CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!

Today's rubbish driving...

(11341 posts)
  • Started 13 years ago by Stepdoh
  • Latest reply from Murun Buchstansangur
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  1. barnton-to-town
    Member

    The left hook from a white van man [elliott services] who left hooked me to access craigleith retail park as I was cycling past the opening.

    He'd be going nowhere, so I followed him in. And around the car park a wee bit. He then stopped, and I challenged him ... no swearies were exchanged, but my anger dissipated very quickly, because he honestly seemed to believe he "was past" me - and didn't get angry himself. In theory he was past me, if it was a photographic finish to some imaginary line, but the tail end of his van was most definitely not past me.

    So I was left feeling you can't win;
    - get into a full-blown two-way angry confrontation, and the driver will just increase his antipathy towards cyclist.
    - get into a short-lived one-sided angry confrontation, and chances are the mild-mannered driver will still believe he did nothing wrong, but will increase (or beging) his negative perception of cyclist.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  2. Snowy
    Member

    Left hook evening, then. Quite some time since I've had a physical mishap, but tonight the spidey-sense helped stop me going over a bonnet.

    I was in the cycle lane outside the old medical school on Teviot Place, doing about 20, when a large Toyota saloon pulled past me under strong acceleration. You'd normally ignore that, since they would normally only be aiming to beat the lights at the top of MMW, but on this occasion something said different, and I rammed the brakes on. Just as well, because they got 3 yards past me and hung a sharp left into the old medical school entrance, straight across the cycle lane. Bang.

    I think that's the first proper impact that the Tricross has had. Fortunately, looks like just scratches to the shifters. The seat post rotated 45 degrees and I had no allen key with me, so the remaining ride home must have been amusing for observers. Sore right hand since it was still on the brake lever when I hit.

    The car suffered a completly removed wing mirror, a 2 foot long gouge in the passenger door at drop bar level, a shorter but very deep gouge at pedal level, and a suitably large dent caused 100kg of bloke+bike hitting point blank at about 12mph.

    Unexpectedly, the driver was so utterly unconcerned either way, that I have to assume either it wasn't her car or she was under some other sort of influence. No apology, more of a 'whatever' attitude. Bizarre. You can very quickly conclude that it's not going to be a productive conversation...

    My thanks to the several flabergasted students who stopped and checked I was ok.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  3. SRD
    Moderator

    that does sound bizarre. glad you're okay.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  4. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Woah! Glad you're OK and hope you got details incase you need to make an insurance claim for any of the damage to your bike.

    I guess you'll be getting that helmet camera now?!

    And sincerely hope that the car came off worst and they'll be getting hit in the pocket for repairs.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  5. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    That sort of disinterest is truly odd. It does kinda suggest they might have been on something...

    Posted 11 years ago #

  6. steveo
    Member

    Don't suppose you got his licence plate?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  7. SRD
    Moderator

    or driving while disqualified/uninsured? (although in that case, you'd think they'd try to thrust money at you to keep you from involving police/insurance).

    Posted 11 years ago #

  8. PS
    Member

    What is the old medical school being used for now? There must be a fairly small group of users who drive into it?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  9. SRD
    Moderator

    The quad's been nicely redone, but still used a bit - entrance to Mcewen hall for some events, bits of med school still there. also access through to the History 'west wing' and then through to CMB which fronts on to George square. So, actually quite a useful entrance.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  10. Coxy
    Member

    Have a stroll around the car park and look for the damaged Toyota. Then get the plate. Then contact insurance.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  11. Snowy
    Member

    Yeah, just plain odd. I did note her registration in case I got home and found something properly damaged, but it's just scratches. Bruises will fade.
    @Kaputnik, yup, helmet camera will definitely be getting ordered asap! :-)

    Posted 11 years ago #

  12. allebong
    Member

    -See cyclist on very quiet wide road, approaching a pinch point before traffic lights

    -Rev engine, overtake aggressively, pretend the rest of the road, free of oncoming traffic doesn't factor in

    -Immediately pull in front of cyclist then slam brakes as lights go to red. Be sure to occupy full depth of ASZ, where applicable

    -Repeat over and over and over and over

    Posted 11 years ago #

  13. gdm
    Member

    Yesterday, after work - cycling the grand distance of 450 metres from the office to the Cask & Barrel, I approached the junction at Causewayside and West Preston Street. There was a red convertible BMW (which should have been the first warning sign) with it's top down, mostly covering the ASL for the right turn into W Preston St.

