FirstBus double-decker trying to overtake as I went around the left-hand turn on Willowbrae Road (where the rutted an unusable cycle lane is blocked by roadworks hardware) just before I was planning on turning right into Duddingston Row. Might have the number on camera from when I passed it earlier, so might futilely email them.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
Today's rubbish driving...
(11259 posts)- Started 12 years ago by Stepdoh
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Posted 10 years ago #
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"@SRD - Police can wildcard search by inputting 'White + Estate + Partial Plate", so one missing character shouldn't be too much of a problem"
@BenN
That would imply they care...
Posted 10 years ago # -
Horrible cycle home in the wind and rain. Left work as a heavy shower started, got home as it finished.
Two rubbish drivers made the journey even more interesting. First person was just being silly, driving the wrong way up the one way part of Canaan Lane in the cycle lane. He had to stop to let me past and I did indicate it was a one way street. He nodded his head in agreement and proceeded to continue driving the wrong way!
Second was at the mini roundabout at Hermitage Drive/Braid Road. I had right of way but the car driver decided giving way to traffic from the right was not her done thing and pulled out in front of me. Was expecting it so was going slower than I could have been so managed to stop in time. She gave me the 'it's not me, it's you in the wrong look'. I told her to get off to Falkirk, not the best reaction but by then I was soaked and didn't appreciate her dangerous driving. I'm sure if I was a car she would have not done the same thing.
It was one of those nights, I was just glad to make it home.
Posted 10 years ago # -
When this happened this morning, I thought it was a certainty for bad driving, but looking back, it's actually just really unfortunate timing, and good braking from both parties:
This is that roundabout which is a Y junction at Silverknowes / DMains. The car and I both entered the roundabout at the same time, but as I say, we both braked so it all ended ok.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I'd say you're being pretty generous with that statement. The driver should have been giving way to traffic from the right (i.e. you). And, at least in my opinion, even if you may have arrived a split second earlier to the roundabout than the traffic from the right, you should still be cautious enough to give it priority.
That said, it's far from the worst example of giving incorrect priority, and the driver did end up doing so.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Waiting at a junction to turn right, driver squeezes past me to turn left with just a few inches to spare. Would he do that to someone from his family?
Posted 10 years ago # -
A couple of close passes and a few honks from cars on the 701 and the road over the granites from innerleithen this morning. But nothing too bad I guess.
Coming into Gilmerton however I had a life before my eyes moment as I was almost rear ended by a truck. I was moving out early to overtake a set of cars and he just kept coming, piling up the hill (blue tipper lorry). I didn't know whether there was going to be anything coming the otherway so just swung back in behind the parked car. The lorry lurched right over the other side of the road at the last second and roared past. He'd have missed me but it would have been terrifyingly close.
Was too shocked to see the number plate/company frustratingly.
Posted 10 years ago # -
From the "Lovely Ride" thread:
The only spoilers were a number of close passes*, none of them remotely necessary. The worst two were an X38 First Bus, coming out of Linlithgow with nothing on the other side of the road, yet still I was close enough to buy a ticket, and the idiot driving a silver transit (or similar) for Drummond break down recovery. He past me while there was traffic coming the other way, which was dangerous enough. The fact he then swung in and nearly clipped me with the trailer carrying a car made it even worse!
He then stopped a little further up the road, waiting for me to catch up. As I past him, the window came down and I could see the guy's smug grin. He obviously thought it amusing as I told him what he'd done. When he re-passed me, he did it properly. I suspect it had then clicked that he would be easily identifiable driving that van!
* The number of close passes seemed disproportionately high for the number of vehicles I encountered, for some reason.
Posted 10 years ago # -
@ARobComp: Blue tipper - Neil Williams (Williamson?) Haulage?
Usually loads of these around the Lothians and they are not known for considerate driving.
Posted 10 years ago # -
So, there I was, waiting at the Seafield St toucan crossing to get onto the shared use pavement on Seafield Road. The traffic was backed up and that resulted on Mr Impatient - heading towards Portobello - stopping on the crossing till he was covering around half of it. Ms Clueless behind him stopped on the box junction. Both drivers had adequate time to stop and wait rather than proceeding and stopping illegally/irresponsibly.
Of course, the crossing light came on for me before they could drive on and I began to make my way over the road. Mr Impatient decided now was the time to move forward and that checking the status of the crossing light - and whether anyone was crossing - was of secondary importance. He lurched forwards, then spotted me. I shook my head as I reached him.
Then came the wonderful response...
