Taxi driver “celebrates” bike lane removal – by close passing cyclist; Council blasted for ripping up bike lane, so cars can park on path; “If cyclists really need a safe space, a painted lane would suffice”; “Cycle freaks” slated + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
“If cyclists really need a safe space, then a painted cycle lane would suffice”: Edinburgh residents react to new sustainable transport consultation
BREAKING:
We’ve summarised the comments from Edinburgh’s latest consultation on pedestrian and cycling schemes, so @edinburghpaper doesn’t have to.
These aren’t parody they are real! #EENWarOnMotorists
— Edinburgh Morning Mews (@edinburgh_mews) August 15, 2022
A few ‘councils and cycle lanes’ specials to kick off today’s live blog…
First, we’re heading up to sunny Edinburgh – nope, it’s not a story about the Fringe, don’t worry – where the city council earlier this summer launched a public consultation on new proposals to improve walking, wheeling and cycling, as well as public transport links, parks and public spaces around housing developments in Leith, Lochend and Easter Road, Queensferry and Burdiehouse.
The proposed measures include the installation of segregated cycle lanes and enhanced crossings in the Burdiehouse area, as well as pavement widening, dropped kerbs and placemaking improvements.
It all sounds great, right? Right…?
Well, Edinburgh Morning Mews – the parody Twitter page that has spent the last few month’s lampooning the actual Edinburgh Evening News’ “war on motorists” narrative – has collated some of the very real responses to the council’s consultation.
While one resident simply, clearly and succinctly responded: “I object to it all”, some of the other comments – especially regarding the cycling-related aspects of the proposals – were particularly insightful:
“If cyclists really need a safe space, then a painted cycle lane would suffice”
— Edinburgh Morning Mews (@edinburgh_mews) August 15, 2022
“There is a wide pavement which could have a cycle lane on it”
also
“cyclists don’t use the space given to them – they use the pavements.”
Also
“All they’ve done is cause congestion – including on pavements.”
— Edinburgh Morning Mews (@edinburgh_mews) August 15, 2022
“the council could bring in mandatory cycle proficiency tests for all cyclists before they are allowed on a road and some sort of licence plate allowing identification”
— Edinburgh Morning Mews (@edinburgh_mews) August 15, 2022
It’s hard to believe it’s not parody…
Also, won’t somebody please think of the poor motorists (and dogs)?
“I would like to formally register my objection to the ongoing cull of traffic within Edinburgh.”
— Edinburgh Morning Mews (@edinburgh_mews) August 15, 2022
“as a dog walker, I need a van to transport dogs from their home to walk locations and back. There is an animal welfare issue here”.
Dogs can’t walk to their walks.
— Edinburgh Morning Mews (@edinburgh_mews) August 15, 2022
“As a local resident, I feel very sad that I can no longer jump in the car and be at the beach within the 3 minutes it used to take”
— Edinburgh Morning Mews (@edinburgh_mews) August 15, 2022
“I object to ALL of the proposals listed in the consultation document. The paper should be entitled ‘Restrictions for the Majority’. Get rid.”
— Edinburgh Morning Mews (@edinburgh_mews) August 15, 2022
“It would appear that your only agenda is to make it extremely difficult for cars to use the roads.”
— Edinburgh Morning Mews (@edinburgh_mews) August 15, 2022
Some of the alternative suggestions were not, ahem, especially well-thought-out:
“If you want to reduce congestion and pollution, let the traffic flow. In that way, the traffic leaves sooner.”
— Edinburgh Morning Mews (@edinburgh_mews) August 15, 2022
“As I’ve said for decades, if you want to know the best way to manage traffic, ask taxi-drivers”
— Edinburgh Morning Mews (@edinburgh_mews) August 15, 2022
“Please completely remove the road furniture from all sites”
— Edinburgh Morning Mews (@edinburgh_mews) August 15, 2022
Gordon Struth summed the whole thing up perfectly:
If ever there were proof of the dangers of inhaling toxic gases inside a car, it’s this thread.
Simultaneously hilarious and terrifying.
— Gordon Struth (@gordon_struth) August 15, 2022
“How can removing cycle lanes ever be justified?” Council blasted for getting rid of bike lane… so motorists can “park on pavement more easily”
Fantastic to see drivers being able to park their cars more easily on the wider pavements on Cheltenham Road, and no cycle lane to get in their way any more either pic.twitter.com/gU2wrv6MC5
— Martin Booth (@beardedjourno) August 13, 2022
We head south now for the second of today’s ‘councils and bike lanes’ bonanza, as Bristol City Council comes under fire for after a cycle lane was removed in favour of a wider footpath which, in the eyes of one local observer, has just made it “easier for cars to park”.
