Heading home last night westbound on the A8 just past the RBS offices when a City Circle single decker coach PH12 ATX passed me in the same lane, the wind from the ridiculously close pass buffeting me. What made it even worse was that there was another coach in the outside lane so there was no chance that the coach could have reacted to any change in my course, you know to avoid a pothole or chunk of debris in my path, not that that would ever be required!! Phoned the company and the lady who took my call was very engaged and assured me they would speak to the driver, I asked if they could remind all their drivers whist they were at it. Didn't exchange details but hopefully they will take it as seriously as she seemed to.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
Today's rubbish driving...
(11330 posts)- Started 13 years ago by Stepdoh
- Latest reply from fergus
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Posted 11 years ago #
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"
At the centre of our quality coach service is our team of drivers and we rely on them fully to deliver our promises to you. Experience, courtesy, patience and knowledge of the road are their watchwords. On average they have 15 years experience behind the wheel and are totally committed to your comfort and safety and that of your co-travellers."
Posted 11 years ago # -
Was the lady in the dark 4x4 reading the Scotsman as she approached the Southbound queue on Marbury Road. She hadn't reached the queue but was travelling at 15mph towards it.
I have to admit I shouted "Really...?" - she didn't reply.
I'm used to drivers being distracted by a variety of things once they are in the queue (texting, sat navs, make up, paperwork etc.) but not usually on the approach or a newspaper on the steering wheel.
Posted 11 years ago # -
yesterday night going round Queen's Drive, all sorts of tailgating cars - I moved over into the lay-bys when possible, but is there any need for the horns? Who's in a desperate hurry going up there? Am I being unreasonable not stopping and pulling over onto the verge on the narrow bits?
Posted 11 years ago # -
Sounds unreasonable of them to me.
Which bit?
Between the Jock's Lodge entrance and the Palace entrance there's a 20mph speed limit, and the rest is 30mph; and between the lower pond and the Pollock Halls entrance there's a cycle path which gets you off the road. I prefer to use that to save hassle. (It's a good idea to have a bell though as it's often full of pedestrians.) If you want to carry on beyond that point, towards Duddingston, there's the Innocent Railway tunnel and path which again I far prefer to the road, but then again the Innocent path isn't lit at night by the looks of it, and it currently has some over-friendly vegetation at head height too.Posted 11 years ago # -
ah no - sorry I should have been clearer (stupidly didn't realise it was all called Queen's Drive) - I mean the climb round the back to Dunsapie loch and then the decent back round towards Pollock halls. I'm really talking about the climb - the road is too narrow to overtake there. Btw In this weather it's an amazing ride - very short but shows what an amazing city Edinburgh is....
Posted 11 years ago # -
The Queen's Drive hill road up to Dunsapie is really hopeless. Being uphill and single track means that cars catch me easily (ok for the hill challenge elite of course!).
I generally keep in middle till next lay by but am aware that this is seen as impeding car users (ie the hard pressed majority). As it's a park I try not to get bothered. People are generally going up to sight see and walk dogs etc.
Last Sunday a driver actually told someone riding with me that they 'shouldn't be there'. This was maybe a criticism of recumbent bikes than bicycles in general though.
Perversely Holyrood Park remains one of the more hostile areas to cycle in our city.
Posted 11 years ago # -
algo's refs to lay-bys suggests this was on the top road. My policy on that bit is to look behind when I hear a car so they know I'm aware of them, keep primary, then move across into the lay-by while giving them a wave of thanks.
Most drivers seem cool with that, but there's often some tool who thinks they should be able to squeeze past. There are a couple of bits where the road is just about wide enough to allow that, but on most of that road I'm simply not comfortable going into the gutter with only a foot or so to spare.
Invariably, the ones who are so impatient to get past are only just getting out of their parked car by the time I get to them...
Posted 11 years ago # -
Thanks for the responses - that's pretty much how I behave on there. Sometimes I don't want to stop - I am actually doing it to try and wear myself out (not hard), but I'm certainly not fit enough for that not to be annoying to the car drivers still. I'll keep trying to wave thanks though although it often seems to be ignored...
Posted 11 years ago # -
a driver actually told someone riding with me that they 'shouldn't be there'
I must admit, that kind of attitude from a driver really irritates me. It's difficult to keep your cool when asking "why not?", so I invariably get another torrent of abuse when trying to ask it.
As for the cycling style, I try to do the same as you, @Laidback, on that stretch. As you and others have commented, it's not the easiest road to share.
Posted 11 years ago # -
here's the Innocent Railway tunnel and path which again I far prefer to the road, but then again the Innocent path isn't lit at night by the looks of it, and it currently has some over-friendly vegetation at head height too.
@CC
Yup no lighting except the tunnel
need a decent light in winter.not so bad on the lighter nights/morningsPosted 11 years ago # -
Yep - deffo a good light. Doesn't need to be silly though - but it's the wrong time of the year to ressurrect the 'blinded by the light' thread.
Biggest problem is unlit pedestrians.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I did 5 laps of Arthurs seat last night an experienced a variety of good and bad drivers to be honest. I was doing one flying lap and got to the bottom of the hill climb and found a private hire cab sitting blocking the way in completely. I must admit to shouting for him to get out the way which thankfully he did without me having to stop however I lost almost all my momentum really.
Apart from that a few random overtakers that made me quite uncomfortable, noone signalling what their intensions are on the roundabouts and some overzealous overtaking when I was going at 22mph .....