(Window winds down): "You shouldn't be cycling on the pavement anyway!!!"
I set him right about my route being shared use and took great delight in pointing at all 3 signs indicating that as I passed them. By the time he finally caught up, he was too sheepish to even glance over at me.
Less fun was nearly being side-swiped by some bloke who looked like he could barely fit in his tiny car. Too busy nattering to his passengers, he changed from right lane to left right in front of me in Great Junction Street because his way was impeded by cars queuing to turn right. No mirror, signal, manoeuvre for this idiot, just no clue. Very close to hospital time for me. Even shouting and pointing to use his eyes seemed lost on this plonker.
Posted 10 years ago # -
While waiting for Boyfriend on Sunday morning, I noted a car being driven all over the lane as it approached me along Gorgie Road. I kept watching it precisely because of the erratic driving, and was therefore totally unsurprised to see that the driver had a large mobile phone / small tablet on his steering wheel and was doing something with it as he drove.
I wonder if he realised how obvious it was that he was doing something other than focusing on driving?
Posted 10 years ago # -
Beautiful cycle home this evening along a diverted route today utterly ruined by the moton in J7 MAR who deliberately clipped me on Dalry Road at c.17:10.
In two minds whether to report this to the police as, given what happened (er, that would be nothing) last time someone actually did take me off my bike, I've no confidence they'll do anything but waste my time. Here's what happened anyway so you guys know to watch out for this driver.
Male driver - late 50s, poss. early 60s, bald with white tufted hair above and behind his ears, thick-ish dark-rimmed wire glasses, light blue shirt and tie (with top button still done up).
Vehicle - white Ford Kuga - reg. J7 MARC.17:10 on Dalry Road (coming from Haymarket), past the Murieston Crescent junction, approaching the traffic lights at the 5 way junction with Ardmillan Terrace, Henderson Terrace and Murieston Road. Lights ahead red with stationary traffic. I am travelling onto Gorgie Road so, shoulder checking and seeing J7 MAR a suitable distance behind, signal right to move across lanes (whilst maintaining my speed of approx. ~20mph to do so), then make my move and braked in a controlled fashion to join the stationary queue.
Driver of J7 MAR joins the queue behind me as he is in the process of beeping the car's horn. I turn around to see him gesticulating at me, then he turned on his driver-side indicator and gesticulated some more.
I get off my bike, walk with my bike to the side of his car. He winds down his window and the conversation followed (as accurately as I can remember) like this:
Me: "I'm sorry, have you got a problem?"
Moton: "You can't just STICK your arm out and move"
Me: "Excuse me, sir. *points at red traffic light* What colour is that light there?"
Moton: *momentary pause*
Me: "What colour was that light as you were approaching the junction? Red. And the cars in front were stopped so you should have been anticipating the road ahead. Were you..."
Moton: "Piss off. You don't..."
Me: *incredulous* "Are you going to give me the road tax line? I pay to maintain this road too"
Moton: "Do you even drive?"
Me: "Yes, and I pay my communal taxes for this road, and I have a car"
Moton: "Oh, piss off"
At this point lights turned green, moton put his car into gear and - not gently - accelerated away, knocking my rucksack to the side of my body. I open-hand slapped the side of his car, he sharply braked to a stop whilst I yelled into his window as I pulled away on my bike:
"You just f***ing hit me. J7 MAR - white Ford Kuga..." Repeating to myself all the details I thought I needed to remember.
He sped off past me once we were past Tynecastle and I caught up with him past the junction with Hutchison Crossway where he was sat half-straddling the bus lane trying to merge into traffic - with no indicator on.
I might have given him a broad smile and a wave, followed by a flash of my middle finger.
Watch out for this t*sser. Sadly this is probably something most of us have had to deal with at some point or other.
Posted 10 years ago # -
don't know what happened here:
Posted 10 years ago # -
@SRD reckon the bus driver misunderestimafied the required turn radius and realised he wasn't going to be able to complete the turn without paying an unscheduled visit to TukTuk
Posted 10 years ago # -
"Green Man & Van is an environmentally aware, socially responsible removal & logistics company based in London, Brighton & Edinburgh."
Not today. Not today.
Waiting to turn left up Viewforth on Dundee St, and one of their vans comes through the lights westbound. Two occupants, yet the driver thinks this is a good time to be playing with his mobile phone against his steering wheel, his head pointing downwards more than ahead as he does so.
Moments before, as I was approaching those lights, I spotted 3 vehicles follow a cyclist through the red light in front of me. The cyclist may have been in motion beyond the ASL and therefore could argue he was clearing the junction, the cars certainly were not.
