Fleeing the Terminator

Jon and I both made the press today following our deputations on Wednesday to Aberdeen City Council. Jon is from Grampian Cycle Partnership and I was speaking on behalf of Aberdeen Cycle Forum. The Evening Express ran it as the main story on their front page. It's terrific! Here's a photo: The Terminator 2 reference… Continue reading Fleeing the Terminator

One last plea for cycling infrastructure

I gave my deputation at the Aberdeen council committee meeting today. I have spoken in council chambers before, several years ago when I presented my petition for a segregated cycle track on Union Street. It's an interesting experience. You're not allowed to take photos so I'll describe the room. It's huge with mezzanine viewing galleries… Continue reading One last plea for cycling infrastructure

I am intimidated by buses on Union Street

Cycling by design guidance

At the beginning of this year I thought my days of cycle campaigning were coming to an end. Not because I didn't still fully support the need for cycling infrastructure but because the designs the council were showing us were all good and aside from minor details I felt confident and positive about the future… Continue reading I am intimidated by buses on Union Street

Aberdeen’s critical mass

Rachel dressed as Elliot from ET in a red hoodie on her bike and with a toy ET in the basket.

Last night I participated in Aberdeen's second ever critical mass bike ride. Technically I believe it's not quite accurate to say it was the second as I've heard from members of the cycling community that it was previously done in the late 1990s. This was therefore the second in a recent resurrection after more than… Continue reading Aberdeen’s critical mass

South College Street Consultation

The Aberdeen City Council has a consultation open until the 19th January 2021 on proposed changes to South College Street. This work is part of a bigger project known as the Berryden Corridor which will see a dual carriageway built from north to south through the central city. I spent much of last weekend writing… Continue reading South College Street Consultation

What’s Rachel been up to lately?

I've had less time to write lately. I've been trying to do four jobs - my paid full-time job as a product manager for Creative Force, my role as campaigns secretary for the Aberdeen Cycle Forum, my work for Aberdeen Climate Action on their websites, and a new project I've taken on to help address… Continue reading What’s Rachel been up to lately?

Cycling to Aberdeen beach … with children

A friend of mine started cycling around Aberdeen with her young children during lockdown when the roads were quiet and they've continued even now the roads are busy again. She inspired me to try the same with Daniel and Elizabeth because although I have cycled with them many times around Aberdeen, they always sit in… Continue reading Cycling to Aberdeen beach … with children

Not a kitten any more, cycling lessons, and in the paper

Victoria sleeps in our bed most nights now and I mean literally in our bed. She buries herself under the covers head and all. I don't know how she can stand it. It must get terribly hot. I think she probably alternates and spends some of the time on the bed and some of the… Continue reading Not a kitten any more, cycling lessons, and in the paper

I can’t even begin to desribe my frustration and disappointment with Aberdeen city council … again

Last month for the first time ever I was impressed with the Aberdeen city council for installing European-style bike lanes at the beach. This was a first for Aberdeen which is an oil city with a transport strategy straight out of the 1970s. The bike lanes were built with funding from the Sustrans Spaces for… Continue reading I can’t even begin to desribe my frustration and disappointment with Aberdeen city council … again

Pavement cycling

David Hembrow is an Englishman who lives in the Netherlands and writes a blog called A view from the cyclepath. He also has a You Tube channel about cycling infrastructure. He's very good at making observations about people, transport, and infrastructure and drawing conclusions from what he sees. This video is a very good one… Continue reading Pavement cycling

An open letter to the Aberdeen City Council about South College Street

This past week I have felt very frustrated with the Aberdeen City Council after I read about their plans to spend £5.5 million adding another lane for private motor vehicles to a road in central Aberdeen. A bike path has not been included in these plans and the road in question is uninviting for pedestrians… Continue reading An open letter to the Aberdeen City Council about South College Street

Cyclist has to pay pedestrian who walked out in front while looking at phone

I'm pleased to see this fellow's GoFundMe page doing so well. It's nearly up to £40,000 after just a couple of days. For those who don't know the story, Robert Hazeldean was cycling in London when a pedestrian stepped out in front of him and the two collided. The pedestrian was looking at her phone… Continue reading Cyclist has to pay pedestrian who walked out in front while looking at phone

I despair when I see these people cheer

Last week the West London Borough of Chelsea and Kensington, one of the wealthiest in the country, voted against a Transport for London proposal for segregated cycling infrastructure. Although I don't live there and it doesn't affect me directly, I felt despair when I saw the applause after the council announced the decision. https://twitter.com/HillgateRes/status/1139267359817031682 These… Continue reading I despair when I see these people cheer

Can bike paths save the high street?

High streets in Britain are in decline. People say this is due to online shopping and this is undoubtedly part of the cause. It's so easy to buy goods on the internet and have them delivered to your home that there's no need to go out to the shops. You can even get your groceries… Continue reading Can bike paths save the high street?

A vision for King Street, Aberdeen

Earlier this year I applied for and received funding for the Aberdeen Cycle Forum to commission two visualisations of streets in Aberdeen with a bike path. One of them has just been released. It's for King Street and extends the King Street Design Competition we held by taking the winning designs and turning them into… Continue reading A vision for King Street, Aberdeen

Tern GSD – electric cargo bike review

I've had the very great pleasure of testing a Tern GSD - an electric cargo bike - for a couple of days. I picked it up from Edinburgh Bicycle Cooperative on Thursday evening and then flew home like I've never done before. Indeed on the way home I cycled up to some traffic lights where… Continue reading Tern GSD – electric cargo bike review

Police Scotland say roads unsuitable for slow-moving individuals

Tomorrow Aberdeen will be having a mass bike ride in protest of the lack of cycling infrastructure in the city. This is part of a nation-wide group of protests under the umbrella of Pedal on Parliament 2019. Several weeks ago I notified the police of the event, out of courtesy. In the past they've usually… Continue reading Police Scotland say roads unsuitable for slow-moving individuals