http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Random carnage... en Wed, 13 May 2026 02:10:22 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433&page=2#post-16825 Wed, 17 Nov 2010 13:48:41 +0000 LaidBack 16825@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Fortunately another car door didn't swing open infront of me while I was concentrating on addressing matters to the rear. </em></p> <p>Full marks for bike control!<br /> As the roads continue to become temporary car parks expect more action of this sort.</p> <p><strong>Single occupancy vehicles are so much safer!</strong> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433&page=2#post-16820 Wed, 17 Nov 2010 10:20:09 +0000 kaputnik 16820@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Random carnage...</em></p> <p>narrowly avoided this morning on Morrison Street. </p> <p>Proceeding down towards Haymarket faster than usual thanks to a flooky run on the lights at Diane's Pool Bar. In the middle-of-the-road cycle lane cruising up the inside of the stationary queue of cars when a door swings open directly infront of me and a dozy suit step out into my line of red tarmac. </p> <p>Simultaneous stern rebuke and drastic avoiding action required to remedy the situation, followed by an over-the-shoulder scowl and further vocal advice. Fortunately another car door didn't swing open infront of me while I was concentrating on addressing matters to the rear. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433&page=2#post-13993 Wed, 06 Oct 2010 07:40:05 +0000 Dave 13993@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@arellcat - I do have a chainguard, but it's for the 70t ring. It's bigger than a dinner plate!</p> <p>On 52t at the moment, so not sure it would really be of much benefit. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433&page=2#post-13990 Tue, 05 Oct 2010 22:33:24 +0000 Smudge 13990@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>oh dear, hope it's 1 not as serious as it sounds and 2 no-one I know (selfish but true :-( ) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433&page=2#post-13963 Tue, 05 Oct 2010 19:46:41 +0000 gembo 13963@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>On a serious note there was a commuting comrade down at Juniper Green 8.45 a.m. - ambulance there, close to Kinleith Arms pub. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433&page=2#post-13947 Tue, 05 Oct 2010 15:59:34 +0000 Arellcat 13947@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Dave, I've been riding invisiblebikes for seven years and have so far completely failed in my knee-sawing endeavours. You could buy a chainring guard from LBB if you felt the need, though. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433&page=2#post-13946 Tue, 05 Oct 2010 15:57:29 +0000 steveo 13946@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Dave, you'd probably have less worries about peoples legs if you didn't have the razor spikes fitted, Ben Hur style. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433&page=2#post-13945 Tue, 05 Oct 2010 15:27:33 +0000 ruggtomcat 13945@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>dammit I want a 'bent! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433&page=2#post-13944 Tue, 05 Oct 2010 15:26:36 +0000 Dave 13944@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>One of my only real fears on a low bike is people jumping out and having their knees sawn off. It makes me a lot more cautious than I otherwise might be (only a good thing!) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433#post-13943 Tue, 05 Oct 2010 13:48:34 +0000 Rabid Hamster 13943@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I consider there are 'special needs' people everywhere...<br /> Whilst making my dilatory way up the Pleasance Coal Incline last night at 2000hrs on my version of tin opener, a 'studenty' decided to cross the road downstream from Pleasance Uni ped crossing without looking and from right by a parked car. Yes the crossing was only 20m further up street! In their iPod filled ears they were blissfully unaware of my front mounted crank making wind at their ankle socks! This could have been 'random carnage' in uphill mode but for my rapid EVA (discussed earlier). As my front light winky, winky is at 324.5mm above ground I suppose I'm lower than your average road user, but I think I would advise pedestrians to still look both ways as well as into their souls! She was quite nice looking though; sigh! In 'Nam we always 'took them out' at the ankles with the half-inch Gatlings from the Hueys! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433#post-13917 Mon, 04 Oct 2010 19:52:16 +0000 Dave 13917@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>And on my way to the supermarket this evening (about 7pm), I almost flattened a cretinous fool who decided it would be sensible just to cycle across oncoming traffic (as the lights changed) on the big junction between Craigmillar Park and Cameron Toll.</p> <p>In case anybody should get the wrong end of the stick, I wasn't even on the invisible bike but in a large and noisy estate car. I swapped him a good lathering of the horn for a finger gesture or two, but honestly, if whoever it was ever reads this, please either learn to cycle quickly, get yourself a better light or something if you intend to make a habit of diving across oncoming traffic! (or just don't!)