CityCyclingEdinburgh was launched on the 27th of October 2009 as "an experiment".
IT’S TRUE!
CCE is 15years old!
Well done to ALL posters
It soon became useful and entertaining. There are regular posters, people who add useful info occasionally and plenty more who drop by to watch. That's fine. If you want to add news/comments it's easy to register and become a member.
RULES No personal insults. No swearing.
stickyhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-36639486
Without prejudging anything, and fully recognising that people will need to work longer with increased longevity, I am still aghast that a 73-year-old appears to have been driving an HGV.
Better a bridge than a cyclist or pedestrian though.
At least as a lorry/bus driver they would have been getting regular medical reports (yearly from 65) and not just self-declaring fitness (3-yearly from 70) like car drivers. Inevitably eyesight etc deteriorates with age but there isn't a set age that no-one older can be safe on the road. (Although being in a collision with a bridge does seem to support that one or more of the lorry, driver or bridge wasn't up to the job.)
Approaching a T junction. Dirty old silver Zafira well over give way line at a crocket angle looking to turn right. I take a track to the left of it to also turn right. Just as I pass its back, driver reverses back over the Give Way line. I exclaim without thinking as shocked, and dink round. Driver gets out and very aggressively asks what I meant by exclaiming. I point out he was reversing right into me, but in his view this was apparently my fault as I was too close behind him. Total bell end.
"Although being in a collision with a bridge does seem to support that one or more of the lorry, driver or bridge wasn't up to the job"
Obviously the bridge. Stupid eejit didn't get out of the way quick enough.
@paddyirish - I don't think we should be too pejorative. The bridge isn't an eejit, just needs to improve its situational awareness.
Perhaps there's a road safety course that could be offered?
That might help to improve its road safety awareness too...
Robert
Hi-vis bridges are surely needed?
Was the bridge wearing a helmet?
A B Mearns truck being a nerk along Constitution Street, rushing past with little room before having to wait behind bin lorry.
"A B Mearns truck"
Often seen parked in the University owned lane at the back of George Square, opposite Sainsburys.
No traffic wardens, you see............
The other day saw a trade car (with the plates for driving to deliver on top of the console) with the driver on his phone. Had to say something while turning towards the canal via Leminton Road.
Next when reaching the steps for the Wester Approach Road Underpass some sad guy in a van mimics my bell, too much time in a traffic Jam seems to have an effect on your mind I guess as it was solid heading West on Dundee St.
There's a road in Balerno that's temporarily one way. I was cycling the correct direction down the hill and when I got to the end of the one-way bit there was a car waiting. I thought to start with that the driver was waiting for me to get out of the way before he turned his car round, but no, once I'd gone he just drove through the "Road Closed. No Entry" signs! I hope he met someone coming the other way and was forced to reverse all the way back down.
Saw two cyclists almost wiped out last night. one through inattention/negligence/smidsy; the other some deliberate bullying.
The first at that lovely sweep of Dundee Street, heading uphill past the slip onto the Western Approach. I'd caught up with the rider ahead, but with heavy traffic thought I'd wait behind in the cycle lane. Probably just as well I did. One car cut it fine to nip down the slip. Man in red Lexus was lucky the girl on the bike hauled on the brakes. There is no way whatsoever a collision would have been avoided if she hadn't braked sharply, because despite my shout (and the presence of the cyclist!) he was sailing through regardless. Possible indication of how close it was, as we gathered our thoughts and took our time to start up again, noting to each other how poor the driving was, there wasn't a single beep from the traffic behind.
Second at the end of Gilmore Place (is this a tour of awful pieces of road?) turning right onto Leven Street. Lights turn green as I approach, with a cyclist in the ASL, taxi behind her, and then a car. Cyclist does exactly what I do if you're in the front, and gets to cut right in plenty time before the oncoming traffic traverses. Taxi driver obviously wants to do the same, despite the presence of the cyclist, revving VERY close to her back wheel, then blares the horn. She gives him a laughing wave of frustration as he passes. I catch up with her at the Meadows (we both turn down Valleyfield) and comment that the driver was entirely in the wrong, she confirms he was acting like an a*se, and thanks me for mentioning it to her.
But, y'know, cyclists are a danger on the road who act like the highway code doesn't apply to them....
"I catch up with her at the Meadows (we both turn down Valleyfield) and comment that the driver was entirely in the wrong"
Good that you did.
There's an old thread (or two) on here about 'commenting to other cyclists' and especially 'male to female'.
'We' (often) think we know about the Highway Code and how to 'behave on the road' (bending the rules, or not), but there are still lots of people out there (not just cyclists!) who don't know 'the rules' (written and other) and/or unconsciously/deliberately act like they are for 'other people'...
