I’m a bit worried, this is a pro-bike, anti-car thread, on stw?

I’m with SteveMTB on this one. saves me about 30 minutes a day on my 5 mile each way commute! I have to drive through the centre of town. Leaving the car at home is not an option for me.

The real issue is that the road and transportation system in Edinburgh is shocking! Badly thoughtout and implemented. I started typing a rant but couldn’t be finish…would be here all day!

Picture this: road with two lanes, bus lane and car lane. there is a cross roads ahead with a car turning right, all the car traffic gets backed up until the car has turned right – instead of cars using the left hand lane for going left and straight…just as it says in the highway code. I firmly believe that Edinburgh’s roads are too narrow for the amount of use they get.

Too many “rules of the road” IMO. needs to be simplified. Everyone gets shafted.

Paul- usually the bus lane ends befoer the junction in that sort of case to allow cars to change lanes as happens here http://g.co/maps/c9967

Your problem is the road transport system in Edinburgh is a compromise for everyone – not the minority that use cars – and yes – commuter trips in Edinburgh its a minority that use cars but they take up the vast majority of the road space.

Bus lane cameras causing road chaos Tee hee – it such a shame car drivers now have to obey the rules of the road and allow others a fair share.

What a load of bleating MY heart bleeds for them.

The lanes are clearly marked with the times of operation.

PaulGillespie – Member
I firmly believe that Edinburgh’s roads are too narrow for the amount of use they get.

Many are and the best way to resolves this is to reduce the amount of traffic.

Oddly enough a similar scheme in Glasgow hasn’t gathered much attention

Nothing that annoys me more than folks who use the entire length of a bus lane to dodge a que, then try to shove their way back in at the front…make my blood boil! Couldn’t really care about folks that pull out 100 yards before they turn left if that lane is empty however, as long as its done safely and isn’t taking the piss..

As for not adhering to the rules of the road however, as both a driver and a cyclist I generally see far more cyclists flaunting the highway code in Edinburgh than motorists….if cyclists want to be treated as equals I’d be keen to see similar fines dished out when they break the rules…

tp biker far more car drivers that cyclists break the rules – its very rare indeed to see a car driving within the rules

30 mph speed limit
2 seconds gap
Giving room to cyclists,
Not going in ASLs,
Parking legally
etc etc

I cycle around the city all the time and whilst especially in student country you see numpties on bikes its very rare to see a car driving within the highway code – as can be seen from the bleating when anyone tries to enforce it

TJ…

probably yes, but thats because there are far more cars than cyclists on the rd. If we looked at it from a percentage of those that ride/bike point of view, its six and half a dozen in my opinion…the amount of cyclists I see every day jumping traffic lights for example is high…they aren’t causing any harm, infact it could be argued that in some circumstances they are speeding up the flow of traffic…but the same could be argued for folk jumping into a bus lane to turn left…

obviously an idiot in a car will do far more damage than an idiot on a bike, but thats a different arguement!

even a % I would say the car driver is far higher – we don’t notice the law abiding cyclist – but nor do we notice most of the law breaking car drivers because it has become normal. go down and non congested road and you will be hard pressed to find a single driver under the speed limit Look a the numbers caught in the bus lanes……….

Many are and the best way to resolves this is to reduce the amount of traffic.

or reduce the pavement width. Why not get pavement lanes? just like on the road. Pedestrians walking one direction stay in their lane, pedestrians walking the other way stay in theirs! could even put wee mini traffic lights in for them and make them signal when turning off!
I reckon that by adopting thia approach we could save reduce pavements by 50% in some areas and add a cycle lane/ buss lane/whatever!

Ok, i’ve been drinking! 😆 LOL, just imagining pedestrian round abouts!

its very rare to see a car driving within the highway code

Really 🙄 In your world maybe. I get pissed off at motorists and cyclists, oh and pedestrians as well, while we are at it, they are all bad. It’s the stupid road layouts that are the problem and putting up cameras isn’t going to fix the problem. Probably be about as effective as fines for using your mobile while driving, still see plenty numpties doing this.

not the minority that use cars – and yes – commuter trips in Edinburgh its a minority that use cars but they take up the vast majority of the road space.

Confused…how does a minority become a majority here?

Cycled in from Peebles this morning for the first time in ages – have to say it was pretty bad, worse than normal dodgy car driving.

The bus lane camera thing has made cars even more unpredictable, before at least you knew where they would start leaping across, now they don’t quite know what to do. Some go early, some wait until the very end then barge in.

And my favourite, a purple tipper truck that kind of straddled both lanes with his left indicator on….

The supposed safe bike corridor is a bit of a joke, the cycle lanes are far too narrow.

OK thats this morning’s moan about car drivers over ! Yesterday was worse, 50m visibility in the mist, 55mph on the motorbike and being overtaken by cars, relying on dumb luck that there wasn’t a truck looming out of the gloaming. Joy of joys.