New Esplanade road layout

[Lerwick antiques]

An elderly gentleman who comes along my shop on a regular basis says da street died once Church road was constructed. I am not old enough to mind Church road being constructed, so can't say if that's true or not.

 

But speaking to other folk that lives down south, it looks like it's much the same in most other towns, the small shops are dying.

[Colin]

Reality is, basically, how many shops can a smallish "market town" such as Lerwick support?

 

Anyone who thinks that there should be shops selling "everything" is living in "cloud cuckoo land".

 

Down the years, I have seen many changes on the street and it has always managed to re-invent itself to reflect people's needs.  Unfortunately, imho, it is no longer a "prime" retail site.  The Toll Clock, although it has "limited" spaces, beats it "hands down".

 

Example: Does anyone else remember Stove and Smith, Televiradio, The Music Box, etc.?  With just those three, you could buy Televisions, Music Centres, Refrigerators, Washing Machines and a whole host of other household items as well AND (within reason) get them delivered. 

Nowadays, people are more likely to buy that kind of stuff from the Coop orTesco/Mail Order.  Why, mainly price but, because there is not the "wealth" here that people think there is and, they have gotten "lazy" and are far to "busy" to get off their backsides and look.  If they can't drive to/park at the doorstep, they go where they can.

 

Having said that, there are still a few local shops that do make an effort. 

Example:  All the above can be bought from George Robertsons who WILL deliver if needed.  They, unlike Coop//Tesco/Mail Order, will also attempt to properly service their warranties and are, generally, a very good outfit to deal with.  (NO, I do not work for them....  Praise where it's due)

 

Bit of a "ramble" I'm afraid and, I've got work to do...

[Lerwick antiques]

Well said Colin. I agree with most points you made.

[mogling]

Jeremy Vine Radio 2 today, Thursday 12.00

 

Trailer on the Ken Bruce show- one of the topics for discussion - Speed Bumps / sleeping policeman.

 

How the Government wants Councils to get rid of speed bumps

to reduce pollution / emissions as folk reduce speed then accelerate

once over them.

 

Gosh!

And our council just put in some new ones!

 

[Twerto]

Jeremy Vine Radio 2 today, Thursday 12.00

 

Trailer on the Ken Bruce show- one of the topics for discussion - Speed Bumps / sleeping policeman.

 

How the Government wants Councils to get rid of speed bumps

to reduce pollution / emissions as folk reduce speed then accelerate

once over them.

 

Gosh!

And our council just put in some new ones!

 

Difference is Speed cushions have been put in not Speed humps which the government is not looking to remove

[Ghostrider]

....and the subtle difference between 'hump' and 'cushion' is, and more importantly, how does anyone not in the business tell the difference, and how does one apparently cause driving habits that lead to excessive emissions, and the other doesn't.

 

Let's face it, whatever you put on the road, humps, bumps, cushions or dead sheep, if you've got to drive over it, you hit the brakes at the last possible moment, toodle sedately over it so as not make any more bits fall off your wheels or knock yourself out by banging your head on the roof, then the pedal hits the metal.....

[Urabug]

 

Jeremy Vine Radio 2 today, Thursday 12.00

 

Trailer on the Ken Bruce show- one of the topics for discussion - Speed Bumps / sleeping policeman.

 

How the Government wants Councils to get rid of speed bumps

to reduce pollution / emissions as folk reduce speed then accelerate

once over them.

 

Gosh!

And our council just put in some new ones!

 

Difference is Speed cushions have been put in not Speed humps which the government is not looking to remove

 

Oh dear ! so all that work in vain.

[Berserker]

Does anybody the know the official status of those wavy patterns? I'd hoped for a clear explanation when  a council official was interviewed on Radio Shetland but it seemed far from clear. He did say when asked if foreign visitors would understand them, that they are common abroad and that a foreign visitor would expect traffic to stop for them. Given that they are nowhere in the highway code and so seem not to be an official crossing point, that seems a recipe for disaster. As far as I can see you do not have to give way to pedestrians. 

[RileyBKing]

Don't know the official status but the SIC is quite good at introducing ambiguity into the driving experience, so these new markings fit the bill perfectly. I think the official line is that ambiguity= drivers are confused and slow down= improved road safety. As a driver in the real world, I would say that ambiguity= drivers are confused= accidents waiting to happen.

