Reminds me that a southbound 33 went well beyond even the second stop line deliberately and ostentatiously at the Chambers Street/Bridges junction yesterday evening. Don't have any video of it but Lothian Buses' buses have been getting very sloppy recently, so I'll pop it through the website.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
Today's rubbish driving...
(11330 posts)- Started 13 years ago by Stepdoh
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Posted 11 years ago #
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I've also sent a video in to the Polis showing, totally unambiguously, a car following me through the No Entry (except for cycles, buses and taxis) signs on Shandwick Place. They've said they'll look - again, I'll keep y'all posted.
@snowy - in my case, the videos have been sent in via email and google drive.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Car doing three point turn at the temporarily blocked south end of Lennel Avenue amused me.
They had passed THREE signs informing them that the road was closed. You could see the road was blocked from 50m away but they drove right up to barriers before turning round.
After that they had spare brain capacity to indicate whether which way there turning leaving Lennel Ave.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Eastbound Princes Street yesterday @ 1125
Lothian Buses 15 SK52 OGW left it's stop (west of Castle street) and then moved right as I was overtaking him.
I had nowhere to go as the tram tracks were just to my right.
Witnessed by Matt from cycling Scotland
Posted 11 years ago # -
Three junctions in a row on my way home from Bernard terrace through the meadows...
First was the motorist who stopped just before the ASL before unnerving me by edging into it before the lights changed then taking off at high speed, only for me to then catch up with him IN the next ASL where he again started moving just before the lights changed. At this point a cyclist with no lights undertook me...Next junction along is the horrible one on Melville drive with argyle place. I always seem to get caught in the middle of it, having gone through the lights on green, but not being fast enough to get through before the lights change and have to stop at the pedestrian/cycle crossing. The car behind me wasn't fast enough either, but it didn't seem to concern him/her as he/she put their foot down as horrified peds and cyclists were starting to cross. One of the cyclists made eye contact with me to convey shock at the sheer stupidity of it and relief that several people weren't taken out at once.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@dangerous My flat has a view of that junction. During the parking frenzy pre-rugby last Sunday, I saw someone actually moving cones aside and then driving from Campbell Av onto Lennel Av on the pavement.
It was otherwise lovely and quiet during the utility works though :)
Posted 11 years ago # -
The bloke in the silver Clio this morning who was obviously in too much of a hurry to get to the shops he didn't clear the ice off the windscreen. I'm not sure leaning with his head and both shoulders out the window to see where he was going increased his ability to control the car either.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Was the lady driving on the A8 into town at the Maybury with a tablet open on her lap....
It took me a minute to work out why she was lit up strangely. It took her a while to work out why a cyclist was staring at her - she did then look a bit sheepish and turned it off...
Crazy...
Posted 11 years ago # -
Two near death experiences today both involving cars coming out of junctions where they give way to traffic on the main road.
The first on my way into work that was scary enough to make me get off and push my bike the rest of the way up Broughton Street occurred at the junction of Bellevue/Mansfield place and Bellevue Place. I was cycling up the hill towards town in the cycle lane there. I looked left and spotted the big lexus coming along Bellevue Place and she appeared to be slowing. I'd already started going past the junction when she shot out and missed me by millimetres, I genuinely thought I was dead in that moment. I slammed on my breaks and managed to slide my bike to a halt. She shrugged and drove off. I then pulled over and walked the rest of the way.
The second incident happened on the way home this evening. I was coming down Broughton Street and a grey car shot out of Broughton Place. This time both of us had to apply emergency breaks. She did at least look apologetic and mouthed sorry to me.
So today has not been a great day for driving or indeed my nerves/road confidence.
That said kudos to the bus driver behind me at the top of Broughton Street this evening who gave me time to clear the junction at the top before setting off behind me.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Classic SMIDSY an hour ago.
Coming down Leven Street to turn left into Gilmore Place. I'm in left lane which is free of vehicles, and there's a queue of cars in right lane going straight on. Workman's van, possibly a small garbage van, possibly a CEC one, in queue. Without warning, workman exits van on passenger side and swings door as wide as it can possibly go. Emergency brakes applied - was on my good road bike, so stopped almost instantly (Ultegra brakes FTW). Expletive uttered. "SMIDSY!" says the workman, then he apologises again. Thankfully, that tends to reduce my red mist to merely annoyance (assuming it wasn't a near death experience). I suggest my brakes saved me. He says that's just as well, because his van doesn't have good working brakes, while smiling.
