One from Saturday. I overtook some stopped cars at the big junction coming into Portobello from London rd direction. The lanes are a bit dangerous there, as there is a fork going straight on.
I set off in the middle of the left lane, to bear to the right to get onto the high st. The car behind roars around me and waves his hands about. Of course I caught up with him 50m down the road, and asked him what the matter was. His response:
"If I had been going straight on I would have hit you".
Not could have, would have.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
Today's rubbish driving...
(11332 posts)- Started 13 years ago by Stepdoh
- Latest reply from CocoShepherd
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Posted 10 years ago #
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Another close one on Clermiston Road, heading down to St John's road, car waiting to pull out of Hillview Terrace, their view up the hill is slightly obscured by a pedestrian, although they seem to be taking time to have a proper look. But obviously not enough, as they then proceed to pull out right in front of me, then immediately brake as they're turning off on Old Kirk Road, apparently oblivious to the big angry cyclist nearly sitting on their rear bumper. A similar thing happened a few weeks ago so I'm now wise to the potential of this happening, so cycle accordingly, but this one was a good one as they genuinely seemed to be having a proper look around before pulling out. Lulled me into a false sense of security ...
Posted 10 years ago # -
Update on City Sprint: Just had a call from their Fleet Manager who have had the driver in and they have apologised for the incident and it will be recorded in his file as his first incident since he started 1.5 years ago. If it had happened before then he's be disciplined. His excuse was that he had to go into the left hand lane at speed to avoid someone who was breaking sharply in front of him and that he didn't see me. They have a record of it now so hopefully this driver will be a bit more careful in future and we'll all be a bit safer.
Posted 10 years ago # -
twq- "If I had been going straight on I would have hit you".
Not could have, would have.He was maybe confusing the road to an MOD test firing zone ;-)
Some drivers think it's obligatory to attempt to run over anything that is not where they think it should be.Posted 10 years ago # -
@LaidBack it was a bit flabbergasting.
I'm always on edge at that junction. The alternative is to be in the middle lane, but then I'd be undertaken by cars going straight on.Posted 10 years ago # -
@condor2378
"His excuse was that he had to go into the left hand lane at speed to avoid someone who was breaking sharply in front of him and that he didn't see me."
What utter rubbish. All the cars in front of him at the queue are proceeded at a normal speed and can be seen later on in the queue behind him. He undertook them all at speed in the left only lane and nearly killed you.
Posted 10 years ago # -
twq:
I use that junction everyday - and you're in the best lane, I'm sure. The middle lane would be much more dangerous, if you ask me.
I've never had a problem, but I use it at rush-hour and it's always pretty congested and slow-moving.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Saturday rather than today. I was driving (thoguh not the subject) in East Lothian towards Gifford and happened upon 5 cyclists (on four bikes, the straggler was a tandem with a kiddie stoker) just as the road got a wee bit wiggly.
I sit behind. A distance back. waiting for the road to straighten out. not good enough for Mr mini-white-van-man behind, who after two bends decides I'm being far too polite, and with another blind corner ahead decides to overtake me, and all four cyclists in one go.
The road straightened slightly after that and I passed the rear two bikes, as there was a big gap now between them and the pair in front, and then after the next bend there's a biiiiiig straight, which sees me nice and safely past the front two. I see the white van has turned off ahead and made all of about 15 seconds on me.
Just as well there wasn't anything coming round that blind bend for the sake of saving that much precious time.
Posted 10 years ago # -
@algo Ta. I'd been repeating it to myself all the rest of the way in but lapsed and forgot when I was locking up. Must reattach my camera.
Posted 10 years ago # -
BX11 GWE - white, unbranded (as far as I could tell) 52-seater type bus - at 19:15 yesterday in Penicuik who squeezed me into the Tesco car park junction as I was trying to go straight on along Edinburgh Road, having come from Edinburgh itself.
Totally unnecessary pass as we set off from a red light as there was only one oncoming vehicle which would have held them back from overtaking for all of 5 seconds before he'd have been safe to pass before the next traffic island.
I followed the bus up Carlops Road when they turned onto that road, then followed him left after the park to past the police station where I lost him thereafter. If I'd have caught up with the driver, I had intended to ask them why they felt it acceptable/necessary to drive their bus in such a dangerous manner around a vulnerable road user.
