CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » This site

Now we are (nearly) one

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  1. chdot
    Admin

    The past year has been interesting. 

    This forum is 'used' by many people in different ways.  

    There are regular posters commenting on incidents (good and bad) on their daily journeys.

    Other people have joined to post a one-off question, and have (usually) got a speedy response. 

    This forum has a lot of knowledgeable, helpful, members.  

    Opinionated too! There's been the odd fight, (you know what about...), but it's generally most civilised. Thanks to all. 

    I'm posting this to ask for responses along the lines of 'what CCE has done for me'. 

    Not expecting 'it's changed my life' - just wondering if ideas or information posted here has been particularly useful. 

    Most things relate directly to cycling and are mostly about Edinburgh (or examples from elsewhere for contrast). Anyone can post anything so the content reflects the interests of the members - it's difficult to tell if anything is 'missing'. 

    The underlying idea for this forum was as another way of encouraging more people to cycle (more often). It's become a place of mutual support for people who cycle - which is perhaps more valuable(?)

    Posted 13 years ago #

  2. SRD
    Moderator

    I've certainly benefited from and appreciated advice on a wide range of cycling-related issues (routes, technique, maintenance, second-hand kit, etc) but the best (and least expected) benefit has been making contacts in my local community -- meeting neighbours who turn out to be forumers, joining local initiatives which were advertised through the forum, even attending the dreaded community council meetings. All very life-enhancing and (mostly) fun.

    Happy Birthday CCE!

    Posted 13 years ago #

  3. gembo
    Member

    I think there is a knowledge base on this forum that might put some new posters off. If you are just starting to do something it might be better to go to someone who is a little bit mre advanced than you than to go straight to the expert but having said that I do not think the forum is harsh in the way that some expert forums can be. I did learn an awful lot about jazz by reading alt.jazz.news in 1987 when there was no world wide web abnd the internet was text only. I tried posting about Bobby Wishart playing his trombone in The Halt Bar. I am afraid I may have misinterpreted the level of what was acceptable to be posted. So our forum is very open. There is some sense talked (not by me, obviously) but some people remain very focussed on specifics (why not, the site is about cycling after all) when clearly certain arguments are alas going to remain pertinent to us with the great public being unaware that an argument even exists (I like our proselytizing role but getting the tone right is trickier). For example - our view on the dangers of tram tracks is somewhat recondite given the £600m the trams are costing and the high jinks the contractors are up to. Generally, I have found the forum very useful. Also of course chdot himself needs to be venerated for his role in the forum and his wider connections.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  4. cb
    Member

    When's the actual birthday? Will there be jelly and ice cream?

    This place is a great one stop shop for getting information on what's going on with relevance to cycling in Edinburgh.
    Can there be any stuff that we need to know about which /doesn't/ make its way here (largely thanks to chdot for that for posting lots of info - sometimes these areen't replied to on the forum which may be dishearteneing for the poster, but probably highly likely that someone will benefit).

    Posted 13 years ago #

  5. Stepdoh
    Member

    I have no idea how I got here... Let's retrace our steps.

    Hmm. Right, I was reading Yehuda Moon. And wanted to know more, so ended up at the venerable (venereal?) CityCycling interview with the author. I think there was a link from there (or from the (far less good) spokes ones) or somewhere.

    Nope, no idea how I got here. But I suspect it's Anth's fault. But I kinda like it. Happy birthday old gal.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  6. chdot
    Admin

    "meeting neighbours who turn out to be forumers"

    I thought it was the other way round.

    We all 'know' most people on here live near Harrison Park!

    "sometimes these areen't replied to on the forum which may be dishearteneing for the poster"

    I assume someone has read stuff I put up 'for info'.

    On the other hand I'm surprised this didn't get any response.

    Bike maintenance philosophy 

    Was it the M word or the P word??

    Maybe the first post was too long...

    Posted 13 years ago #

  7. cb
    Member

    "I'm surprised this didn't get any response"

    Yeah, that's a shame that one; looks like a bit of work went into that post. I don't maintain my bikes - that's my excuse (although I guess that would count as a relevant reply...)

