http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Low standards of driving abound in 2011 en Wed, 13 May 2026 02:17:38 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014&page=2#post-21774 Wed, 19 Jan 2011 12:39:39 +0000 Dave 21774@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I watched quite an amusing one heading south at the Blockbuster junction on Clerk St before xmas.</p> <p>There was quite a slow rider in the bus lane just about to cross the junction - a car indicating left slowed up behind to turn towards St. Leonards (I was riding in the right lane in the traffic stream so had quite a good view).</p> <p>After a second or two, realising the cyclist was not the quickest, the driver overtook them and immediately cut left. I don't think I've ever seen a closer one that didn't result in impact - at the start of the overtake the cyclist was already starting to cross the side road.</p> <p>Quite often people will claim momentary inattention or that you "came out of nowhere" when in fact, they clearly made a choice to drive dangerously (if the driver hadn't been aware of the rider, they wouldn't have initially pulled in behind to turn, they'd have driven through her). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014&page=2#post-21772 Wed, 19 Jan 2011 11:07:37 +0000 splitshift 21772@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>invisible cyclists ? It works all over the country ! I was approaching a mini roundabout in falkirk, a red micra aproaching from behind, it overtakes me, just, and attempts to turn left ! Size ten into passenger door skin ! Driver jumps out, ok hobbles, he was quite old , first words, " where did you come from ? " Police called, blah blah blah, no action but a stern talking to the car driver from police officers who arrived on ........police mtb ! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21771 Wed, 19 Jan 2011 10:57:01 +0000 splitshift 21771@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>DUE CARE AND ATTENTION.<br /> This covers a multitude of sins,the use of mobile phones was always an offence under this offence, eating, scratching your a**e, blowing your nose,driving wit hone or no hands,etc etc etc.<br /> At least your plumbers van was moving ! This is my second unpaid day off waiting for an " engineer " to repair my defunct yet very expensive all singing and dancing boiler ! no hot water and no central heating !Let the vans through ! Tommorow though they are a bunch of numpties ! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21770 Wed, 19 Jan 2011 10:52:21 +0000 kaputnik 21770@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Turned right yesterday evening off Gorgie Road into Robertson Avenue (buses, taxis, cyclists only). </em></p> <p>I go that way most days on my way home, same thing happens nearly every day. It's one of those corners where the vehicle behind often tries to out-accellerate you round the corner, then finds it can't go fast enough. Then there's always the two cars parked in the middle of the road (as per <a href="http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1733&amp;page=14#post-20359">previous rant</a>) because of the layout of the "traffic calming" and yellow lines, which results in a situation where the car behind is trying to cut past, the cyclist is floating out right so it doesn't ride into the parked cars and the 38 bus is usually coming down the hill. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21767 Wed, 19 Jan 2011 10:26:57 +0000 Min 21767@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Jings Amir, that is ridiculous behaviour, both sets. Let us know if you get a reply from the plumbers. I have found whenever I have had cause to make a complaint that most companies are very good. With the exception of a well known bus company that does NOT rhyme with Clothian Pluses. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21764 Wed, 19 Jan 2011 09:47:34 +0000 cb 21764@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Turned right yesterday evening off Gorgie Road into Robertson Avenue (buses, taxis, cyclists only). There was a vehicle behind me which I thought was a taxi but turned out to be a van. I think the Golf with the broken rear light which followed also turned right illegally.<br /> Apart from that the van was driven rather well. He overtook me for the last time on Myreside.</p> <p>As I was turning right off Slateford Road into Ashley Terrace (I was at the front of the queue when the lights changed) a young guy in a small red car cut round in front of me at high speed from the left hand (straight-ahead) lane. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21761 Wed, 19 Jan 2011 09:37:26 +0000 amir 21761@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Relative calm for a number of weeks then two incidents in the same commute.</p> <p>First is described in the complaint to Southern Heating and Plumbing below. The second was when a scaffolding lorry cut me up from behind when we passing roadworks. He didn't hit me but it was close. Because of the first incident (3 miles before!!), I was riled up enough to tell the driver at the lights that he had nearly hit me, to which he respond that I should have looked where I was going. I normally would only have muttered to myself.</p> <p>Here is the complaint to SOUTHERN HEATING AND PLUMBING.</p> <p>"I would like to complain about the poor behaviour of one of your employees.</p> <p>I was cycling to work this morning, when by the roundabout at Dobbies one of your vans swerved towards me and the driver started waving his arms around. Apparently he was remonstrating (vigorously) that I should cycle on the pavement (which is a shared use path). As well as swerving he braked and accelerated erratically.</p> <p>1) This was dangerous driving. The driver should have full control at all times.