Cycling on the Promenade

by **sally_miranda** » 04 Dec 2007, 18:28

I'm new to cycling and use the Promenade Mon-Fri twice each day to get to and from Queen Margaret Uni in Musselburgh. We are not allowed to park there and have been encouraged to cycle or use public transport which is no good for me, I would be late after dropping my son off at nursery.
I gave up my car and bought a bike for a number of reasons, one of them being I believed I could cycle along the promade after looking at a "spokes" cycle map, if I couldn't cycle there; I would give up my bike and go back to a car.
Some roads can be hell, taxi drivers hate us, bus drivers hate us and vans just don't seem to see us.
While cycling on the promenade, I do however slow right down, dismount when realising I've encountered the busy school run, wear bright clothing so I can be seen by people and slow right down when passing dogs (who are obviously oblivious to bright clothing).
I find it a delight to see the school run on the promenade with parents and kids cycling together and now, on Sundays, I use the promenade to cycle with my 3 year old son who is learning to ride a bike, I see it as the perfect place for him to learn. Isn't this what we want? To encourage kids to cycle and eventually be using less cars?
What is needed is more promotion of cyclists being "bike polite" both on cycle paths, shared paths and roads.
http://www.politecycling.info/index.html

We are having a cyclists meeting at QM Uni tomorrow, I'll bring this subject up and ask cyclists to be aware of all of these issues.

by **Bob Jefferson** » 04 Dec 2007, 18:45

With you 100% on this and thanks for the link. Welcome to the forum.

by **promqueen** » 04 Dec 2007, 21:49

by **tom nimmo** » 08 Dec 2007, 13:38

Nice one sally_miranda. You have given just about every reason there is to support cycling on the prom. I cycle from Portobello to Easter Road and back four days a week and if I couldn't go on the prom up beyond the dog and cat home then I would either drive or take the bus. My favourite part of the journey is where I turn off Seafield Road and cut through the cemetery. It is just so peaceful there and one morning in the spring I hand-fed a fox my lunchtime sandwich. Magical. I had always planned to be set on fire when I finally gave up on this life but I think I would be quite comfortable being laid to rest in Seafield cemetery, it's a lovely, tranquil spot.

by **ileniapizzo** » 11 Dec 2007, 19:33

by **Bazza** » 21 Dec 2007, 13:30

by **Bob Jefferson** » 28 Jan 2008, 15:47

From today's EN:

by **wangi** » 28 Jan 2008, 16:20

by **Bazza** » 13 Feb 2009, 15:07

admin: split from http://forum.talkporty.org/viewtopic.php?p=80110#80110

BeachBum wrote:

> TBH, i had considered starting to cycle to work, but decided to wait until
> after the works have been finished before I give it a bash.

Actually, the roadworks don't really affect us cyclists. If you head up along Fishwives causeway, there's a crossing over Harry Lauder Road, and it goes up to London Road. Coming back, the last section isn't lit, so can be a bit hairy, especially with all the ice, but it's not too bad. And if you're heading to Leith, then the Prom from the King's Road onwards is cyclable.

by **BeachBum** » 13 Feb 2009, 17:40

by **BeachBum** » 13 Feb 2009, 17:43

by **Grunk** » 13 Feb 2009, 17:48

by **BeachBum** » 13 Feb 2009, 17:50

by **portyallmydays** » 14 Feb 2009, 17:37

by **BeachBum** » 14 Feb 2009, 19:03

by **BeachBum** » 14 Feb 2009, 19:04

by **wangi** » 14 Feb 2009, 22:44

by **BeachBum** » 14 Feb 2009, 23:11

by **Grunk** » 15 Feb 2009, 21:31

by **BeachBum** » 15 Feb 2009, 21:43

by **wangi** » 15 Feb 2009, 22:34

by **seanie** » 15 Feb 2009, 22:36

by **Pal of Porty** » 16 Feb 2009, 11:30

by **Maria** » 16 Feb 2009, 12:01

by **seashell** » 16 Feb 2009, 12:39

by **wangi** » 16 Feb 2009, 15:45

My first ever post to POL / Talk Porty was on this thread back in 2004... Reading it against I don't think anything has changed, bar a few extra signs.

by **Bazza** » 16 Feb 2009, 18:52

Wow, what a response! I deliberately talked about the Prom above the Kings Road towards Seafield to avoid controversy too...

by **Maria** » 16 Feb 2009, 19:06

by **Bob Jefferson** » 16 Feb 2009, 22:29

The fact is that there are good and bad examples of both motorists and cyclists. The difference is that cyclists are much more vulnerable. Many cyclists take, what I would consider to be unnecessary risks - cycling without lights after dark, cycling without helmets, crashing red lights, cycling in high winds and icy conditions. Sure, in many cases it is a car driver that is at fault in fatal accidents involving cyclists but that is no consolation to those who are left behind.

I have no problem with cyclists using pavements in a careful and considerate fashion in situations where to cycle on the road would be much more dangerous. Brighton Place is a very good example of this. I know someone who came off his bike just under the bridge and was very lucky that no-one was behind him. The road through Holyrood Park from Duddingston is another. Why struggle uphill in a narrow lane with sharp bends when you have a perfectly good pavement or the option of an off-road route nearby? Sure, you are entitled to be there, but is it worth the danger you put yourself in to prove a point?

Don't get me wrong - I'm pro-cycling and support considerate cycling on the Prom but I feel that a lot of streets are now just too dangerous for cycling. Instead of cycle lanes and advance cycle stop lines that motorists just ignore, we should be investing serious money in upgrading and extending the network of off-road routes. I don't know how much of the transport budget is currently spent on cycle routes but I do recall that Spokes were delighted a few years ago when it was raised to 1%. That's pretty poor support for a mode of transport that supports a healthy lifestyle and has minimum impact on the environment.

by **BeachBum** » 16 Feb 2009, 22:46

by **wangi** » 16 Feb 2009, 23:02

I delight in letting bad cyclists know how I feel... As I cycle alongside.

However it's the shocking driving standards that really irritate me - a five mile cycle in the morning really does get the adrenalin pumping... From the fear of death and resulting anger. A lot of motorists seem to have an irrational desire to pass cyclists at the earliest opportunity - if I'm (as a cyclist) occupying the whole lane then there is a reason - it's not safe for you to overtake me just now.

The two times I've been involved in accidents (both as a cyclist) the cars behind tooted the horns, shouted abuse and told me to "get the fuck out of their way". I had been hit (glancing blow) by a small truck on the corner of Nicolson St & Richmond St (just before the Tesco) in one instance...

Don't get me started with some of the bus drivers... (most of course are good drivers; but statistically First bus and the tour buses are less so...)

by **Bazza** » 17 Feb 2009, 10:50

Firstly, I agree that some cyclists are just asking for trouble - cycling without lights, jumping lights, etc etc.

However, the cars that try and run me off the road don't do it because of those reasons. I wear a high visibility jacket and helmet, I have two front and two back lights etc etc, and I only jump red lights if the council put up those annoying ones with car-detecting cameras that don't see cycles.

And yet still SOME car drivers feel that they just HAVE to overtake a bike if they see one, even if they're about to turn left, and they'll force me off the road if they try it. F@ckers.

And yeah, First Bus seem to be way behind LRT on training their drivers to be bike-aware.

10 years ago, LRT were just as bad, but they're much better these days.

Cycling on the Promenade

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