CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!

Today's rubbish driving...

(11259 posts)
  • Started 12 years ago by Stepdoh
  • Latest reply from chdot
  • This topic is sticky

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  1. gembo
    Member

    Some drivers seem to think they should pass the cyclist without crossing the middle line? Either as they mistakenly believe they should not cross the mid line, even when nothing coming the other way or because it is clearly not safe to pass as there is something coming the other way.

    On the Lang whang you get everything from drivers going right over to the other side giving you tons of room as very safe to overtake through to very close shaves with both bikes and cars coming the other way. Lot of people make poor decisions when driving cars and indeed when cycling (though this is less life threatening to others).

    Despite the debate going round and round I think the conclusion is segregated cycle ways.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  2. wingpig
    Member

    Thoroughly pointless corner-cutting revvy overtake from the white thing behind me and the red-jacketed cyclist behind me in the West Maitland - Torphichen cyclebox this morning. Perhaps they're not aware of what awaits motor vehicles at the top of Dewar Place at the moment.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  3. Chug
    Member

    Was the COOP delivery truck doing a three point turn on Earl Grey St at lunchtime today.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  4. LivM
    Member

    @gembo reminds me of roads in India... One lane in each direction, with a car overtaking a truck overtaking a bicycle overtaking a camel... On each side. Petrifying.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  5. wingpig
    Member

    Going up Waterloo Place, giant rangerovery thing LFC 2527 comes alongside as we approach the first traffic island, presumably secure in the knowledge that the oversized wheels can handle bumping over the island if there isn't enough space to my right. One throat-stretching shout as he passed and another as he pulled in to park on Regent Road. At the next traffic island (with the hatching before the bus roundabout) taxi R494 DOB does the same squeezing thing. As LFC 2527 has pulled over half-way down I get to concentrate on taxi R494 DOB, observing its driver closely as he waits with his front wheels beyond both stop lines at the Abbeyhill junction. He does the same thing at the bottom of Montrose Terrace, but then pulls a U-turn (going well forward of the lines whilst he still has a red light) but then somehow ends up going past me on London Road as I wait for the left-turn filter for Marionville. At the end of Marionville Drive, as I wait at the roundabout for a safe gap, a red thing skids to a stop inches away from my right leg, though he may well have merely scraped my leg hairs had he been a little less abrupt as he'd managed to steer a bit to the right. After a wait of about a minute for the roundabout to clear I head south and the red thing thankfully heads towards Porty, to be replaced by a small burgundy thing which doesn't get the road-positioning thing where I was not leaving enough space for things to get past between me and the traffic islands on the wide-but-parking-both-sides-and-heavily-cratered-near-the-kerb Restalrig Road and tries to squeeze past on the bridge over the bike path, with several cars coming in the other direction (at the point where they were moving more out into the middle of the road to get past the parked things). That one annoyed me, so I span out trying to catch up but was stopped at the lights at the Links, with something sounding suspiciously impatient behind me. I lost sight of the burgundy thing in the distance when I had to turn to glare and bellow at the small grey rollerskate which stayed at my elbow then tried to pass on the new pinch-point table at the new bike path crossing, at which he gave up and ceded way to the oncoming vehicle he would otherwise have slammed straight into. I was less than ten metres from the blue thing in front of me heading towards South Charlotte Street but still needed to be overtaken by the rollerskate, amusingly just as the lights at the corner went red, allowing me to sail past to the ASL, very possibly saying something as I went past which may well have penetrated the rollerskate's soft top. No sign of the burgundy thing, so I carried on to the Shore via Water Street somewhat more leisureleyley, which was a terrible shame for the impatient rollerskate driver, who was behind me all the way until I prudently went right, where he could not follow. An eventful five minutes.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  6. chdot
    Admin

    http://road.cc/content/news/179672-chris-boardmans-horror-video-lorry-close-passing-his-mother

    Posted 8 years ago #

  7. himupstairs
    Member

    Was the woman that turned right across in front of a man on a bike, leaving him nowhere to go but into the rear passenger door of her car. This was at the nasty junction of Drumsheugh Gardens/Place, right outside La Campagnola chippie. He was heading north onto Dean Bridge, she was turning west onto Drumsheugh Gardens. This morning, 9am.

