CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting

Another week of 'weather'

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  1. wee folding bike
    Member

    Heavy in Glasgow, this evening's parents night is off.

    The car park looks like it will be fun. A Renault parked in the wrong place just tried to get out and failed. It's blocking about a dozen other cars.

    Some owners of the more high end scoots say they are going to give in because getting a RWD out of here will be too hard. FWD hasn't been doing well either.

    I have RWD but I'll be just fine.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  2. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Yeah it's still coming down. I hope they let me go home soon. I have an emergency buff with me so will improvise some warmer headwear. I think my glasses might also be usable if I take out the prescription inserts and just use them to keep the snow out of my face.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  3. From Twitter:

    RT @colinmcginn: @GdnEdinburgh lorry blocking road at Bruntsfield Road no traffic movement towards morninside tailback to kings theatre

    Posted 13 years ago #
  4. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Forth Bridge closed Southbound now. Big accident it seems. First time I've used Google's real-time results collator. I'm quite impressed.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  5. chdot
    Admin

    "
    on_lothianbuses:

    Unfortunately due to the severity of the bad weather, there will be an interruption to all of our services. We hope to restore services soon

    Original Tweet:

    http://twitter.com/on_lothianbuses/status/11750945864028161

    "

    Posted 13 years ago #
  6. Smudge
    Member

    @Wee folding bike, RWD isn't the problem, driver education is :-( like you, Andrew Cowan, Roger Clark, Jimmy McRae et al managed just fine with RWD in snow, ice etc!

    On the plus side, if it keeps them off the road it probably improves everyone else's safety!

    Posted 13 years ago #
  7. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    kaputnik: "I've used Google's real-time results collator. I'm quite impressed. "

    Hmm, that is pretty good.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  8. LaidBack
    Member

    With LRT off the roads must be bad.

    Imagine the railway will be struggling again.

    One guy that I'm working for stays beside Kirknewton Station.

    But as there has been zero train service for quite a few days he took his car. Now he's stuck in Edinburgh - on way to work.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  9. Why are snowploughs targeting schools if all the schools are closed or closing?

    Posted 13 years ago #
  10. cb
    Member

    After woosing out all last week I cycled to my dentist appointment in D'Mains. Wanted to give myself 40min, but left 10 mins later than planned and ended up being 5 mins late which wasn't too bad.

    Left at 8.30 by which time it was snowing heavily but the roads were OK.

    Some of the side streets (e.g. Morningside Park, Ettrick Road) were very hard to cycle on, the main roads were better.

    Decided to skip the Roseburn/Blackhall paths in case they were bad, but the cyclist ahead of me on Russell Road went that way.

    On Queensferry Road, heading out of town the traffic ground to a halt just past Blackhall. Filtering looked much too dodgy so I turned off into the House o'Hills which were pretty awful.

    On the way home I took the cycle path which turned out to be lovely. Enough fresh snow to provide a good grip, even with the bad surface underneath.

    Blackhall path

    IMAG0053

    Blackhall path

    Traffic on the Glasgow Road wasn't going anywhere fast.

    Snowmageddon at Roseburn

    Russell Road was a bit horrible on the way home due to the cars compresisng all the nice fresh snow.

    There were two 44s stuck trying to get up Ardmillan Terrace so Dalry Road was about to become grid locked.

    I had lots of traction on the way up Ardmillan and higher up I passed a BMW, real wheels spinning, going nowhere.

    A 41 which had been re-routed along Balcarres St was failing to get up the slight hill at the west end of the road. Lots of queued up traffic.

    And it's still snowing.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  11. LaidBack
    Member

    Great update cb!

    I'm glad I've made my hybrid into an MTB.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  12. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Excellent photos cb, and good effort for recce-ing the paths.

    Traffic on the Glasgow Road wasn't going anywhere fast.

    Do you see the narrow bike tyre track on the right of that photo, where the bus lane should be? That's mine! :)

    With LRT off the roads must be bad.

    I'm relying on them to provide me with a safe set of tyre tracks to ride home in!

    Posted 13 years ago #
  13. Nice one cb.

    Just seen on Twitter that ALL Lothian Buses have been withdrawn until they can re-assess the situation!