</p> <p>2) I found this insulting and threatening.</p> <p>3) He was incorrect. I have every right to cycle on this piece of road. In fact at the speed I was cycling at, the DoT recommends cycling on the road. It was also icy on the pavement.</p> <p>You should take this complaint seriously. Your company's name is clear on the van, and poor driving behaviour is not a good advert. I would consider not using your company the next time I have call to." </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21760 Wed, 19 Jan 2011 09:31:24 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 21760@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>That's not just a bike thing - happens all the time in the car as well, and possibly more annoying as there's less room for manoeuvre to get out of the way. Even more annoying when I <em>realise</em> that I'm in the car and not on the bike and feel lumpen and slow.... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21758 Wed, 19 Jan 2011 08:43:39 +0000 Dave 21758@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>This morning I was made nervous by two separate drivers turning right out of two separate garages on my side of the road. </p> <p>But then, I forgot to put a mirror on before taking the lowracer off the turbo, so was feeling pretty 'twitchy' the whole way in :(</p> <p>Traffic 'following through' is one of my big hates. </p> <p>There are artificial pinch points near the office which are fine to ride through provided you're just headed towards a car and can each figure out who has priority. The problem comes when the lead car has plenty of time to get through, so (fair enough) they go for it - but so do the five vans, taxis and assorted muppetry who are tailgating blindly... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21742 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 21:53:06 +0000 chdot 21742@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Not sure of the cause (full moon? day-after-media-fake-depression-day?)"</p> <p><a href="http://www.fullmoon.info/en/fullmoon-calendar.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.fullmoon.info/en/fullmoon-calendar.html</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21740 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 21:27:41 +0000 chdot 21740@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"My heart skipped a beat yet I knew deep down that your move was fate and was already stopping in my tracks for you."</p> <p>That's SO Mills and Boon. </p> <p>Glad <em>you</em> had your wits about you! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21736 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 20:30:45 +0000 kaputnik 21736@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><strong>Me</strong>; male, cyclist, westbound, Gorgie Road at Chesser junction, lots of lights, moving rather fast.</p> <p><strong>You</strong>; female, driver, trying to turn right off Gorgie road into Balgreen Road, BMW X-something-or-another, not paying attention.</p> <p>You followed the car infront of you in making the turn without checking if there was anything coming, right into moving traffic. Our eyes met and for one brief moment there was a look of panic and confusion as you tried to remember which one was the brake. My heart skipped a beat yet I knew deep down that your move was fate and was already stopping in my tracks for you. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21735 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 19:21:26 +0000 wingpig 21735@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>No better in the evening. Is there any sort of facility anywhere online for checking taxi registration details and cab license numbers? I want to confirm that SF60 HLD is definitely cab #1048 before reporting it for aggressive/threatening driving and coarse language. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21707 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 13:35:00 +0000 recombodna 21707@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>......yeah you're right we deserve it for being cyclists!! ;-) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21706 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 13:32:56 +0000 ruggtomcat 21706@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Cyclists <em>must</em> be going slowly, they are cyclists. Ive ridden a bike, bikes are slow. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21704 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 13:24:20 +0000 recombodna 21704@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Last night I had a car overtake me then swing left into the kerb cutting me up only to then uturn right (no indicators) almost hitting me again.... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21703 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 13:09:14 +0000 Min 21703@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I saw a driver barging through a red light + pedestrians crossing at the pelican crossing at South Bridge this morning. People were having to run and jump out of the way. At least he didn't sound the horn while he was doing it I suppose.. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21702 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 13:09:13 +0000 wingpig 21702@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>It'd probably just render us vulnerable to a new van-driver sport in which points would be awarded for the number of captured cyclists' flags accrued over a specified period, with bonus points available for any flags to which a portion of cycle had remained attached throughout the grabbing process. