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  1. gembo
    Member

    Was undertaken on busy stretch of Meadows path. My undertaker said to me Keep More Left. THis is often a good reminder in life.

    Ilaughed and said Keep your opinions to yourself.

    Cheekily I then went faster than I normally like to go at festival time with mad peds on the meadows and overtook my undertaker. I commented You Funny. I hope that is what they heard.

    At the lights at Tills Bookshop a different cyclist decided to RLJ - I commented Naughty. THey said sorry - I said don't worry I saw you (they had not checked the cycle path to their left when RLJing). We laughed, all cool.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  2. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Till's Bookshop is for sale.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  3. neddie
    Member

    Those lights on Buccleuch Pl normally take forever to change. Completely subservient to motor traffic

    Posted 5 years ago #

  4. davecykl
    Member

    I find that the traffic lights on Buccleuch Street at the east end of North Meadow Walk change fairly quickly, once you have pushed the button.

    But why should we have to stop and push a button at all? It's awkward (especially as you either have to try to balance/track-stand while doing so, or semi-dismount and then remount, depending) and it must surely be an accessibility/equality issue for cyclists with poorer balance skills, handcyclists, etc?

    The council should make it a requirement for all new cycle traffic lights to either work on a fixed timer that always includes the cycle phase (with an appropriate proportion of the time for that phase), or to include some sort of automatic dectection sensor so that the light changes to green as a bike approaches.

    As for the whole Buccleuch Street - Causewayside corridor specifically (and including the crossing at Buccleuch Place), should the council also not really be more regarding that as a proper people-first corridor and therefore be discouraging its use as a through route by motor vehicles by adjusting the traffic light timings so as to give a "green wave" for a, say, 15 mi/h cycling speed, and with more frequent and longer green man phases for people crossing the road, so that motor traffic is 'nudged' into using Clerk Street instead? (I'd even almost go so far as to suggest camera-enforced bus gates or opposing one-ways (except bikes and buses) every few blocks, so that it would be only the other vehicles which actually need access to that part of the street can use it.)

    Posted 5 years ago #

  5. Frenchy
    Member

    I had a quick look at my Strava data from the last few times I've gone that way - looks to be 40-60s for the lights to change even after the button is pushed. Will time properly next time I pass.

    It's a 20mph street, which I think means that the lights should take at most 20s to change.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  6. gembo
    Member

    THey are also at Red to cars when they are also at red to bikes so you cold chance skipping over same as the next set on Nicolson St. But I wouldn't. I do sometimes go across when there are no cars instead of waiting for green person Mea Culpa

    Think I'll pack it in and buy a bookshop take it down to L.A.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  7. neddie
    Member

    I suspect the Buccleuch lights are timed with the Melville Dr ones. So if the Melville lights are red, you may get a fast change, whereas if the Melville lights are green, you could be waiting a long time. May also depend on whether it’s rush hour or not

    Posted 5 years ago #

  8. minus six
    Member

    Till's Bookshop is for sale

    well that's it then, the end times are finally upon us

    Posted 5 years ago #

  9. southsider
    Member

    I suspect the Buccleuch lights are timed with the Melville Dr ones.

    Unfortunately not, there's no predictable link between the two.
    The Buccleuch toucan seems quick except when it's already been used recently in which case there's a long wait.

    Here are the timings (FOI from this time last year)

    "

    Toucan crossing Buccleuch Street/Buccleuch Terrace

    The operational timings at the above toucan crossing are as follows: -

    Vehicle Green - 20 seconds
    Leaving Amber - 3 seconds
    All Red - 3 seconds
    Green Man - 7 seconds
    Pedestrian Blackout (fixed) - 3 seconds
    Pedestrian Blackout (extendable) - 12 seconds
    Starting Amber - 2 seconds

    Hope Park Terrace/Melville Drive

    The operational vehicle actuated timings at the above traffic signal controlled junction are as follows: -

    Stage 1 (Summerhall Crescent and Hope Park Crescent) - 36 seconds
    Inter-green Period - 11 seconds
    Stage 2 (Pedestrian Green Man) - 15 seconds
    Inter-green Period - 9 seconds
    Stage 3 (Melville Drive and Hope Park Terrace) - 32 seconds
    Inter-green Period - 6 seconds
    Back to Stage 1

    During the periods of Monday to Friday (07:00-19:30), Saturday (08:00-22:00) and Sunday (08:00-20:00) the above junction operates under the Council’s Urban Traffic Control (UTC) System (SCOOT control), thus the timings can vary based on traffic flows and time of day.

