#POP28 - so what do 'we' think? « CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum

CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Cycling News

#POP28 - so what do 'we' think?

(99 posts)

Started 12 years ago by chdot
Latest reply from cb

No tags yet.

12…4 Next »

chdot
Admin

I would be genuinely surprised if there were fewer than 3000.

It was wonderful on so many levels (it was even warmer at Holyrood than in The Meadows!)

It was good to hear an SNP MSP say he agreed with POP Manifesto - others have baulked at endorsing the bit that calls for more money.

Green and Labour MSPs most positive too.

Gordon Mackenzie most ebullient too - only 5 day until he is (probably) no longer responsible for Transport + Cycling at CEC.

Police obviously enjoyed themselves (cyclists aren't really difficult...) AND were most helpful/useful.

Things should only get better. SNP Government at Hollyrood really needs to embrace 'cycling' much more positively/holistically.

It's not just about Transport!

Come on Nicola, Alex, John, Keith - talk to each other, find "Preventative Spending" ways of encouraging walking and cycling which would actually make people healthier and happier and save money!

After next week's election the new CEC councillors really need to look at the way things are actually done - road surfaces, cycle paths, cycle training, traffic priorities etc. etc.

EDIT

This thread has a prequel -

http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6261

Posted 12 years ago #
ExcitableBoy
Member

Since it went so well - same again next week? ;-)

It must feel worth all the hard work for the main organisers - again, well done. Don't think it hurts to say that a few times.

Posted 12 years ago #
Min
Member

I think it really shows just how many people (voters) feel strongly about this. The Rangers march got more people but they are a specific group and probably pretty easy to galvanise. What else are they going to be doing on a Saturday afternoon anyway?

I really have a good feeling about this. It really feels as if something is happening at last. I think we have critical mass.

Posted 12 years ago #
ExcitableBoy
Member

In a few years time DaveC and Srd will be able to say to their children. "Do you remember the day we all pedalled on Parliament? when people used to drive cars inside the bypass?"

Posted 12 years ago #
Claggy Cog
Member

I agree with all of the above. I am absolutely delighted for the organisers that it went so well, with such a fantastic turnout. Many, many, many thanks for such a wonderful day. Everyone appeared to enjoy themselves. I have to say it was great to have a load of streets all to ourselves, even the cabbies outside of the hotel next to the Bank were chatting to us. Brilliant. A rough guesstimate would be 3,000. Well done to one and all!!

Posted 12 years ago #
minus six
Member

Very encouraging turn out. And it could have been many more -- I passed dozens heading out the road for a rural day out, while I was on my way in.

Its unlikely they were aware of the day's main event.

Next time, I'll get myself organezized enough to hand them flyers as I pass by.

Posted 12 years ago #
Instography
Member

I hope the folks who organised the ride today are thoroughly chuffed with themselves. It was a great day.

Posted 12 years ago #
tammytroot
Member

Great success. Congrats to all the organisers and marshalls. Our grandkids will thank us for what we did today.

Posted 12 years ago #
holisticglint
Member

Well done to all of the organisers. Hugely impressed by the turnout.

I got the impression that the police were a little surprised by the numbers since they started closing junctions on the mound only about halfway through.

Same again next year ?

Posted 12 years ago #
SRD
Moderator

I hope everyone who attended, and flyered and leafleted and generally encouraged others to come, is proud of themselves. All volunteer, run on a shoestring, and a lot of work by certain people behind the scenes, but the crucial point was that people WANTED to come out and they did. Now the hard part starts.

Posted 12 years ago #
crowriver
Member

It was a great day, with a fantastic turnout. I think if more cyclists had known about it, many more would have been there.

It felt like the start of something. Lots of comments from other parents on the ride saying how great it was, feeling empowered. I think that was partly just because we briefly took control of the streets: that is a powerful feeling that folk won't forget.

Coupled with the big demo in London, this was an important day for cycle campaigning. Certainly it has been a great achievement for the Pedal On Parliament organising team.

I suppose the big question is, what happens next? What will the reaction be from government, the new council in Edinburgh, etc. ?If it's the same platitudes as have been trotted out to the press prior to event (by ministers), what then?

Posted 12 years ago #
riffian
Member

What a fantastic day!

I knew it was going to be big when I bumped into what I presume was the Harrison Park feeder ride. The bike cops stopped the (motorised) traffic so what must have been a hundred plus riders could cross Melville Drive. I had a tear in my eye!

I was towards the back of the ride so had a fair old wait to get going. When we did the atmosphere was brilliant with non stop choruses of 'Daisy Daisy', an (Abridged) Bohemian Rhapsody, and Wheels on the Bike go round and round etc! It certainly got the peds smiling!

Well done to all those here that made it happen. One minor gripe was the police failing to keep motor vehicles out of the bikes on George IV Bridge. A dangerous situation if some nutter gets impatient. I think the bike cops were toiling with the numbers who turned out - more motorised cops were arriving to assist with traffic management as we crossed North Bridge.