In an article for the news site Bristol 24/7, editor Martin Booth has blasted the council’s decision to remove the bike lane on the Cheltenham Road towards the junction with Ashley Road.
“It was of poor quality and in desperate need of improvement,” Booth admits of the now-vanished piece of bike infrastructure. “But it was still a cycle lane.”
Booth notes that the recent ‘improvements’ to the junction – which the council even admitted might prove “contentious” – have resulted in a wider pavement, which according to the writer has not improved pedestrian safety but simply allowed motorists to park their cars more easily.
“At the newly remodelled Ashley Road junction,” he writes, “early release signals for cyclists in the advanced stop lane (ASL) are all well and good – but a gauntlet of parked cars usually has to be navigated in order to get there, which are as unsafe for pedestrians as they are for cyclists.”
The changes on the Cheltenham Road follow the decision to rip out the cycle lane on the Whiteladies Road – a key route into Bristol city centre – after the council claimed that the lane “causes flooding”. However, as we reported in May, opposition councillors and environmental campaigners in response to the council’s decision pointed out that blocked drains were, in fact, the real source of the problem.
> Key Bristol cycle lane to be scrapped – because council claims it causes flooding
According to Booth, the extended works on the Ashley Road “have mostly just moved the crossings by a few metres, widened a few short stretches of pavement and removed a cycle lane: all seemingly for the benefit of car drivers… By widening the footway, all it has done is make it easier for cars to park. And I have yet to see the double-yellow lines ever be enforced.”
There used to be a cycle lane that went from Tesco to the junction of Ashley Road. Even a shit cycle lane is better than no cycle lane at all. Removing cycle lanes is not a good look. Bristol’s days as the UK’s first ‘cycling city’ are long gone. pic.twitter.com/xZ6PqcBdgu
— Martin Booth (@beardedjourno) August 9, 2022
Toby Wells, from Bristol Cycling Campaign, agreed with Booth’s take and said that the group was “really disappointed that the opportunity wasn’t taken to revamp the junction for cycling whilst doing all the work to replace the traffic lights.
“Whilst the previous cycle lane was not the best, we are sure something better could have been put in place rather than removing it all together. The A38 is Bristol’s busiest on-road cycling corridor, and has so much more potential for shifting people onto bikes if people were provided with a safe space.
“As such, it deserves something much more ambitious than the disappointing scheme that has been built, with fully protected space for cycling, in addition to the widened pavement. The fact that there is no enforcement against the extensive pavement parking adds insult to injury for both walkers and cyclists.”
Booth, lamenting Bristol’s apparent fall from its status 14 years ago as Britain’s ‘first cycling city’, also questioned whether “removing cycle lanes can ever be justified” and argued that “safe cycling needs to be prioritised across our city”.
“Even a crap cycle lane is better than no cycle lane at all,” he concluded.
Do you agree?
‘I never had any issues parking illegally until you cycle freaks came along’: More drivers parking on cycle lanes…
Yet another example (it’s been a long morning) of a motorist parking in a cycle lane, on the pavement, and on double yellow lines. Oh, and with an illegal number plate thrown in for good measure:
Illegal number plates, obstruction, double yellows and the driver pops up in the comments defending their offending … Quality 😂 👍 https://t.co/B2Ni8WL74L
— Mark Hodson (@markandcharlie) August 14, 2022
The car owner’s now-deleted reply has lots of Scooby Doo villain energy, I’ll give her that:
Have they deleted the tweet where they admit to intentionally and persistently parking on the DYL and violating planning rules by building a driveway with no dropped kerb permission? pic.twitter.com/W37Q9X213f
— James Thorniley (@JamesThorniley) August 13, 2022
“And I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren’t for you meddling cycle freaks”…
Christ on bikes
— CycleSystemsOnline (@CycleSystemsAc) August 16, 2022
road.cc reviewer Mike Stead, however, has some notes for Jesus’ next bike-related sermon:
Correction: “You don’t really need disc brakes IF you have large, strong hands, ride in a sunny, flattish place with nice roads on skinny tyres, are willing to risk poor wet weather performance & can afford to replace brake cables/buy new wheels every few years”
Agree 100% 👍🏻 😎
— Mike Stead (@tweetymike) August 16, 2022
Bring back the 1990s! What could possibly go wrong?
— Tim – UllrichsErben 🇩🇪 (@ullrichserben) August 15, 2022
Ah, don’t you just love to see some nostalgia for the days when Claudio Chiappucci would take off up the road with just 250 kilometres and the Col des Saisies, Col d’Iseran, Cormet de Roselend, Mont Cenis, and Sestriere to go?
