I find the private hire drivers are becoming a bigger nuisance than black cabs in many cases (and that's saying something!). It's like they all just got their driving licences and think they can do anything they want when a cyclist is near.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
Today's rubbish driving...
(11258 posts)- Started 12 years ago by Stepdoh
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Posted 10 years ago #
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@Coxy sorry to hear that. Failing to stop at an accident is fairly serious and might actually get some action out the Police.
Posted 10 years ago # -
That is totally rubbish Coxy. Did the polis show any interest?
Today I saw a black cab getting airzounded for jumping a red light at South Bridge. What was comical was the expression of embarrassed contrition on the taxi's drivers face!
Posted 10 years ago # -
Cheers. Yes they did, actually. The desk staff were suggesting taking a look at their own CCTV from outside the station as it was quite nearby.
We'll see what happens.
Posted 10 years ago # -
@focus "I find the private hire drivers are becoming a bigger nuisance than black cabs in many cases "
Lots of people here will agree with you.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I think they always have been!
Glad they are looking into it Coxy, let us know if you get anywhere.
Posted 10 years ago # -
A black-striped grey Mini whose numberplate I have since forgotten was desperate to get past the queue waiting to head out of Waterloo Place. They subsequently blatantly jumped the red at the ped crossing near the Waverley autoSteps just to have to sit at the next red thirty metres away.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Loads of impatient drivers just thinking that it's okay to barge in front of the cyclist today - mainly around Dalkeith. It was pretty disappointing after the highs of POP2 yesterday and after two weeks of cycling around Wales and the Welsh Borders (more traffic but more polite? and definitely smoother roads).
Posted 10 years ago # -
"
David Miller (@BBCDavidMiller)
20/05/2013 19:22
Scotland's cyclists... following on from yesterday's Pedal on Parliament, what did your daily commute tell you about progress? #pop2"
Posted 10 years ago # -
Black Audi A3 SV04KUS apparently aiming for three times the speed limit up Lauder Road this morning. Luckily Lauder Road is as wide as the prairie and mostly quiet so it was no skin off my nose, but I do worry about people like that...
Posted 10 years ago # -
Cycling into work this morning past the Zoo, black cab decides to pull into the Bus Lane from the queue of traffic he was in. Didn't check mirrors, didn't indicate and pulled right into my path.
He pulled back into his original position when he realised he almost took me out. I just cycled on after giving the 'look where you're going' gesture!
In fairness to the guy, he slowed down as he passed me soon after and gave a wave apologising profusely. Think he got more of a fright than I did!
Posted 10 years ago # -
Cycling in a cul de sac is usually quite safe, but not on Monday morning. Heading east down East Barnton Avenue, towards the roundabout, an Audi Q5 or Q7 reversed out her driveway at speed, abruptly stopped to glance my direction, then floored it in reverse again to fully exit her driveway as I was about to go behind her. The only reason she did not hit me hard was because I launched my bike on to the other side of the road, and shouted as loudly as possible (oi, or something like that). She then did stop and looked at me and sort of waved, an apology I assume, but holy cow, it was such a close thing, I did not tell the wife about it that night, for fear of finding all my bikes missing, presumed sold, the next day.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Was going through Saughton park the other day, on the road that links Fords road to Balgreen road and passes by the skatepark. About halfway down on the right is the entrance to the gardens. I was approaching this when a gardener/maintenance bloke on one of those 3 wheeled sit on lawnmowers shot out with no warning. Those things aren't fast but they're quiet and they're very agile. Fortunate that I was still some distance away and that he had turned towards Balgreen road, same way I was heading. As I said he just appeared from the (blind) entrance, didn't stop/slow or even look towards my direction. I guess he wasn't expecting anyone to be coming down that fast. Fair enough since that road is rough and you certainly can't blast down it at 20mph, but you can still carry decent speed especially with wide tyres to iron out the bumps.