 

SIC also ignore various guidelines quite apart from those relating to speed bumps. For example, my understanding is that you are not supposed to have speed camera signs where none exist. Also at the brig o fitch the 40 limit sign is never rescinded so presumably applies right the way through to Girlsta?

[Kavi Ugl]

Contrary to what Twerto says(sorry Twerto) there are no less than four sets of speed bumps in the system.

 

One set in Church Road and three out past the Bressay ferry towards the Viking Bus Station.

 

They're an utter menace and cause cars to mount over them in 1st gear each time and take off again(more pollution).  It doesn't matter how slowly you go over them it jolts and bangs your car.

 

Once again I have to be honest and based on what I've witnessed with the busy tourist season(utter confusion between traffic & pedestrians) the whole area is now an accident waiting to happen.

Edited July 28, 2017 by Kavi Ugl

[Rivlins]

Give them a few months and they'll be hocking them all up again! Remember the "speed measures" along the main street at Scalloway??

[Rivlins]

Does anybody the know the official status of those wavy patterns? I'd hoped for a clear explanation when  a council official was interviewed on Radio Shetland but it seemed far from clear. He did say when asked if foreign visitors would understand them, that they are common abroad and that a foreign visitor would expect traffic to stop for them. Given that they are nowhere in the highway code and so seem not to be an official crossing point, that seems a recipe for disaster. As far as I can see you do not have to give way to pedestrians. 

 

According to the Highway Code, if a pedestrian has started to cross, they have right of way.

[Frances144]

 

Jeremy Vine Radio 2 today, Thursday 12.00

 

Trailer on the Ken Bruce show- one of the topics for discussion - Speed Bumps / sleeping policeman.

 

How the Government wants Councils to get rid of speed bumps

to reduce pollution / emissions as folk reduce speed then accelerate

once over them.

 

Gosh!

And our council just put in some new ones!

 

Difference is Speed cushions have been put in not Speed humps which the government is not looking to remove

 

Speed cushions -   vom

[Suffererof1crankymofo]

Guide to coloured tactile pavings, courtesy of Wiki:-

"United Kingdom

In London, tactile ground surface indicators are installed at many locations throughout the city, near historical buildings like Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and the British Museum as well as in downtown and residential areas. Tactile ground surface indicators are installed in accordance with unique standards established by the United Kingdom's Department for Transport. Blocks with dots and blocks with bars are used, but both types are intended as warning blocks; neither serves a directional function. Blocks are mainly installed before crosswalks, at medians, at station platforms and at the top and bottom of stairways. Blocks with dots are for installations at crosswalks, medians and station platforms while blocks with bars are for installations at stairways. The color of blocks installed before crosswalks is also supposed to vary with crosswalk type: red blocks are to be used before controlled crossings,^[20] such as zebra crossings (where pedestrians always have the right of way), pelican crossings (equipped with push-button traffic lights) and puffin crossings (with sensor-equipped push button traffic lights). Other colors (often buff) are to be used at other crosswalks where automobiles have the right of way. The difference in color is intended to assist people with low vision navigate the crosswalk safely, but many locations do not conform to the established colors. Different color blocks are also sometimes installed when repairs are made. Blocks are installed in an L-shaped configuration at crosswalks with push-button traffic signals, with the corner of the L marking the location of the push button. Blocks with bars are installed at the top and bottom of stairways such that the direction of the bars is parallel to the long dimension of the treads.^[6]"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tactile_paving#United_Kingdom

 

And what it looks like:-

 

 

Edited July 31, 2017 by Suffererof1crankymofo

[shetlandcars]

 

Does anybody the know the official status of those wavy patterns? I'd hoped for a clear explanation when a council official was interviewed on Radio Shetland but it seemed far from clear. He did say when asked if foreign visitors would understand them, that they are common abroad and that a foreign visitor would expect traffic to stop for them. Given that they are nowhere in the highway code and so seem not to be an official crossing point, that seems a recipe for disaster. As far as I can see you do not have to give way to pedestrians.

 

According to the Highway Code, if a pedestrian has started to cross, they have right of way.

Seems an odd way of saying that a pedestrian in the road should not be driven over, except, out with said pattern, then its game on! Edited July 31, 2017 by shetlandcars