Ah, those long, hot summer days when jerseys were baggy, riders were helmet-less, and team-sanctioned doping was rampant (before such practices were completely and categorically eradicated in 2008, of course). Bliss.
London taxi driver “celebrates” removal of bike lane – by close passing cyclist
I sense a pattern emerging on the live blog today…
With the temporary cycle lane on London’s Euston Road now removed (thanks, Transport for London says, to “increased traffic congestion” in the area), one taxi driver decided to mark the occasion by posting a Twitter video captured on his dashcam, with the caption: “Celebration time!”
Unfortunately for the cabbie, the clip also clearly shows him – ironically enough – committing a close pass on a cyclist… Oops.
London cab driver @ChrisPearce32 “celebrates” the removal of the Euston Road cycle lane by close-passing a cyclist, thereby proving why it was needed.
@MikeyCycling @willnorman @WeAreCyclingUK @London_Cycling @betterstreetskc @loled1967 @steaminelle @bike_rogers @righttobikeit pic.twitter.com/wSrdghJHZS— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) August 16, 2022
After the now-deleted video was reposted on Twitter this morning by Jeremy Vine, the cab driver in question defended the overtake, which he says was “easily 1.5m away from the cyclist”:
In the so called close pass I was easily 1.5m away from the cyclist and travelling at a speed relative to her of about 2mph. You all need to calm down.
— Chris Pearce (@ChrisPearce32) August 16, 2022
That rather tenuous excuse hasn’t washed, however, not only with two-wheeled activists like CyclingMikey, but also with the driver’s fellow cabbies:
You were within roughly 2 feet of her, and you stayed in the same lane. Why couldn’t you drive as beautifully as the taxi in front of you did? That was how you should pass such cyclists.
— CyclingMikey (@MikeyCycling) August 16, 2022
Fellow cabbie here. This pass here was an atrocious piece of driving from a professional driver. I’d report such myself if I’d caught on my dash cam pic.twitter.com/dfakOiWFh7
— MysticKrow (@KrowMystic) August 15, 2022
For some reason, those responses haven’t kept the driver from digging ever deeper:
Hello Jeremy, love your show. This video shows that appearances can be deceptive. I’m 1m away from the cycle lane although I appear to be almost in it. The Euston Rd cycle lane was a disaster for cyclists as well as motorists and needed replanning. pic.twitter.com/FpsMFWfdxP
— Chris Pearce (@ChrisPearce32) August 16, 2022
Not the same though, the video posted by @theJeremyVine shows both the cyclist and the cab driver being in the same lane during the overtake. The lane looks to be of similar width to the lane in your video, just without the cycle lane.
— Pauric (@pward82) August 16, 2022
Somebody even got the calculator out:
Let me do the maths for you…
Lane width (at overtake point): 300cm
LEVC TX taxi width: 203cm
Lime bike width: 60cm~37cm~ is the space you left between your vehicle and the cyclist pic.twitter.com/UYFmuo4TYi
— swcyclist (@swcyclist) August 16, 2022
The self-incriminating taxi driver, rather than hold his hands up, has continued to double down on his mistake by posting a series of anti-cycling videos on his Twitter account this morning and changing his profile photo to one of himself (presumably) in cycling clothing.
Give it up, fella…
Bernal’s back on the bus... and in the peloton
Ready to race!
Amazing to have Egan back on the bus. Let’s get #PNDKR22 started 👊🇩🇰 pic.twitter.com/V5CLTnSuGh
— INEOS Grenadiers (@INEOSGrenadiers) August 16, 2022
“Hey Egan, fancy towing us along in your first race back? Cool cheers mate”#PNDKR22 pic.twitter.com/210jUZLC5c
— Dan Deakins (@DanDeakins) August 16, 2022
Some tips for how to deal with that strange liquid that’s recently started to fall from the sky when you’re out on the bike…
It’s been so long since that wet stuff fell from the sky, some of us #cyclists may have forgotten how to ride in it! Without further ado, here are your top tips for riding in the rain… https://t.co/GzeUXr3tjD #cycling pic.twitter.com/vrNAPpkQxs
— road.cc (@roadcc) August 16, 2022
“Biking Bargains” at Lidl: To the middle aisle we come!
It’s that time of the year again, folks, when Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl’s former sleeve sponsor fills up their famous middle aisle with lots of bike-related stuff (and some items I’ve never seen before in my life).
This year’s collection includes helmets, pumps, a lights set, a work stand, ceiling rack, backpacks, saddles, water bottles, groovy mid-noughties era sunglasses, and what looks like a swimming cap but Lidl says is actually a helmet rain cover.