    I didn't see anything other than a riderless bike scooting across the road, but heard a loud crunch. He seemed ok, and a doctor who happened to be passing on a bike did not seem overly concerned. He did say his arm had been run over however, which is going to hurt, and he had a cut on his face/forehead. Someone else who had seen it very kindly came over and was exchanging details with the cyclist and driver.

    A bright dry morning. He was wearing a bright blue cycling jacket. She looked, but didn't see.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  8. CJC
    Member

    The driver of a Charles Stamper fruit delivery van who tailgated me, overtook me too closely as I was doing 30mph (according to Strava) down Broughton Street, and then drove through a red pedestrian crossing light where children were waiting to cross.

    Has anyone seen GOOD driving by a fruit delivery van? Every time I see a fruit van I get a worried feeling...

    Posted 8 years ago #

  9. fimm
    Member

    The driver who sped through an absolutely, blatantly, totally and completely red light on Palmerston Place yesterday evening.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  10. cb
    Member

    From Highway Code.

    Traffic light sequence:

    Green
    Amber
    A little bit Red
    Quite a bit Red
    Red
    Very Red
    Absolutely, blatantly, totally and completely Red

    Posted 8 years ago #

  11. dougal
    Member

    @cb You're looking at it from the wrong way.

    Green = Green
    Amber = Basically Green
    A little bit Red = Practically Green
    Quite a bit Red = Very recently Green
    Red = Recently Green
    Very Red = Just about to be Green
    Absolutely, blatantly, totally and completely Red = Imminently Green

    Posted 8 years ago #

  12. 559
    Member

    @dougal,

    Demonstrated this morning at the Queensferry Road/Clermiston Road junction.

    Car moved through the Red light from stationery before it even changed to Amber

    Posted 8 years ago #

  13. cb
    Member

    @dougal, haha, much better!

    Posted 8 years ago #

  14. rust
    Member

    Had to drive to Peebles and back today - I saw two overtakes of cyclists that properly scared me. In both cases the drivers gave the cyclist plenty of room, but completely ignored myself driving in the other direction.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  15. wingpig
    Member

    Coming up to Edinburgh from Dunbar on Sunday afternoon there were several instances where I waited patiently behind a cyclist or cyclists for a safe place to overtake and gave them their whole lane only to see the car following me passing them without even crossing the central dividing line. I wish there was an easily-understood signal for "get out of the gutter for a bit as I'm happy to wait behind you at your speed until a safe passing opportunity occurs".

    I was treated to a nice long series of horn-peeps heading up towards the Picardy Place roundabout this morning on the bit where the left lane eventually widens into two. It turned out to be a motorcyclist, whose motorcycle was still wearing an L plate at the rear. Fortunately, immediately after passing me he had to stop at the back of the queue heading up the restricted Leith Street.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  16. nevelbell
    Member

    How close does this guy want to be?

    https://flic.kr/p/E2dgWL

    It was a post 9am ride in the morning and every second vehicle I met was clearly running late and driving like an idiot.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  17. newtoit
    Member

    Apparently moving out and indicating right is now alternative terminology for "why of course, just overtake me here, my friend".

    Also a special shout out to the lady who, after pulling out from dropping her child off at Heriots, tailgated me to the Blood Donor centre then overtook with the lights sitting red. She made about 10m ahead of me before having to stop as I filtered past...

    Posted 8 years ago #

  18. geordiefatbloke
    Member

    Two today (so far!).

    ADT liveried van on Clermiston Road (FH65 EUP) overtook me far too closely, he knew I was there so either malicious or sheer incompetence.

    Lothian bus in Kings Buildings. Roundabout near the SRUC, two buses in line at stop. First one indicates and sets off. Second is stationary so I start passing it, half way past it, it sets off (no indication), and starts going round the corner swinging in front of me, forcing me to stop abruptly, I nearly ended up in the island in the middle! He then saw me and gave me a wave of apology. I've usually had positive experiences with Lothian buses so not brilliant.