Posted 11 years ago # -
I was out last night - 5 laps is very impressive (I did 2 but had promised to only be out for an hour and I'm pretty slow). I nearly clattered someone on a fancy white road bike who I think had stopped to chat just round the corner from Dunsapie loch then set off into the road as I was overtaking- my fault as I had a malcoordination moment with my bell - I hope that wasn't you - sorry if so!
Posted 11 years ago # -
First genuine "**** that was close" moment since I started cycling again.
Wester Coates westbound this time, just about to enter the narrow single-lane section at the roadworks. A few cars had already passed me when I heard a loud revving of an engine and then Tesco delivery van B?10 XGH forced its way in at speed. I had to fire on the brakes and swerve in. If I hadn't been alert or it had happened a few metres further on then I would have been knocked off.
I caught up with him at the Roseburn lights and was going to have a word but thought "what's the point."
Do Tesco have a phone line for reporting dangerous driving and has anyone had any success with it?
Posted 11 years ago # -
I'm afraid a Tesco driver has been mentioned on here before -
http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3748&page=19#post-84485
Not sure if it was resolved satisfactorily.
Posted 11 years ago # -
"
Tesco Customer Care (@UKTesco)
17/07/2013 19:43
@CyclingEdin You can e-mail customer.service@tesco.co.uk or call 08457 225533 We'll need the exact area, time as well as the reg number."
Posted 11 years ago # -
The road up Arthurs seat to the loch was narrowed in early 80s, presumably to make it more scenic, but not cyclist friendly !
Posted 11 years ago # -
Thanks to the Citylink No.50 bus for putting my life in danger this morning, by overtaking and cutting me off on the lower Granton road round-about heading to Leith.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I went out round Arthur's Seat later on last night (8pm ish) and noted that they close the gate sometime around then. So setting off later is one way of ensuring you don't get tailgated by cars on the climb.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Down in Edinburgh for a bit, I went round Arthur's Seat for the first time in a few years. I though there was an improvement in the drivers waiting until laybyes to overtake. All was very polite and mellow until the tooting started. At the top of the hill, I moved over and a car overtook me, passenger leaning out of the window shouting abuse. The gist of which was the size of my arse.
They pulled in further along to park. Passenger got out and continued shouting the abuse, a 15 or 16 stones woman wearing one of those tent dresses. I weigh 52kg.
This will go down as one of my favourite memories of cycling round Arthurs Seat ever.
As an aside, I don't know why it isn't closed to vehicles anyway. Its a park. Who needs to drive round it?
Posted 11 years ago # -
I think you answered your own question: 15 or 16 stones woman wearing one of those tent dresses
Posted 11 years ago # -
Welcome.
"Who needs to drive round it?"
Clearly the person you met...
This is something that continues to exercise 'us'.
But don't worry -
“Later this month we will unveil details of the Mutual Respect road safety campaign, which has been developed with input from key safety partners and is being backed by funding of £424,000 from the Scottish Government to help change behaviour on our roads.”
http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10742
That'll solve the problem.
Posted 11 years ago # -
"
15 or 16 stones woman wearing one of those tent dresses
"Perhaps despite her size, she had an incredibly petite 'arse'? Alas, you will never know the true size of those buh huh tocks because of that tent dress.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Repeat of yesterday. Same time, same place, same type of driving.
Wester Coates roadworks, heading west. This time it was a black cab who tried to nip in. I shouted in his open window to watch where he was going. He replied "I saw you". In that case why didn't you give me room? He pulled back anyway until the cyclist in front and I both got through.
Or am I doing something wrong at these roadworks? There are narrower pinch points than this one, but I don't want to have to deal with a very close pass and the terrible road surface there. Two similar incidents in two days has me wondering.
And apologies to the lady on the bike in front of me. Hope my angry shout didn't give you a fright (or make you think it was directed at you)
Posted 11 years ago # -
Marked Edinburgh City Council white Transit van SWB, reg ST58NZY 9:05am today (18th July):
First of all makes an illegal right turn from Slateford Rd on to Robertson Ave (only buses, cycles & taxis are allowed to turn here). Then overtakes me with 1 foot to spare, even though the road was completely clear on both sides. I had a child seat on the back (no child at this point) and was doing about 20mph downhill.
His overtake was of course completely futile, as I caught up with him at the crossroads of Robby Ave and Gorgie Rd. So I said through his open window "You could have given me more space". His response was a tirade of "You bl**dy cyclists are all the same... blah blah blah..." followed by winding up of window.
I'm in two minds whether to report him or not:
One side says: It wasn't that dangerous or bad, after all the sides of vans are smooth ;) and life is too short for reporting stuff that happens every day. Plus I already had my heckles up from a MR2 convertible (hood down) overtaking me on a mini-roundabout whilst forcing me left (she clearly had no regard for anything more than 1 inch behind her face).
The other side says: He clearly has a problem with cyclists given his rant, he clearly is not able to obey basic road law, and he could do it again.
...
Posted 11 years ago # -
Report to CEC.
Some of their drivers leave a lot to be desired.
Council has various 'road safety' responsibilities and could do with getting Lothian Buses to train their drivers!
Posted 11 years ago # -
Driver fails to understand the point of the wee leftward-pointing arrow on a traffic island on Restalrig Road...
Posted 11 years ago # -
Stickman,
I keep wide primary from about a bus length from the narrowing and turn and eyeball any driver coming up on my right. You have to be tough, hold position, as they they will have too slow as the outside lane disappears.That is my approach, which works for me, but you have to establish what works for you.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@559 I also do this. A real Hard Stare (that was Paddington Bear, wasn't it?) to make it absolutely clear that yes, I know you are there, and no, I am not going to alter my road position right now.
Posted 11 years ago #
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