The biggest ever gathering of cyclists in Scotland?

Posted 12 years ago #
LaidBack
Member

Untitled by LaidBackBikes, on Flickr

Untitled by LaidBackBikes, on Flickr

POP cafe group by LaidBackBikes, on Flickr

Untitled by LaidBackBikes, on Flickr

Trikes at shop by LaidBackBikes, on Flickr

Posted 12 years ago #
cb
Member

Great afternoon! Amazing to see such a long line of cyclists at the start. We joined the 'queue' about half way along the flat MMW section.

Felt very professionally organised, as if the guys in the blue tabards do this for a living.

Thank you to all who took a part in organising.

Posted 12 years ago #
TwoWheels
Member

Color me jealous.

Posted 12 years ago #
bluejeangirl
Member

I second that.

Sounds like it was a great turn out, I'm sad to have been stuck in work!

Posted 12 years ago #
wee folding bike
Member

Hauling a trailer with a 5 and 8 yr old in it across the grass in the Meadows using Kojak slicks wasn't one of my smarter ideas.

Boys got cold waiting, number 2 son was wearing my fleece on top of his own.

I should have given them cutlasses to go with the flag.

Posted 12 years ago #
chdot
Admin

(Some of) what anth thinks -

http://www.blipfoto.com/entry/1947143

And 'Joe Bloggs' (founder of blipfoto)

And Instography

Plus previous mentions -

http://www.blipfoto.com/browse/search/?q=POP28

Posted 12 years ago #
chdot
Admin

What Spokes thinks -

http://www.spokes.org.uk/wordpress/2012/04/pop-phenomenon

"
Not only the biggest ever cycling demonstration in Scotland, but MSPs told us it was probably the biggest ever demonstration on any subject to take place in the public arena outside the Scottish Parliament.

"

Posted 12 years ago #
Uberuce
Member

Felt very professionally organised, as if the guys in the blue tabards do this for a living. In some respects I do - afterschool care for the 4-12 age range, so I've got practice in the art of screaming at the top of your voice but sounding calm.

I volunteered to ask folk to stay on the cyclist side of MMW for that reason, and sauntered down with the organic megaphone spreading the word. One of yesterday's highlights was looking back on the path and seeing that, almost miraculously quickly, it had gone from utter chaos to neat wee line just because I'd asked nicely. Good work, cyclists.

Posted 12 years ago #
wee folding bike
Member

Boys had the Flip in the trailer and came up with this. It might not be my most flattering angle. You can tell number 2 son is mine, his bike has mudguards.

http://youtu.be/Brz_dBQvfXk

Posted 12 years ago #
cc
Member

Thank you everyone for a magnificent occasion.

And this picture is just fabulous:

https://secure.flickr.com/photos/blackpuddinonnabike/7122530507/

Posted 12 years ago #
Min
Member

A nice selection of photographs on Demotix (which I have never heard of before). A few familiar faces in there.

Posted 12 years ago #
Smudge
Member

I think it is awesome, I'm choked I couldn't be there and yet pleased to have done a tiny teeny bit by flyering like a nutter :-)
Organisers, kick back, have a beer/wine, enjoy the wholly deserved praise. WELL DONE from all of us!

It certainly marks a shift in the way cycling will be seen, be sure to mention it in every communication with politicians in future, 3,000 ordinary people cared enough to vote with their ~~feet~~ pedals (thanks Dave!), many more couldn't attend but wanted to, that's a lot of votes, and apparently the London one was even bigger :-o
Min said, "tipping point", if we're not at it, we are teetering on the balance point B-)

To the Politicians, and government, from here on in, cycling "matters" :-)

Posted 12 years ago #
cb
Member

Middle Meadow Walk by ccbb7766, on Flickr

Middle Meadow Walk by ccbb7766, on Flickr

Middle Meadow Walk by ccbb7766, on Flickr

Panda on Parliament by ccbb7766, on Flickr

Royal Mile by ccbb7766, on Flickr

Bike stand by ccbb7766, on Flickr

Photographing by ccbb7766, on Flickr

Posted 12 years ago #
cb
Member

Get on your bike

Posted 12 years ago #
DaveC
Member

@Smudge, we didn't vote with our feet but with our pedals!

Posted 12 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"pleased to have done a tiny teeny bit by flyering"

REALLY made a difference.

I met someone I know there who lives with someone 'well connected' to the 'bike world' who only knew because her bike had been tagged!

Would be interesting to know (roughly) how many bikes got leafletted/carded.

In some ways the turnout was a bigger version of CCE - all sorts of people with a general interest in cycling as an activity - or just a convenient way of getting around - and a definite interest in making things better!

Posted 12 years ago #
Smudge
Member

@Dave, fixed ;-))

Posted 12 years ago #
freewhwheelin
Member

@ election times ?

Posted 12 years ago #