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21701 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 13:00:55 +0000 kaputnik 21701@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>When Royal Navy ships go into battle, they hoist an extra large flag from the main topmast - where it is extra visible in the fog of war - called a battle ensign. Perhaps urban commuters need battle ensigns too. Although we'd need topmasts first. The number of cannonball holes would be a source of pride and could be counted towards ones top trump card. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21699 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 11:42:41 +0000 SRD 21699@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>What does everyone think of the little flags people used to use?</em></p> <p>I used to have one of these on my bike and dug it out recently with the idea of attaching it to the tandem, which I think would benefit from something to ensure the drivers realise it is longer than a standard bike. Will let you know how it works. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21698 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 11:34:33 +0000 kaputnik 21698@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Something (my bones or my waters or something) encouraged me to avoid the daily jousting and cut off the main road at Murrayfield and take the back streets. At first I thought I had reached new levels of awesome power and was getting wheelspin off the line, turns out it was just slightly frostier and slidier on the back streets than I had imagined. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21696 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 11:15:19 +0000 Stepdoh 21696@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Gave a truck driver the finger this morning as he was beeping at me at western corner, then he careered past me (if I'd been a metre furthr ahead I'd have been bus/truck sandwich).</p> <p>Met him again at the PC world roundabout. He beeped and gesticulated, so I yawned, smiled and waved, then left him for dust.</p> <p>I'm turning into a really horrible cyclist at the moment, but think karma got me, as I came off turning into my work compound, back wheel just slid away from me. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21695 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 11:14:48 +0000 ruggtomcat 21695@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>What does everyone think of the <a href="http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/10/09/d-tour-safety-flag-update/">little flags</a> people used to use? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21694 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 11:01:09 +0000 wingpig 21694@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Not sure of the cause (full moon? day-after-media-fake-depression-day?) but for some reason lots of drivers seemed a little belligerent this morning. An LRT bus came at me on a roundabout, three vans passed within thumping-distance (only one got thumped, and he was then endangered in turn by someone who changed their mind about heading down Horse Wynd and swerved up the Canongate instead) and at least ten cars came close enough for it to have only been the height difference between my elbow and their wing mirror which prevented one scraping the other. It was full daylight by the time I left but I was still exhibiting a rear steady and a rear blinker, though it seems these must have just drawn attention to me. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21206 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 10:49:18 +0000 Stepdoh 21206@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>yep, usual bike ninja gimp garb today and no aggressive driving. Despite taking EXACTLY the same route.</p> <p>Bloody icy at RBS though few fishtaily oh-Sh*t moments. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21193 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 10:17:55 +0000 Min 21193@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"It's not because you are hard to see." </p> <p>It's because you are there. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21192 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 10:14:57 +0000 Dave 21192@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I am also finding it quite trying, riding on the hardtail with a weaponised lighting system is still a lot more stressful than riding the 'invisible' bike.</p> <p>The mantra to bear in mind regarding all road altercations: "It's not because you are hard to see." </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21157 Tue, 11 Jan 2011 19:02:44 +0000 LaidBack 21157@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><strong>Min</strong> <em>the more visible you try to make yourself, the worse driver behaviour gets</em></p> <p>Yes... said drivers come out with lines like "are you looking for an accident pal?! " </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21151 Tue, 11 Jan 2011 18:11:17 +0000 kaputnik 21151@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Today I had my waterproof on for the first time all winter. It's white, but doesn't have much retro-reflective on it. For the rest of the winter I've had yellow/black fleece on, with RR piping and logos.</p> <p>I think today I was more visible but less "bright" if that makes sense.</p> <p>I was just happy to get to work without a puncture. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2014#post-21150 Tue, 11 Jan 2011 17:45:54 +0000 Min 21150@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>There has been some anecdotal evidence flying about the forum that the more visible you try to make yourself, the worse driver behaviour gets, ie having a bright rear light or wearing a high viz jacket. There was some stuff about it here.</p> <p><a href="http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1546#post-14858" rel="nofollow">http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1546#post-14858</a> </p>