Dreams of the Future Chapter 5 Events

Cycling v Walking Given that the comments so far regarding cyclists’ behaviour were pretty negative I thought we should hear from some cyclists; create a balance. Walking on the Union Canal path First cyclist: I don’t have a bell, I just kind of sneak past cyclists, but I’m not rushing, I take my time. It frightens some people but I apologise. The future? Separate paths, or marked lanes. More consideration from elderly walkers, they were young once too. Second cyclist: I do speed along but I’m careful. I look ahead and make sure I won’t bump into anyone. The Future: What? I’ve not thought about that. Third cyclists: I sometimes shout that I’m coming. No, I wouldn’t have a bell, that’s not necessary really. The Future: I hope I can keep cycling into my 90s. Fourth cyclist: I didn’t ask him to stop, however he did give us an advanced warning: ‘Cyclist coming through on your right.’ then when he’d passed us, waved and thanked us. I thanked him too. Fifth cyclist: She had a bell and rang it. She had a child seat and a toddler on the back. She was very vocal about ‘Those lycra-clad speeding characters’. The Future: Perhaps the council could have designated speedways for those who want to race against their computer targets. They should stay off this canal path and the Water of Leith walkway. It would seem that from this small sample of cyclists. And there you have it, a very mixed bag of opinions and just a few positive suggestions for the future of cycling locally.