MMW taped off around to Jawbone walk at 10am 15/11. People cycling over grass. Quite big quadrant.
Top of MMW ok and north Meadows path.
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MMW taped off around to Jawbone walk at 10am 15/11. People cycling over grass. Quite big quadrant.
Top of MMW ok and north Meadows path.
Indeed, I am currently outside the pavilion cafe, spoke to police earlier, press release imminent. Incident in early hours (although not at 1am, as I was walking through at that time).
"
EdinburghPolice (@EdinburghPolice)
15/11/2014 16:44
https://www.facebook.com/EdinburghPoliceDivision We are appealing for witnesses following a serious sexual assault on a 19-year-old woman in the Meadows this morning
"
Extraordinary level of polis presence on meadows this morning. Firstly as I ran East along North Meadow Walk I faced a polis car driving the other way towards me (although it was in fact on the cycle side of the track.)
Another polis car parked at end of the cut through section of middle meadow walk, engine running, nice cosy coppers.
Two polis actually out in cold at the jawbone, but bizarrely they had parked their car on the bottom of the Leamington Walk path, rather than on the side of a road.
I know they are trying to be a reassuring presence, but does it have to involve quite so many vehicles on the paths?
There's been a heavy police presence on the Meadows all last week. The two police horses were a particular hit with the tourists who were queuing up for selfies, however the steaming piles of manure on the cycle path weren't so good!
I know they are trying to be a reassuring presence, but does it have to involve quite so many vehicles on the paths?
Surely you don't expect them to walk all that way from St Leonard's? :-o
i encountered two strolling policemen on NMW every morning last week, no mjatter what time i left. only once did i see car as well (parked at MMW/NMW junction). would have complained but figured it was probably intended as public evidence of presence.
There were crowds of police around MMW yesterday at lunchtime. Half looked like they were watching a tree surgeon at work and the rest seemed to be sweeping up fallen leaves. When I shared this gossip at work a colleague somewhat more on the ball than me suggested that they may have been looking for evidence.
Sweeping up fallen leaves you say? Perhaps I should report a crime on the A90 cycle path roughly between Craigleith Y and the Forth Road Bridge?
It's worth a shot :-)
You could mention the chance that a ricochet from a magpie hunting landowner's shotgun came into contact with a cyclists arm on the path.
There is a petition going round for cameras and more lights on the meadows. Seemingly the previous attempts to put cameras on the meadows was blocked by the "friends of the meadows"
Tbh I'm not sure it would really help much as there are so many entrances/exits, and I'm guessing that it's no more or less "attacky" than anywhere else, in fact considering the number of people that walk that way I'd imagine it's a relative oasis of calm...
Still hope they catch the creep.
I hate the blanket assumption that safety comes from cameras.
Safety comes from people having no motive to attack each other, and specifically from younger men having good self-control. As I understand it you get self control by being brought up in a loving environment where rewards can be safely deferred.
Given that most attacks occur in the home, the alternative is for us all to have domestic CCTV (such dwellings would be called panopticondominiums).
"considering the number of people that walk that way I'd imagine it's a relative oasis of calm"
Not that I get 'up town' that much these days, but when I do I invariably walk home via George IV and through The Meadows.
My wife is not happy with this situation as there have been a few stories of people being beaten up etc over the last few years.
My response is that I am always amazed at just how busy it is and how jolly everyone seems (compared to nutter magnets like Lothian Road or Tollcross where I always feel a bit uneasy) which is why stories like this are so horrific.
there have been a few stories of people being beaten up etc over the last few years
I intervened a couple of years ago when I was out with the wife, a group of around 8 men were beating up a guy on his own in the Meadows. Looking back, it seems like a ridiculously dangerous thing for me to do, but that said, they were seriously trying to end this guy's life as they were stamping on his head. Somehow, and I'm still not sure how I managed this other than playing the "hey, let's chill guys" card, I got them off him. He then got up and started trying to beat one of them up. I'm not kidding. How he got up having had his head stamped on was one thing, but the fact he was then literally asking to be attacked again straight away was, well, unbelievable. My second tactic to get them off him was then "this guy is crazy, let's call it a day", which again worked. The polis turned up too late to intervene, as they all (including the guy getting attacked) had scarpered.
So aye, it can be a dangerous place to be.
South-side has always been an area where the incumbent locals may be taxed after-hours by ferals from outlying yards.
With Universal Credit fast approaching, the current scenario will seem like bygone halcyon days.
We are heading to hell in a hand-basket.
Mind your overcoat.
'We are heading to hell in a hand-basket'
Perhaps given this is CCE, it is more likely to be a Brooks England Hoxton Front Basket?
I remember my sister saying that someone had been raped crossing The Meadows when she was a student 20 years ago.
However, you are much, much, much more likely to be attacked by someone known to you. People don't do statistics, though (that's why they don't cycle).
"much more likely to be attacked by someone known to you"
Also more 'danger' at home than from "strangers".
"People don't do statistics", true to some extent, but bigger problem is media distorting perceptions of relative dangers.
I've always wondered about that statistic, because I don't think it holds.
Some people are battered every day by people they know. The hideous frequency of this skews the data, given the rest of us are only attacked once a decade (or whatever).
For the majority of the population, I reckon you're much more likely to be attacked by a stranger.
"People don't do statistics", true to some extent, but bigger problem is media distorting perceptions of relative dangers.
Though if people could "do" statistics the media wouldn't be able to play that game. Switched on individuals generally see right through the headlines.
"Though if people could "do" statistics the media wouldn't be able to play that game"
True!
steveo just wait until you have to get mini-steveo through his timetables!!! argh.
[ too many tears last night. followed by 'you know mummy, that was almost fun' once she had mastered 8x. followed by much beer for me. ]
"timetables"
I use the ScotRail app...
Do they still do times tables in schools??
How about -
8 was always a *. 7; fine, the results feel intuitive. 9; fine once you know the finger trick. But 8? No chance.
Gets much easier when you switch to letters. A multiplied by B? AB. Next!
Funny, I always found 8 the easiest! 7x6 wad the one I could never, ever get. My poor parents :(
"Previous CCTV bids have met with opposition from local residents although council sources believe that in light of the recent attack there may be little opposition."
Seems strange that local residents would not want CCTV must have something to hide-), unless this is just an excuse.
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