Danny Lackoskill.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
Today's rubbish cycling
(4503 posts)-
Posted 5 years ago #
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what is it with people dinging before overtaking on NMW?
have had it happen 3 days in a row.
Posted 5 years ago # -
@ejstubs, the article has been updated and now reads "Electric-assisted bicycles are equipped with battery-powered motors that take some effort out of pedalling, allowing riders to get moving more easily."
However I can't quite put my finger on it but this sentence doesn't seem right:
"Because they do not have combustion engines, there are fewer restrictions on their use on UK roads".
Posted 5 years ago # -
Not rubbish cycling but certainly unexpected... I (on foot) was on a central reservation beside Edinburgh College (Granton) and a cyclist stopped at the lights waved me on to cross EVEN AS HER LIGHT TURNED GREEN*.
What is the world coming to when cyclists are jumping red lights and not moving when they turn green? Anarchy, I tell you. :)
*I declined - "no go on, it's green, you go, thanks"
Posted 5 years ago # -
It wasn't exactly rubbish but it was less than good-mannered. I got bum-tinged on Porty prom. Twice. Despite my slowing to a crawl when the way was 100% clear to allow them to pass, Bum-tinger then seemed content to sit on my tail (and probably continue tinging perceived obstacles) until I pulled over and forced them past.
I don't ting on Porty prom. I go slow or stop when appropriate and let people do what people do - it's easier and more predictable and, if I'm honest, I enjoy the tight control & observational challenge of the bimblers, scooters and dugs. It's proper mindfulness stuff. Get tae with the bum-tinging!
Posted 5 years ago # -
I also avoid tinging on Porty Prom, but often get people shouting at me to use my bell when I'm crawling along behind them waiting for a safe space to pass.
We can't win.
Posted 5 years ago # -
@trixie 'bum-tinged' perfect. i had no idea it was a 'thing'. just that it annoys me. either there is room to overtake, or there's not, but bum-tinging me isn't going to make a difference, if i'm already riding to the left.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Yesterday evening, heading along Balbirnie Place towards the end of the Roseburn, it became apparent that there was a whizzing turnip close behind, wearing an electronic-blue jersey. After I slowed to safely join the path without hitting the bollard, the whizzing turnip whooshed past to my right, then turned right up the slope without slowing, almost hitting someone coming down the slope. Both he and I muttered the same thing under our breaths.
Posted 5 years ago # -
@SRD from previous conversations I've observed about the canal I think bum tinging is for when the person behind you doesn't think you're tinging enough, not when they want to overtake. Not always clear cut of course. I'm not fully trained in Towpath Linguistics though so take this with a pinch of salt.
Posted 5 years ago # -
"https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/aug/30/london-e-bike-collision-dalston-kingsland-woman-injured
Not knowing anything about the circumstances of the collision I will refrain from any comment about the circumstances leading up to it. But leaving the scene probably wasn't a good idea.
The police appear to have had little hesitation in citing "furious driving" as the reason for the arrest. Seems like they don't see any need for new legislation right now.
If I could be bothered to do it, I would complain to the Graun about the description of pedelecs "allowing riders to reach high speeds more easily". Funny that most drivers of motor vehicles don't seem to regard 15mph as being a high enough speed for them not to need urgently to find a way past, even in a 20mph limit...
(Pure speculation alert: leaving the scene could perhaps suggest that the pedelec in question had been hacked?)"
UPDATE: "On Thursday night, after the emergence of the CCTV showing the woman crossing the road when the lights were green, the man was released under investigation."
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7136632/cctv-video-dalston-hit-run-bike-crash/
eCyclist turned himself in it seems.
'Scotland Yard said the man had been arrested at an address in Islington after he contacted police at about 11pm on Wednesday.'
CCTV appears to show the pedestrian literally running into the side of the ebike against the ped lights. Speed does not appear excessive. Leaving the scene was a poor choice but the ecyclist also had a head injury - perhaps a large crowd of rubberneckers fired up by the Matt Briggs/Tory party witchhunt was not a comfortable place to remain?