</p> <p>I didn't see him until I realised he was right in front of me, gave me quite a shock, the dumb ****. </p> <p>Of course, he's probably off on another cycle forum griping that some driver nearly knocked him off. It does make you realise there are special people on every mode of transport! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433#post-13912 Mon, 04 Oct 2010 15:16:21 +0000 kaputnik 13912@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><strong>Rabid Hamster</strong> you forgot the comment about "STOP THIS VANITY LIB/LAB TOY TRAIN SET CONSPIRACY" </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433#post-13909 Mon, 04 Oct 2010 14:27:39 +0000 Rabid Hamster 13909@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I think you'd end up with your 'engine' in your chest, but only after your mega-main tube had ruptured up through your sphincter and spleen! So broken kneecaps would be the least of your worries!<br /> EEN headlines: 'SHOCK HORROR CARNAGE - man cut out of bicycle in Salisbury Edinburgh, yesterday after Fire Service winched the mangled wreckage out of the sidelight socket of a white Ford Transit. The terrified and shaken van driver was dribbling too much to speak to our reporter Bryan Frogfaceone'. A Spokesperson from Scottish Ambulance Service said the casualty was taken straight to The Bicycle Works to be extracted from his rear mech with some Park Tools! A Dutch bike manufacturer has been arrested in Amsterdam as a result of Police enquiries. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433#post-13906 Mon, 04 Oct 2010 14:12:25 +0000 Dave 13906@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>mM - way less than the last bike anyway. It's both less likely to be crashed into and, in the event that I am hooked or pulled out on, I'll be piling in there feet first instead of face-first.</p> <p>I reckon jumping from a first floor window is probably about as violent as t-boning a car that way. I would do it landing on my feet if I had to, but not on my head... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433#post-13905 Mon, 04 Oct 2010 13:56:33 +0000 Rabid Hamster 13905@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Dave, agree muchly this is a naughty piece of road, as we are just getting our breath back having just plugged up the 'wall of death' that is Minto St Coal Incline! I often turn right into EPSt here and the traffic struggles with indecision because of the right filtering and the left being a bus lane. Good to hear you try to hold a 'positive' position as this is one of the ways that helps prevent you being made into roadkill, and gives you some roadspace latitude to take EVA (Evasive 'Voiding Action), sometimes also referring to one's reaction in the bowels when mortally threatened! I wonder how many microMorts your chosen form of velocipede rates in the MM ratings chart?<br /> Forgot my pretty flag today so put on more of my red runway lights this morning just in case! Felt a bit vulnerable on Buccleuch St (The death taxi street).<br /> Then my chain jumped off the big ring (again)! as I turned along W Nicholson St, due to running at 70psi on lumpy cobbled setts. Need to repair the front trouser ring, it's lost 2 mount screws due to CCV (Constant Cobble Vibration). Tarwave riding is more fun! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433#post-13890 Mon, 04 Oct 2010 10:30:19 +0000 Dave 13890@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Funny one with random white van this morning. I was riding up Newington Road towards the junction between East/West Preston St (the bit where traffic is always waiting to turn right so everybody goes into the bus lane).</p> <p>I was going at a fair lick and so holding a nice positive position in the bus lane, ready to slot in behind someone when they changed lanes - there was nothing to the right of me, but this white van was a couple of car-lengths back going at about the same speed.</p> <p>Said van then realised he was going to have to change lanes, but instead of just slotting behind me (since we were going at the same speed) he tried to overtake first - inevitably he ran out of road at the back of the right-turning queue and so just pulled over into me... </p> <p>What made it weird though was that he had obviously been holding back, then when he came up I could see him looking across trying to figure out if there was room to come over or not, and when he did come over he came over very gingerly, obviously knowing I was there.</p> <p>So why didn't he just "not"? Normally I watch out for people who don't actually check outside their car at all, which since I can watch faces in wing mirrors as I ride is a surprising proportion...</p> <p>I gave him a good rap on the wing as I came past and a two finger salute. He obviously knew he'd screwed up as he held back and didn't overtake again. </p> <p>Sigh. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433#post-13608 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 17:26:51 +0000 Rabid Hamster 13608@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Good point, but I was hoping he'd flatten his battery (horns take a few Amps), or get lifted by a polisman for 112 and BofTP... There again he could just have acted maturely in the first place... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433#post-13598 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:13:47 +0000 kaputnik 13598@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><strong>Rabid Hamster</strong>, you should have pointed them to article 112 of the Highway Code;</p> <p><strong>112</strong><br /> <em>The horn</em>. Use only while your vehicle is moving and you need to warn other road users of your presence. Never sound your horn aggressively. You <strong>MUST NOT</strong> use your horn while stationary on the road, except when another road user poses a danger </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433#post-13597 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 13:49:31 +0000 Rabid Hamster 13597@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>So on Friday night at 1800ish I slips up the inside of the static traffic (6 or so) waiting to turn at filter lights into Salisbury Rd from Dalkeith Rd (oppo Commi Pol you know it!). I finds the ASL totally full of a silver Ford box or similar, So I parks up to wait for lights to change, and can see traffic reversing out of Salisbury Rd onto junction chaos as 3 fire engines are in there doing their thing eg checking out a fire? Then the dopey bandit behind me leans on his horn in an extended fashion? Whit fir? the lights are still red, the route is blocked, the junction is like Heathrow approach on a Friday night, no-one is going anywhere; so I points at the red light with my red glove! Well this makes him lean on the horn even more (red rag to a bull?), then his mate pulls down his window and shouts while the horn is on that I shouldn't pass them! So by now totally deaf in my right ear I points to the light again and it magically turns green at filter, so I 'goes nippy like' and scoots through past the astonished Trumpton crew and the fireywagons all a lit up bluey, wiv me 'aglow' knowing I had just left Gridlock City; a calm overwhelmed me as I zipped down Minto St with nothing behind but my Dust! Shame that bikes can reach the parts that motorists can't!... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433#post-13595 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 13:30:09 +0000 kaputnik 13595@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I think that's just beamer drivers in general. I had a fun game of cat and mouse with a sporty 5 series (with 4 exhausts) from the foot of the Canongate, through the park and then up Abbey Mount. The MAMIMLC (MAMI Mid Life Crisis) at the helm just <em>had</em> to reach every junction, roundabout and turn before me - givning me a roar of accellerator and a hiss of turbo dump as he passed. Catching and then passing him at every single occasion really put a big smile on my face. I could just feel the impotent rage and frustration building up behind me. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433#post-13593 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 13:24:46 +0000 recombodna 13593@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>...well it's not just bikes people ignore. I just had a BMW pull out on me and stop dead when he realized 2 tons of transit were about to plough into him. I managed to stop about a foot off his drivers door. The look on his face was priceless.....and my brakes work very well! What is it ? Test my reactions week? people keep throwing themselves at me! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433#post-13584 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 11:45:18 +0000 Dave 13584@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The first thing I would do is vaporise the bonnet of everyone who uses the cycle lanes conveniently painted across the mouth of junctions to nose out in safety!!! :Z</p> <p>One of these days I'll have the cojones to just piledrive the bike into their wing panel and have them buy me a new one... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433#post-13581 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 11:27:59 +0000 recombodna 13581@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>since fitting enormous death-rays on the front of our bikes, ....</p> <p>How good would that be!!!! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433#post-13580 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 11:21:11 +0000 Dave 13580@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Overall, of course, we should be glad that our brains are wired up to pay attention to important things and ignore the rest - just as our ancestors didn't want to miss a sabertooth tiger for all the waving leaves, we don't want motorists to miss a cyclist because their brain is trying to route predict every pedestrian on both sides of the road (for example).</p> <p>The problem then is more simply, how do we make sure that motorists' brains consider us to be important and not an extraneous detail? Riding out from the gutter is a good example of an (initially counterintuitive) survival strategy. By being "in the way", you demand far more attention than someone who is not.