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CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
Today's rubbish driving...
(11330 posts)- Started 13 years ago by Stepdoh
- Latest reply from fergus
- This topic is
sticky
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Posted 12 years ago #
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Aggressive red minibus man overtook a car at the top of Johnstone Terrace this morning. Unfortunately the camera was pointing the other way.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Thanks darkerside!
Posted 12 years ago # -
"an 80 year old granny* can get behind the wheel of 12 tonnes of articulated menace and happily roll away."
No no no if you passed before 97 you can drive up to 7500kgs if you passed after 97 you can drive up to 3500kgs Gross vehicle weight. You've always needed a special license for artics.
Posted 12 years ago # -
I've got D1+E on my license which I think anyone pre '97 will have.
See:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/motoring/driverlicensing/whatcanyoudriveandyourobligations/dg_4022547
"The total weight of the vehicle and the trailer together can’t weigh more than 12,000 kg."
- that's in the minibus section.
Posted 12 years ago # -
I got beeped at today as a way of telling me to move myself into the door zone to let someone past 10 seconds earlier. I didn't bother.
Posted 12 years ago # -
"I didn't bother"
Quite right!
Posted 12 years ago # -
Not really that bad - however a situation where other drivers are just mean - I was cycling out to Gullane and back yesterday for a bit of TT training (was perfect weather - a bit drizzly and no wind) .
As I came up to a roundabout just off the A1 (B1361 - A198 Link to location) to cross over there there was a learner driver in front of me. There was a tonne of traffic coming in from the A1 due to it being just around about rush hour (I assume!) and there was no way a qualified driver could get out let alone a learner who was CLEARLY nervous.
Anyway after about 40 seconds of sitting here without a gap there are quite a few cars behind us - they start honking. Like 4 or 5 cars all honked. How on earth is that going to help.
There are two cars there not just one learner and neither moving. Anyway of course this continues for a while and finally there is a gap and they pull out. Annoyingly this also meant that for the next 5 minutes I had furious drivers ROARING past me at far above the speed limit. Thank goodness that road is fairly wide.
Anyway TL:DR - car drivers spazz out because a learner is at the front of the que - despite it not being the learners fault.
Posted 12 years ago # -
It isn't just cyclists who are the victims of poor and impatient drivers. I managed to stall a hire car at some traffic lights the other day - and then I couldn't get started again. So everyone was hooting at me. These days I just think "sorry folks, I'll move when I work out how to(!)".
I've read people comment that when they're driving a different car (eg man in his wife's smaller car) they feel they get treated differently by other motorists.
Actually the usual "BMW/Audi drivers"/"white van man"/"dozy female in Chelsea tractor" stereotypes I'm certainly guilty of don't really help, do they?
Posted 12 years ago # -
Most horn use doesn't really server a purpose other than to vent anger in my experience.
I rarely use the horn; sometimes passengers ask me, "why didn't you use the horn?", but in cases where the recipient of the horn use knows they have erred, what is the point?
Posted 12 years ago # -
"
112
The horn. Use only while your vehicle is moving and you need to warn other road users of your presence. Never sound your horn aggressively. You MUST NOT use your horn
while stationary on the road
when driving in a built-up area between the hours of 11.30 pm and 7.00 am
except when another road user poses a danger.
"
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070289
Posted 12 years ago # -
except when another road user poses a danger
well, there's the get out clause.
the danger is to the driver's fragile egotistical sense of strict road hierarchy.
Posted 12 years ago # -
"except when another road user poses a danger"
A statement with an implicit "at least, amongst those road users currently present in your immediate vicinity" or everyone would just jam their horns on permanently.
Posted 12 years ago # -
The Highway Code For Pedants would be too large and unwieldy.
Posted 12 years ago # -
I spent a while using the horn on my motorbike in the Highway Code/Roadcraft approved manner, just as an experiment...
I rapidly became bored of providing a gentle toot to every driver at a junction who appeared to be oblivious to my approach, mind you, I was probably safer whilst doing it, if unpopular :-oPosted 12 years ago # -
"a gentle toot to every driver at a junction who appeared to be oblivious to my approach"
How do you decide if they are oblivious? I suppose you have to err on the side of caution.
My most hated use of the horn is I'm-in-the-car-outside-your-house-and-too-lazy-to-get-out-and-ring-your-bell-or-even-phone-you.
Posted 12 years ago # -
I very much got the hate the first thing in the morning you-are-blocking-me-in-with-your-double-parking horn usage which used to occur with extreme regularity when I lived in Polwarth.
Posted 12 years ago # -
@cb, it's a judgement call, I'm looking for head movement, eye contact, the vehicle slowing in a manner suggestive of an intent to stop, if they have already stopped I'm watching where they are looking, the exhaust for any smoke/vapour as they bring the revs up, the front wheel for any indication of movement and the bonnet line for any rise suggesting they are beginning to move...
and all that whilst choosing primary or secondary, signalling if required, watching everything else, choosing a route and balancing a bike ;-)Re: Highway code for pedants, to a degree that is what we already have, I have somewhere a copy of one of the very early Highway Codes (pre 50's anyway) and with a couple of minor tweaks and a large dose of common sense it could imo be successfully used today.
Posted 12 years ago # -
The Highway Code For Pedants would be too large and unwieldy.
