Roseburn Cycle path again :-(

[HLaB]

I just got an email through from the local CTC there's been yet another assault on the Roseburn Cycle path and thats reported ones there's probably more unreported . Folk who done Pedal for Scotland/ Pedal for Cake might recognise it, it that path into Edinburgh a section of its on this vid (about 2:30 in). I do tend to avoid the path unless I'm cycling in peak cycling hours and even then I don't use it much primarily for the reasons suggested; thats OK for me who doesn't mind using the roads but what about folk to nervous to do so, on its own I actually think its a very good facility to encourage folk to cycle, avoids traffic, goes mostly where you want it to go and being an old railway line the gradient is reasonable.

On Wednesday, 25th August CTC member, #### #### was assaulted on the Roseburn cycle path near Davidson's Mains as a large tree branch or small sapling was dropped by a group of children onto her head from a bridge. She was knocked from her bike and suffered a cut to her lip and much bruising. Three passing cyclists were very helpful and supportive, with the police being called, taking a statement and allotting the incident a crime number. Unfortunately, they have not been in touch since to say that any arrests have been made so we assume that the perpetrators are still on the loose and on the lookout for more, probably women, victims.
As she has been assaulted previously and has had a number of run-ins with children on other occasions, we wonder if you know if anyone or anybody holds a record of the assaults on Edinburgh's cycle paths? Presumably the police do, but it doesn't seem as though it has prompted them to make frequent patrols at the danger times, during the after school period for example. During the last couple of weeks, we have spoken to various folk, mainly women, who say that they have either been the focus of trouble or are loath to use the paths for that reason.



This not an isolated incident, see
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/topstories/Yobs-throw-cyclist-into-canal.4745472.jp

but while the canals are getting some attention see
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/Police-surveillance-on-bikes-to.6526438.jp

there are many other ‘hotspots’ that should be looked at, such as the Innocent Railway Path south of Duddingston Road West which is systematically avoided by many cyclists, and the now-redundant footbridge linking Telford Drive and Easter Drylaw Drive.



It is sad that, having developed a bicycle path network in order to save cyclists mixing with the danger of traffic we now face the danger of directed violence on the selfsame paths.

 

[goo_mason]

I just got an email through from the local CTC there's been yet another assault on the Roseburn Cycle path and thats reported ones there's probably more unreported . Folk who done Pedal for Scotland/ Pedal for Cake might recognise it, it that path into Edinburgh a section of its on this vid (about 2:30 in). I do tend to avoid the path unless I'm cycling in peak cycling hours and even then I don't use it much primarily for the reasons suggested; thats OK for me who doesn't mind using the roads but what about folk to nervous to do so, on its own I actually think its a very good facility to encourage folk to cycle, avoids traffic, goes mostly where you want it to go and being an old railway line the gradient is reasonable.

In the 4 years I've been using all or part of this path, I've never really had any bother. The only time I did, it was about three years ago with two wee boys about 8 or 9 who were under a bridge lobbing bricks at the lighting and trying to smash it. As I approached on the bike, one took to the centre of the path, legs wide, with a brick in either hand. He raised one brick as if to hit me with it, whilst yelling "Come on then, mister... F**K YOU! F**K YOU!". I didn't bother stopping - they know they're untouchable at that age and I've no doubt the bricks would have been launched had I had words with him. These feral brats are scared of no-one.

Funnily enough, I realised about a year ago that I'm always looking up at the bridges over the path as I approach them. Too many horror stories of kids dropping things on peds & cyclists from above must have sunk in somewhere along the line!

Hope they catch the little scrotes that dropped the branch, but I seriously doubt it. Mind you, that stretch of the path is the only place I've ever seen police on bikes (though it's been about 2yrs since I last saw them).

 

[JoysOfSight]

It's funny, because I use the path a lot and never have any issues. But, I guess that is at peak times.

You can certainly imagine how easy it would be to drop bricks down, and there would be sweet fa you could do about it. Lots of the bridges don't even have path access, so if you were inclined to run up and give them their branch back, you couldn't.

 

[Ravenbait]

I just don't use the paths round there at all any more. After a few confrontations with local kids I realised that one day it was going to end up with either one of them kicking the cr@p out of me or me kicking the cr@p out of one of them, so it's easier and safer to go on the road.

Sam

 

[edindave]

I wondered if this incident would get mentioned on here... had I left work 1 min earlier that day it would probably have been me with the tree wrapped round me under that bridge.


Basically I was the first cyclist to arrive at the scene, talked to the police to direct them to the spot and waited with the other cyclists until they arrived.


I remember riding up towards the bridge thinking 'that looks like a tree in the path - better avoid it' then as i got closer 'that looks like someone inside the tree'. I couldn't believe it. I did notice a bunch of wee kids in the distance but that was about 100m away at least, not close enough to identify any of them before they ran off unfortunately.


It hasn't put me off riding on the paths but I've been extra vigilant since, especially around the bridges and watching out for booby traps etc. I've also seen, for example, one cyclist that had been taken off his bike on a neighbouring path (Hawthornvale) by a log placed deliberately across it.


It's infuriating but what can you do about these feral 7 yr olds!? Feck all ... and I doubt their parents would be interested

Just be aware and be safe out there folks

Cheers!
Dave

 

[the_mikey]

=

Funnily enough, I realised about a year ago that I'm always looking up at the bridges over the path as I approach them. Too many horror stories of kids dropping things on peds & cyclists from above must have sunk in somewhere along the line!

Never been to Scotland, but I've had bottles thrown at me from a bridge in Oldland Common in Bristol, and from the same bridge on another occasion had balloons filled with water thrown too, I stopped on that occasion to not only find it was a group of teenagers but they were being supported by two parents too... I reported it to the police but never had any result from it.