CityCyclingEdinburgh was launched on the 27th of October 2009 as "an experiment".
IT’S TRUE!
CCE is 15years old!
Well done to ALL posters
It soon became useful and entertaining. There are regular posters, people who add useful info occasionally and plenty more who drop by to watch. That's fine. If you want to add news/comments it's easy to register and become a member.
RULES No personal insults. No swearing.
At some time (can't remember) three years ago today this thing went live.
From first post -
"
The aim of this site is to attract a wide range of people who have something to do with bicycles - keen or casual.
In addition it is hoped that CCE will be useful to people new to cycling and those still thinking about riding a bike in or around the city.
"
Seems to have worked.
Yeah, as a new member I can confirm it's working!
I've only had a bike for a year (cyclescheme) and it's been a steep learning curve but I've enjoyed reading some informative posts on here - and some great rants and debates!
The only thing I don't enjoy is reading about the accidents, Edinburgh needs to change and become a safer place to cycle. Though I prefer to be off road anyway.
Thanks chdot. And everyone else. I thought I was quite an experienced cyclist, but I have learned a lot on the forum. And made a lot of new friends. here's one i wrote earlier..
Happy birthday! and many happy returns.
Thanks SRD.
"but I have learned a lot on the forum"
I don't think you are alone.
As your blog shows - the unexpected consequences of CCE are many and various!
"
We wouldn't have done half the things we've done as a family without the gentle prodding from CCE-ers, who don't think going on holiday by bike with kids is crazy. We also wouldn't have our much-loved tandem, and I don't know how we would have managed to get around the past year - certainly my schedule would have been nearly impossible. We also probably wouldn't have found out about balancebikes and islabikes, which have so helped K. 'find her wheels'. Yes, there are useful books, and you can go on training courses, but honestly, I don't know how people sustain life as cyclists without the sort of support we've gotten from CCE.
"
I had an almost entirely CCE-based day, now that I think of it.
10ish: went to replace the phone I drowned in the canal but because of CCE didn't purchase one. The model I'm after wasn't in stock and none of the other cheapo phones there do Twitter well, which is now a must so I'm not out of touch on CCE meets.
11-ish: went to Laid Back Bikes to blether, look at the dark side and see if Dave was finished with an SD card I lent him.
12-ish: went to The Bike Chain to fix an issue with a bike I had settled on and sized in the first place thanks to a test ride from Instography and advice from here. I wonder if I'd ventured as far north in terms of shops if it hadn't been for CCE and TBC being chums, given I'm so much closer to the Bruntsfield Bike Shop Pile-up..
13-sh: my To-Do list effectively done, I detoured from the efficient route home to see if Ruggtomcat was kicking about, which as it happens he was, then wandered about having a natter until showtime, where I was unwittingly spotted by Mrs Nelly and Mini-Nelly. If they were there for the start, they might recoginise me as the fuzzy half of the human archway that RTC made his dramatic entrance from.
15-ish: went for a spin on the CCE-inspired Croix to test out the leg and arm warmers I'd bought in TBC, having been impressed by their ilk at East Fortune with Darkerside and also reading a thread that recommended them here.
19.39: submitted this post.
"19.39: submitted this post."
Day over...
23.51: caught up on CCE posts.
23.52: remembered about handy item for Mr U
23.53: posted link to handy item
23.54: realise if specs were not made of steel (stainless or otherwise) link now redundant
Ho hum
Titanium, but thank you.
Happy anniversary! I came to CCE later, but it's always an interesting and relevant read. It's motivated me to make my first contact with MPs/MSPs, re-awakened my interest in the politics of infrastructure and what it can do, and taught me a lot about Edinburgh and cycling that I didn't know... Congratulations and thanks. I hope there are many more years to come, and thanks for your effort and time in maintaining the forum chdot!
@BikeFan - can't believe I've just sat and happily watched an advert for a magnet on a piece of string...
Glad you're still liking -
http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3467#post-36190
Happy Anniversary CCE Forum! It has been very useful, and fun for me.
Jings three year! That'll make the racer a little over three years old, that'll be me bike commuting for a little over three years.
Hears to another three.
