was brought to you by the lady doing a right turn from the western approach on the drumbrae roundabout while not indicating and talking on her mobile.
Gah. It's not like it's a hugely busy roundabout or on a major route or anything.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
Today's rubbish driving...
(11333 posts)- Started 13 years ago by Stepdoh
- Latest reply from wishicouldgofaster
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Posted 13 years ago #
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that's an amazing move. and, I think, geographically impossible!
Posted 13 years ago # -
St John's Road?
Posted 13 years ago # -
...and also by the motley crew of drivers around Leith Walk/MacDonald Road today: assorted ASZ creepers; double parking in bus lanes; the Valvona & Crolla van parking on double yellows in the bike lane before opening driver door in front of me without looking first; and especially the two gents in a silver Honda who overtook me, then cut me up before stopping in the middle of the cycle lane, completely oblivious to me despite a Paddington hard stare as I went past (they were having an argument). I suppose I should be grateful the driver didn't open his door too...
Come on people, I know it's Friday afternoon and everyone's gone a bit flat but ffs WAKE UP and look around you!
Posted 13 years ago # -
going into West Calder yesterday I could see this big red doubledecker play bus - swaying from side to side. You see the driver was steering bus with his knees as he transferred the phone from one ear to t'other using both hands. HE seemed very happy
Posted 13 years ago # -
"West Calder", "big red doubledecker", "play bus", "HE" -
That should make it easy for the council to identify...
Posted 13 years ago # -
West Lothian Council, Council of the year 2006, maybe.
Posted 13 years ago # -
"Council of the year 2006, maybe"
Are you saying that WLC is living in the past, or not as good as it used to be, or?
Posted 13 years ago # -
In 2006 they ran a tight ship and were recognised in the National Council of The Year awards [much harder to win than an Edinburgh Bike Co-op competition]. Cutbacks mean their tight ship is more of a tight kayak now. There have been tentative talks with Falkirk looking at shared services.
After West Calder on the Col du Climpy (druidh's Bike Chain route, it is growing on me] we met an older chap on reynolds tubing with flat bars, - this was just after Fauldhouse, just inside South Lanarkshire - he was pure dead Glasgowegian. Nice to have the east west divide so neatly and accurately pinpointed.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Coming down the road in Holyrood Park this afternoon, in the rain, son on tagalong. Doing about 25mph on the descent. Approaching the first roundabout near the Parliament, the impatient drivers start to overtake. First one manages to leave a decent distance before nipping in before traffic island. Then a light metallic blue Toyota (bit flash looking, like a poor man's Mazda/Porsche) tries it too, but we are nearly at the traffic island, does not leave enough room, and cuts us up badly. Squealing V-brakes and emergency stop before I am crushed against the kerb. Much shouting, swearing and shaking of fists from me towards the car driver. A woman with a little boy strapped in the back seat, around the same age as my son on the tagalong.
How can people behave like this? It is so stupid, arrogant and dangerous! All for the sake of getting very slightly ahead to wait until other cars have cleared the roundabout. What is wrong with people? I am very, very angry about bad driving in this country.
Posted 13 years ago # -
@crowriver - these traffic islands cause drivers consternation. There just isn't room to get past a bike as the road narrows. But what should they do? Most seem to realise it is too narrow and the reasonable thing to do is wait for the bike to get through but some like your toyota make a dogs breakfast of it. NOt nice especially with your son on tagalong. Although the cars go at a fair pace down that hill the road is wide enough when there isn't an island to make it a good stretch to cycle. I use the path on the other side when going up but always come down the road. I am not sure, but sometimes when there is a path but we opt not to use it this causes drivers to flip their wigs and start pulling crazy stunts?
Posted 13 years ago # -
I'm the same, I always ascend on the green path. Used to take descents in it but too many joggers/dog walkers/tourists lurking behind trees to collide with on the way down at speed.
As for the drivers' behaviour, it's just a combination of impatience and sheer bloody mindedness as far as I can tell. A bit similar to the idiots who overtake 50 yards before a red light, cutting you up in the process. It would be more honest if they cocked a snook and yelled "Nyah Nyah nee nah nah!" while they did it, as it would mean they realise how childish all this recklessness actually is.