Oh, and this is excellent bike basket for the dog in your life who just loves going for a spin:
They see me rollin’ 😎 pic.twitter.com/qrClU6dgKm
— @LidlGB (@LidlGB) August 14, 2022
Anti-LTN campaigner shows his distaste for LTNs… by enforcing them
The irony here. He’s patrolling a LTN, stopping drivers going through it, therefore enforcing it. He’s anti LTN, thinks they’re just money grabbing schemes. And the topper…he’s riding a bike 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/ahl34FEheu
— Richard S (@Stokesy1966) August 15, 2022
My head hurts reading that…
“A true visionary”: Lotus pays tribute to Mike Burrows
Lotus has paid tribute to legendary Norfolk-based bike designer Mike Burrows, who died this week, aged 79.
Burrows famously collaborated with the automotive company on what became the Lotus 108, one of the most iconic and ground-breaking bikes ever built, most famously used by Chris Boardman on his way to pursuit gold at the Barcelona Olympics thirty years ago.
> “We shall never see his like again”: Remembering Mike Burrows
Richard Hill, chief aerodynamicist at Lotus who worked closely with Mike on the development of the Type 108, said today: “I’m so very sad to hear this news.
“Mike was a true visionary, way ahead of his time. Without his original concept for a monocoque frame, the Type 108 would never have come into existence.
“Mike thought beyond any rules – he was a ‘what if…?’ man – and was famous for transforming his ideas into reality, riding and testing them himself. It was privilege and honour to work with him during the early development of the 108.
“Focused, determined and single-minded, he would always come up with a solution to any problem. A talented engineer, his place in the history of cycling is secured.”
Airbnb encourages locals to cash in on UCI Road World Championships coming to town
As someone who was kicked out of his student flat to make way for a family of wealthy Americans heading to the Open Golf Championship, I’m well aware of the lucrative potential of international sporting events for those with a bed going spare.
So, I wasn’t that surprised to hear that Airbnb, the online lodgings marketplace, are encouraging residents of Wollongong, New South Wales, to cash in during next month’s UCI road world championships in the area.
With event organisers and local officials predicting an accommodation shortage at the week-long cycling festival, and with many race-goers potentially forced to stay an hour away in Sydney, Airbnb is “encouraging residents to share their home to help their city handle the increased demand for accommodation, as competitors, organisers, media and spectators descend on the region for one of the biggest weeks on the Australian sporting calendar.”
According to the American company, hosts could pocket around $1,000 – almost equalling the median Australian household’s weekly income – if guests book for four nights during the races.
> UCI Road Worlds to force Aussie schoolkids out of classroom and back online
“Hosting on Airbnb is a great way to help showcase Wollongong’s beautiful natural surrounds and highlight the region to help make this important local event a success, while also creating an opportunity to earn extra income to combat the rising cost of living,” said Susan Wheeldon, Airbnb’s Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand.
“Airbnb offers a unique opportunity for communities in and around Wollongong to be a part of history during the first cycling World Championships held in Australia in over a decade.
“Home sharing helps cities use existing space to scale up their capacity and welcome major events like this. It also empowers locals to provide sustainable and affordable accommodation across the city, benefitting the local economy.
“Hosts on Airbnb play a valuable role in making guests feel extremely welcome and our Wollongong Hosts are no exception as they help to point guests in the direction of the best hidden gems and local businesses to support.”
Russell Crowe spotted cycling in Bray
Bray, in Co. Wicklow, is one of Irish cycling’s holy places (and also where this writer spent quite a few of his childhood summer holidays).
Two-wheeled heroes who honed their talents on the roads around the coastal town south of Dublin include the pioneer Shay Elliott, Peter Crinnion, Peter Doyle, and now Russell Crowe, apparently.
My photos show actor @russellcrowe really enjoying his down time in Bray,Co.Wicklow over the last couple of days… pic.twitter.com/r7WiGs5Dvz
— Padraig O’Reilly Photographer (@padraig_reilly) August 12, 2022
The Gladiator star, who has been known for getting out and about on his bike in the past (sometimes without a shirt), is currently in Bray filming a new supernatural thriller called The Pope’s Exorcist (sounds… great).
He was spotted over the weekend putting the miles in while on a break from filming, taking advantage of both the sunshine and the town’s pretty decent cycling infrastructure. Thankfully, Crowe was wearing a shirt this time…
“No cycle lane is much better than the sort of cycle lane that endangers a cyclist”: Reader reaction
Bristol 24/7’s Martin Booth’s claim that “even a crap cycle lane is better than no cycle lane at all” – after Bristol City Council decided to take out the bike lanes on the city’s Cheltenham and Ashley roads – hasn’t gone down too well with some of our readers.
