Hundreds of cyclists gathered in Portobello at the weekend to protest the safety of two-wheeled users on the roads of Edinburgh.

The protest, organised by Critical Mass Edinburgh, is carried out by blocking off main roads in the city with hundreds of bicycles, and other two-wheeled vehicles.

The group carry out these actions in order to fight for safer roads for bikes and motorcycles, as Scotland reported an 18 per cent increase of accidents on the roads involving cyclists.

Cyclists from all over the city gathered on the main street of Portobello, adults and children alike, as cars were blocked off from travelling through them.

On their website, Critical Mass Edinburgh stated that “We’re not blocking traffic. We are traffic.

"Critical Mass is about strengthening the bike network and enjoying our two wheeled friends...There are thousands of cyclists in Edinburgh and many more who would like to cycle more, if only they felt a little safer, so let’s cycle together and send a message to other road users that we have a right to be there too."

According to the latest figures by Cycling Scotland, the majority (85%) of collisions resulting in a cycling casualty involved a car and 1-in-10 reported casualties were hit and run incidents.

Near misses occur far more frequently than actual collisions and are significantly associated with an increased perception of risk when cycling.

There were small but notable increases in cycling casualties at roundabouts, the pedestrian phase of traffic signal junctions, and where vehicles were turning right.

Pedestrian injuries caused by a collision with a cyclist were rare, and there is no evidence that e-bikes are more likely to be involved in a crash compared to a pedal bike.

Critical Mass Edinburgh's aim is to lower this percentage, and make the roads safer for all on them; especially those on two-wheels.

https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/hundreds-edinburgh-cyclists-block-main-21431807

On 29/08/2021 05:12 pm, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:

> Hundreds of fairy-cyclists gathered in Portobello at the weekend to protest the safety of two-wheeled users on the roads of Edinburgh.
>
> The protest, organised by Critical Mass Edinburgh, is carried out by blocking off main roads in the city with hundreds of fairy-bicycles, and other two-wheeled vehicles.
>
> The group carry out these actions in order to fight for safer roads for fairy-bikes and motorcycles, as Scotland reported an 18 per cent increase of accidents on the roads involving fairy-cyclists.
>
> Fairy-Cyclists from all over the city gathered on the main street of Portobello, adults and children alike, as cars were blocked off from travelling through them.
>
> On their website, Critical Mass Edinburgh stated that “We’re not blocking traffic. We are traffic.
>
> "Critical Mass is about strengthening the bike network and enjoying our two wheeled fairy-friends...There are thousands of fairy-cyclists in Edinburgh and many more who would like to fairy-cycle more, if only they felt a little safer, so let’s fairy-cycle together and send a message to other road users that we have a right to be there too."
>
> According to the latest figures by Fairy-Cycling Scotland, the majority (85%) of collisions resulting in a fairy-cycling casualty involved a car and 1-in-10 reported casualties were hit and run incidents.
>
> Near misses occur far more frequently than actual collisions and are significantly associated with an increased perception of risk when fairy-cycling.
>
>
> There were small but notable increases in fairy-cycling casualties at roundabouts, the pedestrian phase of traffic signal junctions, and where vehicles were turning right.

Why on Earth should there be more incidents when the traffic lights at
pelicon crossings are at red for traffic (including fairy-cycles)?

Does this represent more collisions between pedestrians and fairy-cyclists?

If not, what?

> Pedestrian injuries caused by a collision with a fairy-cyclist were rare, and there is no evidence that e-bikes are more likely to be involved in a crash compared to a pedal fairy-bike.
>
> Critical Mass Edinburgh's aim is to lower this percentage, and make the roads safer for all on them; especially those on two-wheels.
>
> https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/hundreds-edinburgh-fairy-cyclists-block-main-21431807
>

On Sunday, August 29, 2021 at 5:12:42 PM UTC+1, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:

Didn't take long for "road tax" myth to come back from the history books into the comments section!
>
> https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/hundreds-edinburgh-cyclists-block-main-21431807