Totally inexcusable.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
Today's rubbish driving...
(11335 posts)- Started 13 years ago by Stepdoh
- Latest reply from acsimpson
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Posted 5 years ago #
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Closest pass in a long time this afternoon, by a white van man when heading South along Leith Walk at the Annadale Street junction.
I was in the inside lane, in primary when white van man decided to change lanes into the inside, prompting a rather loud expletive from me.Posted 5 years ago # -
Ive been hit twice in the last 3 days and 3 more near misses.. Ah spring!
Posted 5 years ago # -
The silver van man who decided to lean on his horn for longer than you could scream for, as he reluctantly had to wait for primary-age kids to make the straight-over crossing of Oswald Rd as part of the Gillespies bike-bus to school. I hope he feels proud of himself bullying & intimidating over 100 primary kids and their parents/carers.
I went to speak to him as calmly and politely as possible, once he had prised his grip from the horn. He proceeded to start a massive rant about how "*he* had to get to work" and "you people get everything, you people think you can do what you want, you people are taking over... getting all the money... blah blah blah...". I replied that he would be waiting a lot longer in a traffic jam if all those kids were in cars.
Things I wish I had said, but glad I didn't:
- If you don't want to get held up, don't rat-run down a residential street, stick to the main roads.
- You wouldn't lay the horn on at a bunch of construction workers if stopped at a set of temporary lights for 5 mins, would you?
- In what way is your job more important than 100 children getting to school in a healthy way?Finally, I thanked profusely a youngish guy in a blue estate who was happy to pull over and wait 5 minutes. In return he said, "no problem" and "that guy was a complete trou de cul* ", referring to silver van man.
*I hope French is sufficient to get around rule 2.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Kudos on remaining polite.
Posted 5 years ago # -
*I hope French is sufficient to get around rule 2.
A very Victorian precedent is set.
Your point about construction workers is a very good one.
Posted 5 years ago # -
I will retrieve some video of said incident. There was no-one who could have handled that better than neddie. Equally - we can verify from the video that the number of minutes waited was roughly 2
Posted 5 years ago # -
Here's a pretty poor video but you get to see it unfolding - especially neddie's calm presence - genuinely protecting the kids
I am not shown in a particularly good light here with the "hurry up" shouts, but I was a tad nervous about angry horn man. My shout of "so are we" was in response to "I'm trying to get to work".
Posted 5 years ago # -
I am not shown in a particularly good light here
Unless angry horn man has stolen your CCE login details I beg to differ.
Posted 5 years ago # -
All done calmly. I would probably have given him the big knob head hand gesture myself. Also is it an offence to sound your horn for no reason?
Makes the heart glad to see the wee ones and the bigger ones having fun
Posted 5 years ago # -
@gembo: is it an offence to sound your horn for no reason?
The Highway Code rule 112 says you MUST NOT use your horn while stationary on the road except when another road user poses a danger*. So it is illegal for that reason. (It also says you "should" never sound your horn aggressively.)
I was going to suggest that it would be worth reporting the driver to 101. The polis might at least go and have a word, even if they don't prosecute. And my understanding is that it goes on the record so if he persistently acts like an <rule 2 word referring to that part of the body you sit on> and gets reported, he may even end up in proper trouble.
* So a polite toot the person in front who hasn't noticed the lights change is actually illegal. These days, though, since they probably missed the light due to being engrossed in their mobile phone, you could legitimately argue that they are posing a danger.
Posted 5 years ago # -
@ejstubbs schoolchildren endangering silver van man's sense of entitlement.
Posted 5 years ago # -
This mornings trundle down Leith Walk was the worst ever, although I was a watcher rather than recipient.
The chap I was following down, in the space of 30 secs was:
1. nearly squashed by a private hire undertaking a right turner and not looking.
2. nearly left hooked by the car following the private hire. Turned right across him, vigorous braking needed.
3. brought to a sudden halt by a right turner from a side street turning across us to go up Leith Walk.
Each one of those, esp #1 and #2 would have seen me chase down and confront the oblivious driver. But fair play to him, he just gave a slight shake of the head and carried on his way.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Had someone throwing a tantrum in Clermiston Drive because he felt he should turn right on to Drumbrae Drive before me turning right from Drumbrae Drive.
Worse was to come at Comely Bank where someone took a right onto the main road despite me doing about 15 mph on the main road. He did apologise but if it wasn't for disc brakes and good reactions by me I would have been over his bonnet.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Incredibly close pass on Gilmore Place eastbound by a blue G4S van. I was in the terrible gutter lane but the driver couldn't wait for the one oncoming car to pass me and get to the red light three seconds ahead.
Posted 5 years ago # -
The NHS van who close passed me on Bernard Terrace, close enough that I reached out and knocked on the van.
