My lack of energy today meant I couldn't be bothered overtaking this car after his ludicrous right turn.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
Today's rubbish driving...
(11330 posts)- Started 13 years ago by Stepdoh
- Latest reply from fergus
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Posted 10 years ago #
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3000 rubbish driving posts. That's some backlog for Polis Scotchland to follow up.
Because they are going to follow up every single one of these 'nearly' homicides aren't they?
Posted 10 years ago # -
AE56 FMJ Skoda Taxi. Close passes and overtaking on the canal bridge at Polwarth.
Plate Number 172
As I discussed this with him he became aggressive until
I decided to read his number plate out very loudly and as if I was recording it.It seemed to do the trick
Posted 10 years ago # -
So, do First Bus ever respond to complaints? Reported on Tuesday evening via their website and a Twittering just now...
https://twitter.com/talkporty/status/530674716475133952
Hi @FirstScotland please respond to serious complaint regarding unsafe driving of your X25 NB service #cycling
"I had to take emergency steps to avoid being hit by one of your drivers on my way home tonight.I was cycling along A1 Jocks Lodge, Edinburgh tonight at approx 17:50, doing more than 20 mph. There were a couple of Lothian Buses in front of me, doing a similar speed. First Bus #33093 (X25 North Berwick service) overtook me, with sufficient space. However the buses in front were slowing down for the upcoming stop. As such there was no space for the First Bus to make the overtaking manoeuvre. Regardless the driver started it, continued and then proceeded to return to the left, where I was occupying the road. I was forced to immediately stop in order to avoid being hit by the bus.
I talked to the driver at the stop ahead. He seemed oblivious to what had just happened and was obstructive in allowing me to note the bus details.
I ask that you review the buses CCTV and inform me what steps you will take."
Posted 10 years ago # -
CityLink coach on Leith Walk this morning, overtook without bothering to shift road position at all - thankfully I had enough room to swing left. Driver was totally oblivious when I confronted him at the lights. Sometimes only 1 camera doesn't seem enough, which is ridiculous because "none" should be the optimal number.
Posted 10 years ago # -
So, do First Bus ever respond to complaints?
I (eventually) got a letter back from a depot somewhere in darkest West Riding of Lothian to indicate that my complaint had been received, they were very sorry if I had been of the perception that one of their vehicles wasn't being driven "to the high standards we expect" and they would look into it.
Really, it was a fob-off, not acknowledging any error on their part, not accepting any fault, and not committing to taking any action.
Posted 10 years ago # -
@wangi - I got a very fast response from them when I complained to them about the standard of driving by one of their drivers. The response was before they spoke to the driver, and I did not hear back after they had done so, but in fairness I did not follow up myself to ask what had happened, as I merely wanted them to acknowledge and accept that they needed to take internal action.
Best of luck with your correspondence - sounds like pitiful driving standards.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I had an encounter this evening with a driver who was sure she was meant to turn right from St Andrew Square into George Street westbound, while I was waiting for the green light. When I blocked her path and motioned for her to stop, she gesticulated wildly as though to say "But the satnav says so!", and I made the universal hand gesture of "bicycle". Eventually she and her passenger got the point and reversed back into the traffic flow which by this time was full of drivers honking their horns. When they decided to drive down to Princes St, and then realised that they couldn't turn right, they U-turned and drove down Rose St instead at a great rate of slowness because of all the pedestrians. I felt a bit sorry for them as I noticed their foreign numberplate whose country of origin I didn't recognise at all, and I nearly followed them to ask if they needed directions.
Then I got the green onto Princes St and promptly forgot where I was going, and turned right instead of left and found myself having to ride to the Galleries, up the Mound and then down Market Street to get to Waverley!
Posted 10 years ago # -
it was a fob-off, not acknowledging any error on their part, not accepting any fault, and not committing to taking any action.
I once wrote a stern electronic letter to AAA Coaches in respect of standards of driving. About six months later a "read notification" arrived in my inbox.
Posted 10 years ago # -
"Then I got the green onto Princes St and promptly forgot where I was going"
Should have set your satnav.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Far too close a pass by a black merc with @pikebambridge plastered on it on Whitehouse Loan 9:15 this morning, turns out it's a car leasing firm, let's hope their customers are better drivers.
Posted 10 years ago # -
All three tractors and the dumper truck cutting the drainage channels in Leith Links were chuntering concerningly unconcernedly to and fro across the north-south cut-across path leading do near the cricketball pavilion, so I stayed well out of their way and went across the cricket pitch.
Silver estate thingy SM03 something something X was getting a bit revvy behind me when I was approching the turn-off to the Hawthornvale path, so I made sure it's driver wasn't tempted to steam past on my right whilst I signalled left. I got beeped. Thirty metres ahead, the traffic was stopped in the quueue for the Asda junction.
Gorgie-an Windows' van stopping outside their shop (if it is still their shop and not a full-time pet-accoutrements vendor) blocking the 'cycle lane' and view east along Dalry Road for people coming out of Murieston.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Gogar Station Road has become a poor roadcraft theme park since the clocks went back.
Last night a grey transit van decided it would overtake me heading south, just after the railway bridge. As it overtook at this poorly chosen spot the driver decided to turn right towards Roddinglaw. This required him to take a more nearside road position so as not to block oncoming traffic, so he headed left doubtless forgetting I was there. This left me eyeing up the pavement to see where I could ditch, hopefully avoiding the poles of the signpost. I avoided having to do this, but only just.
It was quite alarming, and all witnessed by a colleague. I asked him if my lights had been visible and he confirmed that I was emitting many photons and that the whole thing had been gratuitous.