    I moved in front of the car in the remaining few feet of the ASL and as soon as I'd put my foot down I heard a guttural scream from the driver. She and her passenger were somewhat incongruous occupants of said vehicle given they were - and I'm just being honest here - a pair of absolute jakies.

    Anyway, the driver screeched "NAW!! NAAAW!! DON'T EVEN THINK ABOOT IT!"

    I looked at her licence plate (sadly now forgotten as a result of several soothing tipples) at which point she continued in her loquacious eloquence "AYE, TAKE MA NUMBER PLATE - AH PAY MA TAXES!!"

    My first thought was to question whether the source of her income really was taxable, however, I declined to raise this with her. She then started inching towards me at which point I said "Right, that's enough", which I thought really told her. She discreetly pointed out the lights had changed ("C'MOAN 'N' MOOOVE IT!!"), so I ventured out towards the junction, where I had to stop for oncoming traffic, however, with her revving the engine I took panicked flight through the vehicles ahead, only to be joined by her, and she shot ahead... about 20 metres to the waiting queue of cars.

    Keep a look out for this car as I do think the occupant was more than a little unhinged.

    Still, at least she pays her taxes.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  14. Edinburgh Cycle Training
    Member

    REALLY close call this morning. Parked car on Lochrin Buildings (Gilmore Place) As I am manouvreing to overtake, a van overtakes me keeping me closer to the car than I'd like - sure enough, bloody driver's door opens. my screaming "WHOH!" seemed to panic the driver who opened his door wider, and only *just* got it shut in time for me to squeeze by.

    Nice wee adrenalin rush to get me to the Gyle 4 minutes quicker than usual!

    To be fair, I only had two flashing white lights on the front of the bike and a very bright yellow jacket on. Maybe i need a flashing light on my helmet too.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  15. chdot
    Admin

    "Maybe i need a flashing light on my helmet too."

    Blue?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  16. Edinburgh Cycle Training
    Member

    yeah, that was a bit blue, sorry chdot!

    Posted 11 years ago #

  17. chdot
    Admin

    No - blue as in 'police'.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  18. Snowy
    Member

    Paging Dr Freud...

    Posted 11 years ago #

  19. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Lovely, slightly mad, one last night heading home. Going through the Meadows and there's a slower cyclist in front. I check behind and there's loads of space to the next car, so I execute a smooth overtake, gradually merging back into the cycle lane, so as not to cut the other cyclist up. As I'm riding on the line of the cycle lane... *BEEEEEP*

    I turn as the Black BMW 1 Series' driver passes and she gesticulates at me to move further left. Remeber, by this point I'm in the cycle lane, and was only out to pass the cyclist, and had done so with loads of space to the car.

    Anyway, of course, 70 yards or so on the lights are red, one car stopped in front of her, I point at it as I approach the lights and query loudly, "Are you going to beep him? He's in your way!" and I filter past on the bike lane as the lights turn green.

    Next lights are red, but she's not got the pace up to overtake yet. 6 odd cars stopped there, I know I'm going to filter on the cycle lane, so I elborately turn and make a sweeping gesture to invite her to pass me and join the back of the queue. She stays behind.

