A host of rubbish driving today, all in the space of 45 minutes.
First, heading East to Jock's Lodge, I was honked at here: https://goo.gl/maps/ZubA3cYupfi4APg5A. I turned around to look at the driver, who was pointing at the cycle lane (arguably it's a filter lane, it only goes to the ASL). I was in primary, because I was going straight on at the traffic light (which was red), and there's roadworks on the inside lane on Portobello Road.
I stopped behind the traffic (there were about 4 cars in front), turned around and told the driver that I was going straight ahead. They said "It doesn't matter, use the cycle lane." I said "There's roadworks on the inside lane up ahead, I can't use the cycle lane to go straight on". He said "Then you stick your arm out and wait for a space". He then ranted about me being "inconsiderate" - which I thought was ironic, considering he was the sole occupant of a large car taking up far more space than I was, and he was the one who decided to inappropriately use his horn. I gave up trying to argue with him, and continued where I was.
Then a classic MGIF approaching another red light here: https://goo.gl/maps/n1GhYtAqDLry6LkY9 - I was catching up with the car in front, who was also approaching the red light, but the driver behind decided to try and overtake me anyway. Because I'm stubborn, I didn't haul on the brakes, and instead coasted along at the same speed as the car in front, meaning the "overtaking" driver ended up straddling the centre line at the red light, behind 2 or 3 cars.
Here: https://goo.gl/maps/rHmpvhiYwTN622aV7 some schoolkids were being kids, and throwing chips at each other. One of them threw a chip at the car in front of me, the driver of whom was on her phone, with the phone pressed to her ear. She looked at the kids and pointed at the phone, as if to say "Look, I'm on the phone". I went to her passenger window and said "Do you want to put the phone away while you're driving?" the driver gave me two fingers, and I pointed at my camera. They they opened the passenger door and said "They're throwing chips at the car!". I told her they're free to do that as much as they like, it's no excuse for her to be illegally using her phone while driving. The kids loved that. She said she wasn't on the phone, and showed me the screen - which was on, but not on a call. The lights changed, I closed her door for her (she couldn't reach it herself), and then we moved off.
Outside the Playhouse, I spotted a police officer walking towards the HGV parked on the pavement and cycle lane, and laughed with glee. My glee was short-lived however, when he went into Habana instead. I waited for 2-3 minutes for him to come out, and when he did, I asked if he was doing anything about the HGV, or if that was unrelated. Conversation followed:
"Nah, it was something else. What about the HGV? Is it because he's blocking the cycle lane?"
"No, the cycle lane isn't open - it's the fact that he's on the pavement and shouldn't be - it's illegal for him to be stopped there for any reason except being asked to be there by the police. There's a loading lane around the back, and a temporary loading bay there." *gesturing at the temporary loading bay near CC Blooms*
"Ah right. They've been asked not to do deliveries at rush hour, so they don't block the traffic"
"Regardless, he should be using the loading bay - the pavement isn't built to handle multi-tonne vehicles driving on it, this is how they get damaged."
"Alright, I'll have a word."
"Thanks!"
Finally, I was cycling down Queen's Drive at around 25 mph, keeping up with the car in front, with about 3 car lengths between me and them, and the driver behind decided to overtake me. I shouted an expletive, then overtook them, placing myself back behind the car I was originally following (Which I know I shouldn't have done, but I get wound up about people doing that). The driver behind laid on the horn, so I stopped at the roundabout at the bottom of Queen's Drive, a few seconds later. I turned around and politely explained what the speed limit in the park is, and how when I'm doing the speed limit, and so is the car in front, that he doesn't break the speed limit to overtake me into a space that doesn't exist. Throughout this, the driver was staring out their window, ignoring me. Eventually they got fed up, waved their hands in the air and then laid on the horn. I punched the bonnet of the car, and the driver got out, clearly aggressively, and shouted "COME HERE" to me. I refused, and cycled off as he made a lunge for my rear wheel with his foot - since the police have previously told me that if there's any prior interaction between me and a driver, that the driver is free to damage my bike without consequence (yes, really). The driver then followed me down Holyrood Gait and Holyrood Road, where I cycled into Dumbiedykes Road and along some paths into what turned out to be a dead end, in order to lose the driver (which thankfully worked).
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