Kirst, that's exactly what i witnessed over and over again yesterday. (well, minus you almost being hit). really upsetting to see/ experience - one instance was me and small person on tandem at leamington walk. she was not impressed.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
Today's rubbish driving...
(11339 posts)- Started 13 years ago by Stepdoh
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Posted 12 years ago #
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SMIDGAF
lionfish, that 'dance LEJOG' story is depressing - I LOVE your idea of her car being sold with the funds going to charity - that's the kind of lateral thinking the courts need!
Posted 12 years ago # -
Thankfully I didn't get to witness them actually driving but the moron who tired to door me in Lothian Road (obviously I was well away from the door zone) then screamed WHOOOOOAAAAHHHHHHHH in to my ear.
Yeah. Terrifying. Listen, I find scarier things than you under my fingernails okay?
Posted 12 years ago # -
The guy who 'nearly' ran me over crossing Melville Drive to MMW this afternoon.
I was moving at speed because the bike phase had been green for a while.
So the guy in a 'sporty' car just in front of me had obviously gone straight through the red.
I braked.
I did see him (obviously) but somehow the disbelieve slowed my actions.
He may have seen me arranging two fingers.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Yesterday afternoon going along Seaview Terrace (the road between Joppa and foot of Milton Road East). We were just before junction with Collisdene Terrace, where there are central islands on either side of the junction. There is a reasonably wide hatched-painted central area in the middle of the road here and a painted-in parking lane going eastbound.
We were heading eastbound, single file, not in primary. Just as we were approaching the first island, a car approached from behind and got on the horn. Looked round to find a black BMW 1-series up my tail. I just gave him a "well what do you want me to do about it?" arm shrug and ignored him. Car squeezed past between the 2 islands, the passenger window was down and passenger was pointing as if to indicate "you should be cycling in the parking bays". We both gave him a loud GETTAEFAAA* at which point the pointing passenger gave us the finger, so I used a hand gesture to infer that the ketchup was stuck in the bottle and needed a bit of help to get it out onto the chips.
If I had been on my own I might have been rash and tried to chase the car down to the lights ahead - but I wasn't and were were out having a lovely coastal ride on an unseasonably nice day, so I didn't and instead we discussed various aspects of the occupants' mid life crises and reproductive organs and carried on our merry way to the harbour at Fisherrow where there was some amusingly fluorescent pink wedding outfits on display coming out of "The Quay"
Car had "BTC.co.uk" or similar in large letters on the boot, which I assumed was something to do with Touring Cars.
* see the Billy Connolly sketch on non-swearing for swearing infront of children
Posted 12 years ago # -
Drumbrae Drive, today, 730am, me heading west. Bus heading east, it stops as they do at bus stop. with tail of cars behind, all good. Car at end of the tail decides that it would be an excellent thing to overtake all the cars, the bus, and traffic island, in one go !
Thankfully no parked cars on my side. But not good situation. No idea of make of car, reg, due to oncoming headlights.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Brazen "straight on through the solid red" dangerous driving seems to me to be on the increase.
Especially chilling to observe such stupidity in today's late afternoon fog.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Yeah saw a white van do that on London Road on Sunday. Sheer stupidity.
On the other hand, the (honest, hard working, hard pressed family etc.) drivers who behave like this are probably incredibly frustrated at being stuck behind a bloody cyclist 'in the middle of the road' like me (even though I was in the
busundertaking at junctions lane). I'm sure that's how some try to justify it anyway.Posted 12 years ago # -
@anth, yep. It's crap.
He's written up what happened on his blog
http://www.dancebritain.com/category/bens-blog/
It's pretty grim reading.She was caught because another car followed her and called 999.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Today's rubbish driving was courtesy of Mr Important Businessman in his big Ford Mondeo.
Last time I looked, Church Hill had traffic lights where it meets Morningside Road, and Small Car driver decided to whizz past me at great speed to catch the green light, but they changed just in time. Arellcat continues her 16mph jaunt towards the lights, while watching the approaching headlights in her mirror. Important Businessman has his foot to the floor and absolutely steams past to beat the stupid cyclist to the one-car queue. In fact he'd been stopped for as long as 0.75 seconds before I overtook both him and Small Car and parked myself at the ASL.
