Newcastle

tomb353

Newcastle Critical Mass being revived tonight, 5:30pm at Haymarket.

Have never been before myself but always meant to give it a go. Nice summers evening, not much traffic today as its the school hols.

The organisers have recently met with the council, petitioned the council, and still been fobbed off with no improvements promised for the city centre. Infrastructure here is poor, lorries and commercial vehicles allowed in buslanes. Currently no cycling officer at the Council. Worth going along on a summers evening

thedirge

yup transport is terrible up here

tomb353

were it not for the ability to cycle to the beach after work life would be tough........

Kieran_Burns

Staying in a hotel just on the South side of the Tyne, I thought things were pretty good - looking down at the people cycling over the swing bridge (very picturesquoo), then having to dodge the nutters bombing over the Tyne Bridge; I reckoned things were okay.

Then I saw the multitude of maniacal main motorways that maraude madly 'midst Market and Main, and realised the roads were basically lethal.

Gorgeous town though. (well the old part anyway )

rolf_f

thedirge wrote:

yup transport is terrible up here

Yeah, that comprehensive and efficient Metro system is just the pits. Much worse than Leeds which has some world class guided bus lanes and a few bendy buses which are supposed to look like trams........

tomb353

a metro system that mysteriously ignores half of the city, and then they wonder why half of the west end is now green fields and an old street pattern.

Newcastle has no shortage of leisure cycle routes, C2C and Reivers, rides along the quayside etc; but try commuting east-west and you soon discover that they are f'all use;

shouldbeinbed

tomb353 wrote:

Newcastle Critical Mass being revived tonight, 5:30pm at Haymarket.

Have never been before myself but always meant to give it a go. Nice summers evening, not much traffic today as its the school hols.

nearest school being?

and at 5.30pm???? 2 and a half hours after school would have finished anyway

and its one of the busiest rush hour bits of the town centre a hub route out to various different places.

and a significant public transport hub that CM is targetting. Way to go - inconvenience the non car users too.

stuff the sweet talk, CM is out for deliberate disruption to the motorised hoardes and putting us all as cyclists even further into the wrong in the eyes of the vast majority.

It's an idiot movement that serves no useful purpose in promoting regular cycling nor bringing better harmony on the roads, you lot do nothing for the positive impression of cyclists and are only going to succeed in driving bigger wedges between us and the rest.

This was advertised in the campaign section a while ago too, say hi to Miss Piggy whilst you're reclaiming the streets that were never taken away from you in the first place.

rolf_f

tomb353 wrote:

a metro system that mysteriously ignores half of the city, and then they wonder why half of the west end is now green fields and an old street pattern.

Newcastle has no shortage of leisure cycle routes, C2C and Reivers, rides along the quayside etc; but try commuting east-west and you soon discover that they are f'all use;

Still sounds like cycle/public transport Nirvana compared to Leeds and, I am sure, other places. Be glad for what you do have......

spen666

shouldbeinbed wrote:

tomb353 wrote:

Newcastle Critical Mass being revived tonight, 5:30pm at Haymarket.

Have never been before myself but always meant to give it a go. Nice summers evening, not much traffic today as its the school hols.

nearest school being?

and at 5.30pm???? 2 and a half hours after school would have finished anyway

and its one of the busiest rush hour bits of the town centre a hub route out to various different places.

and a significant public transport hub that CM is targetting. Way to go - inconvenience the non car users too.

stuff the sweet talk, CM is out for deliberate disruption to the motorised hoardes and putting us all as cyclists even further into the wrong in the eyes of the vast majority.

It's an idiot movement that serves no useful purpose in promoting regular cycling nor bringing better harmony on the roads, you lot do nothing for the positive impression of cyclists and are only going to succeed in driving bigger wedges between us and the rest.

This was advertised in the campaign section a while ago too, say hi to Miss Piggy whilst you're reclaiming the streets that were never taken away from you in the first place.

You really are arguing against yourself here.

The first half of your post is arguing that cyclists should not be using these streets and yet you claim the streets have never been taken away

Me thinks some contradiction here




As for the school hols point. You in your rant seem to have falsely assumed that the effect of schools being on holiday only affect the school runs. FAIL
Many people only work term time so they can look after their children in the holidays. It is noticeable on the roads in most towns and cities that traffic in the main working day ( 7 am - 7 pm for sake of argument) is far lighter in holiday time.

rolf_f

spen666 wrote:

As for the school hols point. You in your rant seem to have falsely assumed that the effect of schools being on holiday only affect the school runs. FAIL
Many people only work term time so they can look after their children in the holidays. It is noticeable on the roads in most towns and cities that traffic in the main working day ( 7 am - 7 pm for sake of argument) is far lighter in holiday time.

