no slight (sleight? dunno) perceived - all positive and I am very appreciative of your tireless work raising awareness of all this stuff... I get my news by pidgin.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Cycling News
East Preston Street (and other serious incidents involving bicycle riders)
(345 posts)-
Posted 3 years ago #
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I've often wondered if CEC can bill drivers who cause damage. It looks like they've trashed quite a bit of expensive signals equipment & bollards.
https://twitter.com/TheEdinburgNews/status/1278824063008456704/photo/1
Posted 3 years ago # -
Think the bill falls firstly to the insurer of the driver or car (in the case of it being stolen). If the driver is proven to be committing a criminal offence (as seems likely here), the insurer can pursue the driver personally for what it's had to pay out. Which would be nice...
Posted 3 years ago # -
The steel poles on Craigmillar Park have already been replaced.
Imagine what all this kit costs compared to a pop-up cycle lane. Be great if the car driver is pursued, but just the huge amount of investment in this stuff that's only necessary because cars.
(I picked up some BMW shrapnel for artistic purposes.)
Posted 3 years ago # -
An article by John McLellan with this infuriating paragraph:-
"“And in an era of angry protest, be it Scottish independence, Brexit, climate change and Black Lives Matter, often all four rolled into one, road safety and car use is up there too, and the bike accidents in the past ten days have sparked a new campaign led by cycling activists which unashamedly puts anger at its heart.”
What is this new campaign? One vigil, and folk on Twitter putting an E next to their twitter handles. No vandalising - which is done against cycling infrastructure, no constant flag waving, no obstruction of public transport. It's an absurd comparison.
https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/banning-cars-realistic-banning-kitchen-knives-john-mclellan-2903141He treats such road deaths as acts of God - while I imagine that different infrastructure in South Edinburgh, a cycling danger zone, could have prevented it - and got more people cycling.
According to Edinburgh Live:-
"A grassroots campaign by locals has called for urgent action to improve road safety for pedestrians and cyclists."
What/who is this "grassroots campaign"?
https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/edinburgh-council-examine-ways-improve-18539944
There seems to be fear that the Council might actually do something to curtail car movement/parking - "ban" is another piece of hysteria.
Posted 3 years ago # -
What a dumb article. He seems to suggest there are two options; ban cars or do nothing.
Posted 3 years ago # -
@mga - yes " it’s undeniable that more can always be done." - as if 90% had been done instead of 10% of cycling infrastructure, which is wading and sinking in a bog of consultations.
Posted 3 years ago # -
“What/who is this "grassroots campaign"?“
Well u no -
It’s the sort of people who take part in a peaceful, respectful, vigil - helped by a tiny number of people doing a good bit of organising.
What happens next is, as ever, unknown.
Either the (imagined) silent majority, with its self-appointed rabblerousers, will maintain the fantasy version of ‘the status quo is just fine’ OR people who want better will prevail.
“Enough is Enough” might finally overtake ‘my right to drive how I like, even if I occasionally hit people or street furniture’.
Time for some strong statements from politicians and police.
Fortunately I don’t think Cllr LM is going to back down because Cllr JM has a one trick platform in the EN.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Know your enemy. JM, NC, GB, SW all Nasty Party
Posted 3 years ago # -
I've contacted the Scotsman for a right to reply to the John McLellan article. Given he's bad mouthing my 'campaign' (goodness me, it was a thought that came to me in the shower on Thursday morning - and he's threatened enough by that to write an article?) I reckon I should have that right.
Also, yes, anger IS unashamedly at the heart of this. Anyone who isn't angry at the thought of a three year old being killed on the pavement has a cold cold heart.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Anger is an energy
I am angry at tory apologists paid by Oil Industry/Motor Industry
Posted 3 years ago # -
Some councillors have an incredible knack for being condescending whilst making factual errors and illogical arguments themselves.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Also, it’s pretty special for Macllelan to say that zero road deaths is an unachievable pipe dream while citing Norway’s good road safety record yet not mention Oslo had zero pedestrian or cyclist deaths last year.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Sorry WC didn’t realise he’d noticed an actual campaign.
Didn’t think it would be safe for me to read the article...
Assumed he was talking about the secret cabal that forced hundreds of people to meet at the crossroads one dark (mood) morning.
In addition to the two recent deaths there’s the mysterious incident at the start of this thread PLUS the high speed trafficlight demolition AND a crash in Corstorphine that almost involved a pedestrian.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
Actually enough is already too much.
Posted 3 years ago # -
So were the recent local deaths unacceptable to McLellan ?
No. They were random accidents, and the stats are good.
This, however...
Posted 3 years ago # -
“
Oslo Population (27 February 2020) Capital city, county and municipality
693,491———
Edinburgh Population (2016 and 2018) Capital city 488,050 – Locality 518,500 – Council Area
“
(Wikipedia)
Posted 3 years ago # -
"Assumed he was talking about the secret cabal that forced hundreds of people to meet at the crossroads one dark (mood) morning."
