Pedal On Parliament 2014

Miss Flum was a little disappointed that we elder Flums did not join the cyclists but we went to show our support and watch them all come down the High street.

Here (see better in large) we have, wearing the white Pedal On Parliament top and a kilt, David Brennan, who initiated the idea of POP (he is riding a Dahon folding bike that once belonged to Miss Flum), in the pink top is Alison Johnstone, Green Party MSP for Lothian and next to her Patrick Harvie, Green Party MSP for Glasgow and over his left shoulder, in black, we see Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian. On the far left, further behind them, wearing a red top, is Councillor Andrew Burns.

It was good to see so many children among the cyclists, and, though many did not enjoy riding over the bumpy granite setts, others did so with wide smiles of adventure.

Too often we hear complaints from pedestrians against cyclists using pavements but today pedestrians wandered onto the street as cyclists bore down on them, and the impatient ones frequently crossed the road by weaving through the middle of the cyclists, narrowly avoiding a collision, rather than waiting until a group had passed by.

The event was well organised, even down to the weather, and I wish them every success in persuading the Government that investing in cycling safety is of benefit to everyone.