    Had a brief chat with the cyclist I'd overtaken (for he caught me up at the lights). He'd almost been taken out by a white van as I caught , which had swerved into the bike lane to avoid right turning traffic. "Is it squash a cyclist day?" he asked. "I know," I concurred, "And I was in the cycle lane!". "Yep, in the cycle lane," he agreed (as he had been too when almost sideswiped).

    Y'know where you can stuff your nicewaycode (though happy I didn't get angry at all, and I did, rather visibly, laugh at her - she finally caught up as I passed the Commie Pool, passing with LOADS of space, donwhill, so I then kept pace... and pinged my bell all the way to the roundabout, when she turned left and I forged right).

    Posted 11 years ago #

  20. twq
    Member

    To be fair to this guy, he was giving plenty of space, and taking his time, but I'd rather he wasn't looking at his phone the entire time.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  21. twq
    Member

    [+] Embed the video | Video DownloadGet the Video Widget

    Posted 11 years ago #

  22. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Private hire car pulled out onto the South Gyle Crescent / Redheughs Avenue roundabout while looking the wrong way. Seeing he was looking the wrong way (left) I had slowed and altered my line. When he finally looked in the direction of oncoming traffic (right), he would have been T-boning me if I had not moved. He then smiled and waved, which I assume was some sort of apology.

    I gave him the point-at-the-eyes, point-at-the-road treatment to indicate what should be looking where.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  23. fimm
    Member

    @twp are you going to complain to the company?

    I have another question for you - at 17s in, you appear to have stopped in front of the white stop line. Why?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  24. twq
    Member

    @fimm well spotted. I had some shifter issues, tried to fix it with an extra pedal turn. That's why it took me longer to get off the mark. No excuse!

    Posted 11 years ago #

  25. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Got beeped again this weekend, this time in Porty on Saturday morning, and while ridign the simple, short distance from Earthy to Findlay's along the High Street.

    Traffic light junction, three stopped cars, cyclist in ASL. Front car indicating left and sitting mostly in the entrance to the ASL, so I filter on the right. Bags of room. Light changes as I'm alongside the second car in line. No worries, cyclist is slow away, and left turning car has to wait to take the turn, thereby blocking the car behind. I put the foot down, covering the 70 odd yards to Findlay's quickly, shoulder check before indicating right (though I'd kept the lane all the way through) showed the second car in line was s till a good 15 yards or more behind. I unclip, swing the right, am at a virtual stop to get off the bike, and there's a tiniest of 'peeps'. Turn to look, and the old driver is tapping the side of his head at me.

    The annoying thing is he'll go away thinking I've been in the wrong, and there's nothign to challenge that. Next time he's speaking to someone about cyclists, "There was one the other day, cut me up at the lights in Porty!"

    Posted 11 years ago #

  26. Stickman
    Member

    A car driving straight into the ASL at the corner of Morrison St/Semple St to occupy the whole box. Light was already at red, so no excuses about being caught halfway through.

    Just the usual everyday example of poor driving, except that it was witnessed by three police officers standing at the junction looking directly at him. And none of them even batted an eyelid.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  27. twq
    Member

    I'd feel inclined to have a word with the police officers.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  28. Snowy
    Member

    So what exactly is the position of police officers who witness a crime and don't do anything about it? Where do they draw the line about which crimes to enforce?

    Is this seen by police as a harmless and victimless crime if no-one is actually hurt? And therefore they decide to do nothing?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  29. twq
    Member

    @Snowy - I'd imagine there are guidelines to what constitutes a bookable offence. I'd like to hear what the Lothian police's advice to officers is regarding this.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  30. kaputnik
    Moderator

    I'd like to hear what the Lothian police's advice to officers is regarding this.

    Of course, it's now the universal Police Scotchland (E Division for Edinburgh). All Divisions should be following the same universal guidelines. So in theory if they are busting brothels in Glasgow they have to bust them in Edinburgh too and likewise if they are turning a blind eye to ASL enforcement in Edinburgh, it's a blanket approach across the country.

    Posted 11 years ago #

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