Pics: https://twitter.com/Lollercake/status/1110179549487218688
Video later (Wednesday probably).Posted 5 years ago # -
Low speed left hook from non indicating van on Friday. Had to go around with it to avoid being hit. Couldn't be bothered to argue and was late for an appointment so just left it.
http://www.naden.de/blog/bbvideo-bbpress-video-plugin -->
[+] Embed the video | Video Here" target="_blank">Video Download Get the Video Widget Posted 5 years ago # -
Some tool in a Y-reg navy Merc decided that he couldn’t stand being behind me in the one way section of Granville Terrace (where the roadworks are) and revved very close behind me. There’s not room to pass there - there’s a reason I was in the centre of the road. Twerp.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Oh, I forgot Monday's video from the NHS van:
@condor2378 That is some appalling driving.
@chdot At 2pm, no less!
Posted 5 years ago # -
So I posted this on my Instagram and someone replied saying they thought it was OK if the car and bike could both fit through.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I think that is complete rubbish...?
Posted 5 years ago # -
Well, if by "fit through" they mean "fit through safely, with a 1.5m clearance between the cyclist and the motor vehicle", then perhaps that might be reasonable.
If by "fit through" they mean "fit through without literal physical contact" then that I'd agree that is complete rubbish.
Posted 5 years ago # -
“but I think that is complete rubbish...?”
Think the problem in such places is that signs say ‘give way to oncoming vehicles’.
Too many drivers don’t ‘see’ bikes as “vehicle”.
The signs are to show which direction has priority (not many people would drive into a space already containing a car).
Obviously it’s dangerous & distressing (for people on bikes) and no doubt could be prosecuted as dangerous driving. (Haven’t looked up laws on “give way” and whether they explicitly apply in chicanes).
If you see a car coming at least you can compute the possibilities. Worse in many ways are the people heading in the same direction who ‘must get past’ - and you don’t really know until they are inches away.
Posted 5 years ago # -
@CycleCommute.CC - I have an incident with the police currently where a driver did exactly that to me (And was untaxed and had no MOT). I was clearly visible for 4 seconds before they drove through the give way, and missed by about 1 inch. The officer e-mailed me to ask for the footage and then never showed up to the diary appointment, and I chased it up today (they'll "get back to me").
I'd report that one if you can be bothered, though I wouldn't be too surprised if all the police are willing to do is go and give words of advice.
I've decided that since the police won't take any action unless there's a collision (I've only once had a report go as a careless / dangerous driving charge rather than words of advice, and that was because they undertook me, swerved into me and knocked me off my bike then fled the scene), and drivers apparently don't give a rule 2 unless you dare to lay a finger on their property, I'm going to start indicating right at junctures such as this, to show that I'm going through.
EDIT: @chdot - "Haven’t looked up laws on “give way” and whether they explicitly apply in chicanes" - There's give way markings on the road as well as signage, so no reason I can see that they'd be any different to failing to give way at a junction?
Posted 5 years ago # -
Froom yesterday's ride home I nearly got wiped out by a large grey Private Hire Car just outside what was the Woolpack as he decided he needed to pull over and park. The fact I was pedalling along at 20mph between him and his chosen parking space seemed neither here nor there. Had to take some evasive manoeuvres to avoid ending up embedded in his passenger side door. Unfortunately I didn't get his registration plate as I was too busy trying to remain upright/not dead.
Posted 5 years ago # -
A car was driven most of the way along he tram lane from Haymarket along West Maitland St this morning as the driver thought he'd be able to cut past two pesky cyclists by going round the inside of them from Dalry Road.
Posted 5 years ago # -
X62 on Craigmillar Park. I would not yield. They know that now. I will tell their boss and the cameras will not lie. Training, not discipline.
Posted 5 years ago # -
VW Passat driver SM10 WAO overtaking me at >30mph in the 20mph limit Whitehall Rd near to the junction with Whitehall Terrace. I was in the centre of the lane to pass a bike with trailer travelling at 25mph. Driver then used their car to force me close to the other cyclists so that they didn't drive into the traffic island at the junction.
I was in touching distance of both - fortunately the other cyclist didn't have a child in the trailer at the time.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Close pass - close enough to touch the vehicle - by the driver of a silver Sportage on Braid Road northbound just past the Cranley Nursery. There was nothing coming the other way, or anything else that could have been claimed as an excuse for not giving me proper room.
He/she did seem to be observing the 20mph limit: they were certainly close enough for long enough to have heard my stentorian objections. (Maybe they were one of those people who behave as if 20mph is 'manoeuvring speed'. It isn't.)
Posted 5 years ago # -
The driver of the bin lorry that was manoeuvering in the road some way ahead of me on Gilmore Place this morning, before reversing onto Lower Gilmore Place. I couldn't see that anyone was acting as a banksman. This was presumably a result of the driver not expecting to be able to gain access via Leamington Road, but I chose to continue to Leamington Road before turning right and felt concerned for anyone heading towards town on Lower Gilmore Place.
Posted 5 years ago #
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