Lots of new members posting. This might be the busiest bike forum in Scotland - certainly the most diverse. Congratulations
"This might be the busiest bike forum in Scotland"
Might?
There are others??
dinne be puffin him up too much now..
thanks tho CH, I definitely have gotten real and unexpected befits from this enterprise. Likes a lots. innit.
When a year or two ago it became evident that the proposed QBC involved an increase in the number of cars parked on the road and a decrease in space for cycling in, I gave up cycling in a kind of horrified despair. There seemed no hope for Edinburgh.
But I kept reading CCE. And the insistent sunny optimism of you lot gradually cheered me up. Day after day of positive hopeful supportive funny cycling chatter. After a few months I tentatively got on the bike again, despite the council and its QBC. Thanks everyone.
Indeed has been a boon to the commute and wider. Out of interest, has the forum had a drop in posts because of twitter. I don't do twitter, or facebook, ,so maybe I am missing out?
James Bond goes all old school, ditching the jag with its tracking devices for the old Aston Martin DB5, immaculate in the lock up down the isle of dogs. At one point M in the
Passenger seat is annoying him, ............ I won't spoil it.
Actually this forum might be my only 21st century toy I use?
"dinne be puffin him up too much now.."
It's fine - I'm just getting quiet satisfaction from all this.
The biggest 'unforeseen' for me has been the quality and generosity of people here.
"I gave up cycling in a kind of horrified despair. There seemed no hope for Edinburgh."
Wow that's kinda extreme - though I understand the second bit!
Three.... Is the magic number...
I love you guys... *group hug*
I've learned some wonderful new routes around and about Edinburgh through this forum, as well as introduced to some fun ideas of adventures to have, and possible bikes to own!
@chdot Indeed it was extreme - I do get a bit down at times! But cycling helps a lot with that.
Hurrah. Three productive, useful and (relatively) harmonious years. Thanks to CCE, Edinburgh seems to me both smaller (it's faster and quicker to get around with my improved route knowledge), and infinitely bigger (thanks mainly to CHdot's endless "i know a little shortcut" routes that I could never have hoped to had found on my own)
Read the subject and thought someone had given birth... Happy birthday CCE.
Happy birthday CCE!
Things I can think of... Getting the breakfast bike ride happening, lending minimoth and me bikes and even an offer to drive to Oban and back! + helping organise PoP gazebo transport, ideas for how to fix things and how to spend people's money. Several new people cycling (including my office mate - who I think was 50% convinced purely by the wonderful poster kaputnik made), the awesome (if rather early) coffee meetups on canal boats and cafes, and the whole-new-level of bicycle-obsession :) Wildlife and ride ideas, and a place to share the bad and the good of cycling.
Thanks everyone :D
Does anyone know ,why certain cross roads [Gilmerton Road/Marchmond Road -to name a couple] don't seem to recognize bikes?
I''ve noticed, that if a car is behind me when cycling across them,it stays at green, but if there isn't ,I try to go across, but a car comes from the other direction, the lights change very quickly from green to red, to the other side receive a green light.
It seems to be tuned into car use, rather than for those who cycle.
Both got cycle lanes,but don't really take cyclists into consideration.
@Giant: Yeah, I think we've all experienced traffic lights like that... I guess report it to someone when it happens. I was too lazy last time.. :)
@Giant I did a night time ride about a month or so back and was heading back into town from Milton Road and I think I ended up going through about 3 or 4 sets of red lights on otherwise abandoned roads because they refused to recognise me and change for me. Once you've been put through a complete cycle on an empty road and it refuses to recognise your presense then proceeding with caution is about the only thing you can do.
Kaputnik's advice is official...
Highway Code Rule 176
You MUST NOT move forward over the white line when the red light is showing. Only go forward when the traffic lights are green if there is room for you to clear the junction safely or you are taking up a position to turn right. If the traffic lights are not working, treat the situation as you would an unmarked junction and proceed with great care.
Laws RTA 1988 sect 36 & TSRGD regs 10 & 36
So, if the traffic lights don't detect you, they aren't working...
I tend to circle a bit first (as if I were a dog settling down for a nap), which can trigger some of the sensors.
Robert
Or just ride the Pino, which probably sets off the lights for the next 13 junctions half a mile ahead... ;)
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