The close pass shook me a wee bit as in my mind I was thinking that this is exactly how cyclists are crushed, and this was through absolutely no fault of my own.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I genuinely don't know what thought processes are involved with some people.
Coming up to the top of the Cowgate, at the mini-roundabout. Now the lane coming from the Grassmarket is pretty much blind, it's going to be even more blind if, say, someone in a black Renault Clio decides that the mini-roundabout is the perfect overtaking spot and is waaaaay right to cut over the roundabout itself. Blind to the extent that maybe it's hiding a truck coming the other way. He found out his brakes work quite well.
And just how much time was he looking to save? Turned right up Victoria Street.... I'm going to get a cheap rear facing camera...
Posted 10 years ago # -
Idiot Aston Martin driving out of Palmerston Place to Torphichen Street behind me reminding me why I hate the inclusion of horns on cars.
I guess someone cut him up or something but he blared the horn at someone whilst passing me. Those are loud horns and it was most definitely brown trousers time for me.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Some blind person driving a white transit at the mini roundabout on Clermiston Rd at Clerwood. It was daylight and I am in high viz but the clown just comes out from Clerwood view. Thankfully there was a car close behind me as I don't think he would have stopped at all if it hadn't been there and taken me right out in the process.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Just as a follow-on to Condor2378's City Sprint experience - there was a City Sprint bike courier in my work reception when I arrived this morning. Wonder what they think of their colleague's driving...
Posted 10 years ago # -
Council flatbed lorry - one of the ones with a cage on the back for picking up kerbside waste. Indicates to go left out of Tarvit Street up Leven Street. Starts to go left up Level Street. I follow straight on to go into Gilmore Place. Driver changes mind, cancels indicators half way into turn and then turns right to go straight on along Gilmore Place instead. Was surprised to find me slightly ahead and to the right of him. Would have been less surprised if he had checked his mirrors before changing direction.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Sutherland Cakes can DG09 DGY pulled up a few inches off my right elbow at the second pedestrian crossing along Melville Drive, then came closer as he steamed past when the lights changed. My options to move to me left were limited by a cyclist having pulled up on my inside. People with their employers' liveries and web addresses on the backs of their vans ought to be more careful.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Red Berlingo-type van caught my attention going along Foutnainbridge then Dundee Street then Slateford Road due to the plume of cannabis fumes being emitted from the cab. Sat on the rear inside wheel at the lights filming the driver puffing away on his magic cigarette. He did at one point look around and see me staring at him at which point the window went up from wide open to just a few inches at the top.
I'll probably have the numberplate on camera.
Posted 10 years ago # -
@k Maybe I've got an iffy sense of smell or am confusing it with a particular type of tobacco, but I'm convinced that a significant proportion of smokers I pass on the street (most often walkers but sometimes drivers) are enjoying jazz cigarettes as they go about their daily business.
Posted 10 years ago # -
@PS I've had a few instances recently where I've cycled past people and got a strong whiff!
This morning was weird - lots of traffic out and lots of it acting very...oddly.
Noone actually did anything THAT bad but their driving was making my spidey/bikey senses tingle an awful lot. Weird slowing down, people clearly not paying attention, drifting around lanes. Very odd. Made the ride more stressful than if there'd just been one mentalist.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Coming along Slateford road, about to go under the bridge at the station heading towards town, I'm in the primary in the bus lane and am intending on continuing straight on on the other side. I plan to move into the primary of the single lane it narrows into when I notice a car is alongside me trying what appears to be the worlds slowest overtake. He's barely moving relative to me, I consider either speeding up or slowing down, but I don't really have the time before the road swooops left and I end up forced toward the kerb and nearly clipped off by his mirror. No way he couldn't have seen me, hiviz, lights etc. That sort of thing really annoys me. If someone does a close/fast overtake, at least they got it over and done with quickly, and then you're done dealing with them. If you're not planning on passing then please fall right back and also don't sit behind with your bumper nudging my mudguard. Commit to it or don't bother at all.
Not much later I'd come down Westfield road heading away from Gorgie Road and found 3 cars sitting waiting to go right at the lights, none in the ASZ. I'm going straight on across to the housing complex/bridge to the WoL path so I go into the ASZ at the left. As soon as I stop and put a foot down, the car at the front of the queue comes into the box and stops right beside me with his front wheels on the line. At first I thought I'd missed the light going green or something but nope. The light did change shortly afterwards so perhaps he'd been too ambitious in predicting it but still...what was that about?
