@fimm - good question. I think I was lucky and got an excellent policewoman who understood. I also think the fact it was near a school helped emphasise the vulnerability aspect. Probably the letter my daughter wrote to them describing what had happened and wishing them a happy Christmas tugged the heartstrings to a not-insignificant degree....
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
Today's rubbish driving...
(11392 posts)-
Posted 5 years ago #
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Note to self: Wish police officers a Happy Christmas when reporting any future incidents.
Posted 5 years ago # -
While ascending Comiston Road southbound yesterda evening I encountered another motorist rudely reminding me that I was Not To Be Respected, by overtaking while laying on the horn.
It was dark and my video camera failed to resolve the number plate, so I gave chase into the side streets, but was delayed by having to wait to make the turn. In the end I gave up and went home.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Beeped at and close passed for not cycling in the frost-covered bike lane on Gilmerton Road. I rather loudly broke Rule 2 and the driver pulled over. We then had a fairly long discussion where I explained why I wasn't cycling in the cycle lane and he said that even if I wasn't in the cycle lane itself, I should have been as far left as possible. He felt this would make close passes less likely, I disagreed. In the end he apologised for beeping at me and said he'd be more patient in future. I apologised for swearing, but not for cycling in the middle of the road.
He did look up the Highway Code, this bit in particular:
"Rule 160
Once moving you should keep to the left, unless road signs or markings indicate otherwise. The exceptions are when you want to overtake, turn right or pass parked vehicles or pedestrians in the road."
Which to me is saying "Drive/cycle on the left side of the road, except...", but he interpreted as "Drive/cycle as far to the left as practicable."
He waited behind me all the way down the rest of Gilmerton Road, passing only when the bus lane started.
Posted 5 years ago # -
@Frenchy
He had a paper copy in his motor or looked it up on the phone?
He was not in any hurry at all then and did not need to affect a pass?
Curious.
I had a friendly beep from a van just after Gillespies X road on the flat - i was avoiding being car doored (this also nearly occurred in Juni Green when young lad swung his door open to go out and scrape the windscreen). It was a friendly beep as in - this is very tight to get through given the four lanes of traffic (well one of them was just people parked in the street, lots of them today). I moved over all was well with the world.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Looked it up on his phone, yeah.
He was indeed in no hurry - we talked for about 10 minutes.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Turning right this morning from Dalkeith Road into Holyrood Park Road. I was stopped in the ASL at the lights, to the right hand side with another cyclist on my left.
The light turned green, we both cycled off - I kept right so as not to cut the other cyclist up, and then about 25m into Holyrood Park Road, I shoulder checked over my left shoulder and moved left to aim for primary in the left lane (not the sliplane to Scottish Widows).As I shoulder checked, I saw a car pulling to the left which I assumed was going into Scottish Widows, since he was half in the slip lane, half in the "traffic" lane. Apparently the driver was trying to undertake me, because he blared his horn at me while gesturing to the left, as I moved from the right side to the middle of the lane.
The driver then overtook me on the correct side, still pointing to the left.I caught up with them at the entrance to Holyrood Park, overtook them as they slowed and got caught in the rest of the traffic, and I didn't see them again.
Will upload the video tonight - I have no idea what the driver was thinking (not a lot, probably) - there's clearly one lane and a slip lane at this point, and it should have been obvious that I was avoiding cutting the other cyclist up. Rear camera footage should be interesting.
Posted 5 years ago # -
If only there was another lane there to allow the driver to overtake in the normal fashion.
Posted 5 years ago # -
@Frenchy - in fairness, this was just before the lane splits into two. But yes, there was ample space for him to pass on my right.
Posted 5 years ago # -
It's strange but in 22 years since passing my driving test I have never felt it necessary to toot my horn at a cyclist and just generally take care around them regardless of how strange they are behaving (as you are meant to do according to the highway code).
I can only recall once trying to speak to a cyclist as he was all in in black with no lights and told him calmly he was almost invisible.
Posted 5 years ago # -
As mentioned in the "weather" thread...
A proper eejit parked in the former Taxi Rank at Haymarket, with the tail of their car sticking back into the cycle lane. This stopped the tram passing meaning it blocked the entire junction. Tailbacks up Morrison street and Dalry Road. Many horns tooting.
Luckily I could filter by quite the thing, although I'd have preferred to see a cow catcher on the tram brush the car aside.
Posted 5 years ago # -
I've said it before and I'll say it again - Edinburgh trams and buses should be fitted with cow catchers and should be allowed to forcibly move any vehicle causing an obstruction, and should be allowed to charge the owner of the vehicle for any damage to the bus / tram.
One of these days, when I'm king...
Posted 5 years ago # -
note to self: borrow @Algo's daughters to write letters for me :-)
Posted 5 years ago # -
Does the hive mind think that rule 160 applies to cyclists?
The counter argument would point out that there is a separate section in the highway code for cyclists and that rule 160 talks about both keeping your hands on the wheel and selecting a low gear for descents.
Posted 5 years ago # -
I've just looked it up--some of it seems specific to cyclists, about keeping left?
Honestly, i can never remember which way is up or down with cycle gears. when i'm going downhill, i have the front thing on 3 and the back one on 5-9... i've assumed that's higher.
Posted 5 years ago # -
AFAIK, all highway code rules apply to cyclists, unless it explicitly says otherwise.
