Yesterday, about 6 in Holyrood Park. After dropping off visitors at their house, I must have really annoyed idiot driver by driving at 20 through the park, as he overtook on the curve, tooting and gesticulating, before I caught him up at the roundabout at the palace; he'd been held up for a minute maybe by traffic there, so I got another gesture as he finally went; he must have seen my grin.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
Today's rubbish driving...
(11258 posts)- Started 12 years ago by Stepdoh
- Latest reply from chdot
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Posted 8 years ago #
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It had actually been quite a quiet 18 and a half miles out on a training ride (words I never thought I'd say, "training ride") before eejit in a personalised plate Lexus stuffed to the gunnels with kids squeezed me at a pedestrian crossing with central island on Porty HIgh Street. Bonnet must have been six inches from my leg, and pretty sure I only avoided getting hit by the mirror because just as I cleared the crossing I swerved left.
He'll have heard the loud shout (nothing vulgar* dear friends, simply "Whoah! Jesus Christ!") as the sunroof was ajar. With no traffic ahead, nothing behind him, and no traffic coming the other way, he saved himself about, ooh, 2.3 seconds.
*unless you're offended by blasphemy.
Posted 8 years ago # -
We don't have a "rubbish bus leaking fuel" thread yet, so the bus at the end of the trail of diesel leading all the way from Makro to ¾ of the way round South Gyle Crescent, where it was stopped with its hazards on and engine-inspection-flap raised, goes here.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Had a bizarre interaction with a female driver of a battered old fiesta.
Approaching the Drumbrae RAB the 2 lanes go into 3 with the additional lane being added to the left hand side. I was in the lefthand lane heading towards the middle lane. The fiesta in the righthand lane decided to move across into my lane so got a shout of "whoa" from me.
She stopped and then looked perplexed as to why I had shouted.
I tried to explain that she came into my lane without using her indicators. She then held up her mobile as an explanation.
I can only assume she trying to tell me she was using it and therefore unable to indicate rather than asking for my number...
Posted 8 years ago # -
Taxi 375 - was in the unofficial line of taxis waiting behind the Haymarket Terrace / Yards junction to join the official rank of taxis beyond the lights. Drove through the lights to the rank and had a copy of the Evening news on his steering wheel. Hope he wasn't reading it while he edged through!
Posted 8 years ago # -
@twq - that's a particularly bad area for that to happen as well, generally so much going on that people get flustered and do weird things. Not the place to be on your phone!
Posted 8 years ago # -
@tk when Haymarket was newly re-opened following the tram works, I once delivered a rather vocal lecture to a taxi driver waiting outside Ryries pub on the double yellows with his vehicle forcing cyclists (and any other vehicle for that matter) across the tram tracks (this was jug handle days.)
He was eating his lunch...
Posted 8 years ago # -
Yesterday I had a word with a private taxi who was parked in the cycle lane on Holyrood Rd waiting to pick up a fare despite being plenty of room in the parking bays RIGHT NEXT door to the car. Why couldn't he move 2m and not cause an obstruction? I think we know the answer to that question...
Posted 8 years ago # -
Last night, going through South Queensferry towards the bridge, I was heading to the T-Junction at the western end of Viewforth Place when I heard a car behind me. About 50 yds from the junction I signalled right and less than 20 yards from the junction he then proceeded to half wheel me and try to overtake. As I had right of way and I assumed he was turning right, I kept on going straight to the far side of Viewforth Road (which would allow him to cut the corner and turn right and overtake me) he then tried to left hook me, missing by not very much. Wound down his window and shouted "w**ker" at me.
First time someone has tried to use their car as a weapon, and shook me up as I didn't do anything untoward at all. I'm going to cycle round there this evening and see if I can get his license number. A wee red convertible sports car, should be easy to recognise.
Posted 8 years ago # -
The odious twonk driving a red "escort" sized van at Haymarket this morning
Despite plenty eye contact and hand gestures from me on my approach to the tram lines, he tried to undertake me on the first set, then dangerously close he overtook me on the second set
When I came alongside him at the lights before Haymarket Yards (yes, he was occupying the ASL box) his retort to my very loud and angry verbal abuse was that I was taking up the whole lane!
I wish I had a brain that could memorise reg plates more easily. Maybe I need to invest in a wee cam?
Posted 8 years ago # -
@paddyirish. horrible incident it sounds (I know exactly where you mean). It seems such an odd thing to do as there is nothing there other than houses so it's not like the guy was going anywhere (other than home presumably!) so waiting behind you wouldn't have impacted on his journey by more than a few seconds. I will look out for it too and get the reg if I see it.
I mainly turn left out of Scotstoun Av now and go that way to the FRB (unless its raining as that roundabout gets pretty slippy).
Posted 8 years ago # -
Pilot of a motorBeemerbike poking his front wheel speculatively into the Hanover-St David section of the George Street bike lane last night.
Posted 8 years ago # -
@Beano- thanks! It was a case that he wanted to pick a fight and at the cost of even less than a few seconds. If a car was in my place he wouldn't even have lost anything.
I decided to turn right out of Scotstoun to avoid making two right turns on busier roundabout/roads and to avoid the slippy roundabout. I'll think twice now...
Posted 8 years ago # -
I was not cycling, but instead standing at the 38 bus stop on Ashley Terrace near Margiotta.
