Cycling UK Forum

reohn2 wrote:Thread contributors will have to forgive me but I was responding to the OP and the linked photo as its all I have to go off so ask Pete Owens again.What do you propose?

Rather along the lines of the joke about asking someone for directions to a nearby town and the answer being "if I was going there I wouldn't start from here".

If that is the "solution" then my proposal would be not to create the problem in the first place.

Even so, I'm not sure what the purpose of the red stripes is because I really wouldn't want to be in the narrow strip between the tram lines an the kerb in the first place - and I'm not sure how you are supposed to instantly turn through 45 degrees to swerve across the path of traffic. Turning on slippery steel must be nearly as dangerous as crossing it at a tight angle.

This junction has been terrible since it was built(with zero provision for cyclists). what is required is a complete re-design and rebuild(it will cost a lot). While they are at it , should design in a superhighway connection to the (due to arrive 2019) E-W Edinburgh version of a cycle superhighway (so probably nothing like as good).
Another terrible junction is the one at the Mound- where it looks impossible to redesign for a right angled crossing of tracks.... but then i'm not a road engineer(but evidence suggests that they have even less idea of what cyclists require- sharp right angle turns on/off carriageways onto cycleroute seeming to be their favourite"quality cycle provision")

There was a proposal for an alternative route for cyclists at the location of mortal peril which would have taken them safely across the tram tracks, and down the wrong side of the road, to make the right turn safely away from the tracks. It seemed like an obvious route the only time I've ever cycled it, but was blocked by a police van at the time so I cycled down the pavement. As I recall it was proposed well before the occasion of mortal peril but I have no idea who it was that put it forward.

In practice I suspect that the current solution will remain in place at least until somebody else dies.

Pete Owens wrote:

reohn2 wrote:Thread contributors will have to forgive me but I was responding to the OP and the linked photo as its all I have to go off so ask Pete Owens again.What do you propose?

Rather along the lines of the joke about asking someone for directions to a nearby town and the answer being "if I was going there I wouldn't start from here".

If that is the "solution" then my proposal would be not to create the problem in the first place.

Even so, I'm not sure what the purpose of the red stripes is because I really wouldn't want to be in the narrow strip between the tram lines an the kerb in the first place - and I'm not sure how you are supposed to instantly turn through 45 degrees to swerve across the path of traffic. Turning on slippery steel must be nearly as dangerous as crossing it at a tight angle.

The problem being that we are starting from here,admittedly the UK provision for cycling is dire and it has some serious catching up to do to even approach the best continental countries,but short of tearing up the tram tracks and relaying them to suit the minority road users,which I think you'll agree ain't going to happen anytime soon.Making other road users aware of cyclists needs for crossing tram tracks is better than nothing.
I have to add I don't know uthe junction or tram system in Edinburgh.