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 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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Permalink Reply by Alison P on
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For me it's just frustration that something so easy could have been got so wrong - and then got wrong again!
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Something is desperately wrong with Haringey council that they just continuously disregard what people tell them and repeatedly make the same mistakes spending our SCARCE resources to produce poorly thought through solutions when existing ones are available.
WHY!!!!
I know people are going to say whinge again...but they need to know that they are performing poorly despite the spin.
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Permalink Reply by tigha on
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omg- so much controversy over bike stands- didnt know there were so many cycling enthusiasts in haringey- do come to the haringey lcc social in the new year
personally i like them, they are big enough to be solid, no more hard edges to scratch my bike and not nearly as ugly and solid as many bike stands are- never seen anyone able to break through a bike stand- its always stronger than any lock
But my only criticism is that its a shame they couldnt be more spread out with say i or 2 at bottom of every road rather than clusters every few roads- now so many railings have been taken down, unfortunately have to use bike stands to get my d lock through but dont see the point of walking 2-3 streets to find one- misses the point of cycling in the first place
otherwise good job, thanks Adam and all those otherwise involved
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Permalink Reply by aidan on
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Apologies if I've missed something earlier, but this all seems so bizarre. There are literally dozens of manufacturers who will sell you, off-the-shelf, a stainless steel Sheffield stand with a tap plate.
e.g. http://www.marshalls.co.uk/commercial/street-furniture/products/oll...
There are a couple of these in Wood Green High Road, opposite Sainsbury's. (With yellow hi-vis bands on the sides, too, though these could do with replacing.)
Doesn't this solve the aesthetic 'problem' and the quality problem?
I've just walked past the replacement stands, and they're so obviously set at the wrong angle, as were the originals, that they're bound to be replaced before long. Can we just get this right to begin with?
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Aidan thanks for the link. Can't see much wrong with those simple, straightforward designs. Although it doesn't seem necessary in Marshalls' photo, I note the stands are mounted in diagonal plan. When stands are erected along pavements, this ought to be norm. Sometimes this simple, basic factor is got right. Note the placing of the row of stands near Lidl's Finsbury Park (Seven Sisters Road, opposite Blackstock Road).
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