[Closed] I got 'punished' on the way to work today

You did the right thing in reporting him

+1. Let us know how it goes...

and he will have video evidence as most buses record from camera front and back and inside on a rolling basis

Good effort fella. These chinless pricks need to realise that just because they are inside a steel box doesnt give them the right to intimidate & endanger others.

A mate of mine has a record for punching bus drivers who cut him up.

Good move on reporting, to retain high ground if they ask for detail admit name calling and appologise for it, heat of the traumatic moment etc.

[vent] Sorry if this is a rant, just very very angry [/vent and breath]

Tags misaligned 😉

A bus deliberately closed me out as I went down the cycle lane in Shaftsbury Avenue last week. There was no other logical reason for his actions. I made the universaly accepted "why" gesture and cycled round his offside.
I figure that folk get these strange ideas in their heads sometimes. The authorities are giving a strong indication they aren't going to enforce road rules, so there ain't much you or I can do............other than trying to make sure we aren't casualties.

I've had a bus force me into a parked car and then, after I'd passed him at a stop, overtake me with his doors open so he could shout abuse at me 😯 . I told him he should probably be looking where he was going, not out of the door.

Apparently you're not allowed to trackstand at traffic lights...

Good work reporting him.

I think you have every right to call him names, he could have killed you! Drivers of all kinds seem to have a weird detachment that lets them do stupid things without believing in a consequence.

You did right to report him, keep us informed!

We ride on the left as a courtesy to other road users, not because we have to. If you ride in the gutter then people take advantage and cut you up/get too close/flick fag ends out the window at you. Every lane is a bike lane......except motorways 😉

I can't believe the driver of a 19 would be so cruel - that's my favourite bus route. 🙁

We ride on the left as a courtesy to other road users

Your description makes me think of that horrific incident where a driver used his bus to take out a rider. I think he got jail? It was chilling.

Let us know what comes from this

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I had to jump out of the way of a bus in Mile End as I crossed a traffic light controlled pedestrian crossing yesterday. He decided to not stop at the white line and keep rolling over the bike box (is that what it is called?) and onto the ped crossing area whilst the traffic lights were red and the green man showing. 🙄

He declined the opportunity to discuss his manoeuvre with me! 🙂

Why? Because he said I was taking up too much road (I was 1m from the kerb), so he took it upon himself to tell me how it is.

So half the width of a car, and a lot less than the width of a delivery van or truck, you may want to remind TFL, that 1 metre plus is the depth the they bury coffins at and that you wouldnt expect a bus to pass closer than a metre.

Keep us informed incase TFL get in contact.

I once saw an enourmous guy in Kilburn (6' 6" and almost as wide - SAS tpye guy), after being cut off similarly to the way you described, calmly lean his bike against the front of the bus, pull of the windscreen wiper and ride away. All of the commuters had to get off the bus and wait for the next one. Glad you didn't go that far!

Under the data protection regulation cctv is regulated and you can ask for cctv dvd off the bus, and any street side cctv, but you need to do it quick and in writing, incase it gets wiped.

Under the data protection regulation cctv is regulated and you can ask for cctv dvd off the bus, and any street side cctv, but you need to do it quick and in writing, incase it gets wiped.

I think I will ask for some CCTV, this guy is bloody dangerous. That's what made me so angry, he wanted to knock me off.

i had one a while back where i was cycling up the hill home from the station happily in my cycle lane when the bus decided to overtake me then drive in the cycle lane all the way up the hill.
I wasn't very happy as i got a gobfull of diesel fumes. I crest the hill and he's in traffic now, just as i'm about to pass the line of traffic he sticks the nose of the bus back into the cycle lane to block me off. I anchor on and only just miss slamming into the side of the bus. Driver pulls off with a poo-eating grin on his face.
Whilst composing myself another bus from that company pulls alongside and that driver checks if I'm OK (not all bus drivers are heartless)

i did absolutely nothing to prompt the behavior of the first bus driver

I put my complaint in to the company and never heard anything back

lets hope TFL are better

had a similar thing with a local bus, the driver would partially overtake me just prior to stopping and pull in each time trapping between the bus and the curb.

