Today's antisocial spunnock was the trailer-dragging person racing up the Roseburn who decided to overtake some pedestrians on their side of the path as three cyclists approached in the other direction.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
Today's rubbish cycling
(4520 posts)-
Posted 11 years ago #
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I was shouted at in juni green this morning for not using hand signals by quite angry woman in estate car. I was taking primary along the main road, many, may parked cars, technically I should have been weaving in and out and signalling with right hand but Inind you get stuck then as drivers don't let you out but in bikeability training every parked cAr gets a shoulder checkthanna hand signal. I shall hang my head in shame.
Posted 11 years ago # -
#wingpig
I was another one of those antisocial spunnocks today. Over took someone but didn't pay enough attention to either the bikes coming towards me or the ped walking towards me on the Roseburn path.
Did the silly manoeuvre and it dawned on me how silly it was. Sorry if anyone had to brake for this numpty. Will try to engage brain for tomorrows commute.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Can you get pro-social spunnocks?
Posted 11 years ago # -
@gembo I almost never signal to pass parked cars.
If a driver behind can't work out why I am not in secondary when there is clearly a large metal box taking up that position then there's not much point expecting them to understand a hand signal either.
If I'm on a road with heavy traffic I reserve the right to get in primary well before the upcoming obstruction if I see a gap in the traffic to enable me to do so. Like you said - drivers have a tendency not to let you out.
If there's a constant stream of traffic then I will use a signal in the hope of someone "allowing" me into thhe flow. Again - best to start making this manoeuvre well ahead of the obstruction as you may be passed by a number of vehicles before you get a considerate driver.
I very rarely weave in and out - lethal IMO.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@gembo Maybe if someone with an upward-tilted blinding flashing light went weaving at high speed through a bunch of pedestrians coming the other way whilst warning them about neds throwing dog poo further up the path?
Today's normal anti-type one jumped onto the pavement on Bruntsfield Place before the lights to get onto Leamington Walk, cutting right in front of a threeling on a balance bike when he joined the path from the grass.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@gembo I'd always advise never to weave in and out. By all means re-adopt secondary but not if it means you have to move out again after only a matter of seconds.
Adopting primary from secondary does not require a hand signal either, but is good practice if you feel it necessary e.g. traffic behind you is closing the gap faster than they perhaps should be. You kind of develop a sixth sense about these times.
There is good reason when teaching kids the term 'lifesaver' is used. That shoulder check could do just that and should always be used when adjusting your position or carry out a manoeuvre.
TBH, signalling is not always the right thing to do even if you are making a manoeuvre such as a turn. If e.g. you are on cobbles it is usually safer to keep two hands on the handlebar to maintain control, and use your road positioning and speed to make your intentions to do 'something' obvious. A bit like not using car indicators on a tight mini roundabout.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Me, absent-mindedly rolling into an ASL that was in front of a temporary red traffic light. Had to push the bike backwards so I could see the light. I must have looked as though I'd intended to run the red and then thought better of it...
Sorry :(
Posted 11 years ago # -
When I'm about to move from secondary into primary in traffic and I have to move in front of a car, I tend to work out in advance where I'm going to do it and then try and get eye contact with the driver in front of whom I'm about to pull out. What I tend to do is probably wrong - I indicate to the ground to my right as if to say "I'm about to go there" - rather than a full on indication to the right - sometimes this move coincides with a right turning and I don't want the two confused.
I know this sort of indication isn't suggested or anything but I think it seems to signal something to the driver about your intentions - does anyone else do this or is it just me? Perhaps it's a bad thing to do - not sure....
Also I tend to follow up with a thanks if the driver's been patient and let me out - always think that helps reinforce good relations.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Perhaps I'm being unfair putting this under "rubbish" cycling as we can all make mistakes, but...
