CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!

  1. fimm
    Member

    Nasty close overtake from a big DHL lorry this morning.

    Several illegal overtakes while I was participating in a triathlon yesterday (in spite of the place being plastered with "Caution Cyclists" signs as usual).

    Posted 8 years ago #
  2. Stickman
    Member

    Private taxi parked facing the wrong direction in the West Coates bus lane this morning. Hazard lights on makes it all ok.

    Followed shortly after by an impatient berk in an enormous Mercedes. Decided that he couldn't wait behind the four or five cyclists heading past Haymarket so did a fast revvy overtake in the tram lines on West Maitland Street, just to join the queue of traffic ahead. We all filtered past him to the front, so he performed the same manoeuvre on Torphichen Street. We all filtered past him again. To give him his due, he did give loads of room each time.

    Posted 8 years ago #
  3. wishicouldgofaster
    Member

    My pet hate this morning a right turner totally ignoring he is meant to give way to the main road forcing me to hammer on the brakes to avoid a collision.

    Posted 8 years ago #
  4. Rob
    Member

    This guy (not my video):

    [+] Embed the video | Video DownloadGet the Video Widget

    Posted 8 years ago #
  5. Stickman
    Member

    Wow, that driver HAS to lose his license. Shouldn't be allowed behind the wheel.

    When is that from?

    Posted 8 years ago #
  6. Rob
    Member

    August 2015, according to the video:

    "Edinburgh Taxi 505 28/08/15 at approx 1600hrs, at the time it was operated by City Cabs.

    This video has been in my vault for a long time, i had to wait till after the court case before i could upload it. Finally the court case has been held and the driver sentenced."

    He was charged with careless driving and assault, receiving 9 points and a £360 fine.

    Posted 8 years ago #
  7. Stickman
    Member

    Presumably next stop is the Taxi Licensing Office?

    Posted 8 years ago #
  8. Blueth
    Member

    I daresay Sleepsmart might wish to have a word with the taxi company - not the best of advertising for them?

    Posted 8 years ago #
  9. gembo
    Member

    That is mental.

    The two cut ups would have gone unpunished if he hadn't committed the assault. Did he not realise he was being filmed?

    What a mad man

    Posted 8 years ago #
  10. Murun Buchstansangur
    Member

    Edinburgh taxi drivers show their true colours yet again.

    Anyone who still does, don't line their pockets.

    Posted 8 years ago #
  11. Every taxi driver?

    Posted 8 years ago #
  12. Murun Buchstansangur
    Member

    Do you think many taxi drivers will be taking the cyclist's side in this, WC?

    Posted 8 years ago #
  13. Murun Buchstansangur
    Member

    Anyway, my experience of milder bad driving today was the Spanish-registered tour coach which did the veer-right-then-left-hook thing without indicating at West Port into Lady Lawson St. I was hanging back, but the BMX bandit who passed me up the inside nearly came a cropper.

    Posted 8 years ago #
  14. No, but do you think every taxi driver is like the one in the video?

    Posted 8 years ago #
  15. Murun Buchstansangur
    Member

    Where did I say that? He's an extreme case. But in my experience, failing to take sufficient care around cyclists and other road users is practically endemic amongst cabbies, and you don't have to go that far along the distribution of views/driving for it to amount to outright hatred and willingness to use their vehicles as weapons to bully cyclists and anyone else who takes their fancy. Certainly enough so that I have no wish to ever again use their services.

    Sad and worrying to say, if the driver in the video had used his vehicle rather than his fist, he'd probably have got off.

    Posted 8 years ago #
  16. amir
    Member

    It's that worrying time when the sun is out (rare I know). It certainly seems to confuse some drivers.

    On the roundabout just south of Gilmerton, I was a little annoyed when a car zoomed out from the next entry as I was entering the roundabout. The following car decided the same (at speed) but stopped when the driver realised I was coming (and a van behind me). Later that young driver slowed beside me to apologise - nice on the one hand but alarming on the other hand as we were travelling through Gilmerton with cars parked on both sides etc. Said it was the sun.

