Last night (Wed 5th), 4x4 driver running red light. It was the turning down Henderson Terrace from Dundee Street: light sequence which goes from Red, to Green for straight ahead only and Red for anything else, and then green for right turn. 4x4 man decided that his need was too great to wait for the right turn green and went anyway. I see this quite often, the turning from Slateford Road to Shandon Place being another hot spot for this sort of thing.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
Today's rubbish driving...
(11333 posts)- Started 13 years ago by Stepdoh
- Latest reply from wishicouldgofaster
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Posted 10 years ago #
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Don't know what was going on today but I did not feel safe at any point in my "commute". Too many more-than-usually close passes, even before the driver of a Mercedes MPV tried to join me on a roundabout. And by "join me" I mean "enter and occupy the space in which I was cycling".
Bloody scary. Hope everyone else is having a better day.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Three independent park-half-heartedly-with-car's-rump-protruding-half-way-into-the-traffic along Portobello Road, hazards on, whilst the drivers took or made VITALLY IMPORTANT phone calls.
One parking-fully-on-footway on Meadowbank Terrace, whilst the driver purchased presumably lifesaving medications from the newsagent.Posted 10 years ago # -
A poorly parked car with no disabled badge parked in one of the disabled spots, pretty much blocking access to the cycle parking, at my office block today - the passenger sat waiting in the car was given a fairly good message that their chosen parking location was not suitable.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I was in the Longniddry 30mph zone heading towards the dual carriageway but preparing to turn right into the housing estate. I looked behind. There was one car, a long way behind. I signalled and moved out into the right filter lane, avoiding the chevrons. If I was doing 17mph and the car 30mph then its closing speed should have been 13mph, about the same as a mountain bike. Except as I approach the turn and look behind the car is bearing down on me through the chevrons. I'm thinking okay, I can swerve right or swerve left to avoid or lessen the impact. But he swerves back into his own lane.
I suppose he must have seen me, and the dual carriageway coming up and decided to floor it and give me lots of room.
It'll be double or triple looks there from now on.Posted 10 years ago # -
At Lochrin basin junction this morning I was going through the green light heading up towards Tollcross primary. I was watching out as cars will turn right onto Gardiner's Crescent. The first driver looked at me but turned anyway,the second driver followed but also looking at me, the third did not look at oncoming traffic, just followed the car in front, didn't spot me stopping in the middle of the junction to let him through. The fourth vehicle an NHS van stopped and waited for me to proceed. Not remarkable as I had right of way but the driver replied to my WTF shrug with a similAr It is A Mad World out there Kind of shrug.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I was shouted at this morning to get into the cycle lane by the occupants of a van labelled "RR Fraser - Plasterer, rough-casting and cornice work." from Hawick. The cycle lane was visibly covered with ice.
That's no way to get/keep a client. Stupid or what?
Posted 10 years ago # -
amir - you might like to get in touch with RR Fraser plasterers in Hawick at their Facebook page.
Maybe it's something about Frasers vans. Last week one performed a right turn from Roseburn St onto West Coates Rd despite being in the left filter lane. I was occupying the right-hand lane as I turned, so they accelerated and undertook. It was a successul manoevre only because I braked sharply to avoid going under them.
Different Frasers though. This one was Frasers Masonry. Its website is as hellish as its road sense.
Posted 10 years ago # -
@Firedog, it wouldn't hurt for them to run a spelling checker over their web content, too. I've already found two glaring typos.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Yeah, spelling "Masonry" wrong is kind of embarrassing. :-/
Posted 10 years ago # -
today's rubbish driving came from a HEARSE!
drifted up alongside me approaching a central traffic island then just started to drift lazily towards me to negotiate said island, squeezing me towards the gutter. You see the driver couldn't actually pass me because we were approaching traffic queued up at a red light, so instead he thought he would just drift into me and edge me out.
Not having that, so he got a swift slap on the wing as close became too close. By this time I was actually almost infront of him again as he had to slow for the red. Some outraged cursing and swearing and gesticulation on his part was quickly tempered when I jabbed my finger at helmetcam and told him he's on film.
A little bit less feigned respect for the dead and a little more genuine respect for the living please.
P.S. there was no coffin or bereaved in the hearse, but I wouldn't have acted any differently if there had been. A grey cheauffeurs uniform and a stretched car does not the right to drive like an a******* give.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Kilgraston Road (Marchmont area), a very close overtake just as I swerved to avoid a some very bad road conditions. Couldn't have been more than 2 or 3 inches between me and the car. Tried to catch up with the guy (probably foolishly, but adrenaline kicked in), but he turned off.
Posted 10 years ago # -
One of my pet hates is seeing drivers using the bike lanes that cross junctions as a personal ASL for themselves. It is a bit more satisfying to be on the bus when this happens as drivers then have to hastily back up when they look round and see a double decker bearing down on them. But that is only when they don't just sit there and force the bus to pull out of course. I have often thought they were lucky not to get the front of their car ripped off, though this is mostly due to the reactions of the bus driver.
This morning at one such junction I saw a van with its front ripped off and a bus with a damaged headlight. The driver looked uninjured and was standing at the side of the road so I think a bit of schadenfreude is justified. I hope he will learn to be more careful in future.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Proof, if ever it were needed, that driving fines aren't high enough:
Saturday afternoon, St Andrew Square. Locking my bike up at the Sheffield racks on the north east corner of the Square, a taxi driver drives right into the cycle box on red.. His window's down so I calmly tell him of the fine and points applying to his action. The following(still calm) conversation:
"I know, I've paid twice already."
"Then you should know better, shouldn't you?"
