I'll bet they reach the tunnel and think 'ah, that bit is clear, let's go somewhere else....'
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting
Another weather week
(124 posts)-
Posted 13 years ago #
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"I'll bet they reach the tunnel and think 'ah, that bit is clear, let's go somewhere else...."
Probably - but I don't suppose they have the keys either.
Doubt if they have the autonomy to decide where to go.
I think after recent days it's clear that key alternatives to roads/pavements - notably The Meadows, Innocent (all the way from Brunstane) and North Edinburgh Path Network should get much higher priority.
It's not just for 'people like us' (most users would be pedestrians). The way that roads/pavements are/n't being cleared means that all routes away from traffic should be a priority (after main bus routes).
It ought to be relatively straightforward - no abandoned cars in the way etc.
Posted 13 years ago # -
"I'll bet they reach the tunnel and think 'ah, that bit is clear, let's go somewhere else....' "
I bet they don't even get to the pavement bit you cycle on before you even get to the tunnel.
"I think after recent days it's clear that key alternatives to roads/pavements - notably The Meadows, Innocent (all the way from Brunstane) and North Edinburgh Path Network should get much higher priority. "
Any priority would be much higher than just being completely ignored mind.
Posted 13 years ago # -
The point seems lost on the council that if they make a concerted effort to keep some core off-road routes through the city clear, then it's to the benefit of all - walkers and cyclists and public transport users and car drivers who find that their cars are fail in the snow.
It helps people get around the town and between the public transport corridors. The path network also goes past / very close to at least 3 or 4 large supermarkets (Morrisons at Granton and Pilton/Inverleith, Sainsburys at Craigleith, ASDA at Newhaven) so lets people walk or bike to them rather than attempt to car it.
Once it has been cleared, if effort is made to keep up the clearance work on a regular basis, the ice sheets never get a chance to form. If they were to try and clear the paths now, they'd need to go out with pickaxes in places. And, as chdot points out, it's also never going to have abandoned cars to get in the way of plowing or gritting.
Posted 13 years ago # -
"Transport chief to work all night as Scotland freezes"
Posted 13 years ago # -
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Edinburgh_CC:We've been listening to your questions about the weather and have tried to answer these on our website:
Original Tweet: http://twitter.com/Edinburgh_CC/status/15039633104572416
"
Posted 13 years ago # -
Before the winter, we also brought in an additional 8 mini-tractors to help clear pavements.
Yes. So you keep reminding us. Doesn't explain what they've (not) been up to.
Posted 13 years ago # -
FFS give them a break - how many hundreds (possibly thousands) of miles of pavement do we have (on both sides of the streets) that would need covering once an hour to keep the snow from being trodden down?
Residents and shops should be responsible for their wee stretch...
Until any one of us actually has a go at clearing a street in one of these mini ploughs and has a frame of reference to talk about I am going to start ignoring this thread (and others)
That was the worst sustained dump of snow we have had in decades! They are not miracle workers.Posted 13 years ago # -
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on_lothianbuses:All routes which were diverted or curtailed due to snow and badly parked cars are now running their NORMAL ROUTES.
Thanks for your patience
Original Tweet: http://twitter.com/on_lothianbuses/status/15039564498341888
"
Posted 13 years ago # -
FFS give them a break
I was more referring to the fact that they won't give us a break from reminding us they now have 12 mini tractors so every thing's alright! I totally appreciate that they can't be everywhere at once (although there are certain places I would rather they were at once!) however, the more the council PR line is to remind us that they've got 6 more than they had last year, the more people's reaction is "so, where are they then?". If they didn't keep reminding us of their presence, I wouldn't be expecting a snow-clearing cavalry of mini-tractors to have done the Innocent, MMW, the North Path Network, Route's 1 & 75 and still have time to do the council chambers, Scottish parliament and Big 'Eck Salmond's gaff
Posted 13 years ago # -
Coming late in the day to the debate about what's rideable...