    Posted 13 years ago #

  8. chdot
    Admin

    "although I guess that would count as a relevant reply."

    It would...

    Though you'd no longer be the first!!

    (Thanks Wingpig)

    Posted 13 years ago #

  9. gembo
    Member

    chdot - proably just school holidays - all your info posts are clocked and much appreciated

    Posted 13 years ago #

  10. wingpig
    Member

    I only found this place recently (though I tried to keep up with reading citycycling.co.uk and occasionally found cyclingedinburgh.info), but it's neatly filled the hole which re-formed since I resumed regular commutatory and utilitish cycling. The clue's probably in the name; I need to cycle around the city.

    There's a bike club forum at work (snobby folk with NSOH honking on about how amazingly athletic they are and how their kit and sub-discipline is better) but its head is too big to fit the hole and reading it only irritates me.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  11. spitfire
    Member

    Has it been a year already?
    I don't know quite how I got in quite to early on too.
    Nor how I came to it, where was the link that led me.

    For me it has provided a useful distraction when watching an install or a reboot at work
    It has led me to meeting people locally (hey, if most people live around HP how come I ain't been spotted yet?)
    I have learned a few bits and pieces along the way
    Joined in the occaisonal argument and in turn given the grey matter some exercise and changed my opinion once or twice and managed to change others too (who was it was going to try Critical Mass? This month?)
    I'm with wingpig on snobbery putting me off, I think I have access to the same forum and would not bother with it. Cycling is my commute, it gets me to work faster than walking, I enjoy it but I don't see the need to be out on hills or roads at the weekend, this place feels non judgemental about that.
    Oh and I get to make people laugh with the odd random comment - that cheers me up and keeps me coming bak (never mind the spam filter eating 2 other accounts)

    Posted 13 years ago #

  12. kaputnik
    Moderator

    I'll thrid, fourth or whatever the "no snobbery" angle. If someone asks a question, they will (usually) get it answered politely and quickly (I say usually because someone did once ask about a riding partner to accompany them being towed by their husky on rides down cycle lanes).

    There isn't an assumption as some forums have of having to "earn" the right to ask a question by sticking around. You're welcome to do so and if you don't, no one will grumble. If you come back again, it's sort of like you never left (I know this from experience). It's loose and informal and friendly and welcoming and most importantly doesn't take itself too seriously, doesn't always mutually agree and has a generally good sense of humour.

    It also doesn't fall into a stereotype or particular genre or category of cyclists - there's roadies, utility cyclists, commuters, mountain bikers, fixies, recumbicyclists, tricyclists and foldists. People who work in bike shops and people who don't, there's people who like helmets and people who don't, people who agree with Critical Mass and people who don't. There's people in Spokes and people in ERC and people in CTC and people who aren't in any.

    Basically, there's a group of people who love bikes and cycling enough to want to help and encourage others to.

    Also, for most of us who cycle to work and find we don't share an office or desk space with many other cyclists who "understand", there's a place to go with our grumbles and moans and concerns of the day and get an understanding nod and a "there, there" and get it all off your chest.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  13. Rabid Hamster
    Member

    Excellent stuff chdot, keep up the good work! All useful in lots of ways!

    Posted 13 years ago #

  14. PS
    Member

    If I remember rightly, I joined in November in order to wade into the Princes Street debate. That was about the time that the Council was suggesting that they were looking at the options for pedestrianising/cyclising one of the the streets in the first New Town (Princes/George/Queen). I'm still firmly in the pedestrianise George Street camp, by the way, but what has happened to these plans? I seem to remember Marshall Poulton saying that the options would be published in the Spring - did I miss that?

    Anyway, I stuck around as it's an entertaining and informative place to be. Keep up the good work everyone.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  15. cb
    Member

    Can't remember where I hear about the forum; I think it was mentioned in citycycling.

    My first post kicked off this dizzyingly exciting thread:
    http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=66

    That was 11 months ago so I must be due some jelly and ice cream.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  16. Morningsider
    Member

    Have to admit that I was a lurker for some time before taking the plunge and commenting - just felt I could add something to one of the threads and then another and another...

