On Wed, 1 Sep 2004 19:34:15 +0100, Roland Perry wrote:

In message , at 19:25:27 on Wed, 1 Sep
2004, dwb remarked:
I'm a bit confused, what exactly was the bus doing wrong?

Sounds like it was stopped in a mandatory bike lane. A very common
offence.

Something similar happened to me this morning on my way to work.
A fella in a van was dropping what looked like his wife off. He pulled
into the bike(only) lane, then opened his drivers door as I rode past. I
swerved out, narrowly missing his door. Didn't say anything to him, just
went to work. Really, what good would it have done, other than making me
momentarily feel better? It wouldn't have given him a nice image of
cyclists, which ultimately is what we all want.
I've said it before, not that this excuses in any way the bus driver in
the OP's belligerence, but working drivers like bus drivers are that
agressive because of their job. I used to drive multi-drop (deliveries) in
central London. IME pushing in front of people becomes second nature. In
fact, in most driving jobs you would get the sack if you took longer to do
something than everyone else.
A bike and rider that weighs 230 lbs (heavy for a bike and rider) can turn
or stop a lot more easily than a lorry that weighs 15000 lbs (a very
small, light lorry). If you were driving one and a cyclist ran into the
back of it you probably wouldn't notice if you couldn't see them in your
mirror. You have to watch out for lorries, buses and other working
drivers, and get out of their way as soon as it's safe to do so. Don't
shout at them, it won't help you and it isn't fair to them. They're trying
to make a living.
Now as for the t**ts in BMWs and the kids driving souped up Fraud Festers,
sometimes you need to shout at them, cause it's important to make them pay
attention. But that's another thing entirely.
Take it easy,

Chris
--
|C|H|R|I|S|@|T|R|I|N|I|T|Y|W|I|L|L|S|.|C|O|M|
Remove the bars to contact me

"Chris Davies" wrote in message
news
drivers, and get out of their way as soon as it's safe to do so. Don't
shout at them, it won't help you and it isn't fair to them. They're trying
to make a living.

Good for them, if they insist of breaking the law while doing that then they
should get a job where they cant endanger others.

Now as for the t**ts in BMWs and the kids driving souped up Fraud Festers,
sometimes you need to shout at them, cause it's important to make them pay
attention. But that's another thing entirely.
Take it easy,

What's the difference between a bus driver and a car driver, except a bus
driver should know better?

On Thu, 2 Sep 2004 10:43:38 +0100, Paul Weaver wrote:

Good for them, if they insist of breaking the law while doing that then
they
should get a job where they cant endanger others.

But do bear in mind what I said in my last post. A lot of practises are
institutionalised. To give an example, most couriers get paid by the
number of drops they make. If any driver consistently took longer to make
a journey than the rest of his colleagues, he would in all likelihood lose
his job. Believe me, driving agressively would become second nature to you
if you were working under those conditions. You aren't thinking about it,
you're just doing it.

Also, you need to understand by doing what you want to do you are doing
all other cyclists a disservice. Do you really think that shouting at a
driver or trying to get him disciplined or even fired is going to make him
behave better towards other cyclists? Will it buggery.

What's the difference between a bus driver and a car driver, except a bus
driver should know better?

IME there is a world of difference between a 17 year old driver in a hot
hatch and a bus driver. Teenagers are famed for having a very unrealistic
view of their mortality (look at the number killed walking across roads).
Add to that an intoxicating sense of power that the car gives many new
drivers and the fact that an inexperienced driver will have less actual
driving ability than someone who has driven a bus (a vehicle 20 times the
size of a small car) 8 hours a day for the last 20 years, and I would
certainly say the two are different.

So I stick with what I said yesterday. In this case I personally think you
are in the right, but all the same let it go. It isn't doing anyone any
good.
--
|C|H|R|I|S|@|T|R|I|N|I|T|Y|W|I|L|L|S|.|C|O|M|
Remove the bars to contact me

Chris Davies wrote:
snip
A bike and rider that weighs 230 lbs (heavy for a bike and rider) can turn
or stop a lot more easily than a lorry that weighs 15000 lbs (a very
small, light lorry). If you were driving one and a cyclist ran into the
back of it you probably wouldn't notice if you couldn't see them in your
mirror. You have to watch out for lorries, buses and other working
drivers, and get out of their way as soon as it's safe to do so. Don't
shout at them, it won't help you and it isn't fair to them. They're trying
to make a living.
snip
Chris

