@chdot. Mrs edd1e_h reckons he could have been young enough to be a footballer. Where did you spot 'your' large black 4x4?
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
Today's rubbish driving...
(11258 posts)- Started 12 years ago by Stepdoh
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Posted 8 years ago #
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Haven't - just stereotyping!!
Posted 8 years ago # -
Black Taxi SL11 ??? Plate number P4 - my email to Central Taxis
I want to bring to your attention an incident involving one of your drivers this morning.
I was cycling westbound on Stenhouse Drive passing the second of the series of three traffic islands when the taxi noted above tried to pass between me and the island.
As well as being a regular cycle commuter on that route, I also drive and know that there is frankly insufficient space between island and pavement to allow for any type of safe pass – hence my positioning on the road circa one metre from the pavement.
As I am an experienced cyclist, I spotted the situation emerging, turned round, shouted and gesticulated for the driver to stay back.
While he did not open the window and remonstrate with me, it was clear from his gestures and mouthed response that he felt there was either sufficient space for him to pass, or more worryingly that his expectation was that I should perhaps position myself in to the gutter and allow his taxi to squeeze me out.
I am sure I don’t need to elaborate on what happens when a vehicle like a taxi collides with a cyclist and frankly expect more from a professional driver.
I look forward to hearing from you
Posted 8 years ago # -
The fruit and veg shop on Argyle Place has a few fairly dilapidated vans - one of which, a white Sprinter (I think) reg J13 CWP*, passed me stupidly close on Sciennes Road while I had passenger on board and sped off down the road way over the 20 limit. I heard it coming due to the probable intercooler hose leak - also evidenced by the trail of smoke it left behind.
I really like that fruit and veg shop and the people that run it - I will probably go in later and try to calmly explain my position - hopefully they will realise that cyclists are real people - even sometimes their customers.
(* not the original plate - the van's probably from around 2004)
Posted 8 years ago # -
@edd1e_h
Today's edition of bikeyface seems particularly apt for that experience.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Yeah, the bikeyface cartoons are ace.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Was the woman who didn't check that her access was clear before turning in front of me from Grassmarket into King's Stables Road. I was going quite a lick coming down the hill so had to take evasive action onto THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD. Gave a cyclist coming along Grassmarket a bit of a fright; sorry about that.
I wish I handled these situations better. I just sort of shouted "Whoa you ******* idiot" but what I should have done was anticipate it better, follow her and at least let her know what she did. She didn't even hear me so probably oblivious as to her mistake.
also...(not quite 'bad' driving...but)
coming down Barnton Av. and a bin truck made a move to pull out from Barnton Park. He didn't ACTUALLY pull out but made that sort of whoops-saw-you-at-the-last-second type of juddering/hitting of the brakes. Made my heart jump I tell ye!
Posted 8 years ago # -
I encountered 4 numpties last night reminding me why I usually stick to cycle paths as much as possible.
Numpty 1 - traffic lights at Hamilton Place on his mobile who then made a ridiculous manouvere when we are both turning light.
Numpty 2 - Ravelston Dykes at the roadworks someone tries to overtake me when there is absolutely no room to do so and I am about a foot from the car in front
Numpty 3 - Murrayfield Road, someone takes a right despite me fast approaching downhill - thank goodness I have good brakes
Numpty 4 - a woman squeezes me out on St Johns Rd to then realise there is a bus lane and stop dead
Posted 8 years ago # -
Almost forgot what mine from yesterday was...
I was heading through the cut-through between Newhaven Asda and Ocean Terminal. There was a parked vehicle facing me on the other side of the road, with another smallish-van-type vehicle coming towards me but moving from the other side of the road onto my side of the road. I slowed and moved over - eventually, the driver's face appeared to pop up, either from study of something on the passenger seat or the central bit of the dashboard/fascia, followed by the vehicle moving back over to its own side. Didn't have a chance to transfer the footage to computer yesterday but I shall be doing so tonight to see if there was any livery on the van, whose number plate will at least be quite clear.Posted 8 years ago # -
"
Police, who were treating the incident as attempted murder, confirmed that an 18-year-old man had been arrested and charged.
"
http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/teenage-driver-charged-after-alleged-road-rage-1-3852148
Posted 8 years ago # -
My very first left hook - white van (possibly SH60 AEA) on approach to Waterloo Place from the north. Thankfully I was going quite slowly up the hill and didn't have to brake very hard, but still unsettling... Had the windows down, so they didn't hear my outraged (non profane) shout.
Posted 8 years ago # -
@chdot Attempted murder? I've been in a similar situation and the police treated it as "the driver remembers the incident differently".
Posted 8 years ago # -
Driver plonked her cream mini HN07 XGJ in ASL at the top of the hill outside Commie Hall. Myself and a lady on a bike, both turning right, had to sit to the left of it, close to cars passing in the left lane. At bottom of E Preston St, driver drove into ASL again, with me in it.
I turned around and asked what they had to gain by doing that. Male passenger said "there's loads of space for bikes. I bike, and you're making us look like idiots".
ASLs aren't great at the best of times, but to criticise me when they were breaking the law is just nuts.Posted 8 years ago # -
so wait - ASLs are for cyclists, regardless of whether they're on a bike or in a car at the time? That explains everything.
Posted 8 years ago # -
It might just be me, but I did catch myself in the bus lanes on Calder Road the other day whilst on a rare trip in a car.
It was just habit m'lord...
Posted 8 years ago # -
@sallyhinch - I think the driver ran two red lights in this situation. In my mind, if I went to the polis with this video, they should be able to issue her with 6 penalty points and a £200 fine, for breaking two red lights.