Posted 13 years ago # -
saw a cracker today that could have been the end of me if i was pushing a bit harder (had a bad day at work and Planter Fasciitis mean I was cruising)
going along Niddrie mains road(?)going to Fort Kinnaird. just approaching the Hays junction
some altercation was going on with a car coming up to go left at the junction. looked like someone was trying to get in the passenger side but the driver wasn't having it
As that driver pulls away to turn left
A punto 2 cars back flies up the wrong side of the road to also turn left
cars ahead have to brake
the original car turning left has to brake
then the punto flies away up the wrong side of the road
A wee it faster and I would have been right in the middle of al thatPosted 13 years ago # -
At the Inveresk thirty sign a car overtakes me against oncoming traffic and cuts in too close. I shout - don't swear - and I think the driver gets the message. But my hackles are up and if the driver thinks he or she can get away from me at thirty when I'm angry they've another think coming. I catch the car at the top of the school brae but the car turns left into the school grounds and with a glare in the driver's direction I decide to let it go. However, stopped at the junction at the bottom of the hill I look behind and see the car emerging from the school. It starts towards me, presumably the driver sees me again, and it pulls in to the side of the road. I go left and the car presumably goes right as I don't see it again.
Posted 13 years ago # -
possible theme of people on school run, perhaps running a little late, cutting up cyclists?
Posted 13 years ago # -
There is definitely something about the road through Holyrood that brings out the louts.
The one time I have had completely unprovoked nastyness from passengers in a car (handgestures &etc) was when riding through here with wean in bike seat at dusk.
Posted 13 years ago # -
I was a passenger in a car the other day, and as we went along the swan section of Queen's Drive in the direction of Horse Wynd, I gave my driver an earful for doing 32mph when the road is very clearly signed 20mph.
My driver did relent and slowed down, whereupon the car behind us revved up and overtook, doing at least 35mph. The irony wasn't lost on me when that driver was still waiting at the red light beside the Scotsman building as we started the climb up towards the Pool.
Posted 13 years ago # -
That must be the worst place in Edinburgh for impatient drivers; driving it at 20 mph is the most uncomfortable experience I've ever had with drivers hooting and flashing and near overtakes (give me the autostrada anyday). The Queen should do soemthing about it.
Posted 13 years ago # -
I think 20mph zones with apparently wide open roads and no enforcement are always going to be like that until drivers get used to the idea of 20mph zones (I live in hope).
Temporary ones by the schools in Gilmerton Road seem moderately successful. However the permanent zones on the roads near to Dalkeith campus are little observed. I often travel at about 20 mph here but get cars overtaking on the wrong side of the traffic islands (fortunately for me).
Posted 13 years ago # -
Cooncil Renault Trafic minibus, fleet number 3456. Pulled into ASL reservoir (approached on red, so no excuse) at Roseburn heading west. I got infront of it in what remained of the box. There was a transit refuse wagon in the parking pay immediately past the Roseburn Bar, so I kept primary to avoid getting sandwiched inbetween it and the minibus.
Minibus roared off at lights, trying to out-accelerate me and failed, passing dangerously close and then began to cut infront, threatening to force me into the side of the refuse van - so he got a loud fist-bang or three on the side panelling. He slowed slightly and I got alongside the front passenger door where I could read his number. I think he was considering pulling over for an argument, then realised that he was the one in the Cooncil vehicle and I was reading back his fleet number to him. Honked his horn, gave me some fingers and zoomed off.
Once I find some details for a fleet manager or whatever he will find himself being reported for driving like a dangerous idiot.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Did you get a look at which department it was from or was it just general fleet? Corporate Transport are on 657 0000. As you got the fleet number, they should be able to tell you who to contact.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Online complaint form:
https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/forms/form/5/en/make_a_general_suggestion_compliment_or_complaint
Posted 13 years ago # -
Came the closest but one to being rubbed out on Sunday evening. I was turning left into the slip road leading into Sainbury's car parks at Cameron Toll, when I heard a very loud engine/wheel rumble in close proximity to find myself being overtaken by a First bus also turning left into the slip road, leaving me approximately a foot of space between the side of the bus and the kerb. I was forced to stop, if I had continued I would have been taken out. As it was the side of the bus was inches from my handlebar. Very scary. He must have gone through the amber to get past me. I did not go over to have an altercation with the driver but did give him plenty of the two fingered salute. I am still waiting for a response from First Bus about a similar incident involving slip roads being overtaken by one of their fleet, and when I spoke to that particular driver after tailgaiting the bus all along the road into the Infirmary he denied overtaking me, not stopping to give way to a car at the foot of the slip road but causing the driver of the car to slam on their anchors, and when I asked him if he did not actually see me if he was not aware of overtaking me, he said that yes he had but that I was going to slow, I was doing 20 mph according to my pooter, how much faster did I have to be going?
Posted 13 years ago # -
First bus drivers are shockingly aggressive at times. The company needs to take some cues from Lothian buses' training programme for its drivers on cyclist awareness.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Once had a wurstbus driver rather over keen to overtake while i was going at a reasonable clip at haymarket. So keen that instead of pulling in behind me to get to his stop he kept parallel to me and wasn't able to stop there.
