CityCyclingEdinburgh was launched on the 27th of October 2009 as "an experiment".
IT’S TRUE!
CCE is 15years old!
Well done to ALL posters
It soon became useful and entertaining. There are regular posters, people who add useful info occasionally and plenty more who drop by to watch. That's fine. If you want to add news/comments it's easy to register and become a member.
RULES No personal insults. No swearing.
Someone overtook me and hook turned in front of me this morning. On Crewe Toll roundabout! At speed! And I was on the inside lane and going straight over to the Davidsons Mains exit! Heart thoroughly up in throat.
Don't know if they came from behind me on Ferry Road, or zoomed round from the Pilton entry, but suddenly a white hatchback with a spoiler ('natch) roared in my bubble.
Just as I was thinking how nice my trip down Ferry Road had been to that point.
Big yellow furniture van pulled out of a parking space this morning and almost crushed a poor cyclist between his van and mine on south clerk st this morning. Poor woman got a hell of a fright.
Crewe Toll is not much fun as it is pretty big and wide so drivers can just put their foot down. Hope you are okay Stepdoh!
I got left-hooked yesterday, been a wee while since I had one that close.
Battered old Peugeot white van undertook me on the roundabout at Broomhouse Road and Bankhead Drive (he'd come out the same exit, Broomhouse Drive), then proceeded to pull left across me without looking (but it was OK, he had his indicators on, giving him the right to force me out) to get into the (bus) lane for a left turn up Bankhead Drive.
He ran straight into the rest of the (non-bus) traffic taking up the bus lane and had to stop. Fortunately I had a sixth sense and had seen what was going to happen, dropped back and passed him on the outside shooting him a dirty look as I stabbed two fingers towards my eyes and mouthed "how about you look where you're going".
The bus lanes on Broomhouse Drive are a joke. Yesterday I counted 16 cars sitting in them waiting to turn left or go straight on as I filtered up to the front. I'll take some pictures on the way home.
what time was it? You're allowed to drive in that bus lane between 09:30 and 16:30 i think.
Happens to me a lot on Cameron Toll. I'm in the right hand lane from the A7 feed into the middle lane heading for the old town exit and someone always undertakes or overtakes then hooks in to screech to a halt at the second set of lights which are always red allowing me to potter past into the ASL with almost infinite smugness ;)
Roundabouts with lanes always confuse drivers who think you must cycle in the gutter at all times.
845AM and 1715PM.
Both well within the hours of operation. It's not even driving. It's using it as a static queue for the turn.
"Roundabouts with lanes always confuse drivers who think you must cycle in the gutter at all times. "
No-you must only cycle in the gutter when they are moving. When they are stationary you are not allowed in the gutter under any circumstances as that is then known as queue jumping.
@Min
That pretty much sums it up!
Crewe Toll and Cameron Toll are shining examples of 'mixed messages' for both motorists and cycles (or recumbreationals). When in van (sorry! no it is not white!) at Cam Toll I always queue politely in 'main' traffic lane north so as to let the buses/taxis/cycle zoom up the green lane; but it gives much satisfaction to watch private cars trying it on, for me to then left hook them without giving much warning as I take my rightful place in centre lane. PS they've poured some cold tar in the 2 gashes under the bridge going south, so slightly safer now! Its also much fun to slalom through the queue 'en velo' and skip across the crossing and island onto the Cameron Toll Central Cycle Bypass Inbound To City (CTCCBITC), then swish into the traffic again as you go north onto Dalkeith Rd. You can take about 20 to 30 vehicles if you time this manouevre right with the red sequences!
CTCCBITC
I never use it. It's always struck me as 'not fit for purpose'.
I don't think there are 'cyclists dismount' signs, but it's close.
BUT if you can really beat that many cars maybe 'we' should have a time trial!
For roundabouts, I think a useful improvement would be a "CYCLISTS - GET IN LANE" sign on approach, and maybe on the way around the big ones (i.e. Cameron toll). More for the driver message, but also for the few recalcitrants who insist on riding towards an exit in a dedicated filter lane then swerving right to keep going round....
I agree the CTCCBITC is useless, i find it faster just to get in lane as dave says.
I often see cyclists have problems with roundabouts, even experienced looking MAMILs with racing bikes who get off and walk round them. Education?
I treat roundabouts as if I was riding a car - get in lane, take up said lane to avoid cars trying to squeeze down either side and stay there.
@Kaputnik, also works for me :)
@chdot: CTCCBITC is an anachronism in the design of urban cycleways, but if you genuinely catch the lights right you can skoosh many horseless carriages, but you have to ignore the Cyclisimo Delmonte signage to do it right! Also the merge in turn you have to execute with the inbound traffic from Lady Road must be done with applomb and a merry wave! V sign not recommended! The queue of tin boxes always looks on enviously as you ride through on the Storm!
"the merge in turn you have to execute with the inbound traffic from Lady Road must be done with applomb and a merry wave!"
Mmm, not for the sort of people that such facilities are designed to encourage then!
"get in lane, take up said lane to avoid cars trying to squeeze down either side and stay there."
Yes.
Though there are people not confident enough to try - especially if the traffic is quite fast.
Of course there is also the constant balance between 'staying in lane' and riding down the side to get nearer to the front.
We all know how hard it can be to get into the middle of a lane, especially when traffic is moving off from lights.
No not really! More designed for those willing to Dance with the Devil! Just a confusingly slow way to negotiate a bad set of lane markings under 2 elderly rail bridges; however totally safe if you use all the facilities including the agonising waits at the push button crossings (no pedestrian cyclist friendly sequences here, all designed for the car i'm afraid!.).
Agree with Kap that if you want to go through roundabouties you have to use your elbows and take centre stage in your lane, be bold, be thrusting and you will win if you hold your nerves of steel!
Evidence!
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