Around 8am today, on the Roseburn path, one of the bikes approaching me had a red light pointing forwards. I thought it was just one of those idiots who thinks that's ok but when I turned round, there was a white light shining rearwards from the same location on the seat stay. So I assume it was a combi light, but I thought they were only designed for helmet use? I haven't seen one attached to a bike before and I can't say I'd want a white light on the seat stay, even if it was pointing forwards.
Anyway, I hope the guy realised when he stopped and spun it around. Hopefully someone going in the same direction would point it out sooner though.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@algo IMHO you are not doing anything 'wrong' being safe is whats important. If you are seen, and your intentions are clear then that's fair enough.
I sometimes signal for an overtake, I sometimes don't. TBF, I probably only do if I think I have an idiot behind me who can't read the road. It should be obvious I am not going to deliberately cycle straight into a parked car - but hey, some drivers are dafties!
Passing parked cars is much like passing a junction on your left. get out early into Primary so you are seen both from behind and the side. Yes, you are manoeuvring but you are not going to signal. You are going to shoulder check before and look into the junction as you pass though!
Posted 11 years ago # -
Cyclist who went the wrong way up Barclay Terrace before joining one of the pedestrian paths on the Meadows. With a flashing red front light.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Someone cycling on country road ,at dusk, wearing ninja type clothing and dark woolly hat. No lights evident and only visible from the front because his hoodie had some sort of white logo thereon. True Ninja appearance from rear. Even the Scenery Watcher thought he was 'a silly person'.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Last night I watched a cyclist jump the lights at junction of earl grey street and east fountainbridge. Cyclist was heading north, the light was at red, and was going to be at red for a long time as the sequence moves to green to let the west bound traffic cross. When this happens normal to have pedestrians running in front of you but I have never seen a cyclist do this. You see the light was at red to allow the southbound traffic to turn right as it did, straight into the northbound cyclist, there was a big scream from a bystander and miraculously the cyclist continued on her way. this one I put in the fairly bad category I think she was lucky not to be injured.
Posted 11 years ago # -
At the risk of sparking the 'undertaking lorries' debate again....
This morning I was catching a couple of cyclists ahead. A Keyline lorry (the driver will be getting his own thread soon) had overtaken us all on Montrose Terrace. Lights ahead were red and the truck moves into the left, left-turn-only, lane to go down to the Parliament.
Cyclist directly in front of me, and I, move to the right of the truck, into the straight-ahead-and-right-turn lane to continue up Regent Terrace. The furtherst ahead cyclist filters on the left up the side of the truck. Now, the lights had not long turned red, so the filter was, in my view, perfectly safe. But. Stopping just ever so slightly forward of level with the cab puts you firmly in a potential blind spot (yes, YES, I know there shouldn't be blind spots, but they do exist at the moment so it's a moot point). Okay, so he's turning left, will get the jump on the truck, and it's downhill, so while there's a little concern (other thread will explain why I didn't point this out to the cyclist).
Light goes green and... Cyclist is going straight ahead.
I actually do wonder if this is an education thing that just saw a culmination... Not knowing about blind spots + not being aware of road markings and which lane to be in + thinking you always have to be hugging the gutter?
Posted 11 years ago # -
Oh, forgot about the person who truly was an eejit this morning and not neceessarily just unaware!
Waiting at some red lights, cyclist pulls up to my left. As the lights turn green two girls appear from the right sneaking in front of a van that was stopped to our right. Now there's bags and bags of time to see them. I wait to let them cross.
Cyclist to my left sets off, intending to cut in front, but they're further across than he thinks, first girl gets across, second is slightly behind and the cyclist appears, genuinely, to be trying to intimidate them by riding at them (I've held back, there's loads of space to his right to move into). Got that one on video, but trust me, he was a total muppet.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Girl with earmuffs on pashley-sequence bike, with wicker hamper on the front, who sailed through pedestrian phase at kings junction on wrong side of the road tonight (see also rubbish driving)
Posted 11 years ago # -
Was the two idiots cruising through red at North Bridge/Princes Street junction at lunchtime. Both went (in different directions) through green lights at pedestrian crossing. It was so blatant, gives cyclists a bad name.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Ninja-like courier type on a fixed covered in stickers (no attempt apparently made to peel the large Livestrong one off the down tube) who decided that the best place to showboat his trackstanding skills was in the middle of the pedestrian crossing, rather than behind the white line in the otherwise empty ASL.
