And another adding the Innocent Tunnel exit to the first traffic lights on the path towards Portobello. This is about a 2% downhill so the speeds increase. Its a narrower path (about 2 cyclists wide and less at the moment with vegetation growth) yet slightly less pedestrianised than others. In terms of design speed it would typically be seen as lower than the others due to the limited with although visibility is good and there are no junctions on the length. Interestingly, this is a segment constantly marked as hazardous on Strava and recreated
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
Portobello Promenade
(105 posts)-
Posted 9 years ago #
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I agree with @crowriver, 13mph for that stretch is too fast - and that's the average, therefore the cyclist is going faster (and slower, obv) than 13 for some of it. I don't go along that way too often, but when I do it's always got loads of people on it and I struggle to even hit 10mph.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I agree with @crowriver, 13mph for that stretch is too fast
No, sometimes it is too fast. It depends on how much 'traffic' is present.Posted 9 years ago # -
If anyone wants to play with the data so far, you can grab the excel file from https://www.dropbox.com/s/ylazyi5091py48a/prom_vs_garages_vs_innocent_vs_run.xlsx
Posted 9 years ago # -
No, sometimes it is too fast. It depends on how much 'traffic' is present.
Actually, no. I can understand why you might think this, but you cannot see children coming out the gardens of Esplanade Terrace, nor have time to react. And they cannot see you either.Posted 9 years ago # -
I'd agree that some of the garden gates are an issue but if you keep to the beach side of the prom (and the prom is otherwise suitably quiet) then this is much less of a problem. That's why I'd be quite keen to see a small strip of no cycling to create the equivalent of a pavement in front of this properties and encourage cycling on the beach side and pedestrians on the town side
Posted 9 years ago # -
I'm not sure I've ever ridden along the prom, but I've certainly run along it, although a few years ago now. What is described sounds utterly unlike my memory.
I wouldn't have been running at 13mph (10mph is my more modest maximum), perhaps this is what allowed me to avoid all these kids?
Posted 9 years ago # -
Just looked at heart rate to try and correlate with speed to see if a split around 145bpm would give a different average speed. It's a distribution that doesn't correlate at all. What is interesting is the highest heart rates were some of the fittest looking athletes (I pulled the photos) ... and me and my partner. The speeds associated with the highest heart rates are all fairly low which looked odd.
The explanation seems to be that some of us push ourselves a lot on behind the garages and our heart rate recovers in this stretch of prom whilst we cycle very slowly. In a way, having a fast section where people can race themselves seems to help lower the prom speeds as people want to use the prom for recovery.
I did wonder though whether I should email a few folk and suggest they see a doctor when I looked at a few data points!
Posted 9 years ago # -
So the Police are now patrolling the prom to ensure it's shared properly - see https://twitter.com/EdinburghPolice/status/486830105952792576 I saw some officers on foot there tonight at around 7pm but it didn't seem to deter the loose dogs and the football matches being played on the prom (which were a hazard to cyclists and pedestrians alike). To be fair, they mainly seemed to be dealing with underage drinking rather than responsible prom use.
Cycling along, I averaged about 6mph moving and less overall tonight as I stopped a few times where it was busy. Not a single pedestrian turned to acknowledge the use of the bell - I could have been going at 20mph and about to ride into them but they didn't seem to care. I had one male try kick my bike as I passed and tell me 'no bikes on the prom'. He had intentionally walked up behind my bike (I was going slower than many walkers) to do this. I then had a woman approach me as I was coming to a stop for some children playing football and shout 'It's awfully busy for that don't you think'.
There were plenty of cyclists on the prom, none of whom were going any faster than the people with side by side buggies or out walking their dogs yet we seem to be the ones who get abuse. I suspect the fact I was in lycra may not have helped - maybe I should get a city bike and see if it makes a difference!
Posted 9 years ago # -
"they mainly seemed to be dealing with underage drinking rather than responsible prom use."
And legal age drinking if it is anything like a couple of nights ago. Seems they might be taking a tougher stance on drinking in public.
Posted 9 years ago # -
"Seems they might be taking a tougher stance on drinking in public."
