Video: Edinburgh cyclist halts traffic to make point against badly-parked driver

This is the moment a cyclist in Edinburgh brought a busy road to a standstill while refusing to go around a badly-parked car.

Traffic backed up along Holyrood Road on Sunday afternoon when the cyclist made a principled stand in protest at a black car parked on the zigzags near the crossing at Baskin Robbins.

The tense scene unfolded as the cyclist waited in the middle of the road for at least five minutes shortly after 3.35pm, while one witness said that police passed by four times without taking action.

The video shows at least one police vehicle passing by.

The cyclist refused to pass the black car on the zig-zagged lines as it could also lead to a fine.

Meanwhile, as a tailback formed along the road behind the cyclist, some cars honked their horns and some resorted to driving onto the wrong side of the road to get past.

Eventually, the driver of the black car emerged, and exchange of words took place, with the cyclist still refusing to move first.

However, one the driver got into the car and pulled away, the cyclist finally carried on down the road.

One witness, who did not wish to be named said: “I’ve never seen anybody do anything like this before.

"We were a bit astonished to see the stand that the cyclist was taking by sitting in the middle of the road.

“This cyclist just stopped in the middle of the street. He just pulled up. He was making a point.

“I’d spotted the car in the zig zags, and I thought that was a big no no. My understanding is that it’s three points on your licence.

"It is dangerous. You’re blocking a view for anyone crossing a road. The zig-zags are there for a reason.

“The whole time that he was sat next to the car, four police vehicles went past. I thought that they would try and move the driver on but it didn’t happen.

“It’s a pity that the car wasn’t moved on.”

But the witness said the cyclist’s stance continued.

“He must have been there for more than five minutes. There were a few honking horns.

"A couple of drivers stopped. A van driver spoke to him on the way past and a car wound the window down and the cyclist explained why he was sat there.

“I was a little bit worried for him. The middle of the road is not a safe place to be."

Eventually, when the driver came back to his car, and the cyclist told the driver that he didn’t wish to overtake as that could land him with a penalty.

The witness added: “He offered the cyclist to have the conversation on the pavement, but he wasn’t interested in that. He lost his patience and drove off.”

According to advice issued by the RAC, drivers must not park or overtake in the zig-zagged area, as parking would block the view for pedestrians and oncoming traffic.

It also says drivers risk a fine and penalty points by parking on yellow or white zig-zag lines, but yellow zig-zags needs an accompanying sign to be legally enforceable.

White lines, on the other hand, are enforced by local authorities and the police, and they do not require a sign to be enforceable.