And finally, turning off Dalry Rd onto Murieston Cres, the first car coming out of the crescent makes its way out in front of me reasonably safely, but as I am side on to the next car's "driver's side front corner" making my turn, he lurches out and very nearly hits me. Only my reactions avoided contact.
The car? Yip, a Private Hire Taxi! The closest to an apology I got was a a sideways wave of the hand indicating "go ahead". Oh, you mean the right of way you'd just decided I wasn't entitled to? Maybe if you look in both directions, rather than following the car in front like a sheep, you'll avoid causing a collision. Perhaps take the earphone(s) out while you're at it. I left him with a, "You guys are a liability!" and continued on my way.
All I got was it was a silver car, possibly a Merc with W as the last letter of its reg. But then warning everyone here of the dangers of Taxi drivers is a given anyway...
Posted 10 years ago # -
MeepMeep - that is horrendous. What an utter scumbag.
Posted 10 years ago # -
"
I'd like to enquire if your office Edinburgh Audi are the users of the trade registration plate 428 FS.If you are, please accept this note as a formal complaint about the driver of the Audi (A4, I think) that the above trade plate was attached to at exactly 9am on Tuesday 25th March 2014.
Turning into Bankhead Drive from Broomhouse Road, the driver, setting off a few yards behind me, wheelspun his front wheels loudly (conditions were dry - this is hard to do accidentally), and then as I looked round, drove his car directly at me, swerving away only at the last second.
I don't know what was in his mind (male, maybe aged 30-40?) . Appearances suggest the fact that I, riding a bicycle, had the temerity to be be able to clear the roundabout a few scant seconds before him, which enraged him.
Regardless, it was extremely intimidating and I need hardly remind you of the potential fatal consequences of this sort of dangerous behaviour.
As a member of the Institute of Advanced Motorists, in my view this was highly deliberate, and I am concerned that this driver does not have a suitable temperament to be behind the wheel.
Driving a motor vehicle at someone to intimidate them and cause fear and distress is *assault*.
I wanted to give you a responsible chance to take corrective action, assuming of course that the trade plate in question is in use by Edinburgh Audi. (If it is not, then obviously please ignore all of the above)
Kind regards
Snowy
"Posted 10 years ago # -
Snowy,
If you don't get satisfaction there, complain to DVLA - they govern trade plate issuance. I would hope they would take very seriously a report of dangerous driving where a trade plate was the only way of identifying the vehicle. I presume the car was otherwise unregistered?
Or of course the police. You might get lucky and they do something...
Posted 10 years ago # -
Oddest driver I've suffered in a while today.
Going south and stopped at the traffic lights outside Tescos in Colinton Mains. I'm centred in the middle of the road (as I plan to head straight across the roundabout) and directly behind a car in front. The traffic behind eventually catches up while the light is still red, so everyone is very much stationary.
The driver behind decides to edge up behind and to the right of me (edging across the dividing line), crawls up so slowly, so quietly and so close that the front passenger wheel arch is touching my leg and the mirror is wedged in my back.
Honestly didn't know what to say. Terrible driving and spacial awareness made even worse by the fact that I'm very visible and standing still.
Plot twist : Turns out it's the mum of an old acquaintance.
Posted 10 years ago # -
These stories are awful. It's the deliberateness that's so hard to take. I see cars queueing in the yellow no-stopping grid near here every day. Every day five cars at £80 fixed penalty while I wait to cross. Today, completely clear. Why? A police car in the queue. I wouldn't care except my three girls complain about drivers blocking the crossing when they and many others are trying to cross on the "green man".
Posted 10 years ago # -
A plethora of bad manners and irrepsonisbility tonight.
1) Waiting to turn right from Dundee St onto Viewforth (this is becoming a habit!), red hatchback approaches in line of traffic heading westbound. The driver is using his phone on speaker whilst holding it out flat in his hand!
2) White transit van. I'm approaching the top of Canaan Lane when I hear it's horn blast just off to my left on Newbattle Ter. A cyclist appears first, on the pavement, looking like he'd just hopped on there. Perhaps the cyclist had done something foolish enough to 'justify' the horn blast, but that wasn't an excuse for the van driver to cut the corner of the turn like he did. Thanks goodness I was still about 3 metres from the top of the Lane or I would probably have been hit.
