Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
New Bicycle racks on Green Lanes
Hi Everyone
Here is a photo showing the new bicycle racks that are starting to be installed as part of the Green Lanes project. The contractor is currently installing the racks in the side roads followed by Green Lanes after Christmas.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Finsbury Park Ranger on
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The bottom line is, it's only green lanes, it not like its Wood Green highstreet, green lanes probably deserves cheaper street furniture to keep the locals from getting ideas's above their nonexistent tube station.
;)
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Permalink Reply by Lauren on
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Careful Pav, last time I said the same about Wood Green (on the M&S thread) I was told I should leave my home and get out of the borough, and this was supported by and a warning was issued to me by site admin. You're only allowed to say "nice" things on this site, regardless if they are true or not!
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Permalink Reply by HoL Site Admin on
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No Lauren, you've never been warned by site admin to say only nice things. You may perhaps have been warned to stay within site rules and be courteous to other members.
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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I've come to this quite late and am having a puzzling "would I have climbed in too" moment? I agree that Sheffield stands are cheaper but I've just blown the froth off of my latte in surprise at the volume of the discussion. Where did this come from?
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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John, the bike-stand issue is of course a serious one. But the volume of discussion might be explained as an example of what you'll know as "bike-shedding". A reference to Parkinson's Law of Triviality. (Sometimes referred to as PLOT)
I smiled wryly when I first read Parkinson's chapter. Because I'd previously noticed a phenomenon which I labelled "The tea-towel problem". I was researching cooperative and collective teamwork and noticed that meetings often got heated when discussing something like a rota for washing utensils in the staff room; or who hadn't taken their turn laundering the tea towels. This often seemed a 'safe' proxy for other more sensitive topics.
But C.Northcote Parkinson had - as usual - got there first with PLOT. So "The Tea Towel Problem" never made it into management writing. Incidentally, people often underestimate his books as humorous spoofs of how groups and organisations work. Actually, what he wrote was deadly serious as well.
Sorry to hear about your froth.
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Permalink Reply by Alice Lemaitre on
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yep, so many responses yet it doesn't change anything. We all react because we hope that at least on such small matters, we might have an impact. The naivety...
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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on
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John, I think the level of interest reflects several things:
Surprise that the earlier discussion (July/August – that went into detail about the drawbacks of the (as I think of them) elegant pedestrian-catchers – was not much taken note of; that so few appear to have been consulted and that the replacement stands are only a marginal improvement.
If you're a car-driving artist, you might wonder what all the fuss is about; if you're a practical cyclist, you might have hoped that the authorities would show more care and attention to cycling provision.
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Permalink Reply by Itsjono on
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It's because some of us use our bikes most every day, we are sick of being treated as second class road users, and we are newly militant around issues of cycling infrastructure. There may be other reasons. These are mine. Hope this helps.
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Osbawn, your local councillor rightly said on 4 August,
‘I think the corners of the cycle racks are dangerous as they are so sharp, if a cyclist or a pedestrian was struck and hit the corner of the stand the injuries would I think be more serious.’
At the end of July I had submitted a formal Council question asking for the amount the [catchers] cost. The answer revealed that installing and buying 72 new cycle stands cost £17,000. The response from the Labour Cabinet Member for the Environment went on to say that:
“It became evident to officers following the receipt of the racks in May this year, that they were not fit for purpose with manufacturing and design flaws.”
By early August, your local Councillor had correctly summarised a list of practical and safety issues. This seemed to acknowledged the real problems. The replacement racks are starting to come and it's now suggested that they look better. But, are they a significant improvement and were all the lessons learnt?
Perhaps no further claims beyond looks are being made, because no further claims can be made.
Clive Carter
Highgate Councillor
Cyclist & cycling advocate
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Permalink Reply by Cllr Emina Ibrahim on
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Hi Clive
It is quite easy to observe when "looking" at the stands that the concerns I raised which you quote have been addressed. There are no sharp edges on corners and the stands are tubular meaning that they will not scratch bikes. The previous ones were neither aesthetically pleasing or safe in my view. The finishing was awful. I appreciate they may not be to everyone's taste but I have been assured they are safe. I will seek further advice. The previous ones even to my technically amateur eyes were clearly problematic and common sense could easily establish that they needed pulling out. Aesthetics are not the most important thing - of course not! However I hold my hands up to wanting an elegant streetscape for the residents of Harringay. I really think it makes a huge difference to how people view and treat their environment if it looks nice.
Emine Ibrahim
Harringay Ward Councillor
Pedestrian and Public Transport user who wants to ensure that cyclists can keep their bikes safe and free from damage.
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