Dodgy bus driving

[francypants 441]

What video did you watch?

 

Everyone else is discussing one showing a flat road

 

The hill is in the second video, well away from the initial incident, with plenty of SAFE overtaking opportunities inbetween

 

I only watched the first video, I thought it looked like it was uphill ( my mistake)

The way it showed the speed at which the bus accelerated away shows how slow the cyclist must have been going though ( another reason I thought it was uphill )

[chipspice 10]

Typical of the Lycra Clad warriers on two wheels. Always blame everyone else for their suicidal riding.

 

you are just