8ish this morning cycling eastwards on Sciennes with the trailer and two kids, as I was taking primary just before one of the pinch points where I had priority, driver of the Ford Focus reg SM51YBL decided to pass very close and fast to get to the pinch point first. We were not amused. I have constant trouble there with oncoming traffic who don't see a bike as a vehicle and hence don't give way, but rarely traffic desperate to get in front. According to my speedo thingy I was doing about 17 mph (in a 20 zone)...
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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Silver-coloured cab SF03 ZZR (previously seen performing dodgy overtakes at Haymarket) rolled past me at a red light and stopped in front of the ASZ on Leith Walk. I peered in the window and the driver gave the best impression of already being fast asleep, with a fare too. I would not feel safe inside or near that vehicle...
Posted 8 years ago # -
Driver of boy-racer-style van F5CK U (charming...), displaying the expected level of common sense and driving skill by:
- overtaking blindly into conflict me with on a country road home last night;
- just about managing to regain control back on his side of the road whilst swearing at me with one hand, and then;
- nearly rolling it at the next corner that he hadn't noticed and was still travelling far too fast for.Items and and two captured on the onboard camera. Might take across to the police tomorrow.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Just back to the forum. I think Edin Cycle Training sums it up best.
Nobody gets it right on the road all the time, recognising when one doesn't can be valuable experience - I still like to learn after a few decades.
Good roadcraft is about interaction with others so (while still not excusing the BMW drivers action) when finding oneself in such a situation approaching the lights might a wave to say "Oops, sorry chum I didn't get that one quite right" ease the situation and affect what follows?
Posted 8 years ago # -
@Darkerside - surely there are rules about offensive words and number plates?
My example of bad driving today went to the owner of a green subaru forrester who stopped at a red but left the nose of their car blocking half of the pedestrian crossing. I sure hope they were embarrassed when a partially sighted person walked straight into the side of their car.
Posted 8 years ago # -
MGIF on Castle Terrace yesterday evening. Another tried to follow as I approached a traffic island so was verbally dissuaded. Passed the first one again as it waited awkwardly on the corner between Spittal St and the queue going up Lady Lawson.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Earthowned - I'm going to assume the partially sighted person knew exactly what they were doing. Point well made.
Posted 8 years ago # -
A blue Mini attempted what may have been the most pointless pass ever this morning. I was slowing up on Gardener's Crescent at the approach to the lights at the junction with Fountainbridge. Four or five cars ahead of me in the queue. I was about 10 yards from the last car when I turned to see the Mini on my outside trying to edge in. I don't know what possible advantage the driver thought she would get, other than being in front of a cyclist.
I held my position until I got to the start of the painted bike lane then filtered down the left to the ASL.
I saw her a few minutes later driving into the work car park. I'd already locked up my bike, had a quick chat with someone and was walking to the door, so I don't think her overtake would have made up much time for her.
Posted 8 years ago # -
There's a junction box there as well, isn't there?
Posted 8 years ago # -
Young lady driving uphill on Lady Road at Cameron toll as I went down and turned right at the roundabout to get my messages.
I knew she hadn't and wouldn't see me so I slowed just enough to let her automobile pass in front of my front wheel. Just as she passed me she turned and looked at me with that big round eyes and mouth all horrified comic book expression. OMG how could I not have seen the luminous green bicyclist!!??
Posted 8 years ago # -
surely there are rules about offensive words and number plates
There are also rules about letter spacing which mean the plate should have been written: F5 CKU
The people that flout the law like this are the same ones who flout the law in other ways:
- mobile phone use
- speeding
- faulty headlights
- bald tyres, etcIt's time the police starting cracking down on minor infringements like this and I'm sure that they'll then discover the icebergs that lie underneath.
Posted 8 years ago # -
On review, it was indeed spaced as F5 CKU - photo attached to the Strava activity
https://www.strava.com/activities/557431908
I did have a quick look at the DVLA site. They can apparently withdraw offensive numberplates if they're complained about, but there's no way of contacting them short of writing a letter as their email system is throwing all sorts of security warnings.
Might do that.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Re rules about number plates. I'd tell the Police - they should find it much easier to penalise the driver/keeper for the number plate offence which they can see for themselves, than for the alleged bad driving which relies on witness's opinion.
from DVLA INF104: "It is an offence to alter, rearrange or misrepresent the numbers and letters on a number plate to form names or words ... Anyone with a number plate that does not display the registration number correctly could be fined up to £1000. In some cases, the registration number may be permanently withdrawn."
see also The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001.
I'd hope they'd get a VREC at least:
"If your vehicle has something wrong with it, eg a broken brake light, the police may give you a ‘vehicle defect rectification notice’.
You’ll need to get your vehicle fixed and provide proof that it’s been fixed (eg a receipt for the work from a mechanic). You have 14 days from the date of the notice to show the proof to the police."Posted 8 years ago # -
This evening I saw some hoodies with their faces covered riding what I'm assuming was a stolen scooter. They jumped the lights at Haymarket Yards and turned right down there, narrowly avoiding being hit by the oncoming tram. I'm guessing they were heading for the NEPN.