    I just find it incredible that drivers think the best response when conditions are difficult (sun in eyes, wet roads, ice ...) is to get it over as quickly as possible. It is worrying that the state of driver education is at this low level. The Institute of Advanced Motorists should be pressing to get all drivers up to the standards that they advocate.

    Posted 8 years ago #
  17. wingpig
    Member

    Two vehicles were driven through a clearly red light on Elm Row just before the roundabout. I don't think the sun was affecting their view at the time, so it must have been the invisible yet unignorable magic tether to the vehicles in front to blame.

    Posted 8 years ago #
  18. fimm
    Member

    Apparently a lorry has mounted the central reservation on the bypass, according to a colleague.

    Posted 8 years ago #
  19. PS
    Member

    Apparently a lorry has mounted the central reservation on the bypass, according to a colleague.

    Must be Spring. #loveisintheair

    Posted 8 years ago #
  20. cb
    Member

    Not only mounted the central reservation, but the crash barrier too, then drove along it for 300 to 400m squashing it flat.

    Traffic chaos in south west Edinburgh I can tell you.

    Posted 8 years ago #
  21. Stickman
    Member

    According to Edinburgh travel news it was because of a "tyre blowout".

    Posted 8 years ago #
  22. fimm
    Member

    Oh, really?
    Not, as another colleague remarked, because the driver was either reaching for his phone or fell asleep...

    Posted 8 years ago #
  23. Stickman
    Member

    Yes, I was a touch sceptical of that as well.

    Posted 8 years ago #
  24. chdot
    Admin

    "

    STV News (@STVNews)
    19/04/2016, 10:58 am
    Crash on Edinburgh city bypass leaves ten-mile tailback on M8

    http://bit.ly/1S7CQnl

    http://pic.twitter.com/lniqyJpuEA

    "

    Posted 8 years ago #
  25. A work colleague travelling in from Eskbank took 2 and a half hours this morning....

    Had a very odd traffic incident just out the front door today. The traffic lights just down from us, I’m behind a white Corsa who is behind a black cab. Lights go green, and for some reason the cab is pulling away slowly, then looks like he’s letting a minibus coming the other way turn (possibly?) before going, so he stops. The white Corsa initially stops, then accelerates straight into the back of the taxi. BIG thump.

    Felt I had to stop (they both turned left and parked) and give my email address, mentioning that I would have everything on the camera (it should be!).

    Posted 8 years ago #
  26. @Murun

    "Where did I say that? He's an extreme case."

    Well...

    "Edinburgh taxi drivers show their true colours yet again.

    Anyone who still does, don't line their pockets"

    Not some Edinburgh taxi drivers, just Edinburgh taxi drivers. And then a call for everyone to stop using all taxis.

    I mean, I might be reading that wrong.

    Posted 8 years ago #
  27. neddie
    Member

    Tyre blowouts are most commonly caused by underinflation -> operator failing to check tyre pressures.

    Failure to control vehicle after tyre blowout most likely due to driver not holding on to steering wheel with both hands and/or being alert.

    How many drivers do you know check their tyre pressures weekly or before a long journey, as they're supposed to*? And how many drivers have crashed claiming a blowout and then saying, "there was nothing I could do"?

    (I know a couple of people who have crashed in this way)

    *Granted, professional operators probably have procedures in place to check tyre pressures.

    Posted 8 years ago #
  28. Charlethepar
    Member

    I agree with Muran. All taxi drivers are on the psychotic, cyclist-hating spectrum, its only a matter of degree how far along it they are. Whenever you see any taxi, you have to assume that it will be driven, at best, without any consideration of you as a cyclist, and pretty often with genuine aggressive intent. To do otherwise is to invite death and injury.

    Posted 8 years ago #
  29. Wow. Just... Wow.

    I'll move along.

    Posted 8 years ago #
  30. fimm
    Member

    I'm with W.C.
    Yes, I tend to be wary of taxis, because some are driven with aggression or impatience. But I've also experienced good and patient driving from taxi drivers, and tarring all drivers of any kind of vehicle with the same brush is just the same as asserting that all cyclists jump red lights while cycling on the pavement and threatening old ladies and children.

    Posted 8 years ago #

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