CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting

How to render an ASL useless

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

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  1. Wilmington's Cow
    Member


    Untitled by blackpuddinonnabike, on Flickr

    The same thing on three of the four entrances to a crossroads just down from my house. Completely removing any utility of the ASLs involved - and no reason at all that the temporary lights couldn't be further back (the island is only on this one of the three examples, and the lights could be further left as well as back to provide the gap for traffic).

    It's small. Tiny. But it's just the wee things like this that highlight how little the cyclist is considered in the day to day running of the roads in Edinburgh.

    I went out after dark to move them back (yes, really, well I've moved signs blocking cycle lanes before, why not temporary lights?) and they were packed away for the night. Cheated I was. Pah.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  2. Instography
    Member

    If the lights were further back and you were in the ASL (in front of the lights) how would you know when it was your turn? Or do you mean further forward?

    Posted 12 years ago #

  3. kaputnik
    Moderator

    For what it's worth I think this is Standard practice - all the lights in Gorgie / Dalry for the carriageway resurfacing have been arranged thus. All they need is the "wait here" sign in that position and the lights a few metres further forward - or keep the lights where they are and push the sign 5m further back, to create a new AS zone.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  4. gembo
    Member

    Cycled on the new Tarmac in Gorgie yesterday. Not quite open yet but it was quiet so I carefully gave it a go. Could be good, dependent on how many cars park in the cycle/bus lane. Alternatively it could just be the same chaos but with slightly better surface

    Posted 12 years ago #

  5. Min
    Member

    Yes it is standard practise, they do it every single bloody time. I am amazed you have never come across it before but I suppose you don't have to cycle through roadworkmageddon every single day for years upon years..

    Posted 12 years ago #

  6. Instography
    Member

    Saw one done properly this morning - lights and 'wait here' sign at the end of the ASL rather than in it - but I was well past it before I realised. If I remember I'll get a photo on my way home.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  7. Nelly
    Member

    This thread could be duplicated in many ways - i.e. How to render a cycle path useless (by parking your Crummock vans right across it at bromhouse, by dumping fencing in it, by not gritting it in winter etc etc etc).

    Lots of this can be filed under the heading - 'unintended consequences'. I dont think there is a real policy of annoying us, rather that certain people (and I am picking out roads/trams contractors here, but not an exclusive club) simply dont consider bikes - at all.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  8. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    "I am amazed you have never come across it before..."

    Erm. Come across it loads! Just last night I decided to stop and take the photie.

    "I dont think there is a real policy of annoying us..."

    Never suggested it was!

    "rather that certain people .... simply dont consider bikes - at all"

    Yip, when I said "... it's just the wee things like this that highlight how little the cyclist is considered in the day to day running of the roads in Edinburgh"

    "Or do you mean further forward?"

    T'was a spatial conundrum whether to say 'forward' or 'back'. I think what went through my head was that to move them I'd be dragging, and therefore going backwards, and psychologically that just convinces me that it's 'back'. But in answer to the question: yes.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  9. DaveC
    Member

    Come on WC, we're hoping to see some gueriller moving of the lights back to the cycle stop line!!!

    Posted 12 years ago #

  10. Uberuce
    Member

    I was tempted to guerilla-shift the one by Ardmillan Terrace last Friday - more so than I think I would have been normally, since I'd just been asked if 'it was okay to park here'. I said I'd prefer if he didnt since it was a bike lane, but I didn't think it was illegal.

    Wish I'd omitted the last part, since he then studiously ignored me as he debated with his lady friend whether they might as well. Which they did.

    I doubt he would have known what I was talking about, so I didn't mention that he was essentially re-enacting a Bikeyface strip.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  11. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    I'm not averse to a bit of guerilla shifting. Done plenty of signs and cones and the like.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  12. fimm
    Member

    I once moved a sign that was blocking half the pavement near Haymarket. I moved it from the narrow bit of pavement to the wide bit near the old bike racks. Why it wasn't put there in the first place is anyone's guess. It isn't just cyclists that are not thought about when placing signs for motorists...

    Posted 12 years ago #

  13. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    No, bizarre isn't it. Signs quite happily placed all over the place for cars taking space away from cyclists and pedestrians. Especially weird when the sign is warning of a road narrowing or the like where the drivers are going to have to shift position anyway. Why not do it at the sign??!

    Posted 12 years ago #

  14. MV
    Member

    When I was still living in Oxford we had signs like these at temporary traffic lights. So one stop sign for cars and a few meters later another one for cyclists. (Lights would be after the second sign obviously.)


    (edit: sorry I don't know how to limit the width of an image...)

    Posted 12 years ago #

  15. LaidBack
    Member

    The regular Sunday parker kept out of asl and parked on the nice newly painted bike lane instead. That's legal/normal on a Sunday though.

    I reckon someone else was parked there in front of him/her and has driven off leaving car in the legal postion...


    Most consistent Sunday parker 2012 by LaidBackBikes, on Flickr

    I actually find his parked car useful though as it encourages me to take the lane for the difficult right turn.... Parked cars and bikes working together in perfect harmony;-)

    Posted 12 years ago #

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