The road is currently under CCTV surveillance, but on the straight bits where the craziness doesn't occur.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Re: First Bus, I now have a set of four identical acknowledgement letters, but no evidence of action taken.
I sulked a bit last time and asked what the outcome was, which they refused to reveal on grounds of data protection. Which is nonsense given I wasn't after any identifying information.
I did get through to a regional head of customer services (Brian Purdie), but he was masked by the email contact.glasgow@firstgroup.com.
Possibly contact.edinburgh...?
Posted 10 years ago # -
Although Google/Twitter suggests brian.purdie@firstgroup.com is valid
Posted 10 years ago # -
which they refused to reveal on grounds of data protection
It should be an offence under the data protection act to erroneously quote the data protection act as a way to hide behind disclosing such non-personal, but public-interest information.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Quite.
I was quite open that they could refuse to reveal the information because I have no right to it, but they still clung to the DPA despite it clearly not being relevant. Ho hum.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Don't know if there's something in the water or if the clocks going back has triggered it but the roads were particularly full of numpties on my commute this morning.
More vehicles than usual blocking the QBC, including a delivery lorry blocking the lane and on double yellows on Ratcliffe Terrace and a taxi pulling out into my path without looking.
Close pass from white van on Grange Road. Should really come to expect that by now though.
Black Merc saloon trying to overtake whilst I was turning right from Hatton Place into Chalmers crescent, coming out of the junction on the wrong side of the road without looking. That could have been awful if someone had been coming up Chalmers Crescent. Merc didn't make it past and bullied all the way down Argyle place.
Last idiot was the worst though. Silver Mondeo following me closely out of Chalmers Street, sits on my wheel down Lady Lawson St to the cross roads, and the lights change as I get towards the back of the queue. This gentleman decides that I simply must be overtaken, despite keeping pace with the car in front and in primary, and pulls alongside me across the cross roads despite not having anywhere to pull into. So he pulls in across me, meaning I have to take evasive action to not be wiped out. Think my shouting, wild gesticulation and my shake of the head once recovered got the point across and I would like to think his thumbs up in the mirror was an apology...
Got to wonder what joys the evening will bring!
Posted 10 years ago # -
Oh yes, some idiot in a blue car hooting at me for taking the lane through a pinch point even though there was a red light 10 metres in front of us...
Yesterday evening - driver of one van that came flying up behind me and jammed on the brakes when he realised that I really, really wasn't going to get out of the lane at a pinch point.
Next pinch point down the road - car behind me is behaving all nicely, driver of car behind that overtakes the car, the bollard and me and blasts off into the distance...
Posted 10 years ago # -
Posted 10 years ago # -
That seems to be a typical response from a lot of companies, condor.
I reported the following to Scotmid this morning but only got a reply of "sorry".
I was cycling down Leith Walk and a Scotmid HGV (which was travelling south bound) did a u-turn across a tiny gap in the divider crossing 4 lanes. I was in the bus lane (travelling north) and I had to emergency stop to avoid being hit. The HGV then stopped (in the bus lane!) outside the Scotmid store at the end of Pilrig St / Leith Walk.
When I shouted to the driver, he looked at me like nothing had happened.
I decided to cycle today without my helmet camera. I'll be making sure I have it next time.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Posted 10 years ago #
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Watch the cyclist behind.
I can't make up my mind whether the cyclist should have been expecting that, since the door appeared to be open with enough time before he got to it. I mean, it looked open when you went past it?
More importantly - you run a camera on front *and* back? Sweet...
Posted 10 years ago # -
@Kenny
Yes, it was open an inch or two when I passed so I think (hope) the driver saw me and waited. Not long enough it would seem, but it maybe "should" have been anticipated.
Having two cameras is a recent development which works well, a Möbius on my helmet (about £45) and an SJ4000 (about £60) mounted to the seat post. Just looking for video software which will allow PIC in PIC so I can do a front and back at the same time and overlay with Garmin data using Virb Edit. Then I'll be really happy. /threadcreep
Posted 10 years ago # -
Stopped in an ASZ on Grange Road this evening. Lights red. Pizza Hut moped draws up beside me. I turn to rider and say "You can get a £60 fine for stopping in the ASZ like that". Moped rider says "I know"...
Later on, coming along Bristo Place in primary in the right hand lane, keeping up with a taxi in front of me, I find a small silver car right beside me on my left (his offside headlight was just inches from my left leg). For the first time ever I felt obliged to make a firm 'back-off' gesture several times. Insanely too close.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I saw this on the Independent website, and recognised it's Edinburgh:
(Apologies if it's been posted before.)
Posted 10 years ago # -
Cycling Weekly ran the story with the Aurora Van on Queensferry Road. The cyclist contacted the company and, after a rather light-hearter initial reply, got an apology, an apology for the initial response, and a promise of disciplinary action against the driver.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Poetic justice, I suppose, given my post of this morning about the left hook I may have done.
Step forward please, the driver of the silver Qashqai L500 LEL. Having followed me from Meggetland down Colinton Road to the roundabout, and then continued to stay behind me on Colinton Road towards the Gray's Loan junction, why did you feel the need to overtake me at the last minute and then immediately turn left into the Edinburgh Clinic?
Couldn't you, perhaps, just have waited a further two seconds...
Posted 10 years ago # -
Slight issue for the police at lunchtime today. I'd seen them driving through the middle of the park, them as they came up I thought, "No, you're really not going to make it up there, you're not seriously going to try it are y... Oh..." A few minutes of worried running around the car by one officer, followed by a slow edging back, seemingly with no damage done, save to pride.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Just as well. Never have got it through the gate onto Princes St anyway!
Posted 10 years ago #
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