Along Ashley Terrace (from the Slateford Road direction) comes a paramedic on a motorbike. Blue lights and siren on. Going some, but about as conspicuous as it is possible for a motorbike to be.
Black estate comes to the end of Harrison Gardens, stops then the driver blithely turns right onto Ashley Terrace into the paramedic's path. Fortunately the bike managed to slow sufficiently to avoid a collision. Heart-in-mouth moment for the queue of people at the bus stop.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Yesterday's bad driving courtesy of Le Tour:
https://gfycat.com/ColorfulKindGeesePosted 8 years ago # -
Close pass a couple of days ago. In a brief discussion afterwards the driver claimed he was "nowhere near me" and "had to swerve to avoid the speed bump". And ultimately, it didn't matter how bad his driving was because he was "going to a hospital appointment".
Thanks. Keep driving like that and I'll see you hospital.
https://youtu.be/T3FdGFEgnYgPosted 8 years ago # -
I've seen a number of vehicles stop in front of the Starbucks on Leith Street/top of Calton Road, blocking access to Calton Road. Taxis dropping people off has been the prime candidate but a few White Vans too.
Yesterday evening I was coming out of Calton Road from the station and there was a taxi right in front of Starbucks with a stationary queue of 3 cars behind going nearly as far back as the junction.
So car #4 decides to bypass all this by overtaking the queue in the bus lane and entering Calton Road on the wrong side of the traffic island. And because it was obviously a cheeky move they did it extra-fast with no thought to the oncoming traffic they couldn't see over the brow of the hill.
If I'd been on my bike I'd have been under the wheels of that car.
Posted 8 years ago # -
"Tram only lanes my ar5e, motorists unite! Rise up and reclaim the street"
Before presumably adding, "Oh, we already basically control all of the streets save for that one 100m section of tram and bus only bit of road that all the other commenters seem to think doesn't exist either".
Posted 8 years ago # -
Top trolling by the EEN by including the unnecessary paragraph about cyclists suing; hoping to get a few extra hits from anti-cyclists.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Bin lorry driver who tried to drive his bin lorry over me from Chambers Street when I was on George IV bridge. Broad daylight, great sightlines. No excuse.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Man in a small, fast, black car on North St Andrew's Square. Loudly passed me on the left (I was going north to turn right onto York Place), then nonchalantly rolled fully into the ASZ. The lights were red at the time, of course.
When I asked if he knew he could get a fine for doing so, he said he didn't, then asked why I didn't have a helmet. Apparently these magical hats will protect me from drivers who can't be bothered following the law.
To be fair, he was polite throughout. Just completely oblivious.
Posted 8 years ago # -
As they've responded to say the driver has been identified and they will deal with this, I thought I'd post my video of the First Bus 124 at Aberlady a few weekends ago. This is round the sharp blind bend coming towards Edinburgh. You'll need to watch the slowed down version afterwards but keep an eye on the central road markings, the speed the bus was doing, the lack of control (the tail was sliding) and how it has to slam on the brakes to avoid the oncoming car when it passes us. Highway code rule 129 doesn't apply - we were travelling at about 25km/h
Posted 8 years ago # -
I love the irony of him first hoving into view just as the big SLOW on the road becomes apparent.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Gah! Riding home through the Park, on the north side, at lunchtime today. A lycra roadie ahead by about 20 yards (I was only keeping pace cos of tailwind, and presume he was doing laps and was saving himself). We're both doing 20mph, which you'll note is the legal maximum at that point.
Idiot in a black Vectra comes HARING past (at least 40) just as lyra bod starts moving out to go up the hill. Lycra bod is paying attention and swerves back left. Muppet. I shout '20' as he passes. Of course at the lights at the end of the Park at Meadowbank he's stopped, and his window is down. I simply state, 'Too fast, the limit's 20', and carry on to the ASL. I'm going right, he's going left, so there's nothing more.
But why, why on earth is there this 'I MUST get there quickly!' mindset?
Posted 8 years ago # -
A large black 4x4 with blacked-out windows decided he would reverse at speed around a corner, on the wrong side of the road, without signalling, straight toward Mrs edd1e_h, mini-edd1e_h and micro-edd1e_h as they were all crossing the road.
This was at the corner of Arden St & Spottiswoode Rd in Marchmont.
Mrs edd1e_h screamed out "STOP!" and this was all that prevented him from hitting them. It was lucky they were all close together as a group too (mini-edd1e_h often goes ahead or behind), as the 4x4 sped past on the inside of them.
His response, "Sorry, I didn't see you"
Mrs edd1e_h: "Clearly." [sarcastically]
Him: "I f***ing said I was sorry didn't I?"
Mrs edd1e_h: "Sorry's no use to me when I'm dead"
Him: [sticks fingers in ears like a child]
Him: [drives off showing no concern whatsoever]
This guy was in his 30s or 40s, white, looked like a professional and had very short hair or bald. He had a primary school age girl on board as well.
Will be watching out for this vehicle & owner.
Posted 8 years ago # -
"looked like a professional"
Professional what??
Where was this?
Posted 8 years ago # -
@chdot At corner of Arden St & Spottiswoode Rd in Marchmont.
Professional as in solicitor, doctor, accountant, etc. Not a builder, plumber,...
Posted 8 years ago # -
Ta.
I saw "large black 4x4 with blacked-out windows" and was thinking 'footballer' - then I looked at the age again!
Posted 8 years ago #
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