Black cab bully

[Dan B]

Not quite sure what can be added to three years on a moped and an additional driving test.

I must admit, this puzzles me too. You'd think after all that time on an underpowered two-wheeler they'd have more sympathy for other forms of road use - all too many of them seem instead to view it as some kind of payback time

 

[Origamist]

While I'm on, do I remember a certain Origamist promising a mid-winter break from CC once his post count hit 2k? Mmmmmm?

I had a 2 week hiatus earlier in the month, that's 14 long days (I'm hurt you didn't notice) - it was only dozens of pms from my loyal fanclub "Origamist is not dull, he's dry" that lured me back to the fold

Xmas quiz. I joined CC in Jul 2007. Can anyone identify my first incarnation (clues: I have less than 10 posts and I use an exceedingly pretentious word - even by my standards - meaning "hypocrite").

 

[LOGAN 5]

I just know that I'm going to get some hassle when I see a Black Cab coming up behind me in a bus lane with slow moving traffic on the outside. Mostly I'm right.

My position is usually riding two thirds into the bus lane, in other words if somebody wants to overtake they have to move totally into the other lane to do so. This ensure that the overtake is not close.

However, on the red route motorcycle, bus, taxi lanes I'm often pushed over to the inner third of the bus lane in order that the much faster motorbikes can pass which then puts me in a bad position for the taxis which want to squeeze past too.

Personally I feel that the animosity expressed by Black Cabs towards cyclists has gotten really bad lately. It just didn't happen years ago which makes it so much more noticeable now. We're like some red flag to most of them. Their behaviour is so predictable.

One thing I've noticed is that they seem to drive "amongst" cyclists by pulling alongside so as to intimidate the rider to pull over and move out of the way. This has happened frequently around Trafalgar Square even when I'm travelling at the same speed as the taxi.

I see a Black Cab behind me and (as another poster said they're no better or worse than other roade users with which I diagree) I know there's a greater chance of some incident so I'm on my guard. I don't feel the same way with other motorists or bus drivers when conflict is much more random.

Black Cab drivers are professional drivers and they know exactly what they're doing and how much room they're allowing for the overtake.

I know there are cab drivers on this forum and I'm sure you don't drive like this and naturally want to defend your industry. However, there are a lot of cab drivers who are awful and it's those drivers that are causing problems for cyclists (maybe a London specific issue). Whether they are in the minority is difficult to tell but I've had so many problems with them I would disagree.

 

[BentMikey]

Nah, I think cabbies are better than the average motorist. It's easy to let the few bad ones tar the good majority, especially because very few are going to get the better of a cabbie in a verbal exchange.

 

[hackbike 666]

I have found cabbies mostly ok generally but there is generally a bad egg somewhere.

Had one hang behing me not too close at London Bridge which I thought was very good the other day.I am tending to hog the middle more though because I get cheesed off with the crap...esp after a lot of days worked my patience with the comedians seems to go out the window so I think f-em.

 

[Bollo]

I had a 2 week hiatus earlier in the month, that's 14 long days

Always with the statistics!

(I'm hurt you didn't notice) - it was only dozens of pms from my loyal fanclub "Origamist is not dull, he's dry" that lured me back to the fold

A Nigerian General offering to rest some money in your account is not strictly a 'fan'.

Xmas quiz. I joined CC in Jul 2007. Can anyone identify my first incarnation (clues: I have less than 10 posts and I use an exceedingly pretentious word - even by my standards - meaning "hypocrite").

Mea Culpa? I'm not convinced, but filing through the Bikeradar refugees is a uniquely depressing experience.


Back on topic, LOGON 5 - I deliberately singled out London because its all very different to most of the rest of the country. The stresses faced by the average Hampshire cabbie are probably much less than his cockney confrere. At the same time, he probably doesn't have to exercise the same degree of skill, control and knowledge. Outside the big cities, most cabbies are just like other drivers and display the same spread of behaviour.

 

[tdr1nka]

Me too, I've had them beeping their horn at me all the way from Tesco to PC World, when all the time there's been barely a car's length between me and the bus in front

The bus lane from the Fire Station on the left to the lights at ASDA is a prime section for just shutting the door, taking the lane and gritting your teeth.
Even if you could leave enough room for a Taxi to pass you would be smacking your pedal off the curb.

 

[hackbike 666]

I reckon I must know a bit of the knowledge while exploring the "diversions" and on the first bit of my commute back I have added Fetter Lane and Chancery Lane to my route knowledge and also the High Holborn/Barts/St Pauls and the London Wall which isn't so busy at night,just a few cabs.All the way to Liverpool Street and straight up to Bishopsgate.Also more backstreet stuff due to another diversion at Moorgate.