Did it at the two junctions I stopped behind him at.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Re trackstanding- there was a bloke yesterday in front of me for a few junctions heading down Leith Walk who remained completely still for aaaaaages. Well impressed. Hardly moved a muscle.
Back to thread- cycling towards town through fountainbridge yesterday a chap breezed out from one of the side streets right in front of me. He only noticed when my breaks squeaked in the rain. He was very apologetic & it wasn't actually dangerous, but if that was a car I'd have been screaming at him.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I've brought my bike to That There London this week, and today's moronic cyclist of the day has to be the @rse who undertook me and crashed into my left arm *as I was signalling left*, and then tried to justify himself in response to my "F*cking thanks!"...
Posted 11 years ago # -
The guy who caused me to come off my bike at the toucan crossing on Gorgie Road (access to WoL path) this morning.
Pressed the crossing button. Lights turned to red. Traffic came to a halt. Crossing lights turned green(pedestrian and bike). I started to cross. Moron on a road bike comes tearing along Gorgie Road (heading East) and ploughs straight on through the red light.
I am now on the road, see him heading straight for me. Take evasive action, clipped in, so inevitably hit the deck. Meanwhile moron continues on his important journey without even a backward glance.
If that was you, let me know where to send the bill for replacement cycling tights (which now have a hole in the knee). I'd also like to meet up for a discussion on road sense.
#bloodycyclists
Posted 11 years ago # -
Sounds bad.
(Because it was bad!)
I'd forgotten that was officially a bike/ped crossing with that awful narrow central cage.
Not really fit for purpose - even when road users obey the law!
Posted 11 years ago # -
replacement cycling tights (which now have a hole in the knee)
It won't ease the pain, but I've found that crash-holed lycra (as long as it's not a massive hole and it isn't in a particularly delicate or stressed area) repairs pretty well with a bit of the old fashioned needle and thread.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Red jacket, single pannied cyclist heading west on the towpath at hermiston this morning.
Myself and a ped in front of me were a human chicane but he overtook anyway, straight through the muddy puddle I was slowing for, splashing the poor ped as he passed her
No apology, carried on his merry way :-(
Posted 11 years ago # -
Thanks, @PS. I'll have a go at that, or ...erm (cough)... at least have a go at finding someone who might be able to do that for me.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Me, yesterday. Too fast round a corner with wet leaves, hitting a kerb sideways and being thrown onto a traffic island. Everything generally ok with me, a few cuts on my leg but the bike front wheel might be slightly buckled as it's got a little bit of brake pad touch when going round.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Today's rubbish cycling was brought to you by the fellow, dressed in hi-viz vest, who thought nothing of escaping the queueing traffic on Craiglockhart Avenue by riding on the pavement all the way to the lights (which were at red), round the corner, and then rejoined the road. He took to the pavement again to avoid the traffic queueing at the new Sainsbury's, by which time I had reached the queue on the Lanark Road to turn right into Inglis Green Road. Then I met the next queue at Sainsbury's.
His ponderous, scofflaw riding meant I overtook him as we passed the Longstone Inn.
Posted 11 years ago # -
An idiot came the wrong way down Leven Terrace this morning and then yelled abuse at the driver who jammed on his anchors to avoid a collision and then darted down the path to Melville Drive and went across the red lights to NMW.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I displayed a pretty dodgy bit of cycling on my way home last night. Cowgate was chock full of traffic, so I did my usual filtering on the right (when nothing was coming). Got to the lights on red and found myself on the wrong side of a big car with the lights about to change. The nice chap has his window open and was gracious enough to let me go first after my admission of guilt. Also had a nice chat with a taxi driver at another set of lights, with his window open in the warm weather.
Posted 11 years ago #
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