BalladOfStruth wrote: “No cycle lane is much better than the sort of cycle lane that endangers a cyclist – this goes double if the offending cycle lane is within good view of the main carriageway so drivers then punish you for not using it.”
“I live near that junction and to be honest, I’d forgotten there was even a cycle lane there,” says Bmblbzzz. “That’s how useful it was. And the pavement did (still does, really) need widening, especially right on the corner by the credit union.
“Which isn’t to say there haven’t been missed opportunities – I’m disappointed that you still can’t (legally and/or easily) turn right out of Nine Tree Hill – but I do think replacing that particular painted lane (and let’s remember it’s not long ago it was fashionable to call it a “moord strip” – not sure if I’ve spelled that right) with pavement was probably a good decision. Might have been better if they’d made the road one lane only inbound at the same time.”
hawinspeter agreed, writing: “I often cycle along Cheltenham Rd and turn down Ashley Rd and the cycle paint was absolutely useless as there’d invariably be taxis parked across it.
“I tend to use that route late at night, which means that there’s drinkers spilling out from the bars and over the cycle lane too. They should just restrict motor vehicles to just one lane along there and have wider pavements and protected cycle lanes too.”
On the subject of Bristol’s position as a ‘cycling city’, brooksby said: “Bristol has a lot of cyclists, and still has a strong ‘cycling culture’ (even after Roll for the Soul and Bristol Bicycles closed, and after the council closed the Chocolate Path and never reopened it), but it is never been a ‘cycling city’ in the time I’ve been actually cycling there.
“But the city council really couldn’t give a monkey’s about cycling anyway. They are much happier with gimicky ‘green initiatives’ which are whizz-bang and hi-tech.”
“I agree,” wrote ShutTheFrontDawes. “I cycled every day to college at the college green campus in the mid noughties, and I can see why the city earned its ‘cycling city’ status.
“With bike lanes (or in many cases nice wide bus lanes, with good parking enforcement) and advanced stop lines on most major routes, it was a real step up from what came before.
“Times change though; population density has increased while public transport provision hasn’t improved, and more people are in their cars. The cycling provisions in Bristol are now below par when I compare it to my experience of other UK cities.”
16 August 2022, 08:35
16 August 2022, 08:35
16 August 2022, 08:35
16 August 2022, 08:35
Now, this is the kind of cycling infrastructure I want…
Cycle route in Swansea or Alpe d'Huez? Hairpin-packed active travel path opens
We've all got a new favourite cycle path...
16 August 2022, 08:35
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Latest Comments
Another really weird review from road.cc. They take a product, use it for something it wasn't designed for and then mark it down. I've just upgraded my Boost to the Boost 3 and I can say it does the jobs it is designed for very well. I use it on rides in daylight for Saturday group rides and occasional all day epics. I feel that cars are more likely to see me and the significantly brighter day flash and doubling of battery life are significant upgrades, especially for longer rides. It's also so light that there's really no downside to using it so safety wins. I also use it for short 30-min commuting. The easy of detachment and robustness of the light here are key and it's perfect for this use case. For longer rides that involve significant unlit or off-road, such as along a canal path, at night I use the Exposure Strada RB. Again, road.cc, right tool: right job. It's also great that Exposure use common mounts for all their lights. I change the Boost and RB between multiple bikes using the mount with a red pin and it takes seconds to move from bike to bike or to detach for charging. The table for setting brightness is something I tend to set only once. Then the single button is a boon.
Yes, I can't wait: a duff BMC frame with a crap oval BB, and carbon rims set up tubeless and without a pressure -relief hole so you can pressurise the cavity and which would likely (to complete the disaster waiting to happen) be hookless/ mini-hook and explode with no notice
About time they got more of them out of cars and onto bikes. Do their fitness levels some good.
I cannot tell if they relate to my report or someone else’s Yes, that's the point - the aim of the pseudo - database is to shut the punters up and deceive them about how little the police have done. They know the deception scheme has been successful when people report on here that they have achieved successful outcomes from most of their reports. They haven't.
Mayor Adams perverted a lot of laws, hence the fact that he is no longer Mayor. New York cyclists have had an ongoing problem with members of the ultra-orthodox Satmar Jewish community in Williamsburg. They don't like people in cycle shorts and skimpy tops cycling through the neighbourhood. They used their political influence to get a cycle lane removed from a local highway. There was talk of a naked bike ride through the area but I think wiser counsels prevailed.
This is disgusting. Cycling is for everyone; no-one should feel intimidated out of the hobby. The kind of "men" who think it's ok to harass women would think twice about doing it to a man. If we are going to persuade large numbers of motorists to become cyclists then the issue of harassment has to be addressed.
