Railings removed

Anyone else notice that the cycle safety fairies were working last night on the embankment - nearly all railings by traffic lights have gone - good news for cyclists surely, less so for peds.

The ones outside the foundry have disappeared too and noticed some others have been removed.
What are the f*ckers up to?

Safety.
I think it is a good thing.

You cannot be crushed against railings if they aren't there.

I think it is a good thing that this is happening.

Paging Mr Shick....Paging Mr Schick, redesign of the crossings or just railing removal?

It's health & safety
http://londonist.com/2009/10/conspiracy_theory_of_the_day_london.php

Isn't that the excuse they use for everything these days?

You cannot be crushed against railings if they aren't there.

I think it is a good thing that this is happening.

But if there's a curb you're still going to fall off and be flattened.

I quite like what some of the low countries have done with removing barriers, curbs, everything except for the occasional bollard to demark the 100% pedestrian zone. It would be nice to see a trial of that at one or two of the scarier junctions here.

Yes without railings you'd not be crushed between railings and truck, but without an escape route (due to the kerb) you're still going to get crushed.

I am very uncertain about the risk assessment they have done here, they have decided by looking at European models that drivers are more careful and considerate if you remove the barriers between them and pedestrians and that pedestrians will exercise more caution before just stepping out into traffic, so the barriers, with the huge dents in them where cars have regularly driven into them, stopping them mounting the pavement are being removed throughout London and TFL cannot be sued if a truck crushes a cyclist against crash barrier, I have always felt 1, it is a drivers responsibility not to hit others, 2, don't pass to the inside of a turning vehicle, I don't feel the barriers leap out and crush people.
They have removed all the barriers in Brixton and now pedestrians appear directly in front of us as we cycle not looking anywhere in particular(the peds not looking, we're looking all the time)...
I particularly liked to lock to them as well.

But if there's a curb you're still going to fall off and be flattened.

I quite like what some of the low countries have done with removing barriers, curbs, everything except for the occasional bollard to demark the 100% pedestrian zone. It would be nice to see a trial of that at one or two of the scarier junctions here.

Yes without railings you'd not be crushed between railings and truck, but without an escape route (due to the kerb) you're still going to get crushed.

Curbs are pretty easy to hop/mount if necessary, railings are a little harder unless your name is Danny Macaskill.

You can hit a curb and fall on the pavement, not possible with a railing present.
No reason to think you will still get crushed if there is a curb.

Always wondered about the railings ability to prevent a car mounting the curb.

I'd say that 1,500 kg of car travelling at or above 30 mph would go straight through the average railings.

No that I am going to volunteer to prove that.

I like the new found ability to put one foot on the curb and pull the bike out of the road if things take an unexpected turn for the worst, but agree that peds spilling randomly into the road is not best.

You can hit a curb and fall on the pavement, not possible with a railing present.
No reason to think you will still get crushed if there is a curb.

Exactly, I would much rather hit a curb and fall onto the pavement than hit a railing and bounce back into the road, and get run over......nice.
Besides the pavement has lots of nice soft pedestrians to break your fall :)

I noticed that for the first time last night on Stockwell Road and then on the way home... They have nearly all gone... Very little fanfare about it... Weird...

If it saves people being killed or injured then fair enough but locking up bikes en masse will be real pain in the arse.
Bitch-lock city here we come.

I noticed that for the first time last night on Stockwell Road and then on the way home... They have nearly all gone... Very little fanfare about it... Weird...

You want a marching band?
:)

When I first came to London my father still worked here, one of the first things he ever said was to be very careful if I was going to cycle here because of the possibility of being crushed against railings on corners.

Just remembered that! Must have been 15 years ago now. Golly.

I noticed that for the first time last night on Stockwell Road and then on the way home... They have nearly all gone... Very little fanfare about it... Weird...

They are preparing for war!!

Always wondered about the railings ability to prevent a car mounting the curb.

I'd say that 1,500 kg of car travelling at or above 30 mph would go straight through the average railings.

No that I am going to volunteer to prove that.

I like the new found ability to put one foot on the curb and pull the bike out of the road if things take an unexpected turn for the worst, but agree that peds spilling randomly into the road is not best.

I.5 tonnes is a lot of car and most of London is 30mph, if you see a dented one it means it stopped a car.

You want a marching band?
:)

Doesn't everyone? :]

good news for peds too, it mean that cars won't feel the need to go a bit faster knowing that there's little chance a peds will cross a road due to the barrier involved.

it's a good solution.

I.5 tonnes is a lot of car and most of London is 30mph, if you see a dented one it means it stopped a car.

Or CrazyJames

You want a marching band?
:)

Doesn't everyone? :]

Only if it comes with baton twirlers.

I.5 tonnes is a lot of car and most of London is 30mph, if you see a dented one it means it stopped a car.

I've passed a fair few barriers that have sections completely missing which I always thought indicated that the car had gone straight through.

Also sadly (for fuel economy, state of the roads etc) 1,500 kg is no longer the province of a large car, it's becoming the average with increasing equipment levels, general bloat etc.

The original Mk1 Golf GTI had a 1.6 litre four pot motor and weighed approx 800 kgs, the latest iteration had a 3.2 litre six pot motor and weighs 1,600 kg+, and that's a hatchback.

And I think I'm the only person who sticks to 30mph in London!