Driving Pet Peeves

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Originally Posted by O'Rourke3

I'll admit to ignoring red lights on roundabouts when it's safe to do so at night. These worked fine for years without lights and while they became necessary to improve traffic flow in many situations, the lights really only needed at rush hour. To be fair, at rush hour many people still ignore the lights and go though blocking exits and lanes for others to drive on to. These people really piss me off.....

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I had this discussion with my wife when the guy did it at Maybury - it was late and if you knew the junction, probably safe enough to do it.

Who decides, though? Is it just the roundabout where you can exercise discretion and only at night, and what time does it become ok?

I know you’re a sensible guy, but when you bring in discretion it opens it up to folk who aren’t as sensible and those lines become blurred, so you could ignore the lights at any time if the roundabout is clear, or just if it’s safe to go even if it’s busy (loads of roundabouts don’t have lights so that must be doable)…

Not having a go at all, just curious about it. Like i said, when i talked to my wife about it I was definitely sitting in the “no harm done” camp until we started asking those questions.

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Originally Posted by J-C

Just driving behind a Mokka with these stupid wee indicators, jeez nearly went into the back of them as I never seen it.

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They are something else huh.

If someone was deliberately designing ‘hidden’ indicators then I’m not sure they would be as successful as what they have achieved here!

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Originally Posted by RyeSloan

They are something else huh.

If someone was deliberately designing ‘hidden’ indicators then I’m not sure they would be as successful as what they have achieved here!

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They disappear as soon as the breakes go on, ridiculous.

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Originally Posted by matty_f

I had this discussion with my wife when the guy did it at Maybury - it was late and if you knew the junction, probably safe enough to do it.

Who decides, though? Is it just the roundabout where you can exercise discretion and only at night, and what time does it become ok?

I know you’re a sensible guy, but when you bring in discretion it opens it up to folk who aren’t as sensible and those lines become blurred, so you could ignore the lights at any time if the roundabout is clear, or just if it’s safe to go even if it’s busy (loads of roundabouts don’t have lights so that must be doable)…

Not having a go at all, just curious about it. Like i said, when i talked to my wife about it I was definitely sitting in the “no harm done” camp until we started asking those questions.

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Yeah it’s a massive no no for the reasons mentioned, Red means stop regardless of time, traffic, or any other excuse you may want to use to go through a red light.

Large roundabouts with lights should just have the lights on flashing amber after a certain time, thus treating it like an ordinary roundabout.

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Originally Posted by J-C

Large roundabouts with lights should just have the lights on flashing amber after a certain time, thus treating it like an ordinary roundabout.

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That’s not a bad suggestion, or they could just turn the lights off when not needed.

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Originally Posted by matty_f

That’s not a bad suggestion, or they could just turn the lights off when not needed.

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Fairly sure that's what originally happened, signs used to be up warning of temporary traffic lights.

EDIT it might have said part time traffic lights.

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Originally Posted by Scouse Hibee

Yeah it’s a massive no no for the reasons mentioned, Red means stop regardless of time, traffic, or any other excuse you may want to use to go through a red light.

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It'd a fair point but I only choose to do it on roundabouts, late night, where I have clear vision on the approach as to what's coming on from my right and what might be blocking when I go forward - you know, like you have to do on roundabouts.

Telford Road coming from Farmers, cars parked on the road now blocking you to get down Groathill Road North, they were always on the pavement to get past before new laws came in.

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Originally Posted by matty_f

That’s not a bad suggestion, or they could just turn the lights off when not needed.

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This happens in Livingston at some roundabouts.

on a seperate moan...

There are a lot of people who just seem to drift between lanes without indicating. At busy periods as well. They are just making the traffic worse!

Folk that go into a supermarket and just abandon their car outside the parking area. 😡

Dickheads who tailgate in the outside lane of the motorway, trying to intimidate the driver in front to move over (whether they’re overtaking another car or not), then immediately do it to the next car, and then the next etc.

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Originally Posted by McD

Dickheads who tailgate in the outside lane of the motorway, trying to intimidate the driver in front to move over (whether they’re overtaking another car or not), then immediately do it to the next car, and then the next etc.

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I find that a gentle touch on the brake pedal helps.

Edin Council meeting this week to discuss the approval of reopening the left turn at Elm Row on to London Road, if approved should be reopen next month or two.

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Originally Posted by AltheHibby

I find that a gentle touch on the brake pedal helps.

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Yep. The idiot in question spent a long time waiting to get by as well. Had he had any kind of road safety or courtesy he’d have been past 15 miles earlier

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Originally Posted by McD

Yep. The idiot in question spent a long time waiting to get by as well. Had he had any kind of road safety or courtesy he’d have been past 15 miles earlier

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Good.🫡

Cyclists with no lights, reflective clothing or indeed anything that makes them visible at night. Encountered yet another one last night on my drive home just before midnight. Absolute idiots just asking to be in an accident.

Bypass closed at Hillend, again !