"Good that you did"
I just know that sometimes I start to doubt myself in 'interactions' with some motorists, and wonder if I could have done something differently, so like it when someone lets me know I wasn't in the wrong... Makes you feel a little less like the whole world is against you I guess.
Moved from spotted thread, posted in the wrong place.
Heading east on the edinburgh city bypass yesterday afternoon. Guy in a blinged up hatchback tried to force his way into the gap between me and the car in front. Slammed on the brakes so as not to rear end him. Gave him an earful with the horn. The guy in the lorry in the other lane took exception to this car driver and started making rude hand movements out his window at him. And so a five mile display of appalling childishness and dangerous driving ensues. A mile or two of reciprocal insults via hand movements out of their windows. Then the lorry driver starts swerving across the lanes at him, narrowly missing the car. Then the car driver nips in front of the lorry, slams on the brakes and forces all traffic on the inside lane to travel at 30 mph for the next mile. Then more swerving and gesticulations. All because the guy cut ME up.
Stupidity like this convinces me that humans are set for extinction sooner rather than later :)
Moron driving a private hire car (CA08...) who decided to overtake me on Duncan Place in Leith this morning. Got as far as alongside me, saw the car coming in opposite direction, and so gently but firmly tried to squeeze me into parked cars. Very nearly had me off.
Any one of these would be a good reason not to overtake a cyclist there -
* 20mph limit, and I was certainly doing more than 15mph.
* Narrow street with parked cars both sides and build outs
for pedestrian crossings.
* Bit of a LH bend so can't see if oncoming traffic.
Livid!
Sounds like bad driving. Came across someone from this parish (I'll let him post the incident if he wants to) being held by the lapel by a rather angry taxi driver, who it appears (and by his own admission) had chased the cyclist round the streets. Police were on their way. Had an interesting conversation with another taxi driver who had arrived on the scene:
Taxi Driver: We come across cyclists breaking the law all the time.
Me: Okay, tell me this, we're in a 20 zone, will you drive at 20 through here?
TD (pointing at traffic): I don't think anyone does.
Oof Bax that was a close one.
Get "YouTube Account terminated" when trying to view your video bax :(
@edd1e_h
it seems to be back up again now
Unpleasant driver of ST52 HPV.
Occupied bike advance lane at Kings going to Gilmore Place. Cut me up on corner and then got caught in Gilmore in line of slow moving traffic. When I went safely up the outside of queuing traffic to turn right onto St Peter's Place he sounded horn and shouted something. Also drove far too close in my view.
Watch out for a grey estate (Subaru / Toyota / Mazda?) driven by angry person with disdain for cyclists. Reckon he's a pro in this area and will have done many times before.
"
Commuter Joan Muszynski, who drives the stretch between Freuchie and Dundee, said: “I take my life in my hands every day going to work and think a lot of commuters say the same.”
Ms Muszynski said the mix of cars, agricultural vehicles and heavy lorries using the single carriageway stretches caused driver frustration and led to unsafe overtaking manoeuvres.
"
Yes, I am certain that another roundabout is just what Glenrothes needs. That will sort things right out. Right? Right?
Is Ms Muszynski aware there is a perfectly good train service to Dundee from either Markinch or Ladybank? There may even be, shock horror, housing available closer to her job if she finds her car commute such a bind.
"Yes, I am certain that another roundabout is just what Glenrothes needs. That will sort things right out. Right? Right?"
To be fair, the Balfarg junction probably would be better as a roundabout.
"Is Ms Muszynski aware there is a perfectly good train service to Dundee from either Markinch or Ladybank? There may even be, shock horror, housing available closer to her job if she finds her car commute such a bind."
As we know absolutely nothing of her circumstances, I think this is unfair.
Colleague reports being addressed as "Oi! Bike <C-word>" for having the temerity to be turning right and signalling to that effect.
I meet the Daniel's Swiss Bakery van on Leith Walk a bit at the moment. The driver has a severe case of MGIF and will attempt to draft you if the way is too narrow to pass.
Climbing Magdala Crescent away from Douglas Crescent, the blind rise was probably not the best time for Pug 208 man to overtake. Very lucky there was nothing coming the other way. I passed him a few miles later as he filled up his car with petrol on the Glasgow Road. Thought for a second about swinging in and mentioning the poor driving, but life's too short.
"I meet the Daniel's Swiss Bakery van on Leith Walk a bit at the moment. The driver has a severe case of MGIF and will attempt to draft you if the way is too narrow to pass."
If this is happening regularly to you, it's worth complaining to the company, if you haven't already.
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