Author Topic: tnaR  (Read 58967 times)

Re: tnaR
« Reply #25 on: 20 May, 2009, 10:31:30 am »
Hello Mr Big Bus Company driver. Thank you for waiting nicely behind me where the road is narrowed and not hassling me where I chose not to use the unsafe bike lane. And for smiling and waving when I thanked you as you passed with enough space. Could you pass on the techniques to your colleges please. Ta :D.
Quote from: Kim
^ This woman knows what she's talking about.

Re: tnaR
« Reply #26 on: 20 May, 2009, 10:50:58 am »
Thanks to Mr Bendy Bus driver on the A202, waiting nicely and then thanking me for letting you pull out.  That and other careful courteous driving along the way, and the nice conversation at the lights.
Your Royal Charles are belong to us.

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: tnaR
« Reply #27 on: 20 May, 2009, 11:00:07 am »
It's dark, and we're riding along a fairly straightish road, reasonably wide, with cars parked down the side.  Proper boy racer territory.

Ay up.  Here comes one.  Four young lads in an old BMW coming up to a junction on the right.  Fingers over the brake levers, ready for action; arms relaxed but ready to take evasive action. 

Phew.  They waited.  Brace for the screaming overtake before the rapidly approaching pinch point.  Hold the line.  Hold the line.  Hold...on, where are they?  Waiting behind?

It's a trap.  Lulling us.  I won't fall for it.  Stay alert.  And then, suddenly...

...nothing happens.  Again.  So we turn off, and they go on their way.
Getting there...

JJ

Re: tnaR
« Reply #28 on: 21 May, 2009, 12:51:22 am »
You: Parcel force driver
Me: Barelling down the slope from Newton to Hauxton with two kids in the trailer.   Wanting to turn  right atthe bottom.

I waited for you to hammer past, and I waited for you to squeeze past.  You did neither.  Instead you stooged around a few car lengths back,until after we'd both made the turn, and then passed with all four wheels in the other half of the road.  What's more about 8 cars after you followed your example.  I began to feel quite lonely over on my side.

May all your parcels be light, and every addressee present and ready to take delivery.

Re: tnaR
« Reply #29 on: 05 June, 2009, 02:01:07 pm »
Richard Burbidge driver yesterday!  Thanks for your driving as in this video:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/CBwhOTK5AHA&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/CBwhOTK5AHA&rel=1</a>
Your Royal Charles are belong to us.

Julian

  • samoture
Re: tnaR
« Reply #30 on: 10 June, 2009, 10:15:44 am »
That was my first fixed commute, you see, and I had a mental block on fixing in heavy traffic.  So when I saw you pull out of the side road I'm afraid I did bellow at you.  Cos my heart rate had just shifted up to about 300.  You were a bit wide and it looked exactly to me as though you were going straight on (through me) whereas actually you were turning right to pull alongside me, where there was indeed plenty of space.

But when you caught me up at the junction with the A40, it was really good of you to pull up next to me and take the trouble to explain to the lunatic shouty cyclist that you'd seen me back there and that there was no danger.  Especially since you did it with a smile on your face.  And you understood why I'd shouted and you weren't upset, you were just keen to let me know that I'd been mistaken in thinking you'd missed me.  And then we had a lovely chat about bikes before the lights changed. 

Positive interaction.  We haz it.  :D

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: tnaR
« Reply #31 on: 10 June, 2009, 10:19:59 am »
If you drive a BMW 6-Series, it is very confusing if you let cyclists out and then drive sensibly behind them, leaving a suitable gap and not trying to overtake in dangerous places.

I can only assume this is not your normal car, and that you have not had the opportunity toi read the manual, especially Section One, where it clearly states:

Quote from: BMW
1.1   Yes, you do own the road.
1.2  You are faster than cyclists, therefore you must do everything you can to pass them

Never mind, I appreciated it this morning :)
Getting there...

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: tnaR
« Reply #32 on: 16 July, 2009, 11:05:01 am »
Fabric Warehouse, I shall be taking the time to call your manager to complement the exemplary behaviour of one of your drivers yesterday.  It's unlikely that you'll be able to identify who it was, being so close to the depot, but I hope that all of them have the same attitude.

To explain: The busiest part of our commute is London Road/Carshalton Road between Mitcham and Hackbridge.  It's straight, tight, includes a rise over a railway bridge, and has a horrible surface.  After Goat Road, a lot of drivers try to push past, in a stretch where there are pedestrian refuges and parked cars along the edge.  And then we turn right...

But FW's driver hung well back, and waited.  For a long while, but any pressure I felt was generated by me, because the driver was nowehre near me.  He stopped before my turn, but I paused as I entered the next road to memorise the company name. :thumbsup:

Edit: Just called them, and they're pretty sure who it was. Excellent! :D
Getting there...