Oh Lord.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Two RLJing drivers this evening at the junction of Seafield Road and Seafield Street. Just as well I held back until the road was clear before trying to cross, eh?
Clearly it gets drivers' backs up that the toucan crossing seems to be a bit quicker stopping the traffic than last week. Better just barge on through, or even do a 'me too, I'm going through on red' like the lady in the Mini. After all, it's only a f*****g cyclist. If it had been a bus coming out of the side street they'd not have been so keen.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Fortunately the boy on the seat at the back was asleep when I shouted at an impatient scumbag that they were being an impatient scumbag by trying to turn right out of Albion Place whilst we were still turning right into it from Albion Road.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Caught a blatant RLJ this morning from a chap in a car turning right onto Semple St. Have it clearly on camera, does anyone bother reporting these to the police? I'd probably spend half my day uploading videos if this was the case.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@twq - I'm in the process of reporting a driver who ignored 2 No Entry signs. I reported by email (after information on a tweet from @EdinCityPolice) with accompanying video. I've not heard anything yet, but I'll let you know...
Posted 11 years ago # -
I noticed on the Edinburgh Police twitter feed, that they've now tracked and charged the guy that was filmed eating cereal.
https://twitter.com/EdinburghPolice/status/404887890976845824
My bad driving for the day way the couple who had stopped in the middle lane of Broomhouse Lane once they had discovered their windscreen was too icy to see out of.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I was heading eastbound towards Roseburn Terrace this morning in the inside lane, fairly clear ahead. Outside lane was busy. A number 100 bus in the outside stopped and waved out a car from Murrayfield Avenue, which was very NICE of him. Car driver waved to the bus and pulled out, not bothering to pay any attention to me rapidly approaching. I'd anticipated this so manage to brake in time, but the car driver carried on oblivious. I don't think she would have known I was there unless I ended up across her bonnet.
Just because someone has waved you out doesn't mean you should plow ahead!
Posted 11 years ago # -
I thought to the driver of the car behind, as I turned left from Robertson Avenue onto Slateford Road: should you *really* be overtaking me?
He, not being psychic, didn't hear me, but apparently thought the answer was yes, so I asked for clarification with a Paddington bear Hard Stare and the one-word question 'REALLY?'
Me, not being psychic, couldn't hear his response, but I will gather from his body language and dropping back that the answer was: No.
Posted 11 years ago # -
st because someone has waved you out doesn't mean you should plow ahead!
The HWC is fairly explicit about a signal from another motorist to proceed should not be taken as a signal to proceed!
Posted 11 years ago # -
Actually last week, but I forgot to ask:
I've seen people say that they "heard the ABS kick in" - does the ABS make a "bump, bump, bump" sound, does anyone know?I was on the big bike last Thursday. Coming back to Balerno about 6:30pm I guess. I was on the bit of the A70 where it goes through the woods, just before you get to the 30 limit and the climb through the narrow, twisty section. The wooded bit has quite a few stretches with double white lines, so visibility isn't all that good. I was aware of a car coming up behind me, and also that there was a car coming towards me. The car behind me managed to nip round me before the approaching car got there - however there was another car behind the first, and when the driver of that car went to overtake they realised they didn't have time before the oncoming car got there. That's when I heard the "bump, bump, bump" sound I was asking about.
I find it interesting, in retrospect, that I didn't head for the verge, thinking I was about to be mown down from behind. I'm also partly glad that I did not, because I half expect that if I had the driver would have then thought I was "getting out of the way" so they could squeeze past me...
Posted 11 years ago # -
Essentially yes. The ABS alternates the brakes on and off very quickly when it detects a skid. This retains control for the driver as there are little moments when the wheels are still rotating, whereas if there was a full skid you'd not be able to turn the car effectively at all.
Conversely I believe (though someone more knowledgeable should be able to confirm) that it lengthens the stopping distance.
Quite a scary sound as it's a clear indication that the driver has had to brake harder than should have been necessary and has started to skid.
Posted 11 years ago # -
That thumping is ABS.
@Wilmington's: ABS will shorten braking distance *if* you have braked so hard that you've lost traction on most surfaces[*] but braking at the limit of traction will slow you faster.
[* snow and gravel being the exceptions, AIUI.]
Posted 11 years ago # -
Cheers Mr Kiwi - was one of those moments where I couldn't remember if I was remembering correctly :)
Posted 11 years ago # -
This evening's rubbish driving was brought to you by the driver of a nondescript small hatchback emerging from Comiston Springs Avenue with an intention to go straight across into Riselaw, and nearly t-boning me in the process.
