CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!

There aren't many cyclists ergo we shouldn't do anything to encourage more

(30 posts)
  • Started 12 years ago by Wilmington's Cow
  • Latest reply from Dave

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  1. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Another EEN comment:

    "On several occasions, on my drive home, I've made a point of counting the number cyclists I pass on my way either to or from work in the city centre and my home at Moredun in the South of the city. The most I have counted is 6. Try it for yourself. 6 is not very many. In fact it is pathetic if the policy is to encourage more people to cycle. Edinburgh is too hilly, windy and wet. Cycling is too dangerous, and almost impossible to transport goods of any size or weight. Cycle paths are few and far between. For those reasons I'll stick to driving to work."

    This is logic that baffles me. Yes, there aren't many cyclists now (though I'd be stunned if it was only 6...) and therefore we shouldn't try to encourage more because... there aren't very many...

    Actually, maybe the reason he only sees 6 is because he's counting the cyclists he passes, and not all the others that pass him in the queue of traffic.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  2. Dave
    Member

    If the average speed of cyclists and drivers was the same, loosely speaking and with a lot of assumptions, you wouldn't see any going your way, since they'd be holding either before or abaft you...

    Must be more than 6 though, as I see twice that many before I'm halfway home.

    In fact, I'm going to count!

    Posted 12 years ago #

  3. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Ditto! (bet I don't see many tonight).

    Posted 12 years ago #

  4. ARobComp
    Member

    I will count too. Post route and number. Same for commute in tomorrow please chaps.

    (PS I'm west-end, grassmarket, cowgate home then tomorrow am meadows, lothian road, west end and manor place)

    Posted 12 years ago #

  5. custard
    Member

    when I was on a 0430 start,I would see at least 2
    so thats 3 at dark o clock

    Posted 12 years ago #

  6. steveo
    Member

    I'm going along the canal and lose count when i need to take my shoes off.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  7. Mabs
    Member

    Including Edinburgh being too hilly is an instant fail. I don't find it hilly at all irrespective of where I go. Too wet? He clearly doesn't realise we are in a rain shadow and get half the rainfall west gets.
    EEN comments really do keep me distracted from my studies. Pure entertainment.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  8. Nelly
    Member

    Tonight, coming home from Edinburgh Park at 5.30 - I saw 6 commuters even before I hit Makro.

    EEN comments are amusing in a Zoo like way.

    Cyclist numbers are definitely rising, and not just in the meadows/marchmont/sciennes epicentre.

    Suspect this week, weatherwise, is a lot of peoples start of the cycling year - certainly was in our changing rooms this morning.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  9. SRD
    Moderator

    was on a bus going through tollcross tonight and amazed at how many bikes I saw, mostly heading towards melville drive and down gilmore place

    Posted 12 years ago #

  10. Uberuce
    Member

    *looks at where Moredun is*

    From there to the centre and he saw only 6? I call epic BS or I call the cops and have him done for 'without due care. Rest of his post inconsequential.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  11. DaveC
    Member

    Cool. I'll count on my way to and from work tomorrow. I come into St Andrew Sq from Spagety Bay in Fifedom.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  12. Dave
    Member

    I got to 20 by the time I hit Canonmills, and added another 30 on the way through town to hit a total of 50, not including self - so 51 really.

    Note that I included cyclists I overtook, cyclists coming the other way and cyclists, other - by which I mean, people on the pavement pushing bikes, locking bikes, and so on (on the basis that they didn't get there without riding it at some point). Obviously I didn't include parked bikes on their own, otherwise it would have been vastly higher.

    That's 10 per mile. I guess it's not very many at all when you consider there are probably 50 or 100 cars in the same distance.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  13. Dave
    Member

    I tried to do this again on the way in, but forgot, so I reached 20, but counted nobody between Causewayside and Canonmills.

    I'd expect it would be quieter in the morning because the flow of people getting into work is more dispersed, but now that I write it down, I'm not sure why the opposite wouldn't be the case, and wonder if I made it up!

    Posted 12 years ago #

  14. DaveC
    Member

    I cycled in from the Kingdom and counted 8 up until Cramond Brig, then the total reached 29 by the time I got to work not including myself, so 30.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  15. wingpig
    Member

    There's probably some traffic-flow-modelling study somewhere comparing the width of morning and evening rush-hours. Might people bimble more and take more roundabout routes on their bicycles in the evening when there's less be-at-work-by time-pressure?