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: tnaR
« Reply #33 on: 28 July, 2009, 03:09:43 pm »
Travis Perkins, what are you doing employing a driver who not only notices that there's someone waiting to pull out but realises where they want to go (it's not a road trucks can go down) and checks to make sure its clear before waving them through?
Getting there...

alan

Re: tnaR
« Reply #34 on: 28 July, 2009, 05:57:18 pm »
Several years ago I wrote a complimentary letter to the Transport Manager of a local wholesale dairy relating to the professional manner of one of their driver's.
It seemed to me thereafter that all their drivers behaved similarly when I encountered them (it's a a small world hereabouts:if you kick one,they all limp).
I learned much later that the letter was posted on the drivers  canteen noticeboard & that the drivers were all giving consideration to all local cyclists to thank the right one.
Result :thumbsup:

Eccentrica Gallumbits

  • Rock 'n' roll and brew, rock 'n' roll and brew...
Re: tnaR
« Reply #35 on: 28 July, 2009, 06:14:14 pm »
City of Edinburgh Council Health & Social Care Department transport section - the behaviour of one of your minibus drivers was so exemplary today that I have emailed you to ask you to thank him. If everyone overtook like that, cyclists would be much cheerier.
My feminist marxist dialectic brings all the boys to the yard.


Re: tnaR
« Reply #36 on: 29 July, 2009, 08:54:13 pm »
You in the Sierra!  Don't you dare pull out on me up don't you dare don'tyoudare

Oh.  You didn't.  How good of you.  Have a thumbs-up :thumbsup: This is still Thornaby, isn't it? ;D

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: tnaR
« Reply #37 on: 29 July, 2009, 10:10:15 pm »
Serco van in Tooting. 

Didn't do anything especially good.

But it's the first time I've seen a Serco van without it breaking any of the Rules of the Highway Code. :o

Small mercies, I know... :-\
Getting there...

fuzzy

Re: tnaR
« Reply #38 on: 01 September, 2009, 07:02:04 pm »
Equetrianarian lady.

Riding your horse down the middle of the 2 lane, 1 in each direction carriageway and holding up all the traffic going the same direction as you was very noble of you. It was you that attracted all the WVM venom in stead of me.

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: tnaR
« Reply #39 on: 24 September, 2009, 09:50:47 am »
Not a certificate of commendation, but the young Asian lad I saw in his Vectra waiting to pull out onto Balham High Road was such a picture of dejection that I really felt for him.  I'm glad he managed to turn shortly after I passed.  I would have stopped, but I had an idiot in a <deleted for fear of reopening an argument> ovetaking me in a particularly hazardous fashion at the time.
Getting there...

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: tnaR
« Reply #40 on: 07 January, 2010, 11:28:12 am »
FL58NJJ

I took especial care to remember that number, and I'm pleased I did.

A BOC truck on Balham Hill heading south last night.  It's a fast road for cyclists (pedestrian crossings permitting), even though it's uphill.  There are three pedestrian refuges that create serious pinch points.  And there are an awful lot of motons who think they can barge past in the space, and end up almost squishing a rider.

Well, this BOC driver had the amazing superpower of anticipation.  He looked ahead, saw what was happening, and decide that, yes, 20mph was just fine for the moment, and he would sit behind at a suitable distance, patiently, until there was room to pass.  As soon as there was, I pulled aside & motioned to him to come through.

I caught him a couple more times.  Each time he passed me, it was carefully and with plenty of room.  As it was when he passed another cyclist.

I've just rung BOC.  Sounds like they are frazzled with managing emergency orders at the call centre, so the resignation of 'Yes, I can take a complaint from you' turned to great joy when I let her know it was a compliment.

I suspect that it may have been the driver that delivers to work, but he wouldn't have recognised me, though it helps keep the customer sweet if you don't terrorise them on the road.
Getting there...

JJ

Re: tnaR
« Reply #41 on: 13 January, 2010, 10:18:51 am »
Cambridge drivers one and all.  May your biscuits have chocolate on this morning.  Yes I know two of you broke my zen, but the rest of you  more than balance that out, and I feel so good that I'll let those two have chocolate as well.

That is all.

vorsprung

  • Opposites Attract
    • Audaxing
Re: tnaR
« Reply #42 on: 13 January, 2010, 03:11:22 pm »
This is not just an artic, it's an....

Last week in the snow a Marks and Spencers lorry let me turn right across a box junction, halting it's progress


RJ

  • Droll rat
Re: tnaR
« Reply #43 on: 23 April, 2010, 12:41:41 pm »
Person on the phone at Parcelforce's Embra depot:

Thank you for taking my complaint about one of your drivers seriously.  I hope being "dealt with" unmakes his day ...

Clare

  • Is in NZ
Re: tnaR
« Reply #44 on: 11 May, 2010, 04:17:20 pm »
Stagecoach 700 Coastliner GX 10 HBA driver.

I realised as I saw your bus moving off it's stand and I could see the entire bus and all your passengers, that the one person I couldn't see was you! I quickly figured that if I couldn't see you, then you probably couldn't see me, so I stopped. You were almost right across my lane before we simultaneously came into each other's view, you looked stunned and gave me a nervous thumbs up, I was glad that the bus actually had a driver, but probably just looked grumpy to you - it was cold and I had a headwind.

