CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh

It's quicker by bike

(8 posts)

  1. kaputnik
    Moderator

    I thought it might be interesting to have a thread with examples of it being "quicker by bike".

    Here followes mine from this morning.

    I was coming along Melville Drive about 950, so traffic fairly light (had been waiting in for delivery, good on DPD, texted at 840-ish to say 943-1043 for delivery, arrived 0946). Anyway, was passing International Bar and heard a siren approaching, freewheeled a bit until I could see what was approachign, saw a Police car doing blues and twos so pulled in to let it past. Once it was past I filtered up to front at lights at Tollcross. Police car got stuck and had to take the wrong lane and toot the horn on top of the siren to make a path. It went past the fire station, lights turned green and I followed it. It went left at end of Ponton Street, honking horn to get cars out the way again. I went right, down Semple Street then left and down Morrison Street. Came past the end of Gardner's Crescent to find myself ahead of the Police car again! So slowed again to let it pass it then went down the cycle lane to get down Morrison Street and then up Dalry, but because of the one way contraflow couldn't get up there! Lights changed and I passed the Police car heading for Haymarked as it moved off again when the bus that had blocked it could move on.

    So in light traffic it seems a bike is faster getting from Melville Drive to Haymarket than a Police car with lights and sirens on!

    Posted 13 years ago #

  2. Stepdoh
    Member

    On a friday mid morning, Bangor Road, Leith to Earthy on Causewayside for an expensive bacon roll.

    Helped wife load two kids into car then we set both set off, slightly different routes (I went through Pilrig Park and cut through at chambers street, all legal though) paths crossed several times, and we were level at middle of McDonald Road and the top of Leith Street.

    I won by 30 secs :) Only hampered by the utterly USELESS bike rack at the otherwise great earthy. Out of sheer badness/show offedness I was putting a bit of effort in :) Daughter was very amused to see me zipping past.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  3. SRD
    Moderator

    agree on useless bike rack at earthy.

    OffTopic - do a lot of people with cars do this? ie go same place but some in cars and some not?

    Posted 13 years ago #

  4. Mabs
    Member

    Caledonian Crescent (right next to underpass) to King's Building is quicker on a bike than car. Bike varies between 10.30 to 12 or so mins and driving varies from 15 (rare event) up to 30.
    Granted routes do vary slightly between the two but cycling has more hills!

    Posted 13 years ago #

  5. DaveC
    Member

    I rode in to PY for morning tea with the usual suspects this morn and kept up with an X48 from the Park n Ride at the Airport all the way to Haymarket. It turned off where traffic is prohibited and I jumped off the bike to jog through the road works & pedestrian alleyways.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  6. Nelly
    Member

    Was driving last night, left lochside crescent, gyle, same time as a friend who was on his velocipede. We were side by side at murrayfield stadium.

    Traffic was actually pretty light at 4.30 as well, so not as if I was dawdling in the car.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  7. wingpig
    Member

    A few times when my parents have been up visiting I've biked somewhere whilst they were driven, mostly out of obstinacy but once when my sister was up too there wasn't space for five adults and a childseat. They beat me to Jupiter Artland but I beat them to Dobbies.
    Several years ago I got from Matalan at Seafield to Matalan at Longstone a few seconds faster than my wife in a car.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  8. Dave
    Member

    I've never managed to get from the King's Buildings to Ocean Terminal by car faster than I've done it by bike.

    Going the other way is a different story though. It's pretty rare for me to get back under 30 minutes while I'd expect it to be around 25 in the car.

    Posted 13 years ago #

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