Small Car turned right. And how I laughed when Important Businessman turned left and then had to wait ages before being able to turn right into Morningside Place.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Best one I've seen for a while this morning - middle of Stockbridge at 7:30am, I was just mounting up for morning's ride when along tootled (rather slowly) an MGF, and proceeds to come to a stop in the middle of the road, opposite Hector's (right next to the bike cut through at the closed junction). He sits for a minute or so, until another car eventually comes up behind him, prompting him to put his blinkers on. When clear he begins reversing, and then proceeds to turn into the bike cut through which he promptly drives over (thus avoiding the obstructions to stop cars driving over the pavement) and off he goes down St Bernard's Row, happy with his little shortcut.
For future reference; just because the Sat Nav has not been updated and tells you to turn left, does NOT mean that you can ignore all traffic restrictions and the fact that a PAVEMENT has been built over the junction!
Posted 12 years ago # -
Yesterday:
Dear Mr Big Truck, you have indicators for a reason, and if you don't use them while doing a u-turn at a roundabout then it isn't totally surprising that traffic pulls out in front of you.(Not me, but a white van. I was keeping an eye on the truck which was coming up behind me and would have had to pass me if it hadn't u-turned. It is quite common for trucks to u-turn at that roundabout - I think they're not allowed to do a right turn out of a building site - but other than that most people go straight on at the roundabout. If there'd been a collision I'd have been adamant that the truck wasn't indicating.)
Posted 12 years ago # -
Old white Nissan waiting to turn out of Murieston onto Dalry Road. Waited until the exact moment that I was making the opposite turn across it from Dalry Road before accelerating towards me. Driver was hugely unconcerned at how close he came to T-boning me, didn't even register my presence as I advised him on the use of his eyes and his assenine qualities.
Posted 12 years ago # -
"Today's rubbish driving was courtesy of Mr Important Businessman in his big Ford Mondeo.
"Can't have been that important if he was in a Mondeo!
Posted 12 years ago # -
This car was half way into the Bernard Terrace S. Clerk St. ASL as I came up behind. I went slightly in front as there was a parked car across the junction. The lights changed we moved off and he overtook and stopped fully in the ASL at the Hope Park/Summerhall junction.
That was 'OK' as I was turning left.
But then he (driver) just kept moving forward anticipating the lights changing, except that the next phase was the green man.
Strange.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Was brought to us by the 3 different drivers at 3 different sets of lights who were all smiles and pointing/waving at the kids on the back of my bike while I was waiting in the ASL.
It was just a shame that they felt the need to be in the ASL to do so - I did point this out to them - 1 even reversed out, which was nice.
Oh, I only went through 3 lights so some nice consistency from the driving population.Posted 12 years ago # -
All on same ride on Saturday:
Going west on Lindsay Rd, driver pulls out from junction on my right, turning right, so across in front of me, while driver parked opposite the junction opens door to get in. Very little room left for manouevre.
Kirkliston Rd, high sided van (who I've seen coming towards me in the distance), speeds up to overtake cyclist in front of him as I approach them, thus giving neither of us much room. Much waving and cursing.
Some minutes later, large tanker does the same thing coming round bend on New Liston Rd.
Argh...
Posted 12 years ago # -
...was on Shandon road. I was behind another cyclist (who was putting tremendous effort in and going very slowly) up over the bridge. I didn't bother overtaking as I needed to turn left soon and the pedestrian crossing lights were going red. Then a dump-truck lorry which I'd heard coming up behind us bombs past, through the red lights (that had been on for ~3-4 seconds and had school children starting to cross). A car on the other side beep their horn in a hopeless attempt to reprimand the vehicle. I'm afraid I didn't get the number plate or company of the truck. Everyone just carried on. Bit hopeless really how to stop such things [time:~8:45am].
[edit, correction: Thinking more carefully I think it might have been a skip carrying lorry... hmmm]
Posted 12 years ago # -
Black Ford Ka SO04RZH on Stenhouse Drive (right here) attempted to pass me approaching one of the traffic islands that narrow the road. There was no room to do this and as the car squeezed (just) passed me it had to move rapidly over to the left and its left wing made contact with my elbow as it did so. I managed to get my hand out and give it a retaliatory thump, but being a Ka - with a short, fat, bum - there was no boot area to get a proper bang onto.
The car sped off and got a green at the next light before running into the inevitable logjam along Broomhouse Road, so I stopped on the cycle path next to it and gave the driver a loud, curse-filled berating and instruction on the use of their eyes for all the other drivers too see and hear. I got the feelign they realised their guilt as the driver stared into their wheel, completely ignoring the crazy cyclist person shouting loudly at them from across the road. If they had no guilt, I'm sure they'd have been looking at me wondering what on earth the crazyman was up to.