Aways assumed this was all school run stuff. How many people have enough leave to only work term time? I don't know anyone in that position. I couldn't do it and I have loads of holiday allowance.

spen666

Rolf F wrote:

spen666 wrote:

As for the school hols point. You in your rant seem to have falsely assumed that the effect of schools being on holiday only affect the school runs. FAIL
Many people only work term time so they can look after their children in the holidays. It is noticeable on the roads in most towns and cities that traffic in the main working day ( 7 am - 7 pm for sake of argument) is far lighter in holiday time.

Aways assumed this was all school run stuff. How many people have enough leave to only work term time? I don't know anyone in that position. I couldn't do it and I have loads of holiday allowance.

Its not taking leave, but working term time only. Its a common practice

shouldbeinbed

spen666 wrote:

shouldbeinbed wrote:

tomb353 wrote:

Newcastle Critical Mass being revived tonight, 5:30pm at Haymarket.

Have never been before myself but always meant to give it a go. Nice summers evening, not much traffic today as its the school hols.

nearest school being?

and at 5.30pm???? 2 and a half hours after school would have finished anyway

and its one of the busiest rush hour bits of the town centre a hub route out to various different places.

and a significant public transport hub that CM is targetting. Way to go - inconvenience the non car users too.

stuff the sweet talk, CM is out for deliberate disruption to the motorised hoardes and putting us all as cyclists even further into the wrong in the eyes of the vast majority.

It's an idiot movement that serves no useful purpose in promoting regular cycling nor bringing better harmony on the roads, you lot do nothing for the positive impression of cyclists and are only going to succeed in driving bigger wedges between us and the rest.

This was advertised in the campaign section a while ago too, say hi to Miss Piggy whilst you're reclaiming the streets that were never taken away from you in the first place.

You really are arguing against yourself here.

The first half of your post is arguing that cyclists should not be using these streets and yet you claim the streets have never been taken away

Me thinks some contradiction here

am I really arguing that cyclists should not be using the streets? care to show exactly where I say that or even anything vaguely similar? criticising mass disruption by cyclists isn't the same thing at all and you know as well as I do that the bit you've emboldened is Miss P's strapline from the campaign section thread that I've referred to in the same sentence.

spen666 wrote:

As for the school hols point. You in your rant seem to have falsely assumed that the effect of schools being on holiday only affect the school runs. FAIL
Many people only work term time so they can look after their children in the holidays. It is noticeable on the roads in most towns and cities that traffic in the main working day ( 7 am - 7 pm for sake of argument) is far lighter in holiday time.

far lighter??? - not in my bit of Manchester it isn't and I can't honestly say I noticed any difference when I worked in Newcastle city centre for a few years. London, Leeds, Brisol, Glasgow etc city centre cyclists is the city centre traffic FAR lighter now? -is 5.30pm on a Friday in the school holidays FAR lighter than 5,30pm any Friday during term time? when I was working in the east side of newcastle centre I was bang opposite a commuter car park that was chokka whatever the schools were doing. The majority of workers that don't 'work' in school time are school employees, and they do work before I upset the school staff. but in terms of this particular area of town, there aren't that many schools to quieten the roads and if anything this bit is so close to the retail heart of the city and Hancock museum (can't remember its recent new name - should do my bro in law works there and is happy to complain about the traffic) and therefore more likely to be busy with out of school parental traffic too.


edited

thedirge

Rolf F wrote:

thedirge wrote:

yup transport is terrible up here

Yeah, that comprehensive and efficient Metro system is just the pits. Much worse than Leeds which has some world class guided bus lanes and a few bendy buses which are supposed to look like trams........

Don't get me wrong metro was great when i lived in sunderland and worked near a metro station in newcastle great.

But its the surrounding area, bus links and trying to get to team valley, just painful locations to get too by public transport, most retail centres and out of city business parks are the same.