"HWC for Pedants" is now available in all good branches of HMSO, in a beautifully presented special edition comprising all 39 volumes:
Vol. i - Chronically Sick & Disabled Persons Act 1970
Vol. ii - Functions of Traffic Wardens Order 1970
Vol. iii - Greater London (General Powers) Act 1974
Vol. iv - Highway Act 1835
Vol. v - Highway Act 1980
Vol. vi - Horses (Protective Headgear for Young Riders) Act 1990
Vol. vii - Horses (Protective Headgear for Young Riders) Regulations 1992
Vol. viii - Motor Cycles (Eye Protectors) Regulations 1999
Vol. ix - Motor Cycles (Protective Helmets) Regulations 1980
Vol. x - Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999
Vol. xi - Motor Vehicles (Wearing of Seat Belts by Children in Front Seats) Regulations 1993
Vol.xii - Motor Vehicles (Wearing of Seat Belts) (Amendment) Regulations 2006
Vol. xiii - Motor Vehicles (Wearing of Seat Belts) Regulations 1993
Vol. xiv - Motorways Traffic (England & Wales) Regulations 1982
Vol. xv - Motorways Traffic (England & Wales) Amended Regulations
Vol. xvi - Motorways Traffic (Scotland) Regulations 1995
Vol. xvii - New Roads and Streetworks Act 1991
Vol. xviii - Pedal Cycles (Construction & Use) Regulations 1983
Vol. xix - Police Reform Act 2002
Vol. xx - Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000
Vol. xxi - Prohibition of Smoking in Certain Premises (Scotland) Regulations 2006
Vol. xxii - Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981
Vol. xxiii - Road Safety Act 2006
Vol. xxiv - Road Traffic (New Drivers) Act 1995
Vol. xxv - Road Traffic Act 1984
Vol. xxvi - Road Traffic Act 1988
Vol. xxvii - Road Traffic Act 1991
Vol. xxviii - Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988
Vol. xxix - Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984
Vol. xxx - Road Vehicles (Construction & Use) Regulations 1986
Vol. xxxi - Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001
Vol. xxxii - Road Vehicles (Registration & Licensing) Regulations 2002
Vol. xxxiii - Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989
Vol. xxxiv - Roads (Scotland) Act 1984
Vol. xxxv - Traffic Management Act 2004
Vol. xxxvi - Traffic Signs Regulations & General Directions 2002
Vol. xxxvii - Use of Invalid Carriages on Highways Regulations 1988
Vol. xxxviii - Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994
Vol. xxxix - Zebra, Pelican and Puffin Pedestrian Crossings Regulations and General Directions 1997Posted 12 years ago # -
How do you decide if they are oblivious?
I have a simple method for deciding whether or not a vehicle is a threat to me or not:-
-Is there a driver in it?
Posted 12 years ago # -
On the 'treated differently in different vehicles' stuff, I can confirm that being behind the wheel of an ambulance allows one to park in the middle of a box junction holding up a gazillion cars whilst the NHS budget satnav system works out what left means, and still only suffer a few rolled eyes.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Is there a driver in it?
A driver isn't required if there is a hill. Had to fetch the driver back to a car rolling slowly across a car park under it's own steam just the other day.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Walking out of the St James centre delivery entrance I saw two private hire cars and a Taxi all waiting at the lights to drive down towards York Place junction. Middle private hire gets bored of waiting and starts honking the car in front. I turn expecting the Green light to have ben missed but no, its Red and all three cars then just drive through. Wish I'd had the presence of mind to get the Taxis number. And they accuse us of running red lights!
Posted 12 years ago # -
Actually yesterday, but didn't find time to 'report'.
Bin lorries. Lots of them, roaring about the place on Easter Road and Leith Walk, with nary a care as to other road users. Several close passes while overtaking, plus one turned across me while I was stopped at a junction trying to turn right, nearly crushing me: I had to pull the bike over the left.
There's no excuse for any of this: all the drivers could see me very clearly. If there isn't enough room to overtake/turn their humongous vehicles, then why press ahead regardless? Of course, it's only a cyclist. If I die or am maimed for life the driver will be okay.
Bullies.
Note to Council: can we have better training for the bin lorry drivers please?
Posted 12 years ago # -
It's worth geting the details for council vehicles if you can, crowriver.
I reported a driver for agressive rat-running in a white van a week ago. Got an appologetic letter and an assurance it wouldn't happen again from the building department.
Only sour note was that apparently the driver was unaware they were doing anything wrong. Aye, right.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Alas I was too busy saving my skin to note details. I did hurl a few choice curses through the open driver's window of the turning lorry though.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Hi there - I'm an occasional poster but a regular lurker.
Yesterday on Chesser Avenue coming from Slateford Road a black Rav 4 with roof box overtook me then turned left across my path to get to Asda. Apparently his pint of milk was more important than my life. Hey ho.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Re Bin Lorries. I used to live right opposite the Powderhall waste transfer centre. Many of the bin lorry drivers treat all other road users with contempt. Locals know better than to expect them to obey the "Priority" signs on McDonald Rd - they just steam through regardless.
You would have thought that the fatality at Broughton Point a year or so ago would have been a wake up call but it seems not.
Posted 12 years ago # -
@lezzles, always a bad one that Asda junction, undertaking then going straight on instead of going in to ASda another classic
Posted 12 years ago # -
Another disliker of bin lorry drivers here - I've had a couple of unpleasant experiences. I wonder if they have some stupidly tight schedule such that the odd squashed cyclist is less important than getting to the bins on time.
Posted 12 years ago #
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