Happpened about three time as ovetook then stopped bus on the third time i pulled up to his window and asked why he kept trying to kill me with his bus.

The driver threw a punch out of the window.

I reported him, they didnt seem too intrested but I didnt see him anymore and have ridden the route daily since.

As always there are a lot of thick c*** humans about, some of them end up in charge of vehicles.

Report it, forget it.

I wasn't very happy as i got a gobfull of diesel fumes.

Has happened to me before, in Bristol. Still no idea what I had done to deserve it, but it's bloody scary.

Definitely worth reporting if the driver works for a business. They will take it seriously as it can hit their bottom line if they get sued, or there is bad publicity.

Doesn't take much time, just stop, note the time, location and the bus number and send them an email.

calmly lean his bike against the front of the bus, pull of the windscreen wiper and ride away. All of the commuters had to get off the bus and wait for the next one.

I like that a lot......

Bus drivers are, like other drivers, a mixed bunch. I always let them pull out if they're indicating and most of them are considerate and give space.

BUT... a significant minority sit in ASZ's, jump red lights and I was put in hospital by one who gave me a punishment pass.

Simple fact is that bikes and buses shouldn't be sharing a lane - it doesn't work.

for every nice bus driver there are dicks like this.
and it's completely illogical for them to do it as all they are doing is inconveniencing you, it will not make their route any quicker.

most infuriating time for me was riding to the top of a long hard hill, a bus was picking up about 50ms from the top, he leaned out of his window and saw me, waited for bit and then pulled out right infront of me so that I had to stop. that was just vindictive.
and it was made doubly annoying as I was on for a Strava PB up that hill 😀

Report to bus company, report to police too. One thing a transport company do not want is attention from traffic branch.

And follow up with transport company. If you make a complaint they should at least be acknowledging it.

dude - you have to call the police, the bus company have no interest in this being seen as a criminal act, which it clearly is.

Don't rely on the police doing the leg work to get the CCTV though, best off doing that yourself if it needs to be done quickly

Just been on the phone to the bus company to ask for CCTV and got the run around. They wouldn't even give me the Accident Prevention officers name.

They only keep the footage for 5 days as well, which is very handy for them and apparently they don't know how many number 19 busses were running in Piccadilly between Fortnum and Mason at about 8.45 this morning.

Does anyone know who I ask for street CCTV footage, is it the Local Council?

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/termsandconditions/22246.aspx#page-link-how-can-customers-access-their-personal-data-in-relation-to-cctv-

Have you posted anything on Twitter? Usually pretty good for getting attention if you include the right people / #.

Local council for cctv, data protection oficer or cctv control room ask for names etc and put it in writing via email and follow it up.

Go on the bus comapnies website and look for the details of their head office and ring them direct, not the local garage, and ring tfl.

apparently they don't know how many number 19 busses were running in Piccadilly between Fortnum and Mason at about 8.45 this morning.

I wouldn't take this at face value. I heard a driver chatting to someone this morning saying that the bus company can tell exactly where the bus is, how long for, when it stops and starts, etc.

Have you reported it via Met Police Roadsafe?

https://secure.met.police.uk/roadsafelondon/

I had a coach try and run me into the kerb as i was filtering down the inside through stationary traffic on the A4 past hammersmith

I could see the driver and his mate laughing at me in his wing mirror

my trusty old x-lite bar end-caps left a nice long gouge down his paintwork while I hopped onto the pavement and smiled happily

apparently they don't know how many number 19 busses were running in Piccadilly between Fortnum and Mason at about 8.45 this morning.

I wouldn't take this at face value. I heard a driver chatting to someone this morning saying that the bus company can tell exactly where the bus is, how long for, when it stops and starts, etc.

