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I came very close to being squashed by a double decker bus today that decided there was enough room for it and me sandwiched between a traffic island. I heard him accelerating behind me and slammed on my brakes thereby avoiding becoming roadkill.
The bus driver took umbrage at me photographing him and then, 5 mins later, almost came to blows with the following car, the driver of which has offered to be a witness.
I do a lot of road miles every year, drive a car and a motorbike so have pretty good road awareness. I was wearing bright clothes and had lights on.
Normally I don’t engage but would love the view of the STW Borg as to whether or not I should take it further.
Yes.
Because if you don't try, you can't complain that it doesn't get better
Yes of course you should - every time and if you have a witness even better. thats one driver who needs to be removed from the road
Under these circumstances yes, he’s a professional driver and should know better.
For a professional driver definitely.
Yes. I always wonder how a less skilled or confident rider might cope in the same situation. For example, my wife. Equally bad drivers avoid injuring others by luck. At some point their luck will run out.
Absolutely. And most reputable bus companies take it seriously if you report it to them as well. Which is probably why the driver was irate to be photographed. He knows he ****ed up, and is likely to be in the shit with his firm.
Definitely, as a ‘professional’ driver they should be held to a higher standard if only for the safety of their passengers and other road users.
Yes , the bus probably has a few cameras which should help.
He’s armed with a bus and if it was a close shave for you then it might be worse for someone else. Definitely worth reporting to the bus company at the very least.
Buses in Edinburgh used to be awful with cyclists 20+ years ago. After a few incidents including IIRC one death they got training on how to interact with cyclists on the road and now they are a joy to be around - partly I think because the bus drivers also found it less stressful and eased their day
so complain both to the police and the bus company
I'm a professional driver, If I reported every other bad driver or cyclist I see in Harrogate I'd get no work done! 🙂
I would say yes. Also I would say you should position yourself at the approach to traffic islands in such a way that you can't be overtaken.
Totally but unless you have clear video footage I doubt anything would come of it unless the driver had previous, and even then without evidence there is doubt.
Sad but I've taken to having a camera on my bike when on the road and every ride have something worth reporting.
Yes, even more so if you have a witness, he needs a bollocking from his employers!
I've reported a few incidences with busses, but never had a response. If you have a witness I would expect them to take it seriously.
Yes.
It'll take you five.mins to write an email, nothing to lose if they ignore it, lots to gain if they don't, not least it might be the same driver on that route tomorrow and you might not get away with it next time
double decker bus today that decided there was enough room for it and me sandwiched between a traffic island
I once got chatting to a guy on a Sportive; looking closer I noticed he had a very shiny right arm clamped to his bars.
It turned out it was carbon fibre, and was a replacement for the one he was born with which was ripped off after a bus tried to squeeze past him on Trumpington Road in Cambridge.
He said he only lived because the cyclist behind him was a trainee doctor at Addenbrookes, coming home from her first day at work.
OP
Don't take this the wrong way, but is this a trick question?
Or put a different way, what possible reason do you have for not doing it,given that you have a witness?
Please report it. I’ve reported many dangerous/life threatening instances while out on bike. If we don’t report these idiots they may maim/kill a fellow cyclist further down the line.
I’m a bus driver.
Yes.
I reported a FedEx truck for a dubiously close pass last week (if only so they’d have a word with the driver rather than anything more) and got a nice email apology and suggestion they were taking it seriously.
Where professional drivers are concerned, it’s always worth reminding their employers that cyclists are potential customers too…
I do a lot of road miles every year, drive a car and a motorbike so have pretty good road awareness. I was wearing bright clothes and had lights on.
Riding a bike should be simple enough for a child to do. It's a sad state of affairs when we have to justify our capability in keeping ourselves safe through having vastly more education and experience than your average driver. Report it.
Thanks all - I've reported to police and TfL. The witness turned out not to be a witness for my incident as he said he did not see it even though he was right behind me. I, however, am a witness for him as the bus driver cut him up very badly about 2 mins after me and gave him a tirade of abuse. Let's see what happens
Yes, report it. The driver might not get in trouble for it, but there would be a good chance of at least having some training or awareness. At least it would have been investigated and most likely they would have sent him back to the driving school for a brush up, talk with the company I used to work for
Riding a bike should be simple enough for a child
Brilliantly put. That's how it should be. Almost a campaign slogan there.
Most buses have cameras nowadays. Making a complaint will get the footage reviewed should be straightforward from there.
I've complained to bus companies a couple of times. They always reply with an apology and assurance that they will speak with the driver.
Only time they didn't was when they said they couldn't track the driver down as I didn't get the bus number (just gave them time and location, so that was bullshit). I wish I'd taken things into my own hands in that case as the driver was laughing and gesturing like the brave fat **** he was.
But yeah, definitely report to the bus co.
Yes, and yes again.
I wont ride without my fly6 and I submit anything particular gnarly to the police, I had something like 6 referrals for driver training, point would be more satisfying but hopefully we now had 6 safer drivers on the road.
Riding a bike should be simple enough for a child
Brilliantly put. That’s how it should be. Almost a campaign slogan there.
It is. Chris Boardman in 2018 - "When I published my Made to Move report for Greater Manchester in December, a key pledge we made was that the network we create should be one which a 12-year-old would want to use".
I’m a professional driver, If I reported every other bad driver or cyclist I see in Harrogate I’d get no work done!
Fair comment, but an accident in your car/bus/truck isnt likely to cause serious injuries or even death. Not sure you can use this as a comparison.
Bikes dont have airbags and theres no seatbelts either.
Well, I have been really pleasantly surprised at the response. The police followed up the complaint and talked to TfL. I found out it was a private company operating a train replacement service. Found the MD on LinkedIn and wrote to them. Received a response within 2 hours saying the driver has been suspended and that they take all allegations of compromising and dangerous driving very seriously.
It's the first time I've ever had to report a driver even though I ride 8km+ annually in and around London. It shook me up and I'm glad it's being dealt with.