CityCyclingEdinburgh was launched on the 27th of October 2009 as "an experiment".
IT’S TRUE!
CCE is 15years old!
Well done to ALL posters
It soon became useful and entertaining. There are regular posters, people who add useful info occasionally and plenty more who drop by to watch. That's fine. If you want to add news/comments it's easy to register and become a member.
RULES No personal insults. No swearing.
stickyDriver this morning at the Bilston roundabout who completely failed to give way to the right ie me coming round from Roslin, and then tried to undertake as I was drifting left from primary in the outer lane.
Never been so close to hitting a car, and despite an audible blasphemy one metre away from them, there was no reaction whatsoever from the driver.
Must have had my invisibility cloak on today.
I've told you before about Elvin rain wear...
The BMW driver who gave me plenty of space when overtaking me at speed on Gardner's Crescent this morning, but ignored the fact that he was overtaking on a blind corner. A cyclist was coming in the opposite direction.
He then reached the junction with Fountainbridge about 5 seconds before me, but then stopped ahead of both the ASL and the stop line. No excuse, as the light was red long before he got there.
I hate to generalise or make assumptions, but he had the look of every stereotypical BMW driver.
A small blue thing decided that the ideal place to overtake on McLeod St was at the bit where there's a big sharp-edged metal plate on the left, which I was avoiding, and a line of parked cars on the right.
Some sort of large Audi estate with a stupidified number plate tried to sneak up around my right into the space I was leaving behind the bus in front of me to let its exhaust-fumes dissipate a little.
A DPD delivery van came up quickly and noisily behind me as I was approaching the A71 junction on Hermiston House Road this morning. I took primary and managed to prevent the driver from overtaking, which no doubt annoyed him.
I was then forced to slow down even more than usual when crossing Research Avenue North on the Heriot-Watt campus because a lady driver decided not to slow down/stop for me despite that fact that I was already on the crossing.
Good response from Kuritol, although my motivation for writing to report these incidents is re-education rather than punishment necessarily...
"Dear algo, I was sorry to receive your email yesterday as we pride ourselves in keeping our drivers and vehicles both up to current standards and aware of safety on our roads.
The driver has been questioned and dealt with as a result of your correspondence we have a points system in place which allows us to monitor the performance of workers and deal with any situations that require our attention, we also have strict disciplinary measures in place for any operative who is found to be driving carelessly or speeding so the matter you have highlighted has been delt with swiftly, I hope this goes some way to aleviating your concerns.
As a cyclist myself I thank you for bringing this to our attention and we sincerely hope that you and your child enjoy safe and trouble free rides in the future."
Close shave this morning with a car overtaking me alongside a traffic island. Having learned from previous close shaves I had already moved out into the road but had to swerve back to left as car approached!
I gave the universally accepted "What the heck was that?" raised, upturned palm sign only to see her glance back in the rear view mirror - and recognised her as a colleague of mine. Who avoided me all day.
lorlane, I hope you gave her plenty of opportunities to practice avoiding you, sounds like she needs it.
Cycling in this morning via the Standing Stane road route I came up against a slower cyclist, had a look behind me and noticed a white Range Rover (reg plate R88OUL or something like that) about 50-100 yards back but still a good bit behind, I extended my arm to signal that I was going to pass the cyclist and moved to almost the middle of the road to make the pass only for the idiot to hammer past us as we were two abrest. total pointless overtake...if he/she had just waited a few more seconds they'd have been able to pass safely.
Stint in the car this morning, held up for a wee bit as a truck navigated some narrow streets. It was all too much for the driver behind me, as she guided the white Audi up onto the pavement to squeeze past, and turn right down the noentry street (I saw her struggling to fit and thought, "Erm, no, I'm not moving to make that easier for you".
Then the driver in front shuffled back and forth to head down the same street. Because of course if you don't want to wait in a queue you're allowed to go down a No Entry street.
For the record, snapped on my phone while stopped in the queue for a number of minutes, handbrake on, engine off.
