How long has this been here?
Are there more in this or other parks?
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
"Harrison Park Welcomes Responsible Cyclists"
(18 posts)-
Posted 12 years ago #
-
Can't really remember. Quite a few months at least. I like it, it is much more positive than the usual cyclists dismount/cyclists slow/cyclists are all scum type signs you get elsewhere.
I welcome cycling responsibly in Harrison Park.Posted 12 years ago # -
In at least one of the reported incidents in which a cyclist endangered pedestrians, the pedestrian was also a dedicated and intrepid cyclist (spokes founder member, cycled round the world, wrote a book about it, etc), off-bike simply because of a broken leg...
As chdot often reminds us, we are all also pedestrians
Posted 12 years ago # -
"As chdot often reminds us, we are all also pedestrians"
Do I?
Think I'm more pointing out that 'pedestrians' are even more under-catered for/ignored/despised than 'cyclists' - even though 'motorists' and 'politicians' are more likely to be 'pedestrians' than 'cyclists'.
But somehow the walking bit of their journey is disregarded - perhaps because it's (usually) the least pleasant(?)
But not always -
Posted 12 years ago # -
"Footfall figures for the city centre show an increase in pedestrians of 9.7 per cent for June 2011 compared with 2010, but retailers in the city centre are still observing a general reluctance to spend."
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/topstories/Retailers-pack-them-in-as.6830973.jp
Posted 12 years ago # -
Oh for crying out loud. Sales up 5.5% in Edinburgh (better than the 1.5% nationwide); pedestrian levels up 9.7%. And the tone of the article is basically at the end, 'so sales haven't increased as much as pedestrians'...
Seriously, do they honestly think that sales should go up in the same proportion as pedestrians? Or maybe this proves that pedestrians don't spend as much as those who have driven to the city centre? At least in the heads of the muppets who reckon no-one on foot buys things that'll be the view...
I always find the 'try getting a washing machine home on a bike' argument funny when people try to say that we shouldn't promote cycling in the city centres. For a start, how many people even with cars actually transport the washing machine home themselves? The office of made-up-statistics says that at least 90% get it delivered by the company from whom it is bought. And secondly how many such appliances are bought in the city centre rather than out-of-town shopping centres?
Grr, grr and more grr!
Posted 12 years ago # -
How many cars would a washing machine fit (in). I actually reckon you'd have more luck getting it home on a bike than in my car... bloody saloon cars....
/wanders off muttering
Posted 12 years ago # -
How often does anyone buy a washing machine anyway?
Posted 12 years ago # -
I haven't done a washing machine in the car but I could and I have done vertical and chest freezers, tumble driers, beds, wardrobes err... lots of stuff really.
It's a Volvo 940 wagon, last of the real Swedish beasts.
Posted 12 years ago # -
"Seriously, do they honestly think that sales should go up in the same proportion as pedestrians?"
See - "Shared space design increases footfall" -
Posted 12 years ago # -
Personally I would still like people to ding a bell if they are approaching from out of view as I always have my kids with me in the park.
Had a real blazing argument with a cyclist about this on the canal a while back. He moaned he couldn't win if he rang his bell he had people complaining. I said imho better to be complained at for ringing than not...Posted 12 years ago # -
"I said imho better to be complained at for ringing than not..."
And therein lies the problem. If he gets someone who doesn't like dinging bells he'd have the blazing argument if he had rung the bell and the anti-dinger could have said, "... imho better to be complained at for not ringing than ringing"
Why is it better to be complained at for one thing than the other? Either way he gets complained at, surely the cause of the complaint is therefore irrelevant?
Posted 12 years ago # -
Spytfyre is surely right here. Better to warn people who need warning and annoy those who don't, than to not warn people who need warning and risk danger to pedestrian., children, dog and cyclist?
(welcome back spytfyre!!)
Posted 12 years ago # -
But, if he's riding responsibly and saying 'excuse me' in place of the bell? He's still warning of the presence of a bike (and I've heard of people doing this and people complaining they didn't ding AND people who have dinged being complained at for not saying 'excuse me' instead).
Actually, general rule of thumb, if you're a cyclist then you can't win.
Posted 12 years ago # -
'try getting a washing machine home on a bike'
Easy. Use a bike trailer. Hell of a lot easier than trying to fit the thing into an average family car.
Actually, general rule of thumb, if you're a cyclist then you can't win.
Oh I don't know. Cruising nonchalantly past huge lines of idling cars in a traffic jam feels like a 'win'. Locking up right outside the shop instead of circling endlessly in some dreary car park searching for a space is another 'win'. The ability to turn instantly into a pedestrian and walk your bike on the pavement is another 'win'.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Why is it better to be complained at for one thing than the other?
As SRD says those that need warning say they have kids who might just suddenly wander over the path to look at something (like the water or a duck) in front of a cyclist who had not tinged @Anth (or even said "excuse me" which would also have been handy)
I recently found out at the canal celebration event that it IS 6mph for cyclists... Hardly worth bothering tbh, put some water skis on the wheels and go along the water instead?
Seriously though - using the argument "you can't win" is not only a lame cop out it is putting others at risk, I bet he exclaims in anger when someone's dog wanders out when he is appraoching from behind and it's not on a lead.
And you can win as @Crowriver (good username btw) says. If someone ranted at me for ringing my bell (which has never happend in all my years of canal use) I would happily stop to explain that "there are signs up which state we have to, so if they want to complain speak to British Waterways and that I would prefer to be warned when on foot with my kids thankyouverymuchhaveanicedaybyenowbyebye"(welcome back spytfyre!!)
@SRD I'm not back, I'm bored. There is a difference ;p it means I will be gone again next week when I am back in usual seat....Posted 12 years ago # -
"
christianwolmar:in meeting of canal users. Lots of hostility to cyclists cos of v big increase in users. Some go too fast. Intractable issue
Original Tweet: http://twitter.com/christianwolmar/status/111517940607750144
"
Posted 12 years ago # -
When I'm riding, I hate pedestrians meandering all over the place (and particularly dogs running out of control). Are they trying to make me crash?
When I'm walking, I hate cyclists who dare to be trying to use the same space as me. Either they try and beep me out of the way with their car-horn substitutes or give me a heart attack with their ninja silent approaches.
It seems like "sharing" means nobody can have the world exactly as they'd like it.
This sucks. Something must be done!
Posted 12 years ago #
Reply
You must log in to post.
posts
