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Meanwhile in Aberdeen

(12 posts)
  • Started 10 years ago by Wilmington's Cow
  • Latest reply from Wilmington's Cow

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  1. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    I started a new job a couple of weeks ago, which will be based in Edinburgh with a lovely commute from... the sofa across the room to my desk (lunchtime pseudo-commutes FTW), but for these first few weeks has entailed attending our office in the bright lights of Brechin.

    I've commandeered my brother's wee house in Aberdeen, which was sitting empty pending a tenant, for this short stay. Forgetting the awful reality of having to commute by car every day, I've been keeping an eye out for cycling infrastructure and cyclists, and to say it feels light years behind Edinburgh would be an understatement. It's a long long time since I've cycled in Aberdeen, but this week is the first I've had a car (loan rather than hire) where I've been able to stick the bike on the roof, so tonight I'll be venturing out round some old haunts.

    Should be.... interesting....

    Posted 10 years ago #

  2. Min
    Member

    Aberdeen was carmageddon when I was wee and it is even worse now. I suppose they think they can't use any form of transport that doesn't use oil.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  3. Min
    Member

    Oh and the solution of course is more roads.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  4. sallyhinch
    Member

    Aberdeen goes POP http://dev.aberdeencycleforum.org.uk/?p=1318

    Posted 10 years ago #

  5. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    I think you'll find the solution is 'Mair roads ken' ;) (I wind up slipping back when I'm here - conversely when I go to Newcastle the long-hidden Geordie comes out - like the other day when I was trying to find the cathedral in Brechin and commented to myself 'Far ahm ah gan?')

    Wednesday night I'm planning on taking the bike on the car to work, then after hours taking a ride along Sustrans 1 where it skirts the coast on what looks like an old rail line or something. That may or may not be in order to stop for fish and chips at the Bervie Chipper, I could not possibly comment.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  6. LaidBack
    Member

    The Bervie Chipper should make your journey more sustainable!

    Aberdeen has its own Urban Arrow though and a Quest carbon velomobile.

    Which at present is the same number as in Edinburgh (Both items award winners in NL in their respective categories).

    I cycled with Amy on the tandem in Aberdeen on our nordic ferry adventure. Hostile environment in many places... bracing sea air. My yearly summer holiday destination when I was at primary school.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  7. minus six
    Member

    Growing up in central Aberdeen in the late 70s - early 80s, it was really easy to get around by bike, with quick exits out the road in all directions to Aboyne, Balmedie or Inverurie etc

    I'll bet those roads are all demon driver rat runs now

    Posted 10 years ago #

  8. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    I last cycled in the 'Deen in the late eighties. It was fine then, but looks utterly brutal now.

    My folks live on the 'inner ring road', which is a set of normal streets with tessellated white 4x4s 24/7.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  9. sallyhinch
    Member

    It could be worse ... you could have grown up in the Netherlands and then had to cycle in Aberdeen

    http://pedalonparliament.org/why-were-pedalling-on-aberdeen/

    Posted 10 years ago #

  10. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    If they don't go to Marischal College via the Haudagain Roundabout they're chicken.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  11. sallyhinch
    Member

    The police up there are sadly a bit hostile to the whole idea, so they're on their own with it. I hope they get a big enough turnout that the police end up closing the roads anyway (as happened with POP 1). Sounds like it's needed!

    Posted 10 years ago #

  12. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Had a nice ride actually. On a lovely riverside path along the Don from Persley Bridge (just below the Haudagain, I'm not that stupid), crossing at Grandholm (where there used to be a mill that we drove past to go to uni, but is now a big housing estate). Diverted to Brig o' Balgownie, and up to see the tarted up halls of residence where once I resided.

    On to the beach, for a couple of miles of more off-road along the prom, wee potter about in Fitty, then back on the roads (with a hilly, grassy diversion behind the Beach Ballroom to Pittodrie) to the uni and nostalgia overload, before hitting the back streets of the badlands of Tillydrone to get back to Grandholm Bridge and the climb up into the heights of Bridge of Don (which stretches some way away from the actual Bridge).

    Anyway, thoughts. There's virtually naff all ont he roads for cyclists. A few ASLs, some half-hearted bike lanes, awful road surfaces... Planning another potter in the evening tonight, with a little more time spent contemplating the roads (as I'll be out later and darker and I'm not taking little pitch black river paths).

    Posted 10 years ago #

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