    "

    Posted 5 years ago #

  10. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    @bax

    Just a new Milankovitch cycle. No vestige of a beginning, no prospect of an end.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  11. gembo
    Member

    IWRATS you buy it - I will do the Saturday afternoon shift

    does it come with a vast pile of damp paperbacks?

    noticed today the green paint of the store extends to a large room next door do we get that too for expansion

    Bax could be security as I fear a lot of stock goes missing?

    Posted 5 years ago #

  12. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    @gembo

    I'm afraid I don't know anything about books damp or otherwise. But I am tempted. Especially if @bax is going to lie in wait and assail the light-fingered with Zen death poetry.

    A friend has already suggested a pneumatic Lansom tube so that beer can be delivered from the Grapes to the back room. I could be happy there.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  13. neddie
    Member

    @southsider

    I fear those timings for the toucan are no longer correct. Perhaps some “neighbourhoods” tinkering to “improve” flow?

    I have recently “missed” the pedestrian phase, and there is no way there is a max wait of 20 seconds. I’ve waited at least a minute before. I’ll try to time it, next time

    Posted 5 years ago #

  14. Frenchy
    Member

    Vehicle green was 28s when I went through today. Not even any traffic after the first 10s, so I don't think SCOOT is to blame either.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  15. gembo
    Member

    @IWRATS, when you say you don't know anything about books - you have one published remember, and anoter fermenting

    Place used to be cosy in the winter

    Posted 5 years ago #

  16. Frenchy
    Member

    I asked the council about that crossing.

    At peak times it is linked to the Summerhall junction, and the maximum pedestrian/cyclist waiting time is 68s.

    At non-peak times the maximum pedestrian/cyclist waiting time is 20s.

    Justification for linking it to the Summerhall junction at peak times:

    "This is because, during the am and pm peak periods, the crossing is synchronised with the nearby junction at Summerhall to ensure co-ordination of the traffic flow and to prevent unnecessary delays to vehicles (including public transport). This also alleviates queuing through the junction, which can impair the safe use of the formal green man as pedestrians generally have to cross in between queuing vehicles."

    No mention of reducing "unnecessary delays" to pedestrians and cyclists, of course. I'll try and remember to respond soon.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  17. neddie
    Member

    Well done & thanks for finding this out, Frenchy

    Posted 5 years ago #

  18. Frenchy
    Member

    I suggested adding an extra pedestrian phase to the cycle at the Summerhall junction. They could then eliminate the enormous pedestrian wait times whilst keeping the crossing synchronised with the lights.

    I won't hold my breath.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  19. neddie
    Member

    Melville Dr. runs through a park for goodness sake. They shouldn't be encouraging huge volumes of traffic through there by prioritising the lights at Summerhall.

    As an anecdote, I know someone commuting by car from the Borders to Cannonmills who drives past Summerhall.

    Arrggh! Why? How is this even possible?

    Posted 5 years ago #

  20. Frenchy
    Member

    The toucan crossing on Buccleuch Terrace has been "unlinked" from the traffic lights at Summerhall for a trial period.

    So for now the longest anyone will have to wait to cross is 30s (at peak times) and 20s (off-peak, as before).

    Posted 5 years ago #

  21. gembo
    Member

    Was shouted at from a white van at Gillespie’s. X road. The driver going into town, me heading to Juni green. At the bit where 4 lanes turn into three, van stationary me pedalling like billy-o to make it into the one lane before the car behind me did.

    All worked out but apparently i need lights?

    My front light is of average brightness. Maybe my glove was obscuring it from the van two lanes to my right going the other way and not interacting with me in the slightest.

    I have three rear lights - rack, seat post, plastic hat.

    I am a little concerned that you now have to have the very. BRightest lights possible before it counts as having lights. Of course the driver did see me else she wouldn’t have shouted at me but that is by the by.

    Posted 4 years ago #

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