It's not like the haymarket station stop is an important interchange or anything.
Overtook him at the next stop, and the next lights. Repeat ad nauseum.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Most buses now have CCTV and you can generally spot the camera positions as small binnacles 3-4" diameter on the sides and back of the bus, and in the apron behind the windscreen. Many also have signs highlighting CCTV fitted.
All buses and coaches must by law carry the registered address of the operating company/depot (Lothian being innovative might even add modern detail like a website or phone number) and all will have a registration number and probably a fleet number.
Armed with these and/or the route/time you should be able to secure the CCTV footage, from which you can claim a copy of the images in which you appear (others may be able to fill in the precise detail of the process/individual rights).
For CCTV images on buses and trains you MUST act quickly, as the digital recording is overwritten every 7-14 days. So if this is recent get hold of the traffic office (going via customer services may delay the retrieval of data)
The new Network Rail Level Crossisng CCTV van has a really impressive system - images can be read & processed on site for the Police Officer no longer needs to head back to the office and fill in paper forms. Worth a peek inside if you get to see it.
Usually the driver realises the damage they will do to the car driving into the kerb, and often the bollard on the island and a good road holding position generally makes it obvious that that's where they will be heading if they want to overtake.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Last night at the Hemlock Hour - very dark at 6.15pm and street lights not bright yet - driving in to Empires Turkish Restaurant {great food, BYOB, but changed menu so most early bird customers seemed on a budget and up for an argument, then decent two-piece band came on so all very entertaining]. Anyway, on corner of Western Approach and Lothian Road the thoroughfare has four carriageways - two go left, a little island and then two go right. Car in third lane so turning right. Lights at red. THe green filter is on to turn left, but it is pointing left and you need to be in the first or second lane to affect this manouevre. Everyone sitting , biding their time, nothing happening. Then out of the blue, against a red light at a very busy junction, the car in the third lane rolls forward and turns right. Much tooting, many seconds later before the light turns green so not even RLJ, just random madness. No one hurt. BTW, guy came past my house as we were leaving. Only emergency lights on, white specialized shoes. Kept catching us at lights, he didn't RLJ, just anticipated very early, you could just see him. We split at Western Approach but he reappeared in front of us at end of Meadows. Maybe he got lucky with the lights but good effort nonetheless, Those emergency lights are not bright enough at that time IMHO.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Three extremely dodgy and dangerous overtaking manoeuvres from Dundonian drivers this morning.
The first, black BMW (I know) going too fast on bend in narrow road, car coming other way. I am about a metre out from parked cars. Still squeezes past, nearly clipping my front wheel. Other car slows down to avoid a head-on collision!
Next two take place on a short straight bit of road near to a primary school. Punctuated by pelican crossings, junctions and a series of traffic islands only 100 yards apart. I assume primary position to try and fend off close passes.
Drivers obviously not pleased that I am "in the way". A white transit van (I know) makes a very agressive acceleration to squeeze in before me at traffic island, crossing into white chevron markings with solid border (ie. STAY OUT of this bit of road) to do so. I have to brake to let him through.
I hold my line at the next traffic island, and a Ford Focus (Escort in old money - I know) pulls the same trick as the white van, passing really close to my right hand side.
I was furious at both the latter drivers and combined finger-wagging with curses in their direction. Doubt they heard me as it was raining and their revs were loud as they accelerated.
What is it with motorised commuters? If you are running late for work, try setting off earlier instead of putting someone's life at risk just to save 30 seconds! Oh yes, and it is not "your" road. I do not have to "get out of the way". Got that?
Posted 13 years ago # -
I had a Sainsburys truck pass me a bit close for comfort on Dundee Terrace yesterday(4am) and cut back in too soon
had to brake to ensure i wasnt hit.
we were the only 2 moving vehicles on the road and there was no reason for such a pass.
Caught up at Henderson terrace and passed on ome gestures as i went straight on.
fired an email off to Sainsbury CS.so we shall see if i get a responsePosted 13 years ago # -
Saw a cracker on Monday.
Chap tried to pull out into the box junction Morningside Road by M&S&Superdrug, which was already a fail since it was nose to tail downhill and he'd only have got stuck in it.
He does this just as my colleague, who is lit, riding slowly from uphill/asthmatic/heavy-bike, wearing hi-viz and a bright pink helmet* is entering the box and she has to swerve to avoid him.
He reverses back a bit, and then tries the exact same move, only faster just as I, also lit and hivizzed, ride in and I have to swerve even more to avoid him.
*Kaputnik: you've taken a photo of it, when she had a pink Pashley Poppy.
Posted 13 years ago #
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