Untitled by blackpuddinonnabike, on Flickr
Untitled by blackpuddinonnabike, on Flickr
Untitled by blackpuddinonnabike, on Flickr
Even your rubbish phone photos are really good. Wish I could do that..
It's alright, she has the same intent "I'm looking directly ahead so anything I can't see doesn't count" gazed fixed to her face as the young lady in the white car who drove down the George Street "cycle lane" at me this evening hooting her horn so she could stop (magic parking lights on) outside the Assembly Rooms.
Today's prize goes to the numpty who followed me the wrong way up a one way street.
I was (as I always do when there's pedestrians about) cycling at walking pace. The pedestrian I was following turned round and commented to me that it was a one way street so the car shouldn't have followed me, although he wasn't bothered by my cycling there.
Presumably if the car was behind you then he was also therefore travelling at walking pace, so it was okay for him to be going down the one way street the wrong way?
Driver of an anonymous white minibus pulling away on the phone. I made the "phone!" gesture at him and then realised it was the minibus contracted to my employer to take staff to the station. Oops. When he saw me he dropped the phone in a hurry. Stupid man.
This morning, a white van turning right from Home street onto Gilmore Place tried to park immediately after turning, causing the bus which was following it (but surprisingly no red-light-jumpers behind that), and hence the subsequent traffic from Tarvit Street, led by me, to come to an abrupt halt. After a fairly brief delay, the bus driver made it past the van and promptly pulled into the bus stop. I overtook the bus in primary, only to be overtaken by the first of the cars behind me unnecessarily closely, at speed and with a sounding of the horn for 'good' measure... I decided to maintain primary given the hopelessness of cycling provision on Gilmore Place, and knowing that there was at least another car behind me, with the intention of turning right at Lower Gilmore Place. As I approached, I very nearly caught up with the car that had overtaken me which itself was being held up by another van which was turning right. Given the narrowness of Lower Gilmore Place, I decided to continue and turn right at Leamington Road instead of potentially getting stuck behind the van. I continued to maintain primary given the pinch point and then my intention to turn right. The car behind me was clearly getting frustrated at this point and was just moving out completely into the other lane to overtake me at the point that I signalled right for Leamington Road. To the driver's credit, they backed off immediately and let me turn, but I'd have appreciated patience.
@jdanielp
The horn was not meant for you. It was meant for all the drivers of the cars parked in the cycle lane ;-)
Got the full house of driver abuse this evening....
I was coming from Roseburn Park and turned down Baird Grove. The road is down to a single lane there due to some roadworks, and there is a temporary 3-way traffic light. Another cyclist was coming through the works, so my light was at red.
I slow down, not stop, so that the light triggers to green and then go through the single lane. There is a car behind me, so I take strong primary to get through the works (can only be about 25 yards in length) This obviously annoys him, as he edges closer and closer behind me. Not great, but he's not revving his engine or anything, so I'm not too worried.
I get to the turn into Baird Drive, slow to check for traffic and then turn right. There's a pinch point ahead, so I shoulder-check for the car, and find him going past me too close. Ho-hum, just another rubbish pass, let it go.
Except the driver then pulls in and winds down his window to tell me....
....I shouldn't be cycling in the centre of the lane, I should be at the side
....I'm going to get hurt because I could be holding up a queue of drivers
....he has more right to be on the road than me
....I don't pay road tax, so should get out of the way of cars
I tried to remain calm and said "read your Highway Code, I've done nothing wrong" but got a repeat of the above.
I then said "if you're in such a hurry then on you go". Apparently he wasn't in a hurry, he just wanted to give me "safety advice". I said again, well read the Highway Code and I set off.
He then overtook me and pulled in again to give me a repeat of his previous advice. I again said read the Highway Code and pulled off.
He overtook me again and pulled in to give me a third reading of his safety advice. I repeated my Highway Code advice and then threw in the "no such thing as road tax" line. He kept telling me not to be angry, as he was calm. (I was slightly out of breath, I'm not that fit).