Posted 8 years ago # -
"
Nigel Pain (@nigel_pain)
27/04/2016, 5:23 pm
Summer must be coming #nedsonscooters on #NEPN @EdinburghPolice @CyclingEdin"
Posted 8 years ago # -
I was in the car this evening driving past Sciennes school and saw some lads on a scooter with faces covered.
Must be that time of year
Posted 8 years ago # -
There was a week last year when I saw hooded scrotes (sometimes 3 up) every day on the NEPN.
Posted 8 years ago # -
not fair to call this rubbish driving - more a result of rubbish infrastructure. An HGV descending the mound just before the first tight left after the royal mile left a huge gap on its inside where there is a marked cycle lane. Traffic was stationary. I didn't much fancy it as I couldn't see round the corner so I stopped and pondered my options. Just as the HGV set off it then engulfed the entire cycle lane all the way to within inches of the pedestrian guard rail - predictable really as its a long wheelbase vehicle but it was really scary to see how quickly that incredibly inviting gap with a cycle lane painted on it disappeared. I have no idea if the HGV was aware of my presence or not - I hope so.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Huge cement mixer lorry which sped along West Coates before going though the red light at the pedestrian crossing. Will be checking the video and reporting later.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Perth Road, Dundee, this morning. I pressed the button on the Pelican crossing. The lights changed to amber very quickly. A taxi on one side, a van on the other, approaching the crossing, plenty time to slow and stop. Did the drivers do that? Nope. They both stepped on the accelerator, managing to just zip past the crossing at speed, simultaneously with the lights changing to red. I suppose they gave each other a cheery wave as they passed. Couple of pr**ks. Just as well I didn't step into the road before the audio signal.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Two taxi drivers: one overtaking me while I was turning right out of a side road, and the second messing with his phone while waiting to turn out of a (different) side road that I was turning in to. He stopped PDQ when I started taking an interest in what he was doing...
Posted 7 years ago # -
"@frankross06: Why do some drivers insist on stopping on the pedestrian crossing when traffic is stationery."
"@iaingill: @FrankRoss06 @hank_chief "SOME drivers do x" is an important distinction from saying "cyclists do y""
"@frankross06: @IainGil @hank_chief shows I listen and learn"
"@hank_chief: @FrankRoss06 @IainGil
Thanks Frank.
It's a societal problem, common with 'out groups'.
Great you got the point."
Posted 7 years ago # -
Was behind taxi 4 or 570 maybe (not quite sure enough to report unfortuantely) at 10pm-ish last night heading up Dundas Street . It stopped fully at a red light and then all the way through the cycle box and across the stop line while waiting for a green. Moving up to the junction with George Street, it stopped again then drifted well past the ASL and completely across the pedestrian crossing too, still while the light was red. At one point, I thought it was just going to cruise straight across, but it finally stopped before the actual roundabout (and blocked a few pedestrians in the process.)
Not sure why (often taxi) drivers do this. Was his handbrake not working? Ignoring the fact that he probably shouldn't be driving the public around with a fairly serious brake defect, you'd have thought an experienced professional driver would be able to hold their vehicle on the bite a bit better than that.
Posted 7 years ago # -
@jonty Saw that twice last week at two successive sets of lights. I wonder if my taxi driver was your taxi driver... I mentioned it upthread a bit, silver cab.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Now really wondering what has happened to my memory as I'm not really sure (I suppose it was dark!) I think it was black but it could well have been silver.
Posted 7 years ago # -
@jonty Why not report it? It's not much effort to send exactly the same text to licensing@edinburgh.gov.uk
The worst thing that can happen is that they reply they don't have enough information to proceed.
Posted 7 years ago # -
According to twitter, RISE (the SSP rebrand) have a vehicle driving around the Meadows?
Posted 7 years ago # -
Stephan: Don't want to drown out actionable reports with one which is so vague as to be virtually useless. There's no way they'd reasonably be able to use my report against a specific individual, and "taxis sometimes drive badly" will hardly be news to them. I'll take it as a lesson to remember the number in a slightly more reliable way next time!
Posted 7 years ago # -
Yesterday, about 5 pm, cycling up Leith Street which is currently one lane only due to St James works, and with dividing lines, I met a car coming the wrong way out of Calton Road, starting on the wrong side outside Starbucks, presumably having missed the turn left only sign. Big Merc so he could do a turn, but thought it hilarious that I was indicating that he would have to reverse. Big queue forming behind me before he moved enough for me to get past. Possibly foreign tourist, but really, no excuse.
Posted 7 years ago # -
That Merc driver had clearly not read the "road closed" sign on Calton Road, so how could you expect them to read a left-turn only sign?
Who's in charge of the road closure? It's so close to the Council offices that they must be aware it's been thoroughly ignored (possibly by colleagues).
Posted 7 years ago #
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