Tactile highlight of the day « CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum

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Tactile highlight of the day

(72 posts)

Started 8 years ago by chdot
Latest reply from I were right about that saddle

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chdot
Admin

"has the Council spoken to any visually impaired people to ask whether installing tactiles on paths in parks is a good idea"

Quite!

Problem is that whoever did the 'guidelines' (presumably!!?) did and so it's now all fixed in concrete.

It might make sense for the 'cycling tactiles' to be at right-angles to current practice - but that can't happen.

The 'bigger question' is why CEC (and presumably other councils) are doing all this(?)

Even if the installations are 'correct' and all VI people (and their dogs??) 'understand' there are so many places without tactiles that it can't be that beneficial(?)

Anyone want to design tactile layouts to cope with the multiple-choice entrance/exit/triangle crossing at the top of MMW?

Posted 8 years ago #
chdot
Admin

There's a gap round the edges of the non-standard tiles which will catch the sighted.

Posted 8 years ago #
SRD
Moderator

MMW tactiles being lifted as we speak (the incorrectly laid ones by George square lane). Apparently just tarmac going back in.

Wonder if they'll do the same over by the NMW spur. Had conversation on the way in with someone who had slipped there this morning.

Posted 8 years ago #
jdanielp
Member

@SRD this morning was my first time cycling over curved top tactiles in the wet on my 'new' commuter bike and I did notice a degree of slippiness, but I stayed upright.

Posted 8 years ago #
kaputnik
Moderator

FOI request to establish what the council's 2 or 3-year tactile tinkering experiment has cost so far?

Posted 8 years ago #
SRD
Moderator

Big bundles of tactiles have now appeared next to MMW....

Posted 8 years ago #
chdot
Admin

Why?

Ok I know you don't know...

But we're back to the 'is it a legal requirement or is there a grand CEC plan to improve things for pedestrians (and maybe cyclists)'?

Posted 8 years ago #
Morningsider
Member

There is no specific legal requirement to install tactiles. The Equalities Act 2010 places a public sector equalities duty on local authorities (in their guise as roads authority).

This duty requires the authority to undertake an equality impact assessment of its policies, practices and actions - with a view to improving the lives of disabled people and to remove, avoid or mitigate barriers to movement by disabled people.

In doing this the authority is required to make "reasonable adjustments" to the road network - mainly to remove barriers to movement by disabled people or to provide an alternative to inaccessible infrastructure. The key word here is "reasonable" - budgetary constraints are a legitimate consideration.

I'm no expert on accessible road infrastructure, but I reckon the budget for tactiles would have more benefit for disabled people if it was spent on dropping a few kerbs or de-cluttering some pavements.

Posted 8 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"I reckon the budget for tactiles would have more benefit for disabled people if it was spent on dropping a few kerbs or de-cluttering some pavements"

That seems sensible!

Maybe remove some chicanes too...

Posted 8 years ago #
neddie
Member

Why?

Because CEC now have an increased budget for cycling. Except they don't have the political will/clout to spend it all on real improvements such as new safe routes, that might be labelled 'too difficult'.

So instead they find it 'quick & easy' to fritter it away on tactile nonsense & rework.

Posted 8 years ago #
jdanielp
Member

Two sizable contractor's trucks are apparently required right next to the installation area to swap the tactiles on MMW - the trucks are parked on the pedestrian side of the path, channelling most of the pedestrians along the bicycle lane (the rest heading around the plaza area).

Posted 8 years ago #
SRD
Moderator

only 2? 3 yesterday

Posted 8 years ago #
chdot
Admin

So how are people who can't see supposed to know why these are there?

Are there ones coming for the cycle side?

Posted 8 years ago #
chdot
Admin

Posted 8 years ago #
chdot
Admin

Posted 8 years ago #
chdot
Admin

I presume the point of tactiles is to remind people where they are - having been before.

If you can't see and come across the for the first time (from any direction) what are you supposed to understand/do?

Why no tactiles at the (not) kerb??

Posted 8 years ago #
fimm
Member

Those round-topped tactiles that I posted a photo of up-thread have been replaced by flat-topped ones.

(I suspect someone already said this, but I get confused by all the MMW/NMW TLAs...)

Posted 8 years ago #
SRD
Moderator

big stack of tactiles and orange barriers at NMW/MMW junction.... that's gonna be fun,,,

Posted 8 years ago #
wingpig
Member

Does the relatively-new path parallel to South Meadow Walk but on the north side of Melville Drive have an official designation yet? Lower Meadow Walk? Melville Walk?

Posted 8 years ago #
kaputnik
Moderator

Does the relatively-new path parallel to South Meadow Walk but on the north side of Melville Drive have an official designation yet? Lower Meadow Walk? Melville Walk?

Do you mean the Sri Chinmoy Trancendence mile?

(seriously)

Posted 8 years ago #
earthowned
Member

The Sri Chinmoy Trancendence mile also includes Coronation Walk and parts of the NMW. We'd have to call it the "Southern Path of the Sri Chinmoy Trancendence mile" or perhaps the catchy "SPotSriChiTraMi".

Posted 8 years ago #
urchaidh
Member

Be thankful, this is from Japan:

http://i.imgur.com/bjRdz5l.jpg

Posted 8 years ago #
wingpig
Member

Only just noticed the shape of this installation outside Farmfoods on the NewKirkGate:

IMG_20150630_214623572 by wingpig, on Flickr

Posted 8 years ago #
amir
Member

Many of the tactiles on the Innocent to Meadows path (including NMW?)are inconveniently placed. Although they are parallel to the direction of travel, they are often near to or on curves, meaning that they do not respect the natural direction of the wheels. In the wet this strikes me as being much more tricky than tactiles that are parallel (which are bad enough).

Did anybody in charge think to do elf & safety on this?

Posted 8 years ago #
chdot
Admin

I think some were repositioned, but all far from ideal.

Posted 8 years ago #
Colonies_Chris
Member

A friend of mine slid off on the tactiles going down MMW yesterday, and suffered some injuries. I slid on them myself a few days ago, fortunately without quite coming off. It's because of the layer of wet leaves I think - they convert a slight hazard into something really dangerous. Anyone else noticed that? It seems unwise of the council to try to protect a very small number of visually impaired people at the cost of endangering a much larger number of cyclists.

Posted 8 years ago #
Rob
Member

When crossing the ones in Leith Links, I go to the pedestrian side having had a few sketchy moments (they're really not road bike friendly).

Posted 8 years ago #
fimm
Member

I've been avoiding the Meadows paths and staying on the road until the leaves are gone (and then I may be staying on the road to avoid ice).

Posted 8 years ago #
twq
Member

I had a heart-in-mouth this morning as my wheel was "re-positioned" by a tactile in the Meadows. Do they have to be that long? Mind you even a short one on a corner can cause issues.

Posted 8 years ago #
threefromleith
Member

The bike-side tactiles are frankly terrifying on a road bike, especially when damp. No matter how slowly or carefully or straight-on I went over them, I nearly always ended up with the rear wheel whipping suddenly away to one side or the other.

It's the pedestrian side for me every time now. Never once had a 'moment' on them.

Posted 8 years ago #