Thoughts on Cambidge
- Thread starter magnatom
- Start date
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Tetedelacourse
New Member
- Location
- Rosyth
magnatom said:Actually, that's a good point JTM. I think crossover is important, and I get the sense that you get that in Cambridge. In Glasgow, if you drive to work, you drive to work. You wouldn't be seen dead on a bike. .....
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nethalus
New Member
- Location
- In my house
You ever been to York Magnatom? Its a bit like Cambridge with hunders of cyclists going back and forth. Must be something to do with old cities like, probably easier to cycle round them than to drive a car.
On my numerous visits to Cambridge I would never drive my car round the city. Always used the park and ride, so much easier like. Same in York, always use the P&R.
My other half drives buses in York and he says some of the roads there are a nightmare like, being narrow with overhanging buildings.
On my numerous visits to Cambridge I would never drive my car round the city. Always used the park and ride, so much easier like. Same in York, always use the P&R.
My other half drives buses in York and he says some of the roads there are a nightmare like, being narrow with overhanging buildings.
nethalus said:
I was in York (for another meeting) but that was before I took up cycling, so I didn't really pay attention at the time. I think the fact that it is flat and there are shortages of parking (my perception) make a difference. However, it shows that it can be done and that Glasgow has miles to go!
I certainly admire anyone who can thread large vehicles down some of the narrow roads!
(although I don't know if I would do as far to say I admire BMK Killer due to our previous correspondence.....)
Arch
Married to Night Train
- Location
- Salford, UK
nethalus said:
I must say, I don't envy bus drivers here in York, the centre really isn't meant for big vehicles, some very tight and narrow corners (and they are mostly very good indeed and often not helped by other drivers blocking junctions and so on). It is ideal for bikes though - partly the layout, partly the fairly compact size, partly the flatness. From what I gather (not having lived here all my life) York went through a cycling decline in the 70s and 80s like everywhere else, but then there was a revival -whereas I think in Cambridge, because of the University and so on, bikes have always been hugely used...
Cab said:Bloody hell... On a silver Giant Expression? Blue helmet, rucksack used to be green but faded to yellowy green, had to be me
Well blow me over, it would have been you! I never got a look at the bike but I certainly did notice the bag. It did look a bit faded, from a distance it looked like a canvas type material, but I could be wrong. What were the odds of that!
Just a shame we never got to say hi!
There are good things and bad things about cycling in Cambridge.
Good things include how many other cyclists there are, how many places there are to lock bikes, and how aware most regular drivers here are that there are a lot of bikes.
Bad things... Well, imagine you're a cretin, and you're a motorist. Imagine that you've just spend two hours on the car park known as the A14, you come off to go down either Histon, Milton or Arbury road, and you see a cyclist in the gutter... Then another in the gutter, and then another 10, and then one in the middle of the lane riding appropriately and assertively. Remember, you're a cretin. How do you act?
I've never known any place where I've encountered a greater number of really angry motorists. They get het up because they've struggled to get through the city centre ("but this road is designed such that cyclists slow the traffic down" does not appease them when you've slowed them down, as you're meant to...). They're angry because the roads are narrow and Cambridge is massively busy. They're just angry. And its remarkable really, I mean by continental standards Cambridge isn't THAT unusual, its just that your British motorist doesn't take well to this volume of cyclists.
You get less cyclists in winter, but the pattern of cycling congestion isn't as simple as that. We're at a peak time now; all the foreign kids who come to Cambridge for summer school just hit town, the roads are crammed full of teens from abroad who don't quite get what they're meant to do on these hire bikes. Then of course when the students first come back proper, and when the sun shines... But still, in driving rain, hail or snow, you'll see cyclists out in this city, and plenty of them.
Good things include how many other cyclists there are, how many places there are to lock bikes, and how aware most regular drivers here are that there are a lot of bikes.
Bad things... Well, imagine you're a cretin, and you're a motorist. Imagine that you've just spend two hours on the car park known as the A14, you come off to go down either Histon, Milton or Arbury road, and you see a cyclist in the gutter... Then another in the gutter, and then another 10, and then one in the middle of the lane riding appropriately and assertively. Remember, you're a cretin. How do you act?
I've never known any place where I've encountered a greater number of really angry motorists. They get het up because they've struggled to get through the city centre ("but this road is designed such that cyclists slow the traffic down" does not appease them when you've slowed them down, as you're meant to...). They're angry because the roads are narrow and Cambridge is massively busy. They're just angry. And its remarkable really, I mean by continental standards Cambridge isn't THAT unusual, its just that your British motorist doesn't take well to this volume of cyclists.
You get less cyclists in winter, but the pattern of cycling congestion isn't as simple as that. We're at a peak time now; all the foreign kids who come to Cambridge for summer school just hit town, the roads are crammed full of teens from abroad who don't quite get what they're meant to do on these hire bikes. Then of course when the students first come back proper, and when the sun shines... But still, in driving rain, hail or snow, you'll see cyclists out in this city, and plenty of them.
Cab said:Yesterday was bedlam for me, that was me between two different places; didn't even get time for lunch yesterday
But yes, Downing Street, about 3:40, canvas rucksack, that was me.
Not very interesting footage yesterday, though.
Have a look at the footage. You might just spot me with a red rucksack walking along the right hand pavement!
summerdays
Cycling in the sun
- Location
- Bristol
magnatom said:
Cab said:
Not even of anybody from up north ... wandering around with an expression of wonderment on their face?
