Use It or Lose It

This appears to be a prime example of using up a road budget just before the end of the financial year so you don't get it cut the following year. I've always thought it was an odd concept (assuming it's not an urban myth?). Fiscal sensibility being penalised really. Anyway, Melville Drive has some shiny new bright white lines for cycling in (if that's what you're after - I could go on ad nauseam about them not being the panacea that people believe them to be, and not just because the surface is poor, people park in them, you get passed by traffic more closely when in them and they back up the idea that cyclists should be in them), though not a nice new red surface, and here, at the bit in the picture, they've actively removed a bike picture - that's not just worn, but has had the heat gun fire thingy on it - and replaced it a couple of feet east.

Just look at the cut up surface a little further on (and that's by no means the worst on this section), and just ponder where the time, effort and money spent on this paint-shuffle could have been better placed. No wonder there are so many potholes in the city just now...

But despite all of that I'll remain in a good mood after going to the football last night and seeing us promoted back up with the big boys The drive back up was getting more and more windy, culminating in a toppled lorry lying on its side by Torness (with a police car in attendance a little way back). Short sleep back home, up, off to work - stopping for the first time this year to snap some cycle commuters for my website's image stockpile.

There was the cyclist with either very small hands, or very big bars, who couldn't or wouldn't operate the brakes from the hoods, compromising comfort and control; a bright yellow older chap with a wonderful expression; and some brilliant road positioning (just before a junction to turn right, with a left kink just before the junction encouraging motorists to cut off the corner, this cyclist put herself just where she needed to be to be safe and noticed), slightly hampered by hoikin' doon her left sleeve (presumably having forgotten her other glove?) and wrapping round the bars and brake lever...

Lunchtime wander brought a new suit (job interview at the end of the week being the catalyst for that particular purchase) and once more the office door. Sigh. I'll take out all the burgeoning frustration on some more work on the house tonight, after meeting with the recruiters for a wee coffee straight from work.