    Forgot to try and count yesterday evening on a long-way-back ride home but it was probably about thirty. Eleven on the shortest way in this morning, only counting people on the roads which immediately concerned me.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  16. gembo
    Member

    The EEN comment that sparked our mass observation technique is contrary in the first sentence. Commentator remarks on several occasions on my drive home, then he/she says on way to or from work. Already I am asking what is he/she talking about?

    I have more variation in my routes home than my routes to work for sure. Different hill to the one to more dun but guess same sort of possibilities to get round it. Edinburgh very dry in several ways.

    The commentator can count to six so we could try to persuade him/her that it is actually very wise to invest in cycling as petrol will be two pund a litre shortly.

    Fair weather and half term traffic reduction is coaxing out the summer time cyclists and that is who we start with to convince they should keep going all the time. Light at back of five last night

    Posted 12 years ago #

  17. ARobComp
    Member

    I was at the gym last night and again this morning so it doesnt count particularly (except that when I arrived at the gym last night there were at least 30+ bikes parked outside)

    So I didnt do my normal commute either way.

    This morning though I came through cowgate/grassmarket to west end and then across by Frasers to Ferry road (dismounted ofc) In the two minutes between King stables road and Ferry road between like 9:10-12
    I counted at least 10 - I also did dismounted but not parked.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  18. DaveC
    Member

    ARobComp "This morning though I came through cowgate/grassmarket to west end and then across by Frasers to Ferry road (dismounted ofc) In the two minutes between King stables road and Ferry road between like 9:10-12"

    Wow 2 mins from KSR to Ferry road? I'm impressed!

    Posted 12 years ago #

  19. chdot
    Admin

    "Wow 2 mins from KSR to Ferry road? I'm impressed!"

    Helicopter or -

    'ferry Street.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  20. chdot
    Admin

    Related thread - Engaging with the enemy

    Posted 12 years ago #

  21. recombodna
    Member

    I'm surprised someone from moredun can count past 5 let alone identify a cyclist without the aid of a helper.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  22. ARobComp
    Member

    ALRIGHT - I was a bit tired when I posted that. Queensferry street! I was not on my hover-bike.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  23. Uberuce
    Member

    On my piddly Comiston Road/Balcarres/Ashley Terrace run I saw 18.

    If I restrict the count to people that I had need to see, ie on the same road or at junctions, then I can exclude 5.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  24. Dave
    Member

    I counted only 21 on the whole commute in this morning - but, yesterday I reached 36 cycling up the Roseburn to Maplin alone.

    Definitely a lot more action in the evening..

    Posted 12 years ago #

  25. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    I keep forgetting to count, but remembered as I waited at a crossroads to get onto Queen Street this morning. Just waiting for the lights to change there were 15 cyclists either waiting at the lights or passing through...

    Posted 12 years ago #

  26. cb
    Member

    I saw six other cyclists over four miles this monring, Morningside to Corstorphine. 07:15 - 07:35 so fairly early.

    - 4 male; 1 female; (the other I didn't notice)
    - 2 jumped red lights, another gambled the amber, but only just (I would probably have done the same but I'd also have cycled a lot faster to clear the junction)
    - 1 cycled on the pavement (this was just after she had nervously gone through red; pavement cycling was possibly to avoid right hand turn into Ogilvie Terrace which might be scary for some I guess).

    Posted 12 years ago #

  27. ARobComp
    Member

    I saw 4 people cycling on the pavement at the west end - none aggressively but it still looks bad dunnit?

    I gave them all a stern look although I think they thought I was mad as I was in shorts and just a shirt this morning. I think I had a slight fever and thought it was hot. Turns out I'm just a bit ill...

    Posted 12 years ago #

  28. amir
    Member

    ... and you are still going for a spin session - that's commitment

    Posted 12 years ago #

  29. holisticglint
    Member

    There were 3 of us negotiating Sheriffhall roundabout this morning - one on the path, one on the road and one doing a combo

    Posted 12 years ago #

  30. Dave
    Member

    First commute back, counted again - this time a whopping 58!

    At this rate of increase I'll need an extra set of fingers and toes... errr!

    Posted 12 years ago #

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