    Just to show it's not all doom and gloom, shout out to the "Fishers Laundry" truck who hung back and waited for an appropriate place to over take and then gave me loads of room. They're not all out to get me :)

    Posted 8 years ago #

  19. dougal
    Member

    Red Lights Are Advisory Award goes to the driver who pulled up beside me at the junction of Home Street and Lothian Road last night, then decided that waiting wasn't for them and set off through the red light.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  20. Stickman
    Member

    Driver of HGV branded "Berendsen" driving along SJR on his mobile.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  21. wingpig
    Member

    "MacCaulay & Co." mini-van (with a crest-type logo on the rear) doing a little driving through a red light coming off the Hanover/George junction.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  22. threefromleith
    Member

    The private hire taxi, white van and car all barreling merry along with no lights on whilst it was still dark outside this morning.

    Not a single unlit cyclist seen along the same route.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  23. fimm
    Member

    The driver of the taxi using the bus lane to pass me on my left when I was driving at 30 along Gorgie Road yesterday evening. They then may have run the red light to turn left at the Balgreen Road junction - Boyfriend and I had different views on the subject.

    The car behind them was a police car but I think they were far enough behind to not have seen anything.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  24. algo
    Member

    that reminds me of an annoying incident the other day. Currently Buccleuch Street has a sort of chicane outside the Dagda. As I took primary riding south a car overtook me through it very close and at something approaching 50 miles an hour (certainly on approach). As they were next to me, they braked and pulled in towards me to avoid hitting the police van coming in the opposite direction which was forced to slow significantly. I looked plaintively at the policeman who just shrugged and continued driving...

    Posted 8 years ago #

  25. Snowy
    Member

    The driver of the Porsche Cayenne behind me in a queue of traffic who leaned repeatedly on his horn when I paused all of 5 seconds to allow a car out of a side street. Nice example you're setting your young daughter, there.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  26. jdanielp
    Member

    Remarkably well behaved driving in the most part yesterday as I finally got around to cycling out to visit friends in Bonnyrigg after meaning to do so since they moved there a few years ago (it was maybe the hills putting me off), let down by an impatient idiot on the way back who sounded their horn as I climbed up past King's Buildings briefly in primary while I was passing a car parked on the QBC...

    Posted 8 years ago #

  27. wingpig
    Member

    Impatient twerp skidding their car to a stop inches behind me when I stopped for the traffic approaching from the right on the Picardy Place roundabout. This was after I'd already scooted forward a couple of feet when I heard them start to skid.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  28. dougal
    Member

    The access-only route into Calton Road this morning was blocked by a white van parked up with both its rear doors wide open. Access unless someone likes the look of it for a parking spot.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  29. steveo
    Member

    The road is 4m wide, your car is 3m wide as is the car in front.

    If the leading car indicates to turn right off the road does your car suddenly become 1m wide and able to fit through the gap between the kerb and the leading car?

    Apparently this metaphysical question must be tested every time....

    Posted 8 years ago #

  30. MediumDave
    Member

    Close call with Smart car SL14 XCO this morning who thought it appropriate to overtake on the sharp right bend where Chamberlain Road turns onto Greenhill Gardens, despite me being in strong primary, about 10ft from the car in front and traffic waiting at the junction to Strathearn Place.

    Naturally I caught him up about 30 seconds later on Strathearn Place. Requests that he 1) don't over take me on a bend like that and 2) leave more room when overtaking were answered with the stock "you were all over the place". My response to point out the presence of potholes and speedbumps went unanswered. Further lecture on what the Highway Code had to say about cyclists, overtaking in general and his general attitude problem had to be curtailed due to the lights changing.

    Apology requested but not forthcoming so the memory of the sheer look of terror on his face as I appeared at the driver's window will have to do. I'm not particularly intimidating so I must assume his conscience was in fact giving him gyp.

    Followed him until he turned off into Findhorn Place. Briefly considered following him to his destination to continue Discussions but decided not to bother.

    Mad props also to the woman behind who, despite witnessing the above driving seemed more concerned that I was briefly holding up the van driver coming the other way while having Words with the miscreant in the Smart car. Thanks my dear, you are a real human being.

    Posted 8 years ago #

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