Most buses are GPS tracked with a screen at the depot, and drivers get a bonus for saving fuel all mapped out on the GPS, abnnd also the ticket machines record the times as well and location.

Bus enthusiast.

Try filling in this form

https://custserv.tfl.gov.uk/icss_csip/ZCreateRequestChangeRelatesTo.do?newTab=CA_14600

Glad your ok eyerideit.

There's been a cyclist orientated advertising in the metro / evening standard and is a hot topic for Boris - email him directly mayor@london.gov.uk

Also politically email this to LBC radio. They have strong views on this and the ability to discuss with TFL / Boris directly and love to highlight these issues, specifically when there is open campaigning going on.

I got run off the road by a bus-driver once. Wasn't vindictive, he just didn't see me (despite overtaking me with loads of space - didn't check his left wing mirror before pulling back in)

Read this:
http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/just-got-side-swiped-by-a-school-bus

Anyway, I was going to complain to the bus company, but went straight to the police who got their own CCTV, found the name of the bus driver, and went round to his house to ask him down to the station for a chat. Never had a problem with any local busses since - they all give me loads of room.

Moral of the story: get a witness (maybe too late) & get the police involved.

I've already filed a complaint with TFL and have contacted the bus company for CCTV

I'll report it on the way home.

Thanks for all the advice.

This has reminded me of a similar incident that happened to me in Chester back in December and I was promised a follow up.
Never happened obviously, so I've just sent them a message to remind them.
Hope you're ok OP.

I found that after they rub your arm as they pass If you catch thenm shortly afterwards at the next stop and grab them warmly by the throat hey dont like it!!

Whilst living in London I used to get cut up rather frequently - one particularly memorable occurrence was when a lady overshot the junction and decided to reverse back over me and my road bike. Seeing that she had nearly killed me after having knocked me over and driving over my ankle she then drove off after swearing loudly at me through her window. Thankfully she only got another 30 yards up the road before becoming stuck at a junction where I caught up with her - I proceeded to score the entire length of her range-rover with my pedal cleat to register my disdain and in a fluke accident smashed her wing mirror off. I managed to potter home after that..

All London buses are equiped with I-bus system. Any bus with I-bus* can be tracked to precise point give or take 2metres. CCTV footage is stored for 2 weeks on hdd. OP the official of that bus company was covering offended drivers @ss.

Now, from drivers perspective ... people can make mistakes, when office worker spills coffee on keyboard all it takes is just replace new keyboard. No fuss.

When driver makes a silly mistake, it can go very wrong. It's a bit complicated to explain what makes people become cowboys at driving but there are good and bad drivers.

You can only press for charges if you can get both parties view and CCTV evidence, but if there are no damages then ground is thin.

Report it, and forget I say.

With both hands on the handlebars, swing the bike in a whipping motion and your pedal will easily smash a windscreen. Does take some practice.

Glad you're OK.

With both hands on the handlebars, swing the bike in a whipping motion and your pedal will easily smash a windscreen. Does take some practice.

Reading these stories is making me fantasise about carrying one of these again....

[url= http://www.spservices.co.uk/item/EMI_EMIWindscreenCenterPunch_76_0_24_0.html ]http://www.spservices.co.uk/item/EMI_EMIWindscreenCenterPunch_76_0_24_0.html[/url]

There's a gap in the market for a cycling multi-tool which has a windscreen centre punch..

Report it to the police. Bus companies don't give a shit.
I had a bus nearly hit me, only braked when I shouted at him.
He then started saying how if he wasn't at work he'd give me a kicking, etc.
Right, quick u turn, back home, google where bus depot is swap cycle for motorbike.
He comes back to depot to find me reading the riot act to his boss. he changes his mind about giving me a kicking. All of a sudden he feels very sorry....

There's a gap in the market for a cycling multi-tool which has a windscreen centre punch..