    I like the fact the forum is a friendly community of fairly like-minded people - who can disagree and still remain civil. I would encourage other reticent types to get stuck in and novice cyclists to post any questions they might have - everyone seems to get a reasonably sensible response.

    Also, kudos to chdot for his role as ringmaster.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  17. ruggtomcat
    Member

    hey,
    im a n00b here but not to online comunities and i gotta say, this is a good one, its cookin :) this much content for 1 year is great and if it sticks around another couple it can really become a open forum for edinburgh bikers as a whole.

    you girls/guys make me ride more.

    thats the best i can say :D

    Posted 13 years ago #

  18. chdot
    Admin

    "you girls/guys make me ride more.

    thats the best i can say"

    That's pretty good - you don't sound like sort of person who needs much encouragement to ride...

    Posted 13 years ago #

  19. recombodna
    Member

    Aye it's a good wee forum........just don't mention............! ;-)

    Keeps me on the lookout for other cyclists!

    Posted 13 years ago #

  20. kaputnik
    Moderator

    yeah yeah 10 minutes early but I'm awrf to bed

    Happy Birthday From Me.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  21. chdot
    Admin

    WONDERFUL

    Thanks

    Posted 13 years ago #

  22. Min
    Member

    Whoo Happy Birthday! Think I found the website after the cooncil stuck a hoop beside the gate onto the Innocent blocking access and I googled it to find out WTF. Then after occasional checking back I lighted on the forum. I find it very useful, fun, have made real life friends and have even had a ride on a tandem. Thank you chdot!

    Posted 13 years ago #

  23. Smudge
    Member

    Hurrah, Hoppy Birdy!
    Found the forum googling and it seemed relevant and useful so I've stuck around.
    Turns out it is relevant and useful and fun too :)
    Long may it continue!

    "...have even had a ride on a tandem." Oooh that sounds scary/fun, will have to try at some point!

    Posted 13 years ago #

  24. steveo
    Member

    Rofl at the banner!

    I think i was looking for (bike) theft statistics in Edinburgh stumbled accross chdot's blog page with a link to the forums. Need to have a shufty round the police auction one day.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  25. SRD
    Moderator

    I blame the EEN which interviewed chdot about the tram tracks and gave the forum an inadvertent plug!

    Posted 13 years ago #

  26. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    I think I found the forum through City Cycling. My first post was a question to Kirst about cycling mileage allowance. I'd had advice from Kirst before on the very useful Council Intranet message-board (so useful in fact that it was switched off). So in part this forum has been a replacement for that. Looking back I do seem to bang on a lot about the Innocent Railway Path. But I think you pretty much nailed it kaputnik (see above).

    Posted 13 years ago #

  27. miggy_magic
    Member

    Happy birthday CCE! I can't remember how I found this either - probably from the cycling-edinburgh.org.uk website.

    Thanks to this website, I have flogged my trailer to SRD and have won a book in the Swan competition!

    Posted 13 years ago #

  28. Arellcat
    Moderator

    And a happy birthday CCE from me, too. I think in one of my many conversations with LaidBack I found out about the new forum, and maybe I linked into it via chdot's cyclingedinburgh.info page.

    Perhaps it's the community aspect of this place, but I don't recall any other forum celebrating its first birthday with as much spirit.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  29. recombodna
    Member

    the cooncil stuck a hoop beside the gate onto the Innocent blocking access

    Yeah what was that all about?? It was only there for a couple of days but it nearly took me out one morning!

    Posted 13 years ago #

  30. chdot
    Admin

    "Yeah what was that all about??"


    http://cyclingedinburgh.wordpress.com/2009/09/19/another-barrier-to-cycling

    I think it was this (and a couple of other things about the same time) that made me realise that it was time for somewhere for other people to point out problems - and praise good stuff.

    I 'know' Edinburgh quite well, but don't cycle 'everywhere' - certainly not every week.

    I think it was Laidback who first told me about this one. A lot of emails went flying around. The 'answer' seemed to be that they were "working off old plans"...

    So if a small number if people could do something like this what would happen if more people could exchange information easily?

    Fortunately the Forum has become about much more than complaining about questionable infrastructure - an ongoing issue though!

    Posted 13 years ago #

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