@CouncillorCowdy Scottish Conservative Councillor Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart Ward, Edinburgh
Yes he needs a thread!
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh
Cllr Christopher Cowdy latest
(9 posts)- Started 2 years ago by chdot
- Latest reply from boothym
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Posted 2 years ago #
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“
By far the most off-putting thing about cycling around Edinburgh is the condition of the roads.
#PotholeHell
“
https://mobile.twitter.com/CouncillorCowdy/status/1549443930957250560
Post got a LOT of responses, including -
“
Hi @CouncillorCowdy . We haven’t met yet but v happy to meet & talk through the issues raised in this thread, what was achieved in the last admin’n & why a focus on continued infrastructure improvement, as this, is so necessary to get more people choosing sustainable travel.
“
https://mobile.twitter.com/lmacinnessnp/status/1550018014984261633
Posted 2 years ago # -
“
Segregation generally not a good idea in society.
#PriorityCycleLanes“
https://mobile.twitter.com/CouncillorCowdy/status/1549696631515267072
Posted 2 years ago # -
I assume Cllr Cowdy isn't stupid, which means these tweets are simple attention seeking. As any parent will tell you, such behaviour is best ignored.
I am sure I read some research which concluded it really is a waste of time engaging with people fundamentally opposed to your point of view. You cannot change their minds through facts or reasoned arguments. Better to engage with those more open to persuasion.
Looks like the Edinburgh Tories really are going for five years of "owning the Libs" a la Trump. Instead of engaging, just take pleasure from the thought of them fuming at their phones as they are, yet again, ignored.
Posted 2 years ago # -
@M
Agree in general.
AND
" it's not Twitter that counts, it's the people that sent us here” said Boris yesterday
BUT
Twitterers reaction to Cowdy was quite strong - and polite - and argued coherently against his simplistic views
He does cycle and is on the T&E.
SO he’ll nuance his views (might even change them, like Cllr Macinnes did).
OR
5 years of entertainment!
Posted 2 years ago # -
@chdot - all very reasonable. I have said this before, but I really don't care how our politicians choose to travel. It's obviously a good thing when they choose to cycle, but it is what they do in the City Chambers that I am interested in.
There is something of a performative element to how certain Tories document their cycling. Sue Webber wearing a helmet to a Council meeting being the most ridiculous example. Many other Councillors cycle, I see Lesley MacInnes on her bike fairly regularly, but never make a fuss about it. While I am always happy to see someone cycling, I can't help but feel the Tory pictures and references to cycling on Twitter are simply an attempt to show there is no need for cycle infrastructure - or that substandard routes are all "useable". "If they can do it, so can anyone" being the implication.
There is also the "culture war" element to this. Certain parts of the Tory party actively want to stoke division on particular issues - cyclists vs. drivers unfortunately being one. Again, in my experience, this is largely performative - the people in question rarely believe half the nonsense they spout. It is simply a way to reinforce support and garner social media likes.
In essence - there are no minds to change here. This is a performance, not some battle of ideas. Simply let them post their nonsense without reply. I suppose some may be concerned that this leaves public debate to be dominated by one view point. However, the real heavy lifting is done behind the scenes by organisations like Spokes and supportive Council officers, not on twitter.
Just my point of view - perhaps I am just too much of a crusty old cynic.
Posted 2 years ago # -
@M
Again
Yes and…
None of this binary
Missed the Webber + helmet ‘event’, did she have a ‘point’ to make??
“
Many other Councillors cycle, I see Lesley MacInnes on her bike fairly regularly, but never make a fuss about it.
“
Well
Not that long since it was Andrew Burns and not many others. He did make something of it. He even went on a CCE ride along the notorious QBiC, blogged about it and managed to get NO improvements.
Lesley M made some significant chances in her views and ‘need to consider all road users’ in recent years.
She does now have an electric bike which is another change and, perhaps, makes her even more *passionate* about transport.
Or maybe it’s just the shock of being replaced by SA.
He of course makes a big deal of his high speed road cycling (what do you mean he speeds up his videos??!)
So maybe less fuss more understanding of infrastructure that encourages/puts off cycle use.
No doubt that a significant number of new CEC councillors are regular bike users. Some have young children too.
Ignoring idiots on Twitter is good advice, but when they spout rubbish AND are on T&E best to be challenging.
IMHO…
Posted 2 years ago # -
Regarding: "Segregation generally not a good idea in society", I do think that language matters, and I really don't like the 'segregated' term when it comes to cycling infrastructure, as it does have rather too many echoes of apartheid, etc, and also seems to inadvertently reinforce "us and them", or "out of sight, out of mind" thinking among drivers.
For what it's worth, I think that 'protected cycle lane' or 'cycleway' (if fully separate from the road) are better terms, without perhaps such negative connotations?
(Also, is Cllr Cowdy genuinely a (semi-)regular cyclist (in which case, maybe he can become enlightened), or was he just trying to score points with the (possibly hypothetical) cycle ride which was the inspiration for his tweet?
Posted 2 years ago # -
Would be remiss of me not to post the Lanark Road tweet that brought him to the attention of many.
https://twitter.com/CouncillorCowdy/status/1481588531998957569
It may well be a waste of time replying, though I suppose "debates" in general are more about influencing those watching on, than the actual person you're replying to if they're unlikely to change their mind.
I did have to point out that his own party's manifesto calls for "segregated cycle infrastructure"...
Posted 2 years ago #
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