</p> <p>There are surprising consequences of this. For example when the clocks change I often find I am fixated on unlit cyclists at the expense of the rest of the traffic flow. I guess the extra difficulty guaranteeing that they will pass to one side raises their priority in my brain somehow.</p> <p>I don't think it's as simple as contrast either. Both my better half and I used to commute up the busy A90 from south Queensferry (back in the day when I rode an upright bike). We both had the same rear light and Wiggle jacket, except hers was high-viz and mine was charcoal.</p> <p>She had far more near misses than I did - was this because drivers were holding her to a higher expected predictability because she looked more 'the type' - i.e. they consumed the extra conspicuousness by driving closer?</p> <p>Lest this comes across as a "we should all be ninjas" post, I must say that since fitting enormous death-rays on the front of our bikes, there has been a severe drop in dodgy pull-outs.... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433#post-13578 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 00:34:39 +0000 recombodna 13578@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>recombodna - that is suspiciously attentive but then you knew there was an elephant in the room </p> <p>Hey what can I say? I'm good! Regards to the elephant I wondered what the hell you were talking about til I watched the Vid.</p> <p>Was out on the motor bike today and had 2 near misses with car drivers pulling out in front of me but both times I had a feeling it was going to happen and reacted quick enough........maybe I'm psycic ooooeeeeoooo!! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433#post-13575 Sun, 26 Sep 2010 11:51:03 +0000 gembo 13575@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Arellcat - take the lane indeed, quite likely that the bus will stop at the bus stop which is close to the junction. You actually need to be ready to move over and take the right hand lane, so you most certainly need to take the left lane by the scruff. Cars coming out of the gravel path, nightmare. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433#post-13574 Sun, 26 Sep 2010 11:07:52 +0000 Stepdoh 13574@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Okay I'm impressed that anyone can relate a peter greenaway to real life in any way. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433#post-13573 Sun, 26 Sep 2010 10:55:17 +0000 Arellcat 13573@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>...about once a month a car comes past you in the straightahead lane and then turns sharp left up a gravel road...</em></p> <p>This is why it's useful to take the lane at that junction. It also helps if you then want to get into the right-hand lane in order to turn right into Allan Park Road or Meggategate. In my experience it's vehicles wanting to <em>emerge</em> from the gravel road that you need to watch out for, because the opportunity is often quite narrow.</p> <p>When I ride in busy streets, I'm reminded of a line in Terminator 2 when the T101 and John are driving at night. "Can you see where you're going?" "I see everything." So I try to observe the heck out of everything, as best I can. Of course, while counting the players in the video I too missed the critical event. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433#post-13571 Sun, 26 Sep 2010 10:23:26 +0000 gembo 13571@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The video is a neat example of how humans process information. If you showed it to some high functioning people on the autism spectrum (I wonder where we could find them? Any ideas?) more of them would get the no. of catches right and be able to answer the second question. There might be a male / female split too (but this would be a smaller effect). This string contains spoilers so would need to repost.</p> <p>Unusually for me, it is not too off topic as it does relate to how people drive. Indeed to all road users. E.g. When cycling how far ahead are you looking? How much anticipation are you going for? You do need of course to watch the details of the car/bike in front - e.g. just because they have very recently overtaken you, doesn't mean they aren't going to take a left turn in the next second (sometimes even with an indicator on). At Slateford heading into town there is a set of traffic lights - Tallulah Hairdressers on left Straight ahead towards town, right lane up to Craiglockhart but about once a month a car comes past you in the straightahead lane and then turns sharp left up a gravel road. The frequency is just enough for there to be some residual memory of a very small degree in my brain that allows me [so far] not to bump into the motor car in the straight ahead lane. The traffic lights help too. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1433#post-13570 Sun, 26 Sep 2010 09:56:06 +0000 wee folding bike 13570@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've shown videos like that (there are a few versions around) to whole classes and they all counted the catches. When I ask the second question they almost always say no.</p> <p>I find a similar problem when kids have to use microscopes. They don't what to see so they don't see it. </p>