I'm a little hesitant to admit that when I ventured on to the cycle path along Leith Links a couple of weeks ago I took my eyes off the path for a few moments while turning off my extra light. Bang - straight into one of the black metal railings which obstruct the path (cunningly camouflaged to be all but undiscernable in the dark - I'm used to the ones along the canal so know when to slow down). Result - bent forks and bruising to my ribs, and to my pride!
Has anyone else been caught out by these?
I have contacted the council about making them more visible (if not getting rid of them). It would be good to know if they are a problem for others.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
Black metal railings
(42 posts)-
Posted 11 years ago #
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Ouch, sounds nasty! Not on my route, but you'd think at the very least some reflective stips on the sides.
I've never had a problem with similar barriers on the Innocent Path, but I've ridden that soooooo many times I know exactly where they are (though in the dark, without a light on them, I reckon I could easily get similarly caught out).
Repair bill sent to the Council might have an effect...
Posted 11 years ago # -
I know they're there, know how tight the turns through them are, have decent lights and always crawl along that bit of path anyway as it's narrow, well-used and close to the outside curve where the path width is reduced by allotment-fence vegetation and you have to go extra-slowly. Despite the removal of the fence on the Links side resulting in people skirting round them they were probably not removed at the same time in order to maintain the semblance of seeking to slow the passage of fast wheelèd traffic near the school. I'll pop along to it this evening with some spare retro-reflective tape in case it ends up at the bottom of the council's month-of-Sundays bin.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Even the canal baffles have a wee dash of white on them. It's almost useless and I keep meaning to pimp it with some 3M.
And yes, I have been caught out by this type of gate, although my incident doesn't count.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Repair bill for andy's pride quite cheap as he is such a humble guy, but his bike is part of his business. Council won't want to be seen to be obstructing local business will it?
Posted 11 years ago # -
At first I thought you meant the ones near Easter Road -
http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8819#post-89880
but they are green - and about to be dealt with.
I presume these are by the school(?)
Worth an email to local councillors and cycling@edinburgh.gov.uk for such things.
At very least should have decent reflective panels.
Posted 11 years ago # -
You mean like these ones Andy (you may have to look closely):
Invisible barriers by Cycling Mollie, on FlickrPosted 11 years ago # -
There should be no excuse for any such obstructions across a cycle path. If they can justify putting an obstruction across it, they can justify spending money on some reflective surfaces for it. Even if you had been looking out for the thing, black railings on a black night are all too easily missed, even with lights on - and particularly where there are streetlights around casting shadows and messing with low-light vision.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@ Tom. Devils Advocate time. I have seen the No cycling/Cyclists please dismount on the east side of that bridge. I'm sure any instances of cyclists attempting to sue would be pointed to that sign.
On the other hand, whilst cyclists are being shouted at to use more lights and wear more and more brighter clothing, to put up 'camuflague' gates seems daft.
Posted 11 years ago # -
But what if you were coming from the west, which is open, and has no such signs? You can't have seen signs that aren't there (and there used to be signs on that side, so it's now just a confusing bridge, and part of NCN...)
Posted 11 years ago # -
Fronm the west you have to slow down as there is no dropped kerb I recall?? They are more visible fro the west.
Posted 11 years ago # -
No there are no signs when yu aproach from the west.
Posted 11 years ago # -
SRD said, "No there are no signs when yu aproach from the west"
I know but I don't know why this is. Perhaps it was never put up, or perhaps as the west is not technically Mussleburgh I beleive, they clocal council don't wnat a sign? Has been known to happen.
On the west side the 'old' google street view shows no gates either.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Yep. There used to be a gate AND signs saying no cycling/cyclists dismount on the west side. These came down quite a while back (though I'm surprised Google has already caught up) and as it's part of the NCN it's pretty safe to assume you can ride over. Then you get to the other side and there's a gate and for coming from the eat there are the no cycling/cyclists dismount signs. It's almost as if they actually want to create tension between cyclists coming from the west and pedestrians coming from the east.
Still don't understand why they don't removable bollard the electric bridge. Someone has to come and open the gate when there's horse racing on anyway, so that same person would simply have to come along and drop a few bollards. Mark the electric bridge as for cyclists and the narrow bridge as for pedestrians, and Bob's your uncle.
Seriously, why why why has this not been considered? (I know a few from here, myself included, have contacted councillors about this - I was informed I didn't live within that area and so the councillor couldn't help me).
Posted 11 years ago # -
There was an attempt to start a cyclists pressure group here back in May. Only three people turned up. We did make some future plans including an open planning meeting to record a wish-list of Musselburgh infrastructure. That hasn't happened. But some of the things we mentioned including the missing drop-kerbs at Rennie's Bridge (the one which carries the main road over the North Esk with NCN under the western arch) are being put in. The electric bridge is apparently a long-standing issue. It's not bollarded, it's gated.