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Originally Posted by pollution

Bypass closed at Hillend, again !

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Shambles.

I was on for 90 minutes to get between Sherrifhall and Straiton. I think it would have been even worse for those joining 10-15 minutes later.

Partly my own fault for not checking but we just seem so ill equipped for dealing with any inclement weather here. I cycled to and from work today and you could see the chaos coming. Drains that haven't been properly cleared in years all bubbling up and unable to cope with a couple of days rainfall.

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Originally Posted by Pretty Boy

Shambles.

I was on for 90 minutes to get between Sherrifhall and Straiton. I think it would have been even worse for those joining 10-15 minutes later.

Partly my own fault for not checking but we just seem so ill equipped for dealing with any inclement weather here. I cycled to and from work today and you could see the chaos coming. Drains that haven't been properly cleared in years all bubbling up and unable to cope with a couple of days rainfall.

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A month's worth of rain in 36 hours probably caught everyone out.

( posted from a dry pitlochry 😉)

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Originally Posted by Moulin Yarns

A month's worth of rain in 36 hours probably caught everyone out.

( posted from a dry pitlochry 😉)

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I get the rainfall was exceptional but flooding at that point isn't uncommon and there still seems no contingency planning at all.

The road was first reported flooded at 3 and closed not long after. People at my work who were driving home eastbound said they were still letting people join the road at Calder and Baberton eastbound at 7.30. One guy left work at 5 and got home at 10. It was the same for me going back out westbound with cars still joining at Lasswade, Sherriffhall and Gilmerton well after 7pm. I would have thought that the logical decision would be for the police to prevent access to the road at these junctions and try to disperse the traffic already stuck rather than letting hundreds more cars join.

There is obviously a bit of personal responsibility, and I accept checking the road should really have been something I had done, but it was pretty poorly managed. Even when I was going home at 10pm there was still a huge queue between Lothianburn and Sherrifhall and I saw one police car all night.

I’m guessing the bypass is fine now? I’m heading that way later today and back from Fife.

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Originally Posted by Pedantic_Hibee

I’m guessing the bypass is fine now? I’m heading that way later today and back from Fife.

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I believe passing Dreghorn was still down to one lane this morning going westbound (that was at about 6am according to a guy in my work). Not sure if that's resolved now.

Thanks, PB. Just checked on Google maps and there’s an additional ten minutes to my journey if I left now so seems like it’s ok.

Friday bloody drivers.

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Originally Posted by Pretty Boy

I get the rainfall was exceptional but flooding at that point isn't uncommon and there still seems no contingency planning at all.

The road was first reported flooded at 3 and closed not long after. People at my work who were driving home eastbound said they were still letting people join the road at Calder and Baberton eastbound at 7.30. One guy left work at 5 and got home at 10. It was the same for me going back out westbound with cars still joining at Lasswade, Sherriffhall and Gilmerton well after 7pm. I would have thought that the logical decision would be for the police to prevent access to the road at these junctions and try to disperse the traffic already stuck rather than letting hundreds more cars join.

There is obviously a bit of personal responsibility, and I accept checking the road should really have been something I had done, but it was pretty poorly managed. Even when I was going home at 10pm there was still a huge queue between Lothianburn and Sherrifhall and I saw one police car all night.

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Genuinely I don’t think the authorities really care. You would imagine the flooding and closing of the only bypass around the Capital city would be treated as a major incident but it appears it was largely just closed and then left to sort itself out.

Road Traffic policing in Scotland seems almost non existent now, genuinely can’t remember the last time I saw a ‘traffic cop’.

Anecdotally it seems when I (rarely) venture down south I see much more of a presence on the motorways there.

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Originally Posted by RyeSloan

Genuinely I don’t think the authorities really care. You would imagine the flooding and closing of the only bypass around the Capital city would be treated as a major incident but it appears it was largely just closed and then left to sort itself out.

Road Traffic policing in Scotland seems almost non existent now, genuinely can’t remember the last time I saw a ‘traffic cop’.

Anecdotally it seems when I (rarely) venture down south I see much more of a presence on the motorways there.

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When I passed Sheriffhall at 620pm yesterday traffic was still entering the west bound bypass.

Some vehicles were reversing back to the roundabout; not a traffic cop in sight.

No comment today from the police about the long delays or whether they attended last night. No apology from BEAR Scotland , if they are the traffic managers.

Took me over three hours to get from Fife to Tranent and back this afternoon. Can usually do it in two.

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Originally Posted by J-C

Friday bloody drivers.

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That was horrific yesterday in the Capital, bad enough with roadworks but multiple accidents happening near enough all at the same time in the same area of the city.

City centre a nightmare again today, Corstorphine road, Queensferry Road and Ferry road all backed up from 12.30 today, and roadworks everywhere, why can’t they put no parking at the the top of Balgreen Road going on to Corstorphine road, folk parking on the hill brings it down to one lane and lengthy delays.