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While I appreciate there are signs warning people about the tram line, you could put 100 flashing lights on Princes Street warning of that danger but it doesn’t take it away.
I like this bit too..
FORCED to overtake? At gunpoint?She had been cycling in rush hour and was forced to overtake stationary buses in the left-hand lane.
I don't get it - people are falling off their bikes because their wheel got caught in the track? Isn't that just being a bit dumb? What did they think would happen if they put their wheel in the track?
That's how I read it, are people going to start claiming as they fell off due to riding into a curb?!
Ah the trams... if ever there was a good place to use guided busways...
But the article goes on to say that there were specific safety recommendations that have not been acted on?
If you know the tracks are there, and they're iffy to ride near, wouldn't you avoid riding near them?
It's not like it's a pothole, which appear in random locations and there may be no warning.
I bet they didn't all get their wheels caught in the tracks. I bet some of them skidded on the tracks when they were wet.
This has happened to me. On FAKE tram tracks that they installed in my local shopping precinct. Just to catch me out 😳
[edit]I couldn't sue, cos it ain't legal to ride in a shopping precinct!
I've crashed on the tram lines in Sheffield.
Never occoured to me to sue them.
It's a tram line, it's going to be slippery and/or hold your wheel, best just to avoid them.
If you know the tracks are there, and they're iffy to ride near, wouldn't you avoid riding near them?
Again, the article seems to imply there hasn't been much effort to avoid dangerous cyclelane/tram-track interactions.
Not everyone on a bike is a gnaarrrrr superb rider. Cycling on streets should be safe for everyone, even the inexperienced.
IHN +1
It doesn't help that much of that article seems to be a lawyer having a good mental tug over the thought of a big pile of cash, mind.
As above, people have crashed on the tram lines in Sheffield (me included who went to hop over one sideyways and ended up in the 'slot').
Many have sued, sadly.
I detect a marketing opportunity
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“If complete segregation from trams isn’t offered then it will be possible for people to cycle in the same space as the trams. Given the schedule, there will be large gaps between approaching trams and it should be fairly obvious when a tram is around because of the bells they carry.
If the tracks do not give it away first that is...
Having seen the tracks I did wonder when this would be an issue. Mind you they have been building it for long enough so it is not like it sprung up over night. While I sympathise for those that have fallen off I do not believe that they should be able to claim. What happens if they decide to ride into some other street furniture such as lamp posts or signs and fall off because they did not see it. Yeah it is a wheel trap if you ride down it and not across it but you do not need to be the sharpest knife in the drawer to work that out.
Not everyone on a bike is a gnaarrrrr superb rider. Cycling on streets should be safe for everyone, even the inexperienced.
This.
Autumn 2005 and questions to TIE on the subject of bikes and tram lines were ignored. They didn't seem to have considered the risk.
Looking at the layout of the tramlines last week my thought was that there's a part of the city I just won't ride into any more.
A nearly came a cropper on a level crossing once as I was turning quite hard across the rails and they were wet.
Front wheel was washing out but I caught it in time and the bike recovered once it was past the rail.
It would have been a rather sore face - tarmac interface. It would not have occurred to me to try and sue anyone for it. Just don't ride into fairly obvious hazards would seem to be the answer.
Pretty sure I saw signs up the last time I was in Edinburgh pointing out the tram lines
Yes, I agree that it's should be made as safe as possible for people to ride, but you can only go so far, white lines, manhole covers and road furniture is always going to be slippy or imoveable if you hit it.
A tram line is always going to have to have a slot for the flange of the (tram)wheel to go into and even if the rest of the road surface is flush to the top of the rail it's still going to be slippy with a slot down the side.
[quote=richmtb ]
Pretty sure I saw signs up the last time I was in Edinburgh pointing out the tram lines
There are signs everywhere, big poles for the overheads and the rails aren't exactly inconspicuous. Plus - it's hardly been a secret that they're being installed.
I buckled a wheel and punctured after my back wheel slipped along the wet tramlines on Princes Street. Managed to stay upright which was just as well as there was a bus right behind me.
Edinburghs councils execution of the tram project has been shocking and a national embaressment.
If someone can let me know how to post up pics I will show you just how idiotic they have been and why I see no reason they shouldn't be held responsible for cyclist falling and injuring themselves
At a local railway museum they have rubber covers to fill the space between the rails so a bicycle wheel can't get stuck as it needs the weight of a train/tram to compress them.
Could they not just do the same in Edinburgh?
"Great British Public in lack of common sense" shocker.
not just an edinburgh issue.
i ride through malin bridge and hillsborough every day.
think i cross about 14 individual rails on the way to work.
each way. sketchy!
far worse on road bike than mtb.
saying this a common sense issue suggests these people have never commuted along these kind of lines. V. hard to avoid being in a dodgy position some times.
that said. i'd never consider suing over it..
[quote=neninja ]At a local railway museum they have rubber covers to fill the space between the rails so a bicycle wheel can't get stuck as it needs the weight of a train/tram to compress them.
Could they not just do the same in Edinburgh?