Turning onto the towpath at Shandon today, I met a chap heading into town who said grimly 'Wouldn't bother if I were you'. I ignored him, trusting in my Marathon Winter tyres (did I mention that I'd got some).
I wish I hadn't. Heading out of town as far as Slateford on the towpath, it's a solid sheet of very bumpy ice across pretty much the full width of the towpath. I had lots of grip (did I mention that I'd got Marathon Winter tyres) but it was very uncomfortable. Little strips of tarmac started appearing around Hailes Park and it got a bit better thereafter. By the time you get to the bypass, it's a thin ribbon of lumpy ice and the path around it is reasonably rideable if you've got something grippy.
The three fallen trees have gone.
I'd say that the path is currently only comfortably passable to someone on a full-suspension bike with spike tyres who isn't in a hurry.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Photograph: PA Archive/Press Association Images
Posted 13 years ago # -
I'm going to fit spike tyres :-) but it looks like they wont be here before Santa :-(
Ahh well, I'll be ready for next winters snow!Posted 13 years ago # -
next winters snow!
Or, if last year is anything to go by, January, February and Marchs snow!
Posted 13 years ago # -
If anyone wants a bit of practice at tackling unevenly-surfaced ice in the absence of threatening motor traffic to the rear, head over to Silverknowes. I thought it'd be all nice and melted due to being nice and close to lots of nice relatively warm salty water-spray. Nae chance. Great fun in the dark, though.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Hmmm. It looks like it might have rained a tiny little bit here. Anyone seen any fresh snow?
Posted 13 years ago # -
I *think* it's raining outside my window right now. Met office weather radar tends to agree.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Forecast is completely different from yesterday, having shown maybe a wee snow shower mid morning but nothing more. It will snow quite a lot in the north though.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Metcheck still claiming Edinburgh is in for a snowpocalypse, BBC says a bit of sleet in the morning and no snow until around midnight. Met office agrees with BBC for the morning but doesn't have the overnight snow.
Take your pick.
Temperature has dropped 5C since it started raining earlier this morning though, if it keeps going that way then we all know what happens.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Sleet on way in. Some cars seen with about 1cm of snow. On radio, snow reports from Gifford and Livingston.
Posted 13 years ago # -
If someone was wondering: I tried the Roseburn path yesterday and very quickly realised it too is still virtually impassable (even for pedestrians I guess). I have to say that I don't know which I hate more: having to commute on Lothian buses or being forced to cycle trough the city center (which I find incredibly stressful) but both are very strong incentives to start using my car to commute now....
Posted 13 years ago # -
I'm inside, but it is sleeting/snowing/something nasty out there (central/south/west)
.... now big snowflakes
Posted 13 years ago # -
I got the bus today due to a nasty case of the hacking crud.
Walked to the bus stop in Polwarth when not raining, had been raining when I looked out the window. Saw a few cars coming from the West with snow on.
Sleet started falling then turned to snow as bus made way along Polwarth/Tollcross/Lauriston back to sleet in Stockbridge with the odd snowflake.
Friend on facespace in Kirknewton reports Snowpocalypse II (Frosty's Revenge)
@SRD getting big snow?Posted 13 years ago # -
Haha, should have trusted my instincts rather than the BBC! Rode down the Innocent and spiked my way through the particularly rough bits. Was good fun in the end but I guess less so if I had been on the road.
Posted 13 years ago # -
@SRD getting big snow?
stopped now - but enough to give the roofs and grass a whiteish covering.
Posted 13 years ago # -
It was drizzling when I got in to work and then drizzling 20 minutes later as I walked over to my building after changing in the dungeons. Apparently had been a big dump of snow inbetween that I completely missed.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Stockbridge getting hail
looks bleak to the North...Posted 13 years ago # -
skies clear over South Gyle to the North West. Decidedly evil-looking over to the South and West. Which way is the weather coming from today?
Posted 13 years ago #
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