CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting

Cyclist Down in the Meadows

(29 posts)
  • Started 14 years ago by Wilmington's Cow
  • Latest reply from spytfyre

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  1. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    On Melville Drive at the crossing from Argyle Place to Middle Meadow Walk. Police and paramedics already in attendance, getting him in the recovery position, looked like the rider was conscious at least. 3 Series BMW stopped a few yards further on.

    Knowing this bit of road since I commute on it every day there are really 3 things that might have happened (in order to stave off an immediate hanging of the driver):

    Could have been the beemer jumping the lights, I see this at this junction every single day;

    Could have been the cyclist pulling out without looking (I'm astounded at the number of cyclists I see doing utterly idiotic things at this junction); or

    Quite often here I have a car try to overtake me, before realising traffic coming the other way is in the middle turning lane to turn right into Argyle Place, and so often rather than slow down and slot behind they squeeze you left.

    Whatever the cause, thoughts with the cyclist, didn't look like anything was broken the way they were moving him about, but he was very pale.

    ADMIN UPDATE

    Anth now realises it was nearer Marchmont Road

    http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1221#post-11203

    Posted 14 years ago #

  2. Arellcat
    Moderator

    Fingers crossed, Anth. Yesterday there was a cyclist local to me who'd come off his bike while turning right from Braid Road into Braid Hills Road. He was pretty badly shaken but two passers-by were helping him.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  3. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    I just get a bit more involved in these things mentally when it's actually on my commute. It's happened twice before (serious accidents, thankfully I didn't see either of them) where the cyclist died (once out at Dalkeith, the other on Nicolson Street that I ended up writing about). I avoided both of those roads for months afterwards...

    Posted 14 years ago #

  4. LaidBack
    Member

    Could have been the beemer jumping the lights, I see this at this junction every single day;

    We don't know cause as you say.
    But... I reckon I see cars go through on red here more than the average (close to shop and my bike try-outs). Cyclists and pedestrians of course do cross on red too (Although as it's a toucan crossing that isn't an offence?)

    Posted 14 years ago #

  5. Min
    Member

    I hope he is okay.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  6. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Certainly hope he is OK. What time was this Anth? That's the foot of my road and first manoeuver I pull every morning is a left onto Melville Drive.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  7. 1lesscar
    Member

    I was knocked off the bike last year, however was at the next junction down at Marchmont Road. I was cycling west down the cycling lane with stationary queued traffic tailing back from Tollcross. As I approached the junction, some numpty decides he's going to drive over the pavement into Marchmont Road rather than wait another 10 seconds. Luckily I wasn't going too fast and managed to get a lot of speed off before the crunch. I tried to mount the pavement myself but it was quite a big kerb. Made a bit of a mess of my right arm and more of a mess of my watch. Bike, thankfully, was un-injured. Have been very wary in the rush-hour commute ever since!!

    Posted 14 years ago #

  8. Dave
    Member

    Hope he's OK!

    I find as soon as the festival begins, everything on the roads in Edinburgh goes a little bit mental. Crossing the Royal Mile / Bridges junction is a nightmare - I daresay the Meadows gets spicier too.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  9. SRD
    Moderator

    Every time I go through that intersection (which is quite regularly, sometimes twice a day), I see cyclists running reds. Honestly, I don't think I have ever waited for the lights to change, without having someone go past me (turning from Argyle place to Melville dr or straight across to MMW).

    That;s not to say that this guy did that, BUT, I would say that more than 50% of cyclists using that intersection ignore the lights.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  10. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    @SRD - that's pretty much my experience as well, although I also, like Laidback, have seen loads of cars at that particular junction doing it too. What is it about that junction??? (or intersection, you're right aren't you cos MMW counts as a 'road' into it)

    @kaputnik - it would have been about 8.40-45 that I went by. With police and paramedics already there must have happened 5-10 minutes before that?

    @Dave - spot on! I went for a lunchtime spin yesterday up Calton Hill and the centre of town was just chaos!

    Posted 14 years ago #

  11. kaputnik
    Moderator

    SRD - there are no lights to turn left onto Melville Drive, just a white stop line. From the road that is - were you meaning as in turning left from the red tarmac at the toucan crossing?

    Posted 14 years ago #

  12. SRD
    Moderator

    I meant turning right onto Melville Dr and (especially) going across the road into MMW (which seemed to be where Anth described the victim to be.).

    One reason that people don't wait is that (unlike the toucan crossing nearer Tollcross) there is no button for cyclists to push to cross, when heading north. Very annoying.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  13. chdot
    Admin

    "One reason that people don't wait is that (unlike the toucan crossing nearer Tollcross) there is no button for cyclists to push to cross, when heading north. Very annoying."

    Another is the extreme length of time peds/cycs are expected to wait.