I think there is now a Cyclists Dismount sign on the western end. The grey was over-painted in black about three weeks ago. Most cyclists do dismount. I do if there's anyone using the bridge though it's a bit mad to have a dismount section on the NCN (but then the NCN has steps too).
Posted 11 years ago # -
"It's not bollarded, it's gated."
Sorry, my post wasn't terribly clear - I was asking why it couldn't be bollarded, with reference to the fact that it's currently gated. Bollards would just make so much more sense.
Interesting that the no cycling sugns have gone back up (I approach that bridge in a similar fashion, walk or cycle very very slowly if there's someone on it already - I've witnessed one bit of aggro when some club riders went over and were accosted by an old lady for not dismounting, and I can't be bothered with the hassle).
Posted 11 years ago # -
I was asking why it couldn't be bollarded, with reference to the fact that it's currently gated. Bollards would just make so much more sense.
IIRC East Lothian council refused to 'take over' the bridge and its upkeep after it was built (for transporting generator stuff to Cockenzie?). Bloody silly but there we go...
Posted 11 years ago # -
Yeah, that's what I'd heard, which sort of makes sense, but when there's a big horse race on at the track the bridge is opened up for use. So who is taking responsibility for it? (I guess it may be the racetrack people who pay the council to be able to use the bridge?)
EDIT: 'makes sense' as in that's why they haven't opened it for public use generally, not 'makes sense' as in it's a good thing - it is, as you say, silly.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I'm not sure who owns or is responsible for the electricity bridge now. It's definitely not the council. It was originally built and owned by the SSEB (remember them?). Is it now owned by Scottish Power (their successors) or was it gifted to Musselburgh Racecourse (as they have the keys for the gates)?
Posted 11 years ago # -
Just had a look with the dog:
NCN1 Fisherrow by Cycling Mollie, on Flickr
NCN1 Fisherrow by Cycling Mollie, on Flickrand the markings where the dropped kerb is going:
Dropped kerb planning by Cycling Mollie, on FlickrPosted 11 years ago # -
I returned to the dastardly spot this evening to have a look. You know how it is when you come off your bike. Feeling like a wally you want to get going again before anybody notices, so you don't really take in the scene. Well, that's me anyway.
I've put a photo here. http://storybikes.com/blog/?p=178Posted 11 years ago # -
There are some completely black chicanes out on the towpath just outside the bypass. I did apply some guerilla Scotchlite (TM) to them last year, just to give me some idea where they are in the pitch dark. It's still there.
I think they are there to slow cyclists, rather than to prevent access. Nevertheless, they could do with a generous application of reflective paint.
Posted 11 years ago # -
andy...
I ride through that way often and moan to myself how crap/dangerous those barriers are! I never get around to doing owt about it though - shame on me!
I also travel along the prom daily, and I'm sure I'm going to come a cropper on day on the large pale green barriers at either end, which sometimes are left open.
Possibly the hardest to see though, was/is, the chain used sometimes on a Sunday at Duddingston Loch across the entrance/exit to the park!
Posted 11 years ago # -
Replies to Gavin Corbett (my local councillor) from Scottish Canals on the barely visible barrier problem:-
"We checked all the barriers on Wednesday 28 Nov and replaced/ increased the number of reflective strips on all barriers. It would be good if you get any feed back about their effectiveness if you could forward it on.
We believe this should be sufficient if cyclists are taking the normal precautions when travelling in the dark but if you have any suggestions we would obviously be happy to look at them."
I'm happy to pass on suggestions.
From the council:-
"Regarding the visibility of barriers across the wider cycle network we will undertake to identify those that could benefit from being highlighted better. We will then investigate and apply a suitable treatment to make them easier to see, especially in low-light conditions." No timescale given for this.Posted 11 years ago # -
I wonder why the Council replaced the "No Cycling" signs with these ones earlier this week. They do make a lot more sense.
Electric footbridge, Musselburgh by Cycling Mollie, on FlickrPosted 11 years ago # -
Wow progress!
Posted 11 years ago # -
"
East Lothian Council (@ELCouncil)
23/03/2013 13:13
@CyclingEdin New signs erected following consultation with cyclists and walkers and to resolve concerns aired."
Posted 11 years ago # -
A sign (excuse the pun) that consultation can work. Well done ELC!
Posted 11 years ago # -
Aye but the stupid chicanes are still there.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I don't mind those kinds of barriers myself, provided they are far enough apart to get through without dismounting. I appreciate they're a pain for those with trailers etc but at least they make it harder (sadly not impossible) for motorbikes to use them as race tracks and shortcuts.
Posted 11 years ago #
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