Posted 10 years ago # -
wingpig @wingpig
Perhaps SB08 UMV would like to drive a little more carefully, @DJAlexander49a ?DJAlexander @DJAlexander49a
@wingpig Thank you for your message, may I ask what and where the incident was please.wingpig @wingpig
.@DJAlexander49a SB08 UMV passing aggressively an inch from my handlebars, 08:25ish, 16/05/13, Marionville Rd towards Meadowbank roundaboutDJAlexander @DJAlexander49a
@wingpig @DJAlexanderEdin Glad you are okay. May I ask how do you know it was DJA employee? #roadsafety #cyclistwingpig @wingpig
.@DJAlexander49a @DJAlexanderEdin Didn't exactly see the driver but the livery on the van matched yours. Number plate known?#punishmentpassDJAlexander @DJAlexander49a
@wingpig @DJAlexanderEdin Contractor working on behalf of DJA. We have investigated and he wishes to apologise for the incident.Posted 10 years ago # -
Well done wingpig!
Posted 10 years ago # -
....was brought to you this morning (07:10am) by the aggressive 'gentleman' in silver Corsa N158 YYK who honked his horn after nearly ramming me from behind as I was trying to turn right up West Register St (I was clearly indicating my intention to turn using my hi viz wearing right arm)
Of course as I was waiting at the first set of reds on George St who was to come up behind me? I politely gestured for him to roll down his window, which he did. When I asked why he was honking at me he replied with "you effing cyclists need to learn how to effing drive!"
I can drive thank you very much, and with a hell of a lot more consideration for other road users than that!
Posted 10 years ago # -
Warning: angry poor quality driver in Meadow Place.
Following on from the warning about the silver Merc, I'd like to warn about the owner of the burger van that sets up at the foot of Meadow Place. Drives a metallic green Ford Focus estate on a V plate I think.
On Monday, he came out of Meadow Place without checking that I was coming down Marchmont Road and turning in to Meadow Place. Stopped just in time that I didnt go into the side of him, and I gave him a 'careful now, that was quite close, didnt you see me' statement; his response was to reverse backwards, exit the car and square up to me, stating that he hadnt seen me (as if that was my fault; I was in hi viz on a bright day at 9:30 am), that he was a biker (my arse) and that roads werent made for bikes. My counter to that (bikes there first, etc) was met with a threat that he'd kick my c##t in if he saw me again and that I was to get to f##k. My attempted argument about good cyclists slightly undermined by idiot student coming down Marchmont Road at the time on the pavement being blocked and struggling round his car outside what used to be the furriers. I gave up, and went and had a nice ride to work in the sun.
Anyway, a person to avoid, and a business to boycott (another one where the customers have to cross a cycle path to reach him, which is reason enough).
Posted 10 years ago # -
@MGJ I noticed the other day that his sandwich boards had been placed on the footpath, effectively blocking it and forcing pedestrians into the segregated cycling-side.
It's currently been moved to a slightly less obstructive position, but I assume that it would be an offence to block a footpath? (without neccessary permissions)
Posted 10 years ago # -
It's an offence to drive on a footway, but not to block it... Private members bill in the Parliament to change that.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Ah, mgj, I've stopped once before, but won't again (actually, truth be told, the bacon and black pudding roll was pretty awful, and only made me wish I'd gone across the road to the wee police cabin thingy where they apparently do fancy sausages).
Posted 10 years ago # -
mgj, Thanks for letting us know about this violent customer-despising lunatic! Seems funny that he was driving on a road that's positively festooned with bike lanes (Marchmont Road) while insisting that the road wasn't made for bikes. Hello? Bike lanes...? Anyway sounds like another who deserves to at the very least lose the custom of everyone who cares about anyone who ever uses a bike.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Not a major one, but....
I was heading west towards Cameron Toll, in the right hand lane, in the flow of traffic. A siren fires up from close behind, and right enough there's an ambulance about 4 or 5 cars back. I'm the first to move into the left lane, but the car in front does so almost straight away as well. I look behind to make sure I'm moving to the right spot, and the van behind the car directly behind me is also moving to the left. The car directly behind me, however, clearly thinks 'aha, the traffic is moving left I can get past' and has a little spurt forward, actually moving slightly to the right as it does so.