If it was a car I firmly believe it would be NFA'ed, but we shall have to see what obscure unrepealed 18thC rotten borough legislation the CPS dredge up I suppose.
PS Also sobering to read the utter nonsense from 'eyewitnesses' eg “I’m sure the lights were red as it happened, so I can only assume she was crossing.” “Two cyclists were trying to dodge her but one hit her at the crossing. He must have been going at some speed to do that much damage."
Posted 5 years ago # -
@jonty I've observed this technique too, although it also tends to be someone who wants you to ting and go faster, so they can get past. (where as my technique is to go slow when there are other users).
Bu the experiences I had this week on NMW were not like that. They just tinged and went past me - the sort of thing where I would say 'on your right' if necessary, but it's not normally necessary.
Posted 5 years ago # -
@Murun Buchstansang: Gotta love this: "Electric-powered bikes do not require the driver to own a licence and have a legal power-assisted speed of up to 15.5mph, but are often pedalled at much higher speeds." How very dare they!
Any choice of wording that hints at nefarious behaviour by cyclists would appear to be fair game.I'm also confused by the repeated use of the phrase "when the lights were green". Which lights? Could the failure to be clear about this be another example of subtly trying to imply blame for the cyclist?
And they publish verbatim the words of the witness who describes the cyclist as "the guy who caused the accident", despite the CCTV clearly showing that the pedestrian ran out in to the side of the bike. Although, since the standfast describes it as "the moment a cyclist hurtled into a pedestrian", it seems that the Sun's own interpretation of the footage is somewhat questionable (or maybe their motives are).
As far as I can see, it's only drivers of "mechanically propelled vehicles" who are legally required to stop & report (RTA 1988 Section 170). Bicycles (including legal pedelecs) are not regarded as "mechanically propelled vehicles".
Posted 5 years ago # -
"I think bum tinging is for when the person behind you doesn't think you're tinging enough"
Yep, that was my situation. Plenty of opportunity to overtake me between the tinging incidents and after, yet they chose to continue to ride uncomfortably close to my rear instead. I even slowed to try to make them pass when there was space, but no. So I took charge, pulled over and stopped. I'm not a snow plough.
Perhaps they are just terrible at keeping upright while going at very low speed and need a clear path.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Going round the south side of Charlotte Square last night a young lady stepped off the island to cross the road. No worries said IWRATS' traffic brain I shall pass behind her but as I did that she changed her mind and stepped back into my path.
Keep forgetting how powerful Magura rim brakes are when you grab them, back end locked and stepped out as I slithered to a halt. The noise gave her a real fright. I should really have anticipated and slowed instead of just changing course.
Posted 5 years ago # -
@ejstubbs, I think you are right that the Sun is deliberately trying to please their readership by not clarifying that it was the woman who ran in front of the bike.
However the man's behaviour afterwards seems strange. Especially abandoning the bike a mile from the scene.
Posted 5 years ago # -
I suspect he did not have a receipt for the bike.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Judging by the cars driving through before and after, its seems that the lights must have be green for traffic. If I on a bike was hit by a pedestrian running at speed, the shock would likely cause me to act in a strange way. Though I'd probably be on the floor.
Desperately trying not to judge this case, I do not think that the weight of responsibility for cyclists and pedestrians is as unequal as for motorists and cyclists (or pedestrians). The weight ratios would say otherwise. Plus the reaction of pedestrians to cyclists would also say otherwise - they seem much more willing to risk a collision with a bike than with a car (one of the hazards of city cycling is pedestrians just stepping out).
I should say that at different times I am motorist, cyclist and pedestrian.
Posted 5 years ago # -
@amir: one of the hazards of city cycling is pedestrians just stepping out Some pedestrians seem never take cyclists in to account in their planning and observation in the act of crossing the road. I rather suspect that the incident in question might turn out to have been a SMIDSY - on the part of the pedestrian.