I drive to work as it takes 10mins, public transport takes hour and a half. I'd cycle but it would be suicide, and my daughter deserves a careful father.

spen666

shouldbeinbed wrote:

....

am I really arguing that cyclists should not be using the streets? care to show exactly where I say that or even anything vaguely similar? criticising mass disruption by cyclists isn't the same thing at all and you know as well as I do that the bit you've emboldened is Miss P's strapline from the campaign section thread that I've referred to in the same sentence.

So Lets see now...

You are arguing that Critical Mass should not use the streets at this time


Critical Mass is a bunch of cyclists riding their bikes on the road.


Erm QED you are arguing that cyclists should not have free use of the streets

Whether it is a quote from someone else orr not is irrelevant, you use it in your post to support your point

shouldbeinbed

spen666 wrote:

shouldbeinbed wrote:

....

am I really arguing that cyclists should not be using the streets? care to show exactly where I say that or even anything vaguely similar? criticising mass disruption by cyclists isn't the same thing at all and you know as well as I do that the bit you've emboldened is Miss P's strapline from the campaign section thread that I've referred to in the same sentence.

So Lets see now...

You are arguing that Critical Mass should not use the streets at this time


Critical Mass is a bunch of cyclists riding their bikes on the road.


Erm QED you are arguing that cyclists should not have free use of the streets

Whether it is a quote from someone else or not is irrelevant, you use it in your post to support your point

yawn, I think we've done this to death between us. and with this interesting late addition to what you said initially changing the emphais, we've decended to pointless nit picking much earlier than we usually manage.

na mas

spen666

shouldbeinbed wrote:

spen666 wrote:

shouldbeinbed wrote:

....

am I really arguing that cyclists should not be using the streets? care to show exactly where I say that or even anything vaguely similar? criticising mass disruption by cyclists isn't the same thing at all and you know as well as I do that the bit you've emboldened is Miss P's strapline from the campaign section thread that I've referred to in the same sentence.

So Lets see now...

You are arguing that Critical Mass should not use the streets at this time


Critical Mass is a bunch of cyclists riding their bikes on the road.


Erm QED you are arguing that cyclists should not have free use of the streets

Whether it is a quote from someone else or not is irrelevant, you use it in your post to support your point

yawn, I think we've done this to death between us. and with this interesting late addition to what you said initially changing the emphais, we've decended to pointless nit picking much earlier than we usually manage.

na mas

I haven't changed anything.

From the outset on this thread and in the thread in the Campaign section I have supported the rights of people to cycle on the roads at any time.

I am not the one trying to suggest cyclists shouldn't ride on the roads

tomb353

all good fun last night about 40 people which was more than i was expecting during the hols. Might bring the kids with me next time. It being Newcastle on a Friday a fair amount of banter from the drunks, the only car horn we got was someone with their thumbs up. I came across a few people that I'd heard of before, guy who runs the recyke ye bike scheme, unfortunately had to sprint off after one circuit of the city centre so couldn't go for a beer afterwards. Generally quite a nice way to spend a bit of Friday evening, only tricky bit was riding as slow as the car traffic which on your own you would just filter through. Also had to resist the urge to drop a gear and drop the other cyclists, am too conditioned for SCR

spen666

tomb353 wrote:

all good fun last night about 40 people which was more than i was expecting during the hols. Might bring the kids with me next time. It being Newcastle on a Friday a fair amount of banter from the drunks, the only car horn we got was someone with their thumbs up. I came across a few people that I'd heard of before, guy who runs the recyke ye bike scheme, unfortunately had to sprint off after one circuit of the city centre so couldn't go for a beer afterwards. Generally quite a nice way to spend a bit of Friday evening, only tricky bit was riding as slow as the car traffic which on your own you would just filter through. Also had to resist the urge to drop a gear and drop the other cyclists, am too conditioned for SCR

So the World didn't end last night?

Newcastle was not destroyed by rioting motorists?

Cyclists were not lynched and hung from lamp posts for using the roads?

Serious traffic chaos was not caused by the cyclists?