I've a memory the poster may be Edinburgh-adjacent (is that right?) - in which case it *may* be possible as the shared use paths (former railways) (plus a bit of more recent infra) can allow you to do this. Highly dependent on your journey though. That's not the case most places in NL. There you may be using motor-traffic-reduced and slowed *streets* there but most roads have alternatives. But here in the north-west I can cycle for several miles in a couple of directions using them. Of course if I needed to eg. go east-west in the south of the city it's back to more usual UK conditions...
According to the website as seen on my mobile this is an outstanding deal - the price in the box at the top by the weight etc. is showing as £0.00 ! (sorry due to site redesign I can't post a screenshot - besides I'm ignoring the price points which *are* quoted later in the article and am off to claim my free machine...)
Thanks for bringing that to our attention. Then ... it will be easy to see that in the casualty numbers, no? And (albeit this is looking a decade back) indeed you can *see* the truth! https://robertweetman.wordpress.com/2017/09/29/a-year-of-death-and-injury-2016/ Do you mean is "we are used to *looking for the cars*" (or even "looking with our ears" - which is real) and thus cyclists are often surprising? Or is it "cyclists are in or space, we know that motorists are only on the roads"? * But ... it is true that cyclists are a bit less visible and quieter than motorists. And it is true that some cyclists don't make efforts to be visible. And indeed some are too relaxed about cycling in accordance with the law. The latter points are not good ... but then the damage caused by cyclists in a collision is on average much less than a with a motor vehicle. And while people often think that motorists are more likely to be motivated to obey the law because of legal consequences (because eg. "They've got number plates") that it's debatable. Unlike cyclists motorists aren't going to be motivated to proceed carefully because of worries about being injured or killed in a collision with a pedestrian... * Excluding all those motorists who reach year kill more people on the footways than cyclists do altogether...
The cross checking is limited but I do have the matching data fields on my own records which correspond with the police's data fields: 'Offence Date', Offending Vehicle Type', 'Reporter' ('Cyclist' for me), 'Location Town or City', 'Primary Offence'. If that isn't replicated in the database for an incident I have reported it tells me something is wrong with the database. If I have reported an incident and there are several matching possibilities then, yes, I cannot tell if they relate to my report or someone else's.
46 thoughts on “Taxi driver “celebrates” bike lane removal – by close passing cyclist; Council blasted for ripping up bike lane, so cars can park on path; “If cyclists really need a safe space, a painted lane would suffice”; “Cycle freaks” slated + more on the live blog”
I read all those comments
I read all those comments from Edinburgh with a rising sense of
disbelief, consternation and despair at the astonishing selfishness of a minority of humans; then I got to Gordon Struth, a wise man of the north.My wife tells me that I’m too
My wife tells me that I’m too evangelical on the subject of climate change and that everybody is on a journey to some form of enlightenment and just calling them names isn’t going to help. I don’t know if that’s true but can we at least agree that when we’ve run out of resources and we’re ankle deep in flood water that we can round up these morons up and drown them?
But calling them names is
But calling them names is kind of cathartic.
.
.
Yup, insulting people with a different view to your own is a GREAT way to persuade them to change their minds.
.
Keep it up.
.
Apologies Flintshire Boy, I
Apologies Flintshire Boy, I thought I was poking fun at myself. Sorry you didn’t take it that way. I’m really not in a position to persuade people to change their minds I’m really just working on myself and occasionally ranting at the TV.
The point I would make is that it’s the current government that wrote Gear Change and is in the process of setting up ATE. Today I read this:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/aug/16/england-must-reduce-meat-dairy-intake-says-henry-dimbleby?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other&fbclid=IwAR17afkGxaxQZHxxCfKbP8IGpVbbcC0pX0FKzmjbtMfR9aGNaldJ3r5RXd0
This isn’t another rant from Monbiot. It’s not a “different view” this is from the very heart of a Conservative lead government.Why is there still any doubt in the minds of anyone? It should now be obvious to all we need to change and we need to change fast. Railing against that change is far more dangerous to our future existence than me swearing at the TV.
IanMK wrote:
— IanMKWouldn’t that raise the water level?
But one person has to walk
But one person has to walk what was a 3 minute drive now!??!??!!! at Edinburgh’s average car speed of 6.5mph that’s 530meters!?! how can anyone possibly be expected to cover that kind of marathon distance without a car? What are they thinking??? That’s a 6 minute walk we are talking about!
Whilst I’m sure the beaches
Whilst I’m sure the beaches around Edinburgh are lovely, I cant help think they were taking the wee joc(k)ular abit with that one.
But if it’s the sea don’t
But if it’s the sea don’t forget that’s uphill one way… If Silverknowes it is a long but moderate hill to climb or a short but stiff up on the East side.