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a watch of this, you may not need one[/url]

There is a world of difference between human error and malice/ deliberate law breaking. Regrettably both can have the same deadly results.

For me - human error or stupid = tell the company and be nice about it if it was genuinely injury threatening. Only if insanely stupid/lunatic would i call the cops.

Malice or deliberate law breaking is a job for the Police.

Even the most skilled and trained people in the world make human errors. Pilots, sea captains, blue light drivers and medics. It is ghastly for the victims and their families but not all accidental injury and death can be eliminated.

OP and many others yours is one for the boys in blue!

I once reported a coach driver after an incident and have always regretted not pursuing it further after not getting a response.

The coach tried to overtake on a blind bend and had to pull back in behind me due to oncoming traffic. I was already riding well out but took a centre position to discourage another attempt and he immediately accelerated and tailgated me just a couple of metres away round the rest of the bend. I pulled back in as it straightened out, he passed without moving over and then pulled into the kerb forcing me to stop. I had to lean the bike over so the bars didn't get caught in the rear wheel arch. This was all on a single bend over about 20 seconds and despite having the company name and number plate it didn't go anywhere as far as I know 🙁

On (most) buses on the outside, to the rear, is a button clearly marked 'Emergency Engine Stop'... 😈

Now, from drivers perspective ... people can make mistakes, when office worker spills coffee on keyboard all it takes is just replace new keyboard. No fuss.

When driver makes a silly mistake, it can go very wrong. It's a bit complicated to explain what makes people become cowboys at driving but there are good and bad drivers.

The thing is if it was a mistake, I wouldn't have started this thread, he knew exactly what he was doing. H e was teaching me a lesson for 'taking up too much space'. The minute I saw him pull up next to me I have an inkling what he would do. However I didn't for one minute think he'd actually do it, if I didn't stop he would have knocked me off.

That kind of behaviour is unacceptable, that's why I've made a complaint. I have no doubt in my mind he'll teach other cyclists a lesson and they might be so lucky - it could even be a child's face next time!

I reported a London bus driver using the Tfl website some 6 months ago. Was in the car, crossing Waterloo bridge and the bus changed lanes making me to do an emergency stop to not get totalled. Bus behind saw it all and the driver insisted I must report it as all buses have cctv and the driver would be punished.

I got an email a few days later. Usual stuff... We take these matters very seriously.... Driver will be questioned..... Our policy is to not reveal the results of any internal investigation.

I can only hope the sentiment of the letter is honest and the driver was appropriately wanted and the incident noted on his performance record.

You should take this incident further OP, this driver is a danger to all road users and his passengers.

I had a bus driver do something similar. On a busy street he overtook me and pulled hard left to a bus stop, i overtook him again and carried on.
he did the same thing again, and again i overtook him once more.
As a car was overtaking me the bus screamed up behind and overtook both me AND the car passing me - he was completely on the other side of the white line in order to do this.
I passed him again as he stopped to pick up passengers, and he pulled up right behind me as i waited at the lights to turn left onto a dual carriageway.
He got very close behind me and started revving his engine in what i could only interpret as a threatening manner.
When the lights changed i set off and he passed me very close before pulling hard into the kerb forcing me to stop.
At no point had i even looked at the driver of the bus so i can only assume he had some sort of pathological hatred of cyclists.
I reported him but got the standard fob-off in reply.

In all my time pedalling in and around London , it is always the buses that scare me the most. I had a period when I was sure all the drivers within a mile of Finsbury Park station were out to kill me.

o.p. glad you're ok btw.

I made a bus driver get off his bus and apologise after squeezing me against some railings as he pulled in at a stop . I just leaned my bike up in front of the bus and stood there until the abuse from his passengers who had actually noticed the crazy move was sufficient to encourage him to get out and apologise properly.

