CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Events, rides etc.
"So lets ride on Hollyrood on the 28th of April"
(63 posts)-
Posted 12 years ago #
-
I can make that!
Posted 12 years ago # -
Sounds good!
Posted 12 years ago # -
Count me in.
Posted 12 years ago # -
I think I might just shift my ass for this...
Posted 12 years ago # -
Hi Guys,
Thanks for the positive replies! There is a lot to organise before then, so if anyone has any spare time and is interested in helping, please contact me, either via my blog (contact me page) or via twitter @magnatom
I think we could send a strong message if we come out in numbers. Tell your friends to keep the 28th April free. Families as well as lycra louts....like myself! :-)
Posted 12 years ago # -
I think this is a good idea - but I do not think Saturday 28 April is a good date. There will be precisely no politicians, political staff or media types in the Parliament on a Saturday.
Best times to catch politicians and attendant media are a Wednesday evening, when they all stay over in Edinburgh for business on a Thursday, or a Thursday lunch time (1230 onwards) right after First Ministers' Questions - when there is always a full house.
Saturday is a bad day to gain media attention - as there are fewers journos about and the focus is on sport rather than hard news.
Posted 12 years ago # -
It's in my calendar now too.
Posted 12 years ago # -
"I think this is a good idea - but I do not think Saturday 28 April is a good date"
All very good points, though conversely a weekend may be when more people can actually get along to something like this. I have to admit my first thought was, 'finally, a Saturday...' after not being able to go along to things, or only making fleeting appearances, due to work/location/time not being in alignment.
Posted 12 years ago # -
@morningsider @anth etc
Shall we lobby our MSPs and see if we can get them out there?
Posted 12 years ago # -
We had a good crowd at the recent protest. However on a Saturday it should be far bigger. Getting the press there is as important as having MSPs there.
Posted 12 years ago # -
SRD - not a bad idea. My concern is that, at best, we would get a couple of local Edinburgh MSPs along. I know the alternative times I have suggested will not suit lots of people - but they do have the advantage of being when both politicians and media are actually in the Parliament.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Glad to see there's such a positive response to this idea. I'm definitely up for helping out (as I've told Dave / magnatom) but we'll need people on the ground to suggest routes and arrange for things like marshalling. I'll do what I can from Dumfries...
The date is driven by the need to coordinate with the London one - which will give it more impact in the press (even if there aren't any actual politicians there). Getting politicians along for the ride would be even better though
Posted 12 years ago # -
oh, and also if we want people to come from outside Edinburgh then a weekend would be much better. It would be good to make this a national thing
Posted 12 years ago # -
What's the better outcome? - a few MP/MSP/MEPs/councillors turning up and giving us the "we understand, we are listening, money's a bit tight don't you know" speech because it's a weekday.
Or... getting the maximum number of people cycling to Holyrood and taking some great photographs of them outside it to show a strength of opinion by picking a day that is the most accessible to cyclists nationally (not just Edinburgh) and also for those of us with full time and inflexible work / childcare / family sort of commitments.
I think it's the latter personally and more would be achieved with a big turnout than a small turnout received by some of the more sympathetic officials.
Posted 12 years ago # -
I can see the issue with a weekend ride, but I agree with kaputnik. However, it is even more fundamental than that. We want families to come along. That is very important, as we want to push for infrastructure that children and experienced cyclists would all want to use, i.e. Dutch style. So if we want families, it needs to be a weekend.
Would you take your children riding on the streets you do? If not, it needs to be changed. :-)
Posted 12 years ago # -
"i.e. Dutch style"
I think 'we' need to be careful here!
LCC has Love London Go Dutch and there's plenty of talk about Copenhagenize.
I don't want to start a whole debate on 'segregated infrastructure' in this thread.
Better Infrastructure is needed in Edinburgh (and elsewhere) but if it was miraculously possible to parachute Euro-style perfection, it wouldn't necessarily work.
Amsterdam and Copengagen (etc.) have been doing things incrementally for over 20 year - with high levels of political and voter support (now if not initially).
I don't think Edinburgh should try to Go Dutch or Copenhagenize it should be a better Edinburgh!
This needs a new thread!
Posted 12 years ago # -
"This needs a new thread!"
It also needs a really good catchphrase along the lines of 'better edinburgh'. 'love london go dutch' is good because of the positive implications and the pun and the alliteration. Can we come up with some equally good pro-cycling pro-edinburgh slogans? (and posters and tshirts?)
Posted 12 years ago # -
"This needs a new thread!"
(and a catchphrase or two)
Posted 12 years ago # -
Get on yer bikes, tae Dumbiedykes.
Nothing to do? Join the biking crew!
Want to save a pound? Make your wheels go round!
This is the answer to your ills - just cycle Edinburgh's streets and hills.
- I'll get my coat (or reflective cycling jacket)
Posted 12 years ago # -
Absolutely agree that change needs to be incremental and specific to Scottish needs. That will be in the manifesto, which will be fairly general. Decisions about exactly what to do will come later. The Dutch is example of what can be done with political will.
As for slogan, I thought....Scotland needs Dutch Courage. :-) Just a thought.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Oh, and remember, this is for Scotland not just Edinburgh!
Posted 12 years ago # -
"Oh, and remember, this is for Scotland not just Edinburgh!"
Another reason the slogan thing needs a new thread - a slogan is for life not just Easter.
Posted 12 years ago # -
"As for slogan, I thought....Scotland needs Dutch Courage. :-) Just a thought."
Subject to all the above, that's quite suitable for this event!
Still need one for Edinburgh - and a new thread.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Though of course some people might think that the original meaning of Dutch Courage might be unsuitable in Scotland.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Might not be an ideal slogan for attracting the official presence of any decision-makers.
It's unfortunate that some simple epithets of nationality, when applied to cycling, now initially make me think of nippy, dogmatic people. Ideally,at this stage, the message should simply be about improving lives through increasing cycling without weighting it towards any particular existing paradigm.
Posted 12 years ago # -
"
Would you take your children riding on the streets you do? If not, it needs to be changed. :-)
"
"
Photomap (cycling/transport images on map) » A cycling family braves the 6 lane A34 in Manchester. (photo #15943)
http://www.cyclestreets.net/location/15943/Posted 12 years ago # -
Given the pedal bike was (allegedly) invented in Scotland by Kirkpatrick Macmillan, how about 'Bringing Cycling Home'? Why should those Dutch folk have all the fun?
Posted 12 years ago # -
It's coming home
It's coming home
It's coming
Cycling's coming home
(x4)Bicyclists seems to know the score
They've seen it all before
They just know
They're so sureThat Scotland's gonna
Throw it away
Gonna drive it away
So we've come here today
Cos' we will cycle onThree feet of cyclepath
Lane filled by a Beemer
Truck blindspots of hurt
Model cycle city dreamingSo many pokes, so many jeers
But all those oh so nears
Wear you down
Through the yearsBut I still see that
Hour time by Obree
And Hoy jumping clear
Robert Millar beating the hill
Those pedals dancingThree feet of cyclepath
Lane filled by a Beemer
Truck blindspots of hurt
Model cycle city dreamingI know that's not now
But it could be an then..It's coming home
It's coming home
It's coming
Cycling's coming home
(x4)Three feet of cyclepath
Lane filled by a Beemer
Truck blindspots of hurt
Model cycle city dreaming
(repeat to fade)Posted 12 years ago # -
quiet day in the office?
Posted 12 years ago #
Reply »
You must log in to post.
posts