That's the thing, my little Twitter E thing was entirely separate to that as well. Just no research gone into it whatsoever.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Also one reason for low cyclists' deaths is low cycling activity because it is too unsafe to cycle. I would guess Dundee's stats reflect that.
@Wilmington's Cow - great if you could do that.
Posted 3 years ago # -
The Nasty Party seem very untroubled by facts
Posted 3 years ago # -
Posted 3 years ago #
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@gembo/bax
Not just the Tories. The National isn’t too impressed by cycling as a means of transport either.“ Bikes and cycling are perhaps easier said in principle than practice – they are not a perfect solution for carrying shopping or even an affordable purchase. Some have never been on the main road before. “
An affordable purchase? The microwave we buy weekly? The chair that it is a regular purchase? And why the “perfect solution”?. Why not a reasonable solution for everyday transport?
“Hiring provision in Edinburgh is expanding but doesn't that negate the issue or if people don't feel comfortable on the roads have never ridden before.”
On the roads with appalling infrastructure.
“Recently there's been widespread discussion, perhaps even romanticisation, about turning our cities into green pathways like other capitals in Europe.”
Why are Scottish cities not like other cities in Europe – and how the writer doesn’t want to say this with this “romanticisation” about practical measures that cities like Paris and Oslo take.
“For years there's been a growing demonisation of car users, either on environmental grounds or in an effort to make our cities friendlier to walking or cycling.”
War against motorists. It’s not “demonisation” to say that cars make cities unpleasant.
“This isn't to play into the argument that bike users should take a road safety test or pay road [tax] (that is a fight for another day).”
The National really should hire a sub-editor. Also a fact checker about “road tax”.
Great bit of cycling bingo.
Shopping for the large items which are mostly delivered these days.
What about the disabled?
Road tax
Licences for cyclists
Not everyone can cycle
War against motorists
https://www.thenational.scot/news/18560198.covid-19-unmitigated-disaster-peoples-transport-needs/Posted 3 years ago # -
The byline on that The National piece:
Alastair Stewart is a public affairs consultant with Orbit Communications. He regularly writes about politics and history with a particular interest in the life of Winston Churchill.An interest in Winston Churchill is fast becoming a reliable indicator for me to ignore whatever that individual has to say as it will more than likely get my back up.
Posted 3 years ago # -
@PS - especially when Churchill abolished the ear-marked road tax:-
Road tax, founded in 1909 to fund road-building, was already on the way out by 1926 when Chancellor of the Exchequer Winston Churchill is reported to have said in a memo [read it in a Churchill growl]:
"Entertainments may be taxed; public houses may be taxed… and the yield devoted to the general revenue. But motorists are to be privileged for all time to have the tax on motors devoted to roads? This is an outrage upon… common sense."
The Treasury got its way, of course, and the tax was folded into general funds.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23694438#:~:text=Road%20tax%2C%20founded%20in%201909,devoted%20to%20the%20general%20revenue.Posted 3 years ago # -
“
"The funeral will be this Thursday morning and is for private family only. The funeral cortege will be driving down Morningside Road at approximately 11am and family would like as many people as possible from local homes and businesses to the line the street and pay their respects as they pass."
“
https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/edinburgh-locals-urged-line-morningside-18554617
Posted 3 years ago # -
Reading that article brought tears to my eyes, as did the #toysforxander soft toy photos on Twitter... It looks like the procession was very well attended, although I find the concept of having people step into the road to throw roses onto a moving vehicle a little strange. Also, I can't help noticing that Nick Cook has been active on Twitter today, but I can't see any sign of his participation in either.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Article in the Evening News asking Councillors to show courage
I spoke with the reporter for a good 45 minutes, and to be fair, it's an accurate record (I tried to shift the focus to 'pedestrians first', but really the article was about cycling, so that's fair enough.
Especially as Tuesday's Scotsman should have an opinion piece in it (sort of in response to John McLellan, but actually avoiding mudslinging to show a much more positive side. They can carry on with the nastiness if they want.
Just too emotional today reading about Xander.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Was going fine until (my bold) -
“
Transport and Environment convener, councillor Lesley Macinnes, said: “We share the desire to improve and build upon our existing cycling infrastructure, and we’re still committed to delivering a range of projects that will expand the city’s network of cycling routes. Today at Policy and Sustainability Committee we’ll be discussing the next steps for the Cameron Toll to Edinburgh BioQuarter Active Travel Route, which will include a bi-directional segregated cycle lane on Old Dalkeith Road.
“
Sounds good. Is there room/will to do it properly?
Posted 3 years ago # -
@Wilmington's Cow - Good work!
Posted 3 years ago # -
well played, anth
Posted 3 years ago #
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