Thank you for stopping at the next bus stop to apologise for pulling out on me. When I saw you flagging me down I thought we were going to have a frank exchange of views and I was really not looking forward to that. I know it wasn't done on purpose, I know it was a door pillar issue and I am amazed how long I was invisible for, I am going to reconsider my positioning at the Clarence Pier bus stands now, but thank you for stopping and apologising, i really didn't expect that.



Riggers

  • Mine's a pipe, er… pint!
Re: tnaR
« Reply #45 on: 12 May, 2010, 02:56:46 pm »
I might as well join in and share the email I sent in April to a local bus company, but sadly I've lost the nice reply that was sent back to me.

Dear Sirs,

First time I’ve ever put ‘pen-to-paper’ so to speak, on a matter of congratulating one of your bus drivers for his courteous and considered bus driving last Sunday 25th April.

I was cycling on the coast road from Brighton and approaching the Peacehaven mini-roundabout and became aware of the bus’s approach behind me. The driver held off so I could negotiate it ahead of him, and thereafter gave me a comfortably wide birth when overtaking (we seemed to play some cat and mouse) as I continued to overtake him at bus-stops. He last overtook me at the back end of Seaford.

So please pass on my thanks to whoever was driving that particular bus at around 9:45 Sunday morning in Peacehaven, and I think it’s important that other road users should be aware that courtesy such as he showed me, should not go unrecognised by more vulnerable ones such as myself. I’ve been cycling on and off for around 40 years, so as you can imagine, have seen my fair share of ‘driving skills’ shown ‘out there’.

Anyway, your chap deserves a day off for his considered driving.
Certainly never seen cycling south of Sussex

Re: tnaR
« Reply #46 on: 27 May, 2010, 10:13:07 am »
To Taurus Waste Co - operator of skip lorries.

Quote
I would like to commend the standard of driving displayed by one of your skip lorry drivers yesterday morning. I think the vehicle plate was RJ58 OWU but I could be very wrong !  The vehicle passed me on the road between Hampton and Sunbury Cross and was heading for The George pub just by Kempton Park race course. It was there at 09.10.

I cycle to work every day and am subjected to some very poor examples of driver behaviour, not least of which is the impatient and bullying tactic of driving a few feet behind my rear wheel on sections of the road where there is absolutely no possibility to overtake. One such stretch is through the narrow section at Hampton. Your vehicle followed me through here at a very good distance and never once looked or sounded like he was going to get close. There are two short parts where less considerate drivers will try to overtake, but your driver didn't even give a hint that he might try. Instead he waited until the road widened out, and there was nothing coming the other way before he executed the perfect overtaking manouevre.

I felt compelled to write to you because, sadly, this behaviour is SO far removed from what I regularly see on display from other skip lorry drivers.

I would be most grateful if you could pass my comments on to the driver concerned. He brought a smile to my commute. I hope you have enough information to identify him.
Rust never sleeps

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: tnaR
« Reply #47 on: 27 May, 2010, 10:39:15 am »
:thumbsup:

Especially good to hear of from a skip lorry. :)
Getting there...

JJ

Re: tnaR
« Reply #48 on: 11 October, 2010, 10:03:07 pm »
Sainsbury's delivery driver, turning your enormous artic left into Regent Street at the Catholic Church lights in Cambridge.  Well done for correctly interpreting my "Lookout!" and thus not squishing the smartly turned out but unlit lady cyclist who thought coming up the inside of you would be a good plan.

I wasn't terribly coherent, but would have utterly spoiled my evening if you hadn't.  Hers more so.

Thank you

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: tnaR
« Reply #49 on: 11 October, 2010, 10:39:06 pm »
How appropriate to find this thread today, as I have three items to add to it from today's ride.

1. I'm crossing a dual carriageway with two lanes on the side nearest to me and one on the other side. I cross and then wait in the central reservation - just wide enough to stop a bike in. Coming towards me are a car and a lorry, both indicating to turn into the side road I'm heading for - and the car driver slows and indicates clearly with his hand that he is doing so to allow me across in front of him.

2. He overtakes me, leaving the tipper truck behind me. It's a downhill and I reach the heady speed of, ooh, 37km/h. Well, that's not going to satisfy a tipper truck, probably hurrying back for his last load of the day, is it? But the road is twisty and not too wide, he waits a decent distance behind me and only overtakes, with plenty of clearance, when we get to a straight section.

3. Coming back on a secondary road, it's fairly busy and getting towards dusk. Unfortunately I didn't get the number or name on the artic that went right over to the opposite side of the road to overtake me and, more surprisingly, didn't start indicating back in until he was well in front of me and only moved back in after indicating. Why, I do declare the driver even looked in his mirror to see how far ahead of me he'd got! Top chap!
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.