I would agree that as a cyclist you have to watch out for buses etc. it
is however true that some bus drivers etc do not look out for cyclists.
This last Saturday I was stopped at light when a bus pulled up behind
me. When the lights change the bus driver pulled out and over took with
reasonable room, unfortunatly he then started to both pull in and brake
to stop at a bus stop ( he was pulling up short to the stop as there was
a bus already stopped at the stop )just as his rear wheel was level with
me. I had to brake hard too avoid being the filling in a kerb/bus
sandwich. As I passed the drivers window I pointed out what he had done
( surprisingly without expletives) then carried on my way.A little way
further on ( before the next bus stop ) I became aware that the bus was
not overtaking me, I looked round and saw the bus behind me and the
driver appeared to be indicating for me to pull over at the next stop.
He then passed me with the passenger door open and started shouting that
I "was an idiot and should not be on the road". He had to stop at the
next bus stop but shouted out of his window as I passed (could not make
that out). He over took me again, again with his door open shouting
something along the lines of " if your not on/a bus you should not be on
the road" and that " I should be on a cycle lane and not on the road" (
the fact that he had never noticed that there are total of 20yrds of
cycle lane on the 3 miles of this road is worrying)At this point all I
shouted back to him was I was reporting him and read out his bus ID
number . I then stopped and took down his license plate number as he
continued on his way. I later reported his behavior to the police (
after I had cooled down)

Allan

"Allan" wrote in message
...
continued on his way. I later reported his behavior to the police (
after I had cooled down)

....and bugger all happened. After all bad publicity for Ken's little
darlings? (Assuming london)
--
Everything above is the personal opinion of the author, and nothing to do
with where he works and all that lovely disclaimery stuff.
Posted in his lunch hour too.

In message , at 11:46:07 on Thu, 2
Sep 2004, Allan remarked:
This last Saturday I was stopped at light when a bus pulled up behind
me. When the lights change the bus driver pulled out and over took with
reasonable room, unfortunatly he then started to both pull in and brake
to stop at a bus stop ( he was pulling up short to the stop as there was
a bus already stopped at the stop )just as his rear wheel was level with
me. I had to brake hard too avoid being the filling in a kerb/bus
sandwich. As I passed the drivers window I pointed out what he had done
( surprisingly without expletives) then carried on my way.A little way
further on ( before the next bus stop ) I became aware that the bus was
not overtaking me, I looked round and saw the bus behind me and the
driver appeared to be indicating for me to pull over at the next stop.
He then passed me with the passenger door open and started shouting that
I "was an idiot and should not be on the road". He had to stop at the
next bus stop but shouted out of his window as I passed (could not make
that out). He over took me again, again with his door open shouting
something along the lines of " if your not on/a bus you should not be on
the road" and that " I should be on a cycle lane and not on the road" (
the fact that he had never noticed that there are total of 20yrds of
cycle lane on the 3 miles of this road is worrying)At this point all I
shouted back to him was I was reporting him and read out his bus ID
number . I then stopped and took down his license plate number as he
continued on his way. I later reported his behavior to the police (
after I had cooled down)

This is all classic stuff. Should be bottled and sent to traffic
planners everywhere.
--
Roland Perry

On Thu, 02 Sep 2004 00:31:57 +0100, Chris Davies
wrote:

On Wed, 1 Sep 2004 19:34:15 +0100, Roland Perry wrote:

In message , at 19:25:27 on Wed, 1 Sep
2004, dwb remarked:
I'm a bit confused, what exactly was the bus doing wrong?

Sounds like it was stopped in a mandatory bike lane. A very common
offence.

Something similar happened to me this morning on my way to work.
A fella in a van was dropping what looked like his wife off. He pulled
into the bike(only) lane, then opened his drivers door as I rode past. I
swerved out, narrowly missing his door. Didn't say anything to him, just
went to work. Really, what good would it have done, other than making me
momentarily feel better? It wouldn't have given him a nice image of
cyclists, which ultimately is what we all want.

And another almost related....

I was walking into town yesterday. The pavement has a magic white
line down the middle of it and bicycle symbols on the outer half. The
road has double yellow lines.

So, 7.5T white van knowing it is BAD to park where forbidden (eg
double yellow lines) pulls onto the cycle lane portion of the
pavement, square on, all four wheels. I mean there's no sign to say he
can't so he must be allowed surely. He then gets out of cab, and opens
the near side side door so he can access the pile of mouldering tat he
has to deliver. The open door is _exactly_ the width of the remaining
pavement, blocking it completely. What am I to do? Walking in the A23
didn't appeal, so I walked on the pavement, moving the door to clear
my way. An extra nudge and it closed. I do hope he had a handle on
the inside otherwise he'll be there still.



Tim

Tim Hall wrote:

So, 7.5T white van knowing it is BAD to park where forbidden (eg
double yellow lines) pulls onto the cycle lane portion of the
pavement, square on, all four wheels. I mean there's no sign to say
he can't so he must be allowed surely.

Not necessarily. In Greater london it's banned under the Greater London
Council (General Powers) Act 1974 unless there are signs to say that
pavement parkling is allowed. I believe it's also illegal where, as in
this case, there is a yellow line prohibiting waiting on the
carriageway.
--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)

--- "Paul Weaver" wrote...

a double decker bus was blocking the lane.

A bus in a bus lane!?! No!!! What is the world coming to!?!

"Solar Penguin" wrote in message
...

--- "Paul Weaver" wrote...

a double decker bus was blocking the lane.

A bus in a bus lane!?! No!!! What is the world coming to!?!

IT WAS A CYCLE LANE, NOT A BUS LANE