Cyclist may sue tram firm after rails cause injury after fall

[Flying_Monkey]

How on earth do all those cyclists manage in Amsterdam....

Seriously? Because the cyclists' part of the road is separated, usually physically, from the the tram tracks when they are running alongside them, and they generally only cross them at right-angles (which is pretty safe) and with the benefit of their own traffic lights. Of course, British cyclists seem to have the same attitude to separation as US car drivers do to any restrictions on their car use: it's an abomination. Never mind that it works very well when you've got multiple uses including trams.

 

[marinyork]

Christ in hell, I'll leave then.

What is it with people when winter draws in. :S


And yeah I'm going to disagree with people who campaign for years. Just because people campaign doesn't mean they are right. People campaigned to have the lockerbie bomber released. That wasn't right imo.

It's got nothing to do with winter. I live right next to tram lines, I have to cross them to get to places. To tell someone to avoid them is silly, it doesn't get us anywhere. I don't think many of the points bring anything to the debate. Cunobelin is right. FM is also correct, the trams here are not segregated and swerve across multiple lanes of traffic. We are lucky here that because the size of the tram they had to use concrete 18 inches down so the tracks are set in concrete and so a bit more visible, especially in the dark - concrete is more slippery though. Edinburgh has a lot of the mistakes other cities have and there's little indication they are doing much to learn. I don't personally have any great problem with the tram lines, I don't go round assuming all cyclists will be the same though. I know perfectly well it puts some people off cycling to certain places.

 

[gaz]

AFAIK the tram system is still being built so it seems reasonable to go to the company that is building it.

Aaaah crap, i just re-read some of the posts, and the tram tracks appear form no where without warning?

lol what on earth are they thinking. My mistake..

 

[slowmotion]

Edinburgh will have about 11.5 miles of tram tracks when they are eventually completed. Amsterdam has about 120 miles. I have no idea about the number of cyclists in Edinburgh, but Amsterdam, with a population of about 750 thousand, probably has about (squinting!) 450 thousand (?).
600 metres of foam was stuck into the tram tracks for a bike race earlier this year in order to avoid accidents.

It was taken out after the race.

Yes, Amsterdam has fantastic bike lanes, but a whole lot of cyclists ride parallel to tram lines. A tram system may be a bit of a novelty in Edinburgh, and cyclists may well need educating, but surely, common-sense has a place here?

No disrespect to anyone, BTW.

 

[jimboalee]

So you're disagreeing with people that have campaigned for years on this issue on the rather simplistic idea that it's common sense to avoid the tracks?

I have this absolutely brilliant one for you. Why did the chicken cross the road?

Because it has a brain the size of a hazelnut. How big is your brain?

 

[jimboalee]

http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=37.722944,-122.444829&spn=0.001165,0.002063&z=19

Here's the intersection just down from City College San Francisco. Do the kids have problems with the tram tracks? NO.

 

[User482]

I don't think crossing tram tracks is much of a problem, it's when paths or roads run alongside them that it gets difficult. It only takes a pedestrian or another cyclist to step out as you're trying to overtake, and you're straight into the tgracks.

 

[gaz]

I don't think crossing tram tracks is much of a problem, it's when paths or roads run alongside them that it gets difficult. It only takes a pedestrian or another cyclist to step out as you're trying to overtake, and you're straight into the tgracks.

That is a problem. I'm sure that a road like that can be avoided.

 

[asterix]

I know perfectly well it puts some people off cycling to certain places.

Too true. In Bordeaux I just got off and walked where there were tracks. Lots of cyclists in Bordeaux however.

Probably entirely unconnected but when I went to the local supermarket (hiiuuuge) I was surprised to see several people either wearing neck-braces or their arms slung up.

 

[snorri]

I'm sure that a road like that can be avoided.

That's not so easy when you lack local knowledge.
The only close shave I was aware of on my summer tour involved a combination of tram lines, a door zone, nearby moving traffic and looking for directional signs.

 

[User482]

That is a problem. I'm sure that a road like that can be avoided.

Indeed it can. But in Bristol, the council and Sustrans are actively encouraging cyclists to use such a route!