I give a big point behind to the flashing blue lights and big white vehicle now almost directly behind the car (the siren still going) and finally the driver wakes up, hits the brakes and moves left with the rest of us.
I know it can be difficult to judge where the sound is coming from*, but seriously, ALL the traffic around you moving left and you don't think something might be up?
*and of course the driver could actually be deaf.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Having experienced a run of excellent driving in the summer weather I guess it was time for a return to the usual. Where to begin....
Heading down Colinton road to the roundabout with Polwarth terrace, on to which I am planning on turning, so over to the left lane. The whole descent down from Craiglockhart there was barely a car on the road. So, with me in the primary and slowing for the roundabout, the only car that did appear had to scrape past my barend and get in front to the few meters of space before the give way. If someone had been coming the other way he would've been creamed in a head on collision of course. But you can see ahead so far down Colinton road that I guess the overtake was justified in their mind. Can't see the traffic coming the other way down Polwarth Terrace though, lucky timing.
Polwarth Grove was fine, road seems like it'd be a nightmare of pinch points and dodgy passes, but I never seem to have problems. Guess this was to make up for Melville drive - also had a snarl up at the infamous Gilmore Place/Kings theatre junction, going to post details in the dedicated thread, though it was ironically other bikes that caused the real problems this time. So, Melville drive is normally reasonable what with the not entirely pointless bike lanes, say what you will. Today said bike lanes were filled the whole way with cars on both sides (parking restrictions lifted I suppose, not familiar with them, being a bike-only heathen). So, now begins the Gauntlet. Seems pretty much everyone was in maximum up-my-backside and scrape past mode. I was hardly even holding anyone up what with the general pace of traffic. Doesn't stop that horrid walled in feeling.
The fun doesn't stop there. Got myself to the front ASZ for once at the junction with Hope Park Crescent, I'm heading straight on, so at the left. Noticed a woman in a car sitting on the yellow no-stop lines directly in front of me. I think she'd been caught by the lights and turning cars and was now just stuck there. Since I didn't see how she got there I'm not going to judge - going by the look on her face I think she was suffering enough, and I don't think she'd meant in any way to end up there. Noticed the cars on my right slowing early for the turn, think they were intending on letting her out, and I followed suit and slowed to stop. Thing is she had now turned to look away, and I again had a car up my back mudguard, so I had to power on.
I was early for a meeting with some friends down at the car park at St Margarets loch so I chilled out waiting around on the grass at the opening to the car park closest to the loch. Bike adventures were over for me, and I passed the time counting the cars that were heading along Queens drive and then immediately turning back once they hit the 'road closed' barriers - police still dealing with the crash site there I think. I spotted what I'd call a cycle chic woman trundling gently along away from the loch. Very relaxed and upright and also quite eye catching if I may say so. With that in mind, I'd like to have a word with the driver of the convertible who pulled out of the car park and almost flattened her as he turned right and out. Now, it's a bright sunny day, said woman is glaringly obvious, and with the roof down on the car I saw the driver look directly at her maybe 6m away, tops. So, he's either blind or didn't care at all, I don't know what's worse. She shouted something at the guy, believe it was some variation on 'look where you're <not family friendly> going!!!'
Summer is just great isn't it? brings out people of all sorts.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Woman in big 4x4 in West Linton took umbrage at my boyfriend holding his line and forcing her to wait behind the parked car on her side of the road. Unfortunately for me, there was another parked car on her side that I was passing when she got to it. When people drive their cars straight at me I tend to get out of the way... I wish I had a head cam so that 1) we'd have her registration number and 2) I could work out if my sense that she drove at me was correct...
Didn't get the plate, my word against hers, let it go.
Posted 10 years ago # -
@MGJ thanks for pointing that out - I've noticed him being far from sympathetic to cyclists before, but in those instances the cycling wasn't great either - pavement and inattentive cycling. That sort of reaction is unforgiveable. I'll be avoiding that place then.