Needless to say, I was off on my way and the car was left behind in the traffic, never to be seen again.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Think it was one of those mornings, I had a least 3 punishment passes including one Taxi who rolled down his window to shout loudly, with the kind of hate filled look that made me want to punch him, that I was in his way as I sailed passed him as he inevitably got stuck in behind the car in front.
I truly wish this guy, and his mates, understood irony! Maybe then they'd realise how ridiculous it is getting annoyed at being "held up" by a bike for a few moments just before stopping at a set of lights... Morons.
So wish I'd studied harder at sith school. Flunked force choke...
Posted 12 years ago # -
Kaputnik - Another hit and run then? Worth reporting?
Easy Let Properties van left-hooking a cyclist (not me) at the usual place on Leith Street to get down Calton Road. Hint - Stop driving like a tosser, it didn't make any difference to your journey time.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Steveo - I think the rain makes them even more bad tempered.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Yup, Certainly seems to bring on impatience too.
Was passed by a rat runner on Craiglockhart Road while I was passing between two parked cars. There isn't really room but the small Pug estate squeezed through going quite slowly (well, there isn't room...) and thus saving no time compared to waiting while I passed the cars. Rat runners have their opportunity costs to consider, I suppose.
This just yards from the Junction with the Park where another Pug decided to overtake me as I turned right, realised they couldn't possibly make it so just pulled left and pushed me to the side. Harsh words were exchanged. My fault apperently, I was in the middle of the road.
I've heard most accidents happen near the home so my plan is to cycle/train/cycle from Linlithgow but walk the last 100m to my house avoiding the Craiglockhart Avenue Bypass raceway.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Nothing really 'dangerous' this morning, but a lot of niggly little impatient moments. Worst was coming down Johnston Terrace where I can easily cruise at 30mph, being the legal max for cars, and a Mini blats past over the solid central line, with the sweeping blind right ahead, then has to go immediately onto the brakes once past because he's realised that he's done about 45mph to get there.
Must. Get. By.
Posted 12 years ago # -
CCE Tracker - Report a Cycling Incident -
Posted 12 years ago # -
Yesterday's was the chap who somehow failed to notice me and three other staff dance about at the kerb opposite his car, waiting for a gap in (road's too quiet to call it such, but for want of a better word)traffic to take a dozen kids across. He turned the engine on and started reversing after we'd begun crossing. I was standing in the middle of the lane opposite his window, staking our claim to the road and a colleague must have been in his mirror's field of view since she was in the lane by his car and several metres further down the road.
We duly stopped, shuffle-reversed the kids back onto the kerb until he was gone. This took longer than usual since it transpired he wasn't just reversing to get clearance to drive off, he was doing a U-turn. Which there plainly wasn't space to do, so needed a 5/7/9/billion point turn.
Normally we keep a lid on children's astonishing lack of tact, so Mr. Rubbish Driver, I do apologise for my inexplicable lapse in concentration and for the kids who pointed, laughed and loudly commented on how silly you are.
For future reference, when seven and eight year olds can point out your mistakes, you really should think about handing your licence in at the nearest polis station. Oxgangs, I think.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Normally we keep a lid on children's astonishing lack of tact, so Mr. Rubbish Driver, I do apologise for my inexplicable lapse in concentration and for the kids who pointed, laughed and loudly commented on how silly you are.
Like.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Was the grey van that tried to kill me at the Tesco roundabout in South Queensferry, tried to overtake me on the roundabout, except I'm going faster than he thinks I'm forced into the middle of the road as he cuts me up on the inside.
Not proud of myself, but given the adrenaline, and his "I'll do what I f*cken want" response, I went off on one, couldn't help it, became guttural, and 'invited' him to stop at the side of the road. Luckily he just called me a fat b.....d and drove off after I called him mental a few more times.
Still 'up' now..Grrrr, apologies.
Posted 12 years ago # -
@Baldcyclist given how Adrenaline and flight/fight response it triggers has made me feel when I've had a really close, narrow shave - I think your reaction is entirely understandable.
Posted 12 years ago # -
I used to entertain a fantasy of taking out windows and/or headlights with a small ball-peen hammer.
Posted 12 years ago #
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