Posted 10 years ago # -
Van-chump who undertook me emerging from Marionville Drive and then cut across me to go right round the roundabout to Smokey Brae, going as fast as the newly-replaced smooth surface allowed.
Car-chump who did this morning's overtake-a-few-feet-before-reaching-a-pinch-point-island on Willowbrae Road.
Van-chump who seemed to have decided against pulling out of Northfield Drive in front of me on the grounds that he'd be able to overtake then cut in front of me before reaching the red light at Duddingston Road.
Posted 10 years ago # -
This morning's attempted assassination was by the WVM in Armadale who came flying up towards the Main Street, paused briefly to look at the empty space behind me, and then flew out right in front of me.
I just knew he was going to do that so had the brakes hammered on in time to avoid running into the side of him.
It always worries me how many drivers at junctions seem to stare through you and only register objects which are at least car sized.
Posted 10 years ago # -
The impatient motorist turning right into Tarvit Street from Brougham Street who barely gave me enough space and time to turn in from the left; ok, so I did take a wide line around the corner since I wasn't entirely sure if a pedestrian who was about to cross had seen me, but still. The motorist then proceeded to try and overtake me on the left, but I took a central position to try and prevent this from happening, which was fortunate because there were trucks parked outside the King's Theatre on the left of the road ahead... As it happens, the lights at the junction were red anyway so it wasn't like the motorist would have saved time.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Problems with bus lanes ending today.
White van man simply drives ever so slowly into the side of me as we slow for the lights at the junction of the wisp and A7 at Danderhall just as the bus lane ends.
Few metres on coming down hill from Gilmerton to the hospital again the bus lane gives out and I'm going a little faster than the backed up traffic so get beep from a mini in the right hand lane for err... being there.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Dumbfounded as I was waiting on the bike to turn right out of the Tesco car park onto Easter Road when a driver pulled up to my left indicating right, and pulled right out across the road in front of me. I was shouting and waving but she clearly had X-ray vision as she looked straight through me and the car parked next to the exit in order to see the traffic coming.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Black 4x4 N17 CRB.
I was in primary heading west at the start of Wester Coates where the temporary roadworks have closed the inside lane. I was just about to go through the roadworks when he decides to push past - he clearly couldn't wait an extra 5 seconds for me.
I gave him a big wave when I filtered past him at the queue of traffic at the Roseburn lights.
Posted 10 years ago # -
a driver pulled up to my left indicating right
It's only a turn of phrase to say 'unbelieveable stupidity' as not only can I believe it happened but it's also happened to me. Still I suppose she deserves some credit for using the indicators eh...
heading west at the start of Wester CoatesWester Coates, pinch points, taxis pushing through, roadworks....sigh, again all too familiar.
Posted 10 years ago # -
1) Heading northeast along Dundee Street to turn right at the Viewforth junction: 3 carts ahead of me, with the lights green - car one ahead of the bike box, car 2 in it, fair enough, it's a green light. Only those two make it through (though #2 actually turned on a red).
Car 3? He decides to slowly drive over the ASL after the red has come on and covers the box. Just enough room beside him to squeeze alongside on his right, so I do so, shaking my head. On the green light, I managed turn in front of the either tardy or polite drivers facing me such that he had to wait for several of them to go past before he could do the same.
He didn't pass me until I had reached Whitehouse Loan from Gilmore Place. He parked ahead of me and was last seen puffing up the hill whilst on the phone. He'd have been quicker cycling!
2) On Viewforth, approaching the Gilmore Place junction, a taxi driver impatiently passed me after we'd both come down the other side of the canal bridge, only to throw the hazards on and stop in the cycle lane to disgorge passenger(s). What did he gain? 3 seconds at most. Muppet!
Posted 10 years ago # -
Not driving but parking. This genius in the white van parked in inside lane on the Stenhouse Cross roundabout, when there were 2 or 3 spaces blocked by his own van he could have used.
Delivering boxes into the butchers. Got the sharp end of the Range Rover's horn as the traffic meshed up to a stand still. Stared back glaikitly
Posted 10 years ago #
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