3 & 4) Both instances of drivers with one headlight out (or as good as). The second one was turning onto Clinton Rd from Greenhill Gdns. I pointed and called out as he passed me and just got a totally glaikit stare. If it had been me, I would have would have stopped, wound down the window and asked what was wrong. Shows how much he cared.
5) Coming north down the upper end of Viewforth, I reach the ped crossing at the High School. Immediately over the hump of the crossing is a white taxi cab, licence 892, stopped on the zig zags with a fare on board. I carefully make my way past and point out that it's illegal to stop on zig zag lines. Just as the lights at Gilmore Pl are turning green for me, I hear "Up yours!" and look round to see the cab driver with his arm high in the air and making a V gesture. He's still like that as he's turning left onto Gilmore Pl and I'm going straight on. I stopped across the junction to get his licence number.
Why is it that people driving company vehicles (very much including taxis) can't grasp the concept that the way they react to other road users is hardly conducive to attracting future business from them?
Posted 10 years ago # -
Today was indeed the day for poor driving.
This morning the driver of a blue VW people carrier started to pull out of Inglis Green Rigg, but slammed on the brakes after spotting me at the last minute. I simultaneously swerved out wide to my right.
Then at about Redhall Gardens someone started to pull out but slammed on the brakes after spotting me at the last minute. I swerved less this time, but I was still riding in primary (possibly even primary+, given the road here).
This afternoon at the crossroads of Fountainbridge and Gardners Crescent I met the red traffic light and a bus was first in line; the green man/bicycle for the toucan shortcut was already lit so I waited behind the bus. A taxi pulled up behind me—rather closely for comfort—and hounded me all the way to his taxi rank just up ahead.
Then when about to turn right out of Semple Street onto Morrison Street, heading for the left lane to turn left onto Lothian Road the traffic lights changed back to red and I found myself stuck near the kerb right at the ASL box. As the light changed to green I started for the left-hand lane but white van man decided he'd do that too from somewhere behind and to my right, and completely squeezed me out. A horrified pedestrian watched as I hit my brakes and, with my fist, belted the side of the van which was not 12 inches away from me. The van accelerated away, got the green and disappeared off down Lothian Road before I could register either the number plate or the company name.
I then had a lovely dinner in Bar Italia with friends and forgot all about it.
Posted 10 years ago # -
All credit to Edinburgh Audi, I was pleased to get this reply from them within a working day:
"Thank you for your e-mail advising of the unfortunate and unacceptable incident involving one of our vehicles. I am extremely disappointed in the lack of due care and attention and common courtesy shown by the driver.
I have passed the details to one of our line managers and you can be assured that we will deal with the matter in the appropriate manner.
Please accept my apology on behalf of Edinburgh Audi for any concern caused."
Posted 10 years ago # -
I forgot to add the white transit van belonging to a joinery company (with a line drawing of an arched window on the back door), the driver of which had his phone to his ear, Chamberlain Rd onto Greenhill Gdns.
Posted 10 years ago # -
VO13 TZC Nissan Juke, tonight heading east along D. Mains Main Street, gives me plenty of room on their overtake, despite cars heading straight for them on the westbound lane.
Two things that should be in Driving Test, Patience & Respect!
Posted 10 years ago # -
Close pass from a police car today. Was cycling through Holyrood park from the Duddingston side on the first steep s-bend hill. Overtaken going uphill with less than a foot to spare in a primary position then cut right in front of me. Very lucky nothing was coming as this was a completely blind corner and summit. Had lights and all the hivis on given the slight mist and was doing a respectable 15km/h uphill so no excuses!
Posted 10 years ago # -
If you know the time, you should be able to report it.
Posted 10 years ago # -
The driver of SM02 CYF...
...tricking me by overtaking eastbound towards Lindsay Road, rather than undertaking as people usually do when you take primary.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Light blue suspected Beemer (S possibly G 12 XOP) driver gave me a very close pass on Church Hill today, rushing to get to the lights which still turned red well before they got there. Remarkably they stopped behind the first stop line.
Posted 10 years ago # -
There was nearly a nasty accident on Grange Loan (map) this morning right in front of me. A woman in a big black car was crossing it going north from South Lauder Road into Lauder Road, but the car narrowly missed a (splendidly day-glo) cyclist going east on Grange Loan. The bicycle had priority of course but the car driver went anyway; I can only guess that she didn't look along Grange Loan at all before deciding to cross it.
Anyway, this is a reminder, if any were needed, that car drivers make mistakes, especially in dismal weather, and that their mistakes can be unpleasant for you. Go cautiously amid the noise and haste.
Posted 10 years ago #
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