Agree that it looks like the lights were green for vehicles.
Agree also that the cyclist's behaviour after the collision could easily have been due to being concussed or otherwise disorientated.
Posted 5 years ago # -
@Trixie, That's a very polite way of putting it. However as amir and ejstubbs say it could equally be that he was injured and had to abandon the bike temporarily.
Given the other biases shown in the article it's even possible that he reported it's location to the police himself.
Posted 5 years ago # -
going up a hill today and noted a cargo bike heading to me, maintaining a strong primary. which moved closer and closer to the centre...
and then glided into a right hand turn--luckily i'd use my telepathic powers to predict this, and had accelerated so they could go immediately behind me, which is my favourite thing to do, going up a hill!
Posted 5 years ago # -
Watched a person going down Pleasance by bike the other day, they were in the left or straight ahead lane but cut across the bus behind to turn right, scary to watch. The driver was sanguine.
Posted 5 years ago # -
I cycled 300km this weekend, and didn't once swear at a driver. I did swear at the cyclist who went through the red light as I was crossing at a toucan crossing.
I also swore at several inanimate objects, including a hill and a pedestrian crossing (Argyle St in Glasgow, took 70s for the lights to change after pushing the button), but there's not a thread for that so...
Posted 5 years ago # -
@Frenchy: In my experience, swearing at hills - while often highly tempting - never seems to be a satisfying as swearing at other inanimate objects which choose to make life difficult. Hills take no notice of the abuse*, and you still have to ride up the flippin' things.
My solution is an eBike. I took my eMTB to Glentress for the first time on Sunday. It's really quite surreal changing up a gear or two as you engage turbo mode to skip the boring uphill forestry roads that everyone else is toiling up. (Apologies to all those who were doing it the 'proper' way as I breezed past.)
* I sometimes think that hills have some kind of elemental communication path to the weather, so that if you're rude to them they call up a strong headwind to hamper you even further, and/or make it rain. However, any suggestion that they deliberately make themselves steeper after the next bend is, of course, patently ludicrous.
Posted 5 years ago # -
The sunglasses courier, riding on the footway where and when there was no need, wearing his giant anonymising mirror shades.
Posted 5 years ago # -
This morning I yelled at another cyclist (young guy, MTB) who thought it would be a good idea to turn left at the same time as me from Grassmarket to Kings Stable Road, effectively undertaking me (due to the cobbles and the frequency of pedestrians stepping out onto the road I tend to take a fairly wide turning radius).
I then felt bad when I realised he was one of our placement students.
Posted 5 years ago # -
This morning's rubbish cycling was me, as I was too preoccupied with making sure no-one was coming on the towpath to my right from behind the boathouse near Craiglockhart PS that when I did turn left I almost took out jdanielp, or a doppelgänger, proceeding westward. Sorry!
Posted 5 years ago # -
@piosad I probably should have rung my bell, but was preoccupied recognising you not quite quickly enough. All was good in any case.
Posted 5 years ago # -
I should probably also post in the 'More of us' thread, although more cyclists unfortunately means more rubbish cycling. This morning I had to all but emergency brake at the bottom of MMW to avoid colliding with someone who was turning onto MMW from NMW without any sense of sharing the space, I nearly rode into the back of someone who abruptly stopped after we exited Slateford Aqueduct, and finally had to ring my 'ding dong' bell continously for several seconds to attract the attention of two people who were blocking the towpath approaching Scott Russell Aqueduct.
Posted 5 years ago # -
In a pre-emptive karma strike. Someone left two used CO2 canisters lying about outside my house. Perhaps if they wouldn't have got the puncture or needed a second cylinder if they took enough care to take their litter away with them.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Several people skipping lights heading north on Leith Walk yestereve.
Tall/cap-wearing/high-geared/grey beard courier going the wrong way up a bit of George Street this morning.
Posted 5 years ago #
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