    A redesign for the this whole junction is planned. Not sure if there is a timescale agreed yet for implementation (years rather than months).

    Posted 14 years ago #

  14. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    I'm just thinking, and after picturing it all again in my head (not pleasant) I got the damned location wrong. It was actually beside where that road that was shut off is. BEFORE getting to the junction, just after the pedestrian crossing (because with the backlog of traffic I turned up the closed off by bollards road and then rejoined Melville Drive from the next road).

    Sorry. Mind clearly wasn't functioning this morning. Which means it's a straight bit of road, or the cyclist had come out from the blocked off road. All conjecture. Still really awful...

    Posted 14 years ago #

  15. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Ah - you mean Meadow Place (is now permanently closed as the sign says). Just bollards though so the temptation is there for the sloppy cyclist to run straight onto the road without looking

    Posted 14 years ago #

  16. Kim
    Member

    There was another cyclist down on Melville Drive this afternoon, this only has a few bruises. I was cycling eastwards, signalled to turn right in Argyle Place, when the driver who had been some distance behind then I looked before signalling, accelerated to overtake me while I was still signalling.

    I caught up to have a word at the next set of lights, but before I could say anything, the lights change, he swerved into me and then drove off, leaving laying me in the road. Several other drivers coming the other way stopped to make sure I was OK, I am.

    There are some drivers who really should not be on the roads.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  17. steveo
    Member

    You get his number? Glad you ok,

    Posted 14 years ago #

  18. Arellcat
    Moderator

    Good heavens, Kim, glad you're not too badly hurt. What time was did it happen? I only just got home after chatting to LB for a while at The Bicycleworks.

    No incidents for me, today anyway, but goodness knows why I decided to ride along Princes St for a laugh on my way home. The place feels almost lethal to bikes, with so many buses and no room for filtering. But then, this is Edinburgh Festival...

    Posted 14 years ago #

  19. LaidBack
    Member

    Kim '...he swerved into me and then drove off, leaving laying me in the road. Several other drivers coming the other way stopped to make sure I was OK, I am.'

    But you're not really 'all right'. When something like this happens you wonder why. Road bullies like this 'help' to discourage cycling.
    If you have an accurate time and idea of vehicle make and colour then he could be on several sets of lights with CCTV (although some are mono aren't they?). Quite likely his erratic driving style will be noticeable. Then again your car didn't get 'bumped' so would anyone check?

    I would register an assualt of that sort to police.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  20. Kim
    Member

    Unfortunately I didn't get his number and I didn't get any witness statements. I was stationary when I was knocked over so it is only minor bumps, I doubt the police would do much without witnesses, I am only a cyclist after all.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  21. wee folding bike
    Member

    The first thing I do is look at the number and then make up a wee story in my head to remember it.

    You could also use a camera phone but mine isn't that good and usually not very accessible.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  22. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Kim, I'm very sorry to hear about that. I've just taken a stroll along Melville drive and back to work off my chips and unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a camera in sight all the way along there - unless he triggered the speed camera just before Argyle Place. Or maybe there was a Lothian Bus nearby? I hear they've got great CCTV coverage :)

    Posted 14 years ago #

  23. gembo
    Member

    Sorry to hear about all these incidents. It is festival time so the driving goes even more nuts for sure.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  24. Min
    Member

    I want to say that is unbelievable. But it isn't. :-(

    I hope you are still okay Kim.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  25. Stepdoh
    Member

    That is a really, really sucky thing to do. What is it with people in cars, you wouldn't just push someone over in the street.

    You think the worry of damage to their precious tonne of steel would temper their behaviour slightly.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  26. chdot
    Admin

    "wouldn't just push someone over in the street"

    There's a TV advert based on 'pedestrian rage' - 'you wouldn't do that'.

    First time I saw it thought it must be a new 'road safety' ad.

    Think it's car insurance.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  27. Kim
    Member

    Don't worry I am fine, more annoyed than hurt. Let keep it in perspective, this sort of thing is rare, but it makes me wish I had a body camera, which is sad really.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  28. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Very nearly my turn to join the pile of fallen bicyclists this morning - blue nova/106/clio type car pulled into the red tarmac at the end of Melville drive without indicating (and obviously, looking) to try and get a quick exit into Tarvit Street (traffic up ahead on the right side of the lane). Only problem is I happened to be on it's outside and going faster than it. Managed to take just enough avoiding action to get myself out of the situation without mounting the pavement by undertaking the car. Just enough balance and dignity maintained to give the driver my thoughts on the standard of their vehicle control by the extension of my middle finger.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  29. spytfyre
    Member

    My colleague was downed on Minto St on his commute. Broken wrist, ankle, stictches in head...
    Will find out more from him when he gets back in a few weeks. Apparently someone pulled out on him without indicating or something.

    Posted 14 years ago #

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