Some on here are going to be disappointed. Fancy that- cyclists being able to share the road with motorists. What is the world coming to

shouldbeinbed

You're very fond of telling me I'm saying things that you can't actually quote from anywhere, just keep repeating a lie doesn't make it true.

spen666 wrote:

I am not the one trying to suggest cyclists shouldn't ride on the roads

Neither am I - I'd have a bit of a walk to work every day if I did and would be a bit hypocritical given my participation in the main and recent weekend jaunt skyrides (posted about) and my posting on here previously about the unacceptable nature of riding on pavements and the pointlessness of many cycle lanes.
I've advocated us riding on the roads wherever the debate has come up and have done it myself for nearly 30 years now.
I simply do not think CM serves any useful purpose in achieving the aims highlighted by MissP in campaign (we never lost the streets in the first place IMO, so where do we reclaim them from?) or Tomb353 in his initial post on here about council (and police enforcement of bus lanes) inactivity. and if it is the convivial social jaunt that you sell it as over in campaign, I still think the time and place could be less provocative. Personally for that purpose I'd rather ride out to the coast or up into the wilds with my pals for a pint than round and round the city centre, but maybe thats just me.

I always have a wry smile in the witness box when the barristers go off on the 'so you're telling us.... even though you've never actually said that' tack as I know they're floundering and are very close to a bollocking from the bench.


Tomb353: Newcastle CM - hands up and fair play - I'd expected a lot more people than 40 to turn up - theres over a million people in the very compact T&W alone and a lot more within a sensible ride of town.

Can you let us know in a day or two if it got any media attention, I've never seen mention or any coverage of the Manchester one at all, it might reduce my skepticism of CMs useful purpose and it'd be nice to think that the effort was for more than a single beep and a random thumbs up.
Are there any plans to contact the council and see if its prompted them to change their minds and reconsider your requests / the facilities?

Alinshearah

I live in the westend of the Toon and I'm glad that the Metro doesn't come anyway near us as it stops those Macum's spreading their germs.

spen666

shouldbeinbed wrote:

You're very fond of telling me I'm saying things that you can't actually quote from anywhere, just keep repeating a lie doesn't make it true.

spen666 wrote:

I am not the one trying to suggest cyclists shouldn't ride on the roads

Neither am I - I'd have a bit of a walk to work every day if I did and would be a bit hypocritical given my participation in the main and recent weekend jaunt skyrides (posted about) and my posting on here previously about the unacceptable nature of riding on pavements and the pointlessness of many cycle lanes.
I've advocated us riding on the roads wherever the debate has come up and have done it myself for nearly 30 years now.
I simply do not think CM serves any useful purpose in achieving the aims highlighted by MissP in campaign (we never lost the streets in the first place IMO, so where do we reclaim them from?) or Tomb353 in his initial post on here about council (and police enforcement of bus lanes) inactivity. and if it is the convivial social jaunt that you sell it as over in campaign, I still think the time and place could be less provocative. Personally for that purpose I'd rather ride out to the coast or up into the wilds with my pals for a pint than round and round the city centre, but maybe thats just me.

Hello Earth calling
As previously said - CM are cyclists. By calling for there to be no CM you are arguing against the right of cyclists to use the road.Can you not understand what you are doing by making such calls?

I always have a wry smile in the witness box when the barristers go off on the 'so you're telling us.... even though you've never actually said that' tack as I know they're floundering and are very close to a bollocking from the bench.


Tomb353: Newcastle CM - hands up and fair play - I'd expected a lot more people than 40 to turn up - theres over a million people in the very compact T&W alone and a lot more within a sensible ride of town.

Can you let us know in a day or two if it got any media attention, I've never seen mention or any coverage of the Manchester one at all, it might reduce my skepticism of CMs useful purpose and it'd be nice to think that the effort was for more than a single beep and a random thumbs up.
Are there any plans to contact the council and see if its prompted them to change their minds and reconsider your requests / the facilities?

You are assuming that CM is about getting media attention.

CM is different things for different people. I have never ridden a CM other than to meet friends and have a ride.

I do not take part in CM to get media attention or to change the world.

MsPiggy

tomb and spen - keep it up boys!

tomb353

I understand that there has been some media attention, someone being interviewed on BBC Newcastle this morning.

My own gut feeling is that CM in Newcastle will stay relatively small scale in August but might get bigger numbers in September once the students are back and the working population are back from their hols. I'd like to see it survive the winter and act as a gentle reminder to the City that bikes are the best form of transport in the city centre and need better infrastructure.

I don't see 5:30pm on a Friday as being particularly provocative timing, most of the commuter traffic has already joing the queues at the bridges and other pinch points by this stage, the city centre by then is handing itself over to the night time economy and a bunch of cheery souls on bikes is not out of place.