Fortunately about four or five cyclists came from the other direction, with a couple slowing down, giving a "you ok?" look to me. He saw this and drove off, no doubt to give more safety advice to cyclists.
First time in over two years of cycling I've had this, but it spoils the day.
Tempted to get a camera now.
It does make cycling more relaxing, in a slightly perverse way. Mine isn't even visible to drivers (mounted under the front rack) - it's just a comforting independent witness should anything daft occur.
It also removes the temptation to get grumpy with people at the time (particularly in branded vehicles). Why bother, when I can just send their employer the video afterwards?
Cheers. I've resisted getting a camera up until now as I just hadn't seen the need. This evening's little episode has really p*****d me off and I've been in a bad mood all night. Like you said, I think a camera may make it a bit easier to brush off this kind of thing.
I can see how people are put off cycling. If I hadn't been on this forum and read everyone else's experiences and advice then I think I could quite easily be selling the bike tomorrow.
Monday is a new day and I'll be cycling to work as normal.
+1 from me on this benefit of a camera. It means you can just shrug when the incident happens without having to worry about noting any details.
Revenge, if there's to be any, is a dish best eaten cold.
@Stickman
That sounds horrible and quite threatening. Look after yourself.
Four by four driver on Broomhouse Road this morning who would appear to have taken out several sections of crash barrier and a funeral directors sign.
How is that even possible - it's a straight road at that point?!
It's a good job they put in all that paint and refuges to make it safer...
Meadow Place Road by HankChief, on Flickr
(Excuse my confusion on Meadow Place and Broomhouse Roads - it is Broomhouse Rd)
The funeral parlour is on the left behind the trees level with the back of the bus.
Coming up to the Gogar roundabout I was 4th in queue. the lights turned green and the white van sat and didn't move onto an empty roundabout (why? Was the driver on a phone call?) until he set off just as they turned red. The two cars behind him then went through the red light, the latter at least 5s after it had changed. The cars on the roundabout had to wait for them to clear even though they were all on green.
All three vehicles had to wait at the next set of lights at the roundabout which the car behind me joined them in making it through, so it was a totally pointless exercise.
Rubbish driving from all 3.
Classic left hook from a white van driver who overtook me just a few yards before the London St/Drummond Place junction, then immediately turned sharply left in front of me into Drummond Pl, forcing me to swerve into the cobbled section to stay clear. That's an impossible junction to judge right - I try to stay to the left so impatient drivers have a chance to overtake and this happens. But last time I took primary (intending to turn right), a Mini swung sharply out to my right and then straight back in front of me just before the island. Aargh!
@stickman +1 for camera. About £45 will get you either a small HD Mobius camera, mountable discreetly on a helmet with a bit of invention, or an HD SJ4000 with the form factor of a GoPro. Either will do, but the battery life of the Mobius is better (80 min v about 60, iirc). Peace of mind for any incidents.
2 taxis this morning at Stockbridge, both ignore the box junction and stop in it and then at Hamilton Place both jump the red light to turn left.
bit of an odd one last night - came down buccleuch street and intended to turn right onto Sciennes after the lights. I opted to take the rightmost lane. As I crossed the junction with Melville Drive I started to indicate right - even though I have to pass Melville Terrace first with Sciennes immediately afterwards. I do this to indicate why I am on the right hand side of the road at that point.
A red estate car undertook me as I was passing melville terrace and as I pulled up to turn right onto Sciennes tried to nudge me out of the way. The driver shouted "You indicated too early" - I obviously didn't have a chance to explain fully so just replied "No I didn't". She then revved loudly and chased me across the junction, so I pulled over - at which point she stopped and almost cause a car to crash into her. Then she sped off and I got the blame from the car behind.
I have tried almost every permutation of lane and indication there and there is no perfect solution. I wish I'd had a chance to explain that to the driver, and that in any case undertaking in that way is seriously impatient.
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