"£120? It's nothing"
"Nothing compared to a cyclist's safety, eh?"
He drives off as lights change.
Anyone think taxi drivers are hard-done by or that fares are too low for them to get by? ;-)
Posted 10 years ago # -
"£120? It's nothing"
To some obviously!
Not sure if even 'professional' drivers get enough benefit from 'always' being a few feet ahead to risk more fines(?)
I wonder if he got fined during the 'annual week of enforcement.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Punishment pass by small blue Peugeot hatchback - SL51 AFJ (I think).
I was in the ASL on Morrison St at the corner with Torphichen. I set off and he sped past me with unneccesary high revs, although not too close. Pointless speed though, as the lights at Haymarket were already red. I pulled up about two seconds after he got there (he was about two feet into the ASL) and was joined by another cyclist.
When the lights changed I got away first but again he revved past me, this time coming very close as I got to the tramlines. Definitely deliberate as he made a pronounced move to the right once he was past me.
Just another angry wee man heading home after work. Avoid.
Posted 10 years ago # -
@ cb
That Chelsea tractor/Discovery from a week ago...
Passed the owner's house again tonight and it was parked in the drive - silver, reg 79 CS, so easy to spot & remember!
Posted 10 years ago # -
"Anyone think taxi drivers are hard-done by or that fares are too low for them to get by? ;-)"
My mother-in-law worked in the Paisley tax office for years. She said it was absolutely incredible how many private-hire cab drivers' earnings for the year were just under the annual allowance - it really was quite remarkable that it was so consistent each year.
Posted 10 years ago # -
LEmon Squeezy Driving school this morning on Brougham street at the exit road opposite-ish cloisters pub.
Massive que of traffic which left the left lane clear. The poor student must have been instructed to pull their nose out to block the left lane so that they could poke their nose through and turn right through a queue of traffic. Not sure that that was the best plan as there was myself and a few cyclists coming along.
Not sure what the best option for them was there but certainly nosing out into a lane without a clear field of vision is not ideal.
Posted 10 years ago # -
At the top of the meadows this morning, I went across as the lights changed for bikes and pedestrians, which happens at the same time as the traffic turning up Forrest Road from Teviot Street. I went into the cycle lane on the left, and was soon joined very close alongside by a number 23 (I think) bus - which of course then went to stop at the bus stop. I backed off knowing what was about to happen and no harm was done. It's a tricky merge point that one - often I go right at the end, and get into the right lane as soon as possible. I don't think that the traffic is aware that the cycle lights go green at the same time as them sometimes, and seem completely unprepared for the cyclists on the left, often trying to get parked delivery vans in the left lane.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Not really cycling related, but anyway...
Walking past Charlotte Square at evening rush hour, when a Police Scotland BMW X5 heading north pulls into the right turn lane. You know, the one that's very obviously marked as "right turn for buses, taxis & cycles only" (& I believe taxis were only allowed to prevent them from pulling murderous u-turns beyond the junction; but I digress). No lights, no sirens, no rush so I presume it wasn't on a emergency call.
Bad enough, but then another patrol car drives up & pulls exactly the same stunt...
I despair. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Posted 10 years ago # -
@Murun, discussed elsewhere where we came to the conclusion that Police & most emergency service vehicles are allowed to disobey the bus lanes even when not on emergency calls, with a very few exceptions.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I remember that thread, kaputnik, but it's not entering a bus lane, it's ignoring a No Right Turn roundel. I believe the official position is that a police driver is able to make use of their exemptions at any time and for any length so long as they are able to justify their use. And personally, I think that not wanting to queue with the plebs in Queen St is not a particularly good reason.
Also it doesn't leave them atop the moral high ground when it comes to eg busting cyclists going the wrong way along a one-way street.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I think the police can drive where they like (within reason) in the course of their duties - for example I was passed by a police car on Shandwick Place which is buses and taxis only and that police car seemed to be just going from A to B and I think they are allowed to do that.
They're not allowed to run red lights (without their lights & sirens) or encroach on ASLs though!
Posted 10 years ago # -
So I reckon if there's a parked car on your side of the road, and if you can't get past it without crossing the white line and without threatening an oncoming vehicle by passing it too close then you should wait behind the parked car until it's safe to proceed. Particularly when you can see the oncoming vehicle in plenty of time.
If you've got a gigantic Audi (registration 16 SY), it still doesn't give you the right to expect the bike to cede priority. Indicating your displeasure by waving the bike to the side of the road doesn't dispose me to cooperate with you, particularly if I'm going up quite a steep hill.
It's safer if everyone exerts their rights to the road consistently and in line with the Highway Code, because then everyone knows what to expect. I was there first. I have priority. End of.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Not witnessed by me (alas) but a friend who gleefully reported a taxi pulling some stupid manoeuvre and cutting up a cyclist. Who then pulled up level at the next lights, tapped on the window... and invited the taxi to move to the side of the road to discuss the issue. Cyclist was a police cyclist. Taxi obliged. Priceless...
Posted 10 years ago # -
@LivD Priceless indeed.
(Possible "advantage" of lots of cyclists wearing hi vis? Taxi driver just saw "cyclist" and didn't register "policeman"? (Not that you'll get me back into hi vis just to confuse taxi drivers...))
Posted 10 years ago # -
@LivD @fimm From my chats with the police, the majority of them cycle to work, not necessarily in their work clothes.
Posted 10 years ago # -
"the majority of them cycle to work"
Really?
Or do you mean most of those who are 'cycle cops'?
Posted 10 years ago # -
A friend flatmate is a cop (not cycle cop) and he rides to work I'd say 60% of the time.
He likes the exercise and enjoys it.Posted 10 years ago #
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