Even though Marchmont is festooned (nice description cc) with bike lanes, it is very often quite dangerous as you have to ride very close to the door zone - I've had a few instances of cars pulling out or opening doors there. I park our car on Marchmont Road and sometimes you have to edge out to get to see down the bike lane if a wide car is parked behind you which makes things difficult for drivers.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Riding along the cycle lane on Forrest Rd this morning at c8.40 and filtering past the very slow moving line of cars in the left lane. As I was passing the inside of a new white corsa he decides to pull in very quickly into the cycle lane to deposit his passenger. Contact with my handle bars and i was left leaning on the car with my bar ends rather than the other option of falling onto the pavement/street furniture. Fortunately the passenger window was open and my shouting stopped him pulling all the way in and leaving me in a sticky position. To be fair to him, he was <20 yrs old and apologetic. I pointed out his wing mirror after I'd calmed down and he conceded that he knew what it was for. No harm to me or bike.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Working every day this week for a change, which has involved commuting into Manchester and Warrington. Vast majority of motorised road users suprisingly patient and considerate, even some of the "usual suspects" in German-made cars, tipper trucks, and minicabs.
One utter plonker this evening did give me a right good laugh. Big, new Jag, stopped at traffic lights. I've filtered up the outside of about a dozen cars, spotted the lights changing and dropped in front of him in the queue, with one or two more cars still in front of us. Junction has a terrible surface (getting resurfaced this weekend as it happens) so I always stay in primary until safely across.
Not to blow my own trumpet but I'm not exactly slow in accelerating away from the lights - in fact reaction time is much quicker than numpty behind and I'm actually pulling away from him. However the sight of some pleb on a bike in the middle of the lane in front of him is too much for his pride and he toots his horn (I don't react), before absolutely flooring it as soon as I move back over. Only to have to jam on the brakes within seconds as he nearly piles into the car in front.
Next set of lights is about 5-600 metres further on, down a bit of a hill. I can see at least 2 buses on this stretch and can tell that the queue is going to be even bigger than the previous set. So I give it full gas down the hill as I know if I get to the front of the queue before the lights change the muppet in the Jag will never see me again. He makes a big swerve into the cycle lane to block me, but thinks better of it. I was half expecting him to do it and prepared to switch to the outside anyway - driver behind him was hanging well back after the erratic driving he'd already witnessed.
Sure enough I hit the front of the queue just as the lights change, get the thighs screaming a bit as I push up the hill to the next lights, where I glance back to see him well down the queue. Self-satisfied dawdle the rest of the way home as I imagine the steam coming out his ears...
Posted 10 years ago # -
I think "win" is the only satisfactory response, @Bhachgen. \o/
Posted 10 years ago # -
"Wher's yer kneepads?" he says.
I must confess he got me with that one. I was dumbstruck for a second and even looked down just check where my kneepads had gone. Damn. Left them on the table. No, wait, looks again, I'm not 10 and this isn't a BMX or a skateboard. No, I was still nearly 50 and riding a bicycle. I said "kneepads?" with all the incredulity I could muster but it was clear that I was talking to an idiot and that this was a tactic.
In truth it wasn't that bad. He'd passed me too close at, I don't know, 35-40mph and that being nothing new, if he hadn't pulled in at the little shop I wouldn't have bothered but he was stopping so I just stopped to let him know that it was too close.
It was polite enough.
"Excuse me. You just passed me."
"Aye"
"Well it was too close"
"You should be at the side of the road."I'm not going to debate this point.
"I was at the side of the road."
"Wher's yer helmet? Wher's yer helmet and yer kneepads? If you're not going to dress..."
"Kneepads?"I give up.
The helmet and kneepads is a flustered and desperate tactic to displace the discussion. Anything to make it about me, my road position, my clothes, rather than about him, his driving, his poor eyesight, his concentration on what he's got to do when he gets to his supervisory desk in a Harts Builders Portakabin.
Posted 10 years ago # -
where's yer kneepads... its almost a surrealist intervention...
Posted 10 years ago #
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