Patrick9-32 wrote:
Watching old Panoramas last night, and in one, a 16 year old had to walk five miles because the bus drivers were on strike, and it took him 1h 45m, while the bus only took 45m. At no point did anyone point out that the journey could be made quicker and cheaper than either of those options by riding a bicycle. Then I remembered: it’s the BBC.
1:45, so about 7 miles, 35-40
1:45, so about 7 miles, 35-40 minutes, down to 1/2 hour in a month.
Martin Booth wrote:
Hard disagree. No cycle lane is much better than the sort of cycle lane that endangers a cyclist – this goes double if the offending cycle lane is within good view of the main carriageway so drivers then punish you for not using it.
I live near that junction and
I live near that junction and to be honest, I’d forgotten there was even a cycle lane there. That’s how useful it was. And the pavement did (still does, really) need widening, especially right on the corner by the credit union.
Which isn’t to say there haven’t been missed opportunities – I’m disappointed that you still can’t (legally and/or easily) turn right out of Nine Tree Hill – but I do think replacing that particular painted lane (and let’s remember it’s not long ago it was fashionable to call it a “moord strip” – not sure if I’ve spelled that right) with pavement was probably a good decision. Might have been better if they’d made the road one lane only inbound at the same time.
Bmblbzzz wrote:
I often cycle along Cheltenham Rd and turn down Ashley Rd and the cycle paint was absolutely useless as there’d invariably be taxis parked across it. I tend to use that route late at night, which means that there’s drinkers spilling out from the bars and over the cycle lane too. They should just restrict motor vehicles to just one lane along there and have wider pavements and protected cycle lanes too.
I’m usually going straight on
I’m usually going straight on and in the daytime, but agree they should reduce it to one lane. It’ll be interesting to see if removing the cycle lane will reduce the number of people going straight on from the left-turn lane.
Oh, and I don’t mind the drinkers while they’re drinking so much, it’s early on a weekend morning when they’ve covered the road in broken glass and discarded nitrous cannisters!
There’s a follow up article
There’s a follow up article on BristolPost: https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/council-chief-pledges-action-pavement-7473655
Cllr Don Alexander, the Labour councillor who is the cabinet member for transport, had initially told other councillors who were posting pictures and videos of pavement parking from Cheltenham Road in Montpelier to report it properly, because the council’s parking services team ‘don’t sit and play on Twitter all day’.
I don’t think I’ve seen a parking enforcer for several months, anywhere, so what are they doing?
“You should have upgraded the cycle lane to make it segregated, thereby encouraging sustainable travel and preventing pavement parking in one fell swoop!” they added.
When someone inquired whether there would be more traffic wardens employed by the council, Cllr Alexander admitted: “It is very very difficult to recruit now along with many other areas in transport.”
Does it all have to be about
Does it all have to be about outrage-generation and starting arguments? It’s a bit wearing.
HarrogateSpa wrote:
No it isn’t!
Yes it is!
Yes it is!
Is this a 5 minute argument
Is this a 5 minute argument or the full half hour?
What are you referring to by
What are you referring to by ‘it’? The internet? Modern life? Human history?
Talking of outrage, did the
Talking of outrage, did the recent hot weather manage to finally dry out the Stray?
Yes the issues with the Stray
Yes the issues with the Stray were resolved a while ago.
The Stray Defence Association are more an anti-cycling group than a pro-Stray club, and are still trying to meddle in and obstruct plans for a cycle network in Harrogate.
.
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Yet you have quite happily in the past participated in same.
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Hypocrite much?
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Hey
Hey
.
Great to hear from you
.
I love the way you’re putting your case these days
.
Re: Close-passing taxi-driver
Re: Close-passing taxi-driver.
Ah, the good old Ashley Neal “wide angle lens” excuse.
Stop the video at 0:11. A Mini Countryman is 1.8m wide, so using that as a guide, there is maybe a 3m gap between the Mini and the cyclist, with the mini being 30-50cm inside thier lane. Chris then drives his 2.04m wide cab through this gap without crossing the white line, leaving at most 50cm between him and the cyclist.
Also the claim of 2mph
Also the claim of 2mph difference he made means the slight movement back in would have not left her much room behind him either. Luckily she had the bus lane just start to offer some protection although the stationary bus further up wouldn’t help.
You can use the TX4 right
You can use the TX4 right ahead of him, which according to diagrams is 1480mm between the centres of the rear tyres. That puts the lane at just over 3m.
Then, AIUI the Lime bike has a 26″ wheel, which again puts the lane at just over 3m.
Then, someone measured the lane at ~3.25m on Bing maps, so we’re all in the right ball-park.