    Posted 13 years ago #
  14. Min
    Member

    "Why are snowploughs targeting schools if all the schools are closed or closing? "

    You can't send kids under 4th year home without informing their parents apparently.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  15. chdot
    Admin

    "

    RadioForthNews Radio Forth News
    M8 is closed in both directions due to a jack-knifed lorry, Edinburgh City By-pass grid-locked.
    4 minutes ago

    RadioForthNews Radio Forth News
    Many Stagecoach bus services across Fife are currently suspended until bosses feel it is safe to operate
    12 minutes ago

    RadioForthNews Radio Forth News
    RT @on_lothianbuses: All Lothian Buses services are withdrawn. We hope to restore services as soon as conditions allow.
    21 minutes ago

    "

    Posted 13 years ago #
  16. kaputnik
    Moderator

    So, pedestrians and bikes pretty much the only things moving!

    Posted 13 years ago #
  17. steveo
    Member

    Hmmm that's my plan b of getting a nice warm lrt bus home smoked.... 5 mile walk in dodgy conditions and a slightly leaky boot, joy. At least i took my boots and not my trainers this morning.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  18. "So, pedestrians and bikes pretty much the only things moving!"

    As you've said before, the 'common' modes of transport easily winning out! What is it about today's snowfall that's caused this particular bout of chaos???

    Posted 13 years ago #
  19. chdot
    Admin

    "What is it about today's snowfall that's caused this particular bout of chaos???"

    'Wrong type of snow'

    'Wrong time of day'

    'Wrong type of weather forecasting'

    Wrong, wrong wrong...

    Posted 13 years ago #
  20. SRD
    Moderator

    What is it about today's snowfall that's caused this particular bout of chaos???

    It's not the weather, its the lack of snow tyres, driver sense etc. Not to mention sensible foot-gear.....

    Have been wearing my 'stabilicers lite' all week, and so far they've been very good. Cant compare them to other similar systems, but would certainly recommend (despite naff name)

    Posted 13 years ago #
  21. chdot
    Admin

    "What is it about today's snowfall that's caused this particular bout of chaos???"

    And too many drivers expecting things to be back to 'normal' after a week.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  22. LaidBack
    Member

    Expect MASSIVE recriminations.

    Radio Scotland has lots of angry drivers on their mobiles. Guy on at moment righty says he has a season ticket for train but Scotrail just don't function in this kind of weather. So he's reluctantly using car.

    People were told to take supplies with them but some have been stuck for 4 hours now.

    People will demand action - even though no party has got to grip with making trains run despite fares going up beyond inflation.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  23. spitfire
    Member

    Pretty much everybody here is getting twitchy, nothing from the company yet...
    Shoe spikes arrived which is good as I intend to don them for cycling home in case I have to abandon and push bike along pavements/up Gloucester St

    Posted 13 years ago #
  24. Min
    Member

    "You can't send kids under 4th year home without informing their parents apparently. "

    Apparently they just have anyway..

    Posted 13 years ago #
  25. chdot
    Admin

    I think Laidback should be running his tandem taxi/rescue service...

    Posted 13 years ago #
  26. steveo
    Member

    I wonder if the canal would be rideable if i let some air out the tyres.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  27. Smudge
    Member

    I also have a (rather expensive) season ticket for my rail commute, it's been useless for over a week now but I bet I don't qualify for any sort of rebate as they are still running some (inadequate size and unreliable) trains :-(
    This week is leave to visit some museums and finish the Christmas shopping, oh well :-/

    Posted 13 years ago #
  28. SRD
    Moderator

    I wonder if the canal would be rideable if i let some air out the tyres.

    Still very slushy at the edges. Towpath looks not bad though....

    Posted 13 years ago #
  29. steveo
    Member

    Drat then i won't be able to try my new ice trike ;)

    Hmm, canal, errr, tow path along to Slateford, down Chesser and through Stenhouse. Home.

    B*r but it'll be dark by then!! The light on the mtb has no chance of lighting the tow path.....

    Posted 13 years ago #
  30. cb
    Member

    Following on from the cable tie modification here is a more extreme version:

    http://www.mtnbikeriders.com/2007/02/13/diy-tire-chains/

    As one commenter points out, what do you do if you get a flat?

    Posted 13 years ago #

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