Do they have guns?
http://www.highland-news.co.uk/News/Top-cop-refuses-to-change-his-gun-policy-09072014.htm
Posted 9 years ago # -
Technically there is a byelaw preventing drinking between and including the Prom and High St. It's rarely enforced if people are sensible and they can't arrest unless you refuse to move on. So if anyone with BBQs and booze wants to stay on the prom side it'll keep them away from cyclists and on the right side of the law...
Posted 9 years ago # -
Excellent presentation of the date showing cyclists slow on the prom. And on the qualititatvie front that dismounting and lying in a puddle so that some prom users can walk over you to avoid getting wet feet will still not be enough for some folk.
Posted 9 years ago # -
The article I found online (I wasn't convinced there was currently a byelaw) suggests that it applies everywhere and it's just a case of when/where they choose to ignore it.
"In 2007, city chiefs introduced new rules to restrict drinking on the Capital’s streets by allowing police officers to impound alcohol where there is “reasonable suspicion” downing it will lead to antisocial behaviour.
Any person who consumes booze in a designated place, and fails to stop when asked by officers, can be fined. Drinking can also be prohibited within designated areas or trouble spots where repeated antisocial behaviour occurs.
However, as part of this, Lothian and Borders Police agreed to use their discretion and not stop people quietly enjoying a tipple in the city’s streets, parks and squares. This is in direct contrast with Glasgow where a blanket ban on public drinking was put in place in 1996."
http://m.scotsman.com/news/edinburgh-to-fight-glasgow-style-drinking-ban-1-3103662
Posted 9 years ago # -
"This is in direct contrast with Glasgow where a blanket ban on public drinking was put in place in 1996."
(Potential) problem now is that Police Scotland is acting like Strathclyde Heavy -
http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/News/Police-Scotland-ban-media-from-guns-briefing-01072014.htm
Posted 9 years ago # -
For those interested in Prom speeds on a busy afternoon I took rides on Friday between 4 an 7pm when I had the problems from pedestrians. Average speed from the 10ish rides on Strava was 7.2mph and max speed anyone reached on that length was 10.0mph. The section by the boat store was quiet when I went along as was next to the play area, other bits were mobbed and about as busy as they could get.
I suspect the speed issue many complain of is self limiting - when it's busy it's actually impossible to cycle faster than a walking pace.
Posted 9 years ago # -
It's when it's needed most - you seen the sheer amount of crap generated by visitors to Porty on a sunny day?
To their credit they try to get most of it done early morning or evening.
Posted 8 years ago # -
It's when it's needed most - you seen the sheer amount of crap generated by visitors to Porty on a sunny day?
I'm not normally a fan of the council's habit of driving transit vans down paths / cycle routes, but even a transit is more appropriate for emptying the bins on the prom than that piece of industrial agrimachinery.
Posted 8 years ago # -
"more appropriate for emptying the bins"
I assume it's for trawling the beach?
Though hardly possible if full of sunbathers??
Posted 8 years ago # -
That's the trailer they use to remove the rubbish filtered out when they rake the sand. I doubt a transit would get it off the beach!
Also, they're limited to low tide times.
I've always found the tractor drivers to be very careful and couteous on the prom. Some council bin-emptiers not so...
Posted 8 years ago # -
My kids always love seeing the porty beach tractor, although I have no idea why.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Main reason is because it's a tractor. Simple.
But when they dish out the left behind balls, buckets & spades that helps too.
Posted 8 years ago # -
chdot typed "Though hardly possible if full of sunbathers??"
In Scotland?? :o!
Posted 8 years ago # -
"In Scotland??"
No, Porty.
It has special weather.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Edinburgh may be the Athens of the North, but Porty lays claim to be the North Berwick of the West.
Posted 8 years ago # -
I thought it was the West Kilbride of the East?
Posted 8 years ago # -
Not a fan of Portobello myself (far too busy most of the time), regardless of my mode of transport but suggesting "ringing [sic]" people's necks for cycling too close is a bit much even in jest. It's hard to imagine violence being legitimised against any type of road user in the press:
Posted 3 years ago # -
Slow news day?
Posted 3 years ago # -
Slow news decade with that lot...
Posted 3 years ago #
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