Sounds like this bloke was completely out of hand and well done for reporting him. But to be fair (sorry to spoil the bus driver bashing party), I think, in general, London's TFL bus drivers are some of the better/more courteous on the road. I have more problems from privateers and taxis.

Tell Boris!

Smashing windscreens and threatening drivers with violence isn't going to help anyone.

I'm a regular London commuter and I see bad driving from bus drivers all the time, I regularly get passed by a bus which then pulls in and stops, forcing me to take avoiding action.

I wear a helmet cam. On occasion I've calmly tapped on the window and asked the driver exactly why they cut me in, whilst pointing out that I've recorded everything. More often than not I receive an apology, which is all I ask for, everyone makes mistakes and I'm sure I've driven like a total tawt in my time too.

If a bus driver is aggressive toward you then don't bother with the bus company, go straight to the Police. If you've got a helmet cam then you're the one in possession of a recording of evidence, not the bus company.

If a bus passes you then pulls up for a stop just to drop off then chances are the bell wasnt pressed till after they were committed to overtaking. If there are passenger waiting there then that's a different matter, poor planning or deliberate. If they do it repeatedly to me then they usually find their engine compartment door mysteriously comes loose at the next stop with the resulting cab alarm going off.

Had a similar incident yesterday afternoon, but with a car. I was riding round the local one way system. I was in the left lane, but in the middle of it as I was travelling at the same speed of the traffic. Car overtook me, cut across very close to me, got in front and immediately braked as the traffic ahead was stopped at a traffic light. I had to skid the back wheel to stop myself going into the back of him, and the odd expletive came out of my mouth - I was satisfied to notice that his window was down so he would have heard. It was obvious that he felt I shouldn't be in the middle of the lane, despite being in a safe place within the flow of traffic.

We carried on for a bit, me behind him. Got to a roundabout and he was going straight on, while I wanted to turn right. Traffic was stationary, so I moved up the outside of him. Noticed that he was doing the nescafe shuffle hand signal and looking at me in the mirror. Got up alongside his drivers door, stopped and just leaned my head down to make eye contact with him. Didn't say a word. Pudgy fellow - realised I'm actually quite a big guy. He immediately looked extremely uncomfortable. Hand signals stopped and the window went straight up.

I just gave him a nice big smile and rode off.

On (most) buses on the outside, to the rear, is a button clearly marked 'Emergency Engine Stop

Tempting, but since it usually requires mechanic call-out to reset, you'll probably have 1) upset passengers hating bikers & 2) driver getting overtime for being late finishing.

Any news on this?

Sorry I've been on my jollies, but there has been some news.

I got an email from the bus company last week and called them back on Monday.

They've reviewed the footage and have found the driver was clearly in the wrong and are now in the process of taking action against him. But unfortunately I'll never know what that 'action' is and the outcome of it due to employment laws ect. Which is a shame as I feel I should have a right to find out. Could I ask for a written apology or would that be a violation of his human rights?

I've requested the CCTV footage as well which I have to pay £10 for (not happy about that, but will do) and will pass it on to the Police - who have decided there is not enough evidence to pursue a conviction. Hopefully with this additional footage they will change their minds. However I somehow doubt it.

I can try though. For the bus company to side with me clearly shows this driver has issues and needs to be sorted out.

So that's everything for now, I'll post the footage up when I get it, if the police still feel it's not worth pursuing. It won't be a impressive as the Chinese stunt driver pics though.

Good luck.

The incident has left you too shaken to cycle on the roads, civil action?

Always confront and always report.

I had a close miss with a refrigerated truck who then did the same to a female cyclist infront of me. Mine was sort of close hers was amiracle. Grey dank early am. Him in black shades. His company called me back 2/3 times to clarify detail. If the driver is a repeat offender hopefully he/she will be stopped 'in time'.

The incident has left you too shaken to cycle on the roads, civil action?

Not really, I'm riding everyday. I wouldn't let some sh1tbag bus driver scare me off the roads or even lie about it.