I wonder what the outcome would actually be?Posted 8 years ago # -
@twq why did you have to sit to the left? I would have sat right in front of it if I was turning right??.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Not today, but from Tuesday on the A87 in Skye. Too many unpleasantly close passes to count, but the standout was the young man in a red Chavmobile just north of Portree who was trying to overtake a column of perfectly fast moving traffic right into the face of a Mr U. Beruce of 1 Uberuce Towers, Roslin with a blind summit approaching. Even if I hadn't been plainly visible before he started that move, which I was, it was rubbish driving.
If he'd mounted a razor on his wing mirror I'd have a Brazilian on my right forearm. The expressions on the faces of the drivers behind were uniformly of the 'OH &£%$ I'M ABOUT TO SEE SOMEONE DIE'
In defence of the rest of the motorists of the A87: when I was going round the headland past Staffin and into the worst headwind I have ever experienced, they were without exception patient in waiting for me to grind at 5-7mph into the nearest Passing Place or just non-boggy roadside to let them past. Many gave an encouraging wave or shout, which I really needed because it was seventh circle-ish on that bit.
Posted 8 years ago # -
At least the wind would keep the midgies away.
Posted 8 years ago # -
@Nelly - cyclist in front was to the left of car - I couldn't get past. I would usually do that, however.
Posted 8 years ago # -
White van driver doesn't yield to the right for cyclists when exiting Elm Row onto roundabout.
Posted 8 years ago # -
The driver of the articulated Tesco lorry which crossed the King's Theatre junction from Home Street at speed at ~08:35 today despite the fact that the lights for Tarvit Street/Gilmore Place had just changed to green, meaning that the lorry driver intentionally ran the red lights.
I didn't note the registration, but given that it should be fairly easy to identify I may email Tesco about this.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Driver of the X44 bus on London Road this morning who had a fit of MGIF. I was doing 20, he started moving back left before clear of me, he was stopping at the stop after the next one (by which time I was only 20 yards or so behind).
And of course the camera battery had run out.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Like jdanielp, also from Tesco articulated lorry today. This time in Chester street, I was passing line of parked cars.. he passed me so close I got the whoosh! You shouldn't get the whoosh in a city centre, so far too close and far too fast.
I was angry enough to stop and take a photo as he waited at the traffic lights at Palmerston Place. Got license plate, and now trying to find where to complain. Seems I have to call 'Well Driven'.Posted 8 years ago # -
Initial MGIF tubery from a woman in a grey car who seemed affronted at me being in front of her along Meadowbank Terrace and so overtook through the narrow bit at the entrance to the park where there's a wee central island. Secondary MGIF tubery from the driver of the van two vehicles behind, who went way too close and whose passenger might have been trying to make a rude sign out of the window.
Posted 8 years ago # -
A really odd one yesterday. On the way back from my Sunday ride I bumped into my wife and kids heading back from the museum. I stopped to chat, and although the bike was still on the road it was tucked right in against the kerb. The driver of a passing van beeped his horn and appeared to gesticulate in an annoyed manner at me. I'm not aware of having caused an issue for this guy earlier on my ride. Very odd. It seemed as though he was annoyed at the fact that I had stopped with my bike on the road, although there was plenty of room for him to pass without moving out at all. We may have interpreted it completely wrong (perhaps he recognised us and was saying hello :P) but my wife picked up on it the same way and asked if I'd had a run in with him earlier.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Lothian bus 35 had side-windows smashed at top of Morrison St. Looks like it turned into a white van, or maybe it was the other way around.
Posted 8 years ago # -
On Saturday afternoon in the park. Wee ned in a deep red Clio. My girlfriend and I had come out of Croft an Righ and turned right. We wanted to get onto the cycle path for going up the hill, but there is no dropped kerb there so we rode on the road to the zebra crossing where we could get up onto the path.
This scrote decided he had to overtake, despite there being people crossing at the zebra crossing about 15m away. However honourable partner was in strong primary so he couldn't - we got 3 beeps of the horn, and as we pulled off to the cycle path the offending party let loose with a barrage of abuse, turned sideways to wave his arms and gesticulate at us. No eyes on the road. The thing ceased with some lovely demonstrations of finger dexterity. Guy seemed like a fizzing ball of rage and idiocy just ready to explode.
Presumably he took issue with us not being on the cycle path that we intended to use, despite not having had a chance to get there (and at that point it was full of pedestrians not looking where they were going). He'd have had to stop at the ped crossing anyway, and in the queue to the roundabout after that...
This was shortly followed by a taxi (are they not commercial vehicles?) stopping halfway up the hill in the park and doing a U turn to pick up some passengers. Only good thing about it was that the ned in the Clio was stuck behind the taxi and had to wait!
Posted 8 years ago # -
Stopping taxis in Holyrood Park? Oh they tried that. Then wimped out.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Dear Sirs
I was wondering if you could indulge me for a moment and set a little test for one of your drivers. Specifically the driver of MX60 KLK, who will have been in Edinburgh around 5.30pm, travelling east on Melville Drive.
I would be interested if you were to engage him in conversation about cyclists, asking him (possibly leading the witness granted) what it is about cyclists that really annoys him. And then when (for I suspect it would be inevitable) he mentions them running red lights (as we all know all cyclists do) could you show him this video?
The light turned amber well in advance of the truck careering through (I actually thought the car ahead might have just had enough time, because as we are all aware amber means 'stop if safe to do so' rather than 'get through before it goes red'). And turned red with the truck quite a distance still from the stop line. The brake lights appear to be on at this moment, but I had definitely heard the engine note rise as the lights turned amber. I've left the kids in the video who crossed afterwards more as an example of how hideously wring this impatience could have gone.
Many thanks for your time.
Posted 8 years ago #
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