A contrast in cycling routes

[Andre Jute]

Oh I will visit the sight to watch the reenactments of people falling off and then the after show of insurance claims.

You will be the first tourist at the sight. Boris (1) will be the FOR (first official rubbernecker); he will be green with envy at how modern Edinburgh is.

(1) For our American friends, Boris Johnson is the Mayor of London, the only entertaining British politician, and a notorious cyclist. He owns and rides a Pedersen.

[Andre Jute]

...a bike lane beside the sidewalk:  "Whaaa? ... Dang!  What were we thinking??" (Heel of hand to forehead, hard.) "I knew there was something amiss.  Must've got lost in the translation somehow, from driving on the right to driving on the left... Ah well, what's done is done, & the cyclists will just have to compensate."

"The motorists will help the cyclists assimilate the idea and adapt."

You're a card, John.

[John Saxby]

"The motorists will help the cyclists assimilate the idea and adapt."

Ja, & helped along by a friendly wave from the tram-drivers too, eh?

[Andre Jute]

Ja, & helped along by a friendly wave from the tram-drivers too, eh?

Just so, & Edinburgh will be the cynosure of cities worldwide for all the taxi drivers smiling and saying, "You first," to cyclists.

Have faith, man!

[alfie1952]

Hi Peter,
 Now that Donerol was kind enough to post photographs, you are cordially invited along with jags to join me in a ride along Princes St during rush hour when the trams are fully functional.... Donerol and all others are also welcome.

Regards from bemused resident of Edinburgh, Alfie

[Relayer]

If cyclists can cope with trams and their tracks in Amsterdam, I can't see why Edinburgh cyclists should have a problem.

I'll be quite happy to cycle with the trams, and even if it did give me a problem I'd simply ride along with the cars, as I do on any other roads.

Jim ... Proud of Edinburgh.

[Danneaux]

If cyclists can cope with trams and their tracks in Amsterdam, I can't see why Edinburgh cyclists should have a problem.

You do raise a very good point, Jim, and one worth noting when I look at my local traffic stream: Trams run on rails, so are limited in where they can go. Cars, on the other hand, seem to go wherever, driven by human squirrels. I saw one coming the wrong way on the *sidewalk* yesterday. He didn't want to go 'round the block, so connected two adjacent driveways by the nearest possible means. Yikes.

Best,

Dan.

[julk]

I am going on the CTC Lothians Rally in a couple of weeks time, based in Edinburgh I wonder if we will be taken on a guided tour of the new cycle/tram tracks…
The trams start to run on the 31st May

[Relayer]

Hi Julian

If the CTC don't go there, you can always join Critical Mass on the last Friday of the month!

Jim

[bobs]

|Can't see why there would be a problem with the trams. Nearly every European city has some trams and a cyclist can travel along Princes Street just as fast as a tram.

Bob

[Donerol]

If cyclists can cope with trams and their tracks in Amsterdam, I can't see why Edinburgh cyclists should have a problem.

But Amsterdam is much better designed for bikes - lots of segregated paths, and lights at junctions - and most Dutch drivers are also cyclists and are used to making allowances for them.

In Edinburgh you have quite a lot of aggressive drivers - taxis!! - who try and bully the cyclists. The advance stop box for cyclists is hardly ever observed, so it is difficult to get into the right lane and the right part of the lane if you have to worry about the tramlines as well.

And I can't imagine Amsterdam allowing this kind of layout, where the tramline pulls into the kerb and the traffic lane crosses at a very narrow angle.


Although in this picture an escape route to the left is clear, it was often blocked by taxis illegally parked on the double yellow lines, forcing the cyclists to take a very dangerous route across the tramlines.  I believe there has been some improvement since.

It is not difficult to cross tramlines safely IF we are allowed to - but will the drivers learn to give us the time and space?

Ask yourself why British cities don't have as many cyclists as Amsterdam even when they don't have trams.