So that’s 1m to the *kerb*, yet our genius reckons he left 2m clearance as he passed.
Edinburgh resident here. I
Edinburgh resident here. I can only agree with some of the wise consultation responses. Dogs – you can’t just walk your dog to the walk because of all the cars. Professional dog walkers need vans because their businesses depend on collecting dogs from people’s houses that are away from the town centre because they commute by car every day, or because we don’t have much green space locally because it’s under private housing developments and access roads.
Yes, it takes more time to drive to the shore front eg at Silverknowes * because a whole road (of 3) was dedicated to buses (thus making it *much* more pleasant to walk or cycle too).
* Although less now that people trashed planters and barriers:
And “what about the old,
And “what about the old, disabled, children etc who can’t park near the shore any more because there are fewer places to park?” and those spaces are all taken by other people in cars, some of whom could have taken the bus or even walked or cycled now that there’s (mostly) connected route all the way there (reclaimed from cars).
Never forget the wise words
Never forget these wise words
Was he talking about the
Was he talking about the needs (convenience) of the many current drivers outweighing those of *current* cyclists and pedestrians, the needs of the many able-bodied outweighing the few disabled … ?
5 years seems pretty low for
5 years seems pretty low for this
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-62562341
A man who killed a teenage cyclist after driving at “breathtaking” speed in dark and foggy conditions has been jailed for five years.
Sami Ula Jabbar was travelling at about 80mph in a 30mph zone when his Mercedes E400 hit 16-year-old Harley Smith.
At this time a bus on the road ahead was pulling into a bus stop. The Mercedes motor car navigated around the bus by entering the opposing lane contrary to the ‘keep left’ bollard situated on the road (https://news.stv.tv/east-central/sami-ula-jabbar-killed-harley-smith-after-driving-80mph-in-30mph-zone-in-falkirk)
Jabbar later told police he had been in the car with two others and a cyclist wearing all black “came out of nowhere” *.
* that would be on account of the fog and darkness then and being on the wrong side of the road.
1.8T, 328 bhp, Acceleration 0-60 mph 5.1 secs
Care to comment Grant Shapps?
Looks like the road.cc team
Looks like the road.cc team have picked up on this story now – https://road.cc/content/news/speeding-driver-who-killed-schoolboy-jailed-five-years-295271
Can someone (anyone) explain
Can someone (anyone) explain that anti-LTN campaigner tweet? Is he actually standing there stopping cars going through, to protest about a scheme stopping cars going through?
He believes the only reason
He believes the only reason for the LTN is as a stealth tax on motorists. So he is standing there to stop motorists “accidently” ignoring all the warnings and driving through and getting a fine. So as they are not raising money this way, the council will then cancel the LTN.
Bristol has a lot of cyclists
Bristol has a lot of cyclists, and still has a strong ‘cycling culture’ (even after Roll for the Soul and Bristol Bicycles closed, and after the council closed the Chocolate Path and never reopened it), but it is never been a ‘cycling city’ in the time I’ve been actually cycling there.
But the city council really couldn’t give a monkey’s about cycling anyway. They are much happier with gimicky ‘green initiatives’ which are whizz-bang and hi-tech.
Watch this space for when the riverside cycle path gets closed off under the development of the Western Harbour…
(edited)
brooksby wrote:
I read some comments from George Ferguson about Bristol’s failed Eurovision bid – he rightly criticised the Bristol Arena plans and how the proposed site in Filton would be heavily car dependant. I think he’s bitter about it.
I agree. I cycled every day
I agree. I cycled every day to college at the college green campus in the mid noughties, and I can see why the city earned its ‘cycling city’ status. With bike lanes (or in many cases nice wide bus lanes, with good parking enforcement) and advanced stop lines on most major routes, it was a real step up from what came before. Times change though; population density has increased while public transport provision hasn’t improved, and more people are in their cars. The cycling provisions in Bristol are now below par when I compare it to my experience of other UK cities.
ShutTheFrontDawes wrote:
But public transport has improved; the metrobus is a roaring success.
Chris Pearce’s protestations
Chris Pearce’s protestations of innocence would have more credibility if he hadn’t deleted the evidence.
What a terrible shame that a
What a terrible shame that a couple of Twitter users captured the video and retweeted it for all to see hence the stills.
Squirrel with a gun!
Squirrel with a gun!
https://mobile.twitter.com/quitedan/status/1558855164290809856
ktache wrote:
Added to my Steam wishlist!
Got a good blast of the horn
Got a good blast of the horn tonight for hopping onto a signed, shared pathway via a toucan crossing when the lights were red for vehicles.
No doubt the driver was just warning me of their presence.
hirsute wrote:
In Liverpool were you?