Nearly, because I was already watching their movements as I approached and was surprised when they started across the main road with me about to be in the way. I think we both emergency stopped from all of 10mph at the same time.
I did inspect the brightness and aim of my headlights when I got home, and having mostly blinded myself, quite frankly the driver can't have been looking anywhere in my direction.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I was moving towards the kings junction on tarvit place, there were two massive lorries unloading into stage door - 10 guys or more trying to lift a ginormous crocodile head. Then 5 or 6 cars backed up, including some clearly in the ASZ. I could just see lights over them. Lots of cars went through southbound on red. Then our lights went green, but no one went. Eventually some cars went, I got near the front too see that it was blocked by a hatchback poking in on right hand side, and then cross-wise and reversing. No idea what the driver had tried to do. I Missed the green but hopped off and went across on foot , only to get nearly creamed by cyclist :(. (See rubbish cycling thread)
Posted 11 years ago # -
@SRD the lorries were there this morning, extending fully into ASL (not sure what the legality of this is without a notice up). Driver of front lorry had cab door fully open and was mooching around in the ASL box, so I told him he was a genius as I passed.
Posted 11 years ago # -
The lorry at the kings had cones round it tonight... Does that make it better?
Posted 11 years ago # -
As I pootled around the Leith Walk/Easter Road area yesterday for a couple of hours on errands (as opposed to the audax I was supposed to be riding) I couldn't help noticing an unusually high proportion of aggressive drivers around the place. Even for this area it was exceptional. Maybe something to do with the extra congestion caused by primary school pick up time on a cold day?
Anyway in amongst the various close passes, SMIDSY reversing and stupid overtakes one incident stood out for sheer bloody minded agression. Returning from the allotment on the Ute bearing produce up Easter Road, I adopted primary just prior to one of several pinch points caysed by traffic islands. Behind me, I heard a vehicle approaching fast: too fast. The driver must have braked when he finally saw I was in his way (was he looking where he was going?), and he then hit the horn several times, so it made a machine gun like rat-ta-ta-tat of frustrated beeping sounds. He revved his engine like a racing driver waiting at the pits as we passed the traffic island (to be fair this may have been caused by having to change down a couple of gears but it sounded deliberate). I turned around to see a self-hire white van with three blokes in the front, tailgating me. I turned back to the road and then flipped them the bird. Yes, that was silly but I don't like folk beeping needlessly at me, then tailgating when all I'm doing is exercising my right to ride on the road responsibly,
Cue an awkward moment seconds later as the van pulls alongside me in traffic, and then passes. I stare ahead, trying to avoid eye contact. No further aggro, I'm relieved to tell. As I turned left off Easter Road the van was stuck in a long queue at the lights. Couldn't hear any beeping of horns.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Leaving Craigleith Sainsbury's, and approaching the roundabout, I indicate right as I want to use the northern car park (Burtons Group stores etc) to access the cut through to head to the NEPN. Large black 4x4 approaching from South Groathill Ave/petrol station. I reach the roundabout well before it.
Just as well I never trust motorists to obey the law of giving way to traffic from the right as the driver decides to ignore me, despite the fact I have been indicating from the momement I reached the roundabout and am still doing so as I go round it. That's the only thing preventing me from being under it, and even then I am less than a metre from t-boning it, albeit slowly as I ws alert enough to brake.
I shout to her that she must give way to traffic from the right and point out I was clearly indicating a right turn. Her only response was a pretty vacant look and some sort of pointless hand gesture off to her right. I can only assume that was her telling me she was going to be turning right into the Sainsbury's car park. And indeed, that's what she did without indicating! Clueless and dangerous.
A few minutes later, an unnecessarily close pass to get to the traffic island first on Craigcrook Road just so somebody could turn into their driveway about 5 seconds earlier than they would have had they stayed behind me. Why? It does nothing but show you are impatient and put yourself above anyone else's safety.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Response by phone from Lothian Buses to my complaints about both 12 (abusing ASL) and 26 (squeezing me to pavement): they've reviewed my footage and the buses' and will forward to the depot manager, who will speak to both drivers. They said they thought the 26, in particular, fell well below their standards, and they expect him to be sent for retraining.
Colour me impressed...!
Posted 11 years ago # -
Today I received an apology from the undertaking roseburn taxi driver via a Police Inspector at the Police Scotland Taxi Examination Centre.
All good if it improves his driving.
Posted 11 years ago #
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