So on Friday I was bikehike-ing the 7 hills of the city (there should be a ride report at some point this afternoon) and number 6 on the list was Castle Rock. As I was ascending the cobbles I could see a red-jacketed person exiting her booth just before the esplanade seemingly intent on me (call it a 6th sense if you like - it was right).
"Sorry sir, cycling isn't allowed on the Esplanade." It was clarified that I could walk up with the bike, but not ride it. 'Fine' I thought, 'it's not much of a hardship'. But walking up something struck me as odd.... The number of cars parked there (presumably contractors for work going on) which I assume had not hovered into place. Then as I was walking back down a taxi dropped off a couple of tourists executing its U-Turn on the Esplanade.
So I stopped at the booth and queried why, when bikes are not allowed, cars are. I was the very image of politeness (which probably accounts for the three people in the booth being very polite and chatty back).
"Health and safety sir. People can see cars, they can't see bikes."
Yes dear reader you read that right. Bikes, and not just the recumbent sort, are invisible to Joe Bloggs. I explained that people really should open their eyes in that case, and pondered aloud the existence of a risk assessment on the relative dangers of cars and bikes (being H&S officer for your work helps in these matters). It was an explanation that suggested two things to me.
Firstly there is an implicit assumption that drivers and cyclists merely drive and ride in a manner that does not take into account pedestrians for, secondly, it suggests that it is up to the pedestrian to avoid conflict in such situations by being able to see the object.
One of the red-jackets did say to her cohorts (actually, this is harsh, they themselves were very nice and merely following orders), "Actually, he has a point you know." I was told that I should complain to Historic Scotland.
Now as far as I am aware Historic Scotland is a public body and therefore subject to FOI requests. And so I need questions.
Naturally I will ask if a risk assessment has been carried out and what the conclusions were; also I will ask for accident rates by transport option on the Esplanade.
Does anyone know if they have bike stands there? I saw a couple of bikes chained to railings which would suggest not...
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