Guessing they wont have the budget 🙂
[quote=bauchlebastart ]If someone can let me know how to post up pics
Get URL for Image, click [b]IMG[/b] button above, enter URL in dialog box, job done. (if using flickr use the share my photo link and choose BBB option)
Meh, I slipped on some wet tram tracks in Sheffield a while ago, proper rapid wash out. Buggered my knee, needed new bar tape and a fair few scuffs to levers, my knuckles and QR levers.
Did I sue them? Did I chuff! It was my own damn fault for playing silly buggers and not paying attention. I've not done again, and I've managed to keep upright since. It's not exactly difficult... Some people need to get over the need to externalise blame.
B_Leach - Member
Some people need to get over the need to externalise blame.
Amen, the thought of suing for riding into a tram track makes me shudder, what is society going to be like in another decade or two if these sorts of cases are paid out?
Ah, I know...
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It might be worth showing the cycle lane in question, to understand why some non-hardcore riders might find it tricky:
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Edinburgh City Council says, despite appearances, that that's not a cycle lane and bikes shouldn't use it.
[url= http://www.theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2012/06/opinion-trams-and-bikes-do-they-mix/ ]A link with some pics of where the lines go[/url]
Not posted links before so hope that works.
If you can avoid those lines when you're in that lane, please tell me how so I can too.
Looking at those pics, it would only take a pedestrian stepping off the kerb and you'll be straight into the track.
More than that Ransos. If you look at bencooper's pic, the orange covered lights ahead mark a junction where if you want to go straight ahead you have to be in the lane with the tram lines. Left lane goes left.
In BenCoopers pic the lane ahead is closed with big barriers across it. 🙄
I rest my case.
Its proof of nothing other than sub-standard reporting and a solicitor drumming for business if you ask me....
A report [u][b]from Thompsons Solicitors [/b][/u]has revealed 74 cyclists suffered spills on Princes Street
CITY chiefs[u][b] could face [/b][/u]a compensation bill of [u][b]up to[/b][/u] £1 million from cyclists
Blimey, that lane is actually worse than the article led me to think it would be
In BenCoopers pic the lane ahead is closed with big barriers across it
And of course, those barriers are going to be there when the project finishes.
[quote=oldbloke ]In BenCoopers pic the lane ahead is closed with big barriers across it
And of course, those barriers are going to be there when the project finishes.
See the cones down the left side of the photo?
See the gap between the traffic island and the nearside rail?
Blimey, that lane is actually worse than the article led me to think it would be
I used to ride it every morning and it isn't that bad, in fact, getting into that lane a few hundred metres earlier is far, far, scarier and more dangerous, and there aren't even any tram lines there, just several lanes of irate BMWs and taxis trying to break the sound barrier. That section of green lane has slow moving buses and is very short.
weird double post
oldbloke » In BenCoopers pic the lane ahead is closed with big barriers across it
And of course, those barriers are going to be there when the project finishes.Druidh >> See the cones down the left side of the photo? See them???
Absolutely no excuse for current accidents on that section, but are you suggesting that's not going to be a source of trouble in future?
The rest of the street does have similar designed sections which are open. I just don't have a pic of them.
WTF is next? suing the council for putting nasty hard tarmac on the roads because it hurts when you fall on it??
if these morons can't see and avoid i gigantic metal groove in the road maye they don't have mental capacity to ride a bike at all, put them in nice padded buses.
I wouldn't be to keen to ride along the new tracks in Droylesden in Manchester, the tracks swerve from one side of the road to the other. Watching the cyclists who use these routes, they have to make a major effort to cross the tracks at 90 degrees. It's a situation made worse by all the roadworks happening as part of the installation. I can imgaine it's quite easy to suddenly find the tracks cutting in front of you at a nasty angle and not be in a position to line yourself up to cross them.
if these morons can't see and avoid i gigantic metal groove in the road maye they don't have mental capacity to ride a bike at all, put them in nice padded buses.
Um, right. How do you avoid the tracks in the picture I posted? I suppose you could bunnyhop into the bike lane and out again.
[quote=bencooper ]if these morons can't see and avoid i gigantic metal groove in the road maye they don't have mental capacity to ride a bike at all, put them in nice padded buses.
Um, right. How do you avoid the tracks in the picture I posted? I suppose you could bunnyhop into the bike lane and out again.
It's easy. You cycle along to the left of the nearside rail - where the traffic cones are in that photo.
That's a pretty narrow gap between the rail and the other lane - your handlebars would be practically overhanging the other lane.
To be fair, the bit where the lanes merge into one and force you to cross the track is a bugger.
I remember side-hopping my road bike over the tracks, fearing that I'd lose my skinny tyre in it. Must be a nightmare for less confident folk.
I now avoid Princess Street and commute over Morrison St / West Port which is longer and climbier but way less bonkers than Princess Street which IMO is broken for cyclists.
The comments section against that story is depressing.
"Cyclists, if you really feel you must cycle, throw your bike in the back of the car, go somewhere that's suitable for cycling and cycle away until your heart's content. It's just not worth the risk cycling in a pot hole ridden city centre like Edinburgh. You'll get fit and possibly live longer by avoiding the inevitable."
Etc.