Rule 160 says "keep to the left, unless road signs or markings indicate otherwise" - it does not say "keep as far left as possible" or anything like that, but I admit it's open to interpretation.
However, all cycle training I'm aware of says your default road position should be around 1/3 of the way into the lane; not in the gutter.Gear-wise: lower gear = lower number = more spinny / easier for going uphill.
Posted 5 years ago # -
I interpret Rule 160 to mean the leftmost lane. It contains sub-clause 'keep well to the left' on right hand bends. This I interpret as moving within the lane.
Obviously modern faux-by-fours can't move within the lane, but we can.
Posted 5 years ago # -
I keep my training as simple as possible, and hopefully I am adhereing to National Standards
ALWAYS cycle in Primary (the clue is in the name)
I define primary as where you would be on the road if you were sitting in the driver's seat of a car - so VERY ASSERTIVE.
There is one caveat to that rule
Cycle in Secondary ONLY if the secondary position's path ahead is clear of obstructions and well surfaced.
Still, admittedly, there is a lot open to interpretation, which I believe getting good at comes with experience and confidence.
My rule of thumb for Secondary is an arm's length from the kerb
Whats a "good" surface?
How far ahead should the road be "clear"We should never, ever (can I say EVER again) cycle in the gutter. Ever.
If anyone in these parts thinks there's a need or intererst, I'm happy to do some day/half day sessions with we groups for free. I don't really need much excuse to take a day off to cycle!
Posted 5 years ago # -
The highway code is dreadful at this sort of thing.
Rules 159-203 are all written from the perspective of a driver, rather than riders (despite in theory applying to all).
The keep left bit keeps cropping up. Best interpreted as 'drive on the left'. It has nothing to do with an imaginary rule for bicycles to be ridden in the gutter.
Don't let people take it out of context. And if they do, quote rule 167 at them: DO NOT overtake where you might come into conflict with other road users.
Riders of bikes, horses etc have the absolute right to position anywhere in the lane when judged necessary for safety.
Posted 5 years ago # -
My father did a police advanced driving course in the 80s and their line was "drive on the best part of the near side of the road."
I really like this advice as it covers loads of nuance which 'keep left' ignores, both for driving and cycling. For example, provided it's clear, it's OK to be totally on the wrong side of the road when there's a parked car in the way, and it's OK to stay there to pass the next one 15m ahead. It's OK to cycle in primary when you feel it's necessary. It's OK to be in the middle of the road when there's potholes either side, or when there's a big puddle in the way, or a whole bunch of schoolchildren on the pavement, or...
What isn't OK is for a van driver behind you to dictate, in the absence of imminent danger, your interpretation of the best road position for the circumstances you see in front of you - whatever vehicle or animal you happen to be in charge of that day.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Drivist in a chassis style of van overtook me on Old Dalkeith Rd outside the Toyota garage. Squeezed through between me in the bike lane and the islands in the middle of the road. He was close enough (thankfully going slow enough) for me to swing my arm and thump the wing mirror with my fist.
So he slows down, opens the window and innocently asks "What was that all about?"
"You were too close."
"No I wasn't."
"Mate, if I can reach out and physically touch your van that means you're too close."
"I was in the middle of the lane, you were in the bike lane so I wasn't too close."
"Lots of [rule 2]s."
Where is Operation Close Pass when you need it. Facepalm.
Posted 5 years ago # -
@CocoShepherd - "Where is Operation Close Pass when you need it."
I've been told by the police (admittedly not those involved in operation close pass) that if I'm in the cycle lane and the driver doesn't enter it, there's nothing they can do because it'd get thrown out in court.
But then I've also been told that they can't prosecute if I'm not using a cycle lane and get close passed, because I was obstructing the driver.
You can't win as a cyclist.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Posted 5 years ago # -
Witnessed a car drive into a cyclist waiting at the top of Marchmont Crescent last night. I could have played bingo with the stories you here from @EdinburghCycleCam and @Wingpig about these things
-- driver apologetic initially
-- cyclist brushed himself off and claimed he was fine - I implored him not to say that
-- driver says it's his Mum's car and doesn't know the details
-- driver doesn't want insurance to go up (I may have been slightly sarcy at this point)
-- another witness suggesting not bothering about insurance - I again implored the cyclist to do this through insurance and sent him an email later with my details and those of cycle law scotlandI took a photo of the license plate but stupidly didn't check it and it looks to me to be one of those ones designed not to be caught on camera... maybe someone else has better image wizardry to figure this out - click on the image for a large version
Posted 5 years ago # -
Theres enough of a number plate there to id it along with the fact its a dark merc.
Posted 5 years ago # -
thanks - I can't get a match looking for WP17ZEB for example...
Posted 5 years ago # -
I think it's WP17 XLF.
Posted 5 years ago # -
nice one! Thanks a lot - that fits :-)
Posted 5 years ago # -
My process assumed you can add black but not subtract white and that is't a standard format numberplate.
1: Has to be a W.
2: Looks like a P but could also be a B.
3: Has to be a 1
4: Has to be a 7
5: I think has to be an X due to the bulge in the middle of the diagonal line
6: Could be any letter with a vertical at the left but most likley it is an L because the top half of the other letters all gives some clue to their shape
7: Is most likley F as it doens't match character 2. It could however also be E,P,B or RI stopped when I got a match, although it's listed as brown the colour is hard to see in the picture.
Posted 5 years ago #
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