 

[Origamist]

A Nigerian General offering to rest some money in your account is not strictly a 'fan'.

I also had a few East European girls offering me services and a couple of US Doctors willing to supply me with meds at crazily cheap prices. A truly cosmopolitan fan base.

Mea Culpa? I'm not convinced, but filing through the Bikeradar refugees is a uniquely depressing experience.

Not mea culpa - I'd have gone for mea maxima culpa! Think along biblical lines.

 

[Origamist]

The bus lane from the Fire Station on the left to the lights at ASDA is a prime section for just shutting the door, taking the lane and gritting your teeth.
Even if you could leave enough room for a Taxi to pass you would be smacking your pedal off the curb.

You can't be expected to safely share that section of bus lane with a cab, even though many drivers think you can if they give you very little passing distance and push you into the kerb.

Wider bus lanes present different problems for cyclists as you have to decide whether and when to hold the centre of the lane or cede position to the left when faced with a problem driver.

 

[nigelb]

Its not just cyclists that the bad eggs wind up.

In Cambridge city centre, one kid in a pushchair, other walking beside me, I went to cross the road, which meant goinh through the queue of parked taxis waiting for fares. As we were about to leave the pavement, one rolled forward, looking at me smiling, blocking our way!

Apart from the scare, this then meant a detour back behind his cab, out into the road, back level to where we'd been to start with (at the crossing point) and cross the rest of the road, whilst keeping track of the toddler, wresting with a buggie with a mind of its own, and cars going both ways (which had no business being there).

Nige

 

[Origamist]

Evening - certainly thought there was more to agree about than disagree about reading deeper into our posts - a safer road environment for all. I don't know what training TFL have undertaken, and what affect it has had on not just casualties but on bus driver attitudes. Not quite sure what can be added to three years on a moped and an additional driving test. I would think that if someones attitude stinks to the extent of serious harrasment of a road user, than it isn't a training issue, but more of a proper discipline issue through an active PCO

I agree, a pro-active PCO would be a vast improvement.

TFL have created a bus driver/cyclist DVD for training purposes:

You may be interested to know that we’ve also produced a ‘cycle awareness’ DVD for all bus drivers. This highlights to drivers good practice with regard to having regard for cyclists and other key road users.

Bus companies are also planning refresher courses for bus drivers re: driving techniques and recurring issues, such as negotiating cyclists.

I believe the LCC did a changing places event a few years back with cyclists and cabbies.

Measures like these are only likely to ameliorate the sometimes fraught relationship between taxis and cyclists in bus lanes and elsewhere.

 

[Muddyfox]

I know there are cab drivers on this forum and I'm sure you don't drive like this and naturally want to defend your industry. However, there are a lot of cab drivers who are awful and it's those drivers that are causing problems for cyclists (maybe a London specific issue). Whether they are in the minority is difficult to tell but I've had so many problems with them I would disagree.

I'm not sure we're that bothered about defending our industry but get fed up with being tarred with the same brush as the bad drivers ... i'm all for cyclist ~ pedestrians ~ other motorist reporting cab drivers for poor driving or aggressive behaviour on the road .. In the area that i work (East Devon) the biggest city i drive into on a daily basis is Exeter which is one of the cycling demonstration towns and they now have 1 in 5 school children cycling to school and i believe that cycling in Exeter has taken off so well because the local Police have a very strict stop and lecture or prosecute where neccesary any motorist that either does'nt treat cyclist's as proper road users or try's to intimidate cylist's ... tis definately working

But you have my sympathy on cycling though London ... i dont like driving through it let alone riding

Simon

 

[Dan B]

Nah, I think cabbies are better than the average motorist. It's easy to let the few bad ones tar the good majority

The point is that they're professionals and when you do get a bad one you know it's 99% likely due to malice not just to an innocent mistake/moment's inattention. Now I grant you that the potential for harm is the same either way, but it's still a uniquely depressing experience.

especially because very few are going to get the better of a cabbie in a verbal exchange.

Oh, yes, because "get a job" is so the height of sparkling repartee. The phrase "shining wit" was invented for the London cabbie

 

[Origamist]

Oh, yes, because "get a job" is so the height of sparkling repartee. The phrase "shining wit" was invented for the London cabbie

That's a bit harsh! A cabbie once called me a "bald c**t" - a Wildean turn of phrase, if ever I'd heard one...