.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  5. SimonS
    Member

    I agree that Amsterdam is so far ahead of the rest of us. The one thing that I forgot to mention is topography.

    Like the rest of us (non masochistic) the Dutch hate hills! ;)

    Posted 10 years ago #

  6. SRD
    Moderator

    Instead, it's like this http://deceasedcanine.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/why-most-families-wont-cycle-in.html

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    Posted 10 years ago #

  7. HankChief
    Member

    Good Blog SRD.

    The thing about City Centre cycling is that you are limited with your options (as is everyone else), so you are left with little choice but to go down the main roads with the little ones.

    I had a similar experience getting to the foot of the Mound for the Red Bull event on the tandem. I can get to Haymarket in relative comfort using back roads and offroad paths but the last mile isn't pleasant which ever way you try it.

    Later, I was flyering for POP at the evening finals and got chatting to some young women from Denmark. They said we needed to get some bike lanes - I looked down and pointed out the worn out red paint that we were standing on - they just laughed...

    Posted 10 years ago #

  8. gembo
    Member

    Agree there is no quiet route from Haymarket to George St but it should be possible. There are two crescents that are back to both being two way, one of them could be cyclists and one way. Then through the cathedral on the little path then William st and Alva st. Again making them one way and cycling. Round behind west register house onto Charlotte sq then George st. Hopefully this is part of the roseburn to leith route?

    Posted 10 years ago #

  9. NiallA
    Member

    Your daughter's an absolute star, SRD, so confident on her bike! I have to confess my heart was in my mouth watching that lorry overtake down the Mound, though...

    Posted 10 years ago #

  10. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Chap sat next to me at work;

    * Takes ages to drive to work
    * Resents dropping his kids off at school or the Commonwealth Pool
    * Worries about his weight
    * Goes to the gymn at lunchtime
    * Complains about the cost of motoring

    I've given him the standard chat and a PoP flyer, but I don't think he's quite made the leap to believing there's one way to solve all five problems in a oner.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  11. chdot
    Admin

    "but I don't think he's quite made the leap to believing there's one way to solve all five problems in a oner."

    As in 'possible' or 'likely' - for him and family to feel 'safe'?

    Posted 10 years ago #

  12. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    He's convinced that both his daughters will be instantly killed if they attempt to travel by bicycle.

    This belief can only be irrational as he is an expert on Scottish mortality. (Studying it, not causing it.)

    Posted 10 years ago #

  13. gembo
    Member

    IWRATS - what is his explanation for higher mortality rates (or younger mortality rates technically) in west of Scotland compared with east of Scotland EVEN after you take out all the usual suspects - health, deprivation etc.?

    Posted 10 years ago #

  14. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Alas the actuarial world is more concerned with observing, predicting and costing mortality than with explaining differences or teasing out cause.

    In the dim and distant when I studied environmental chemistry the minute but significant cadmium content of Strathclyde's drinking water was in play as a possible factor in the poor cardiac health of the region. There's some incredible research that suggests vehicular lead might be to blame for many health problems;
    http://www.ricknevin.com/uploads/Nevin_2000_Env_Res_Author_Manuscript.pdf

    Posted 10 years ago #

  15. gembo
    Member

    Also climate as a whole with wetter warmer conditions worse for health and psyche than drier colder conditions? Hypothesis only.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  16. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    My uncle's from Coatbridge, but moved to Vancouver. His lifestyle is astonishing. He barely eats anything - nothing green, ever. Smokes like a wet bonfire, drinks more than me. Won't park until he can get a space less than tewnty meters from the entrance to the supermarket. Never walks. Anywhere. Ever.

    My guess is that the concatenation of dangerous behaviours makes the west coast impossible to really compare to the east. Key question for the future of the country though.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  17. gembo
    Member

    Vancouver prides itself on healthy sea food cuisine but you can take the boy out of coatbrig....also warmer and wetter than the colder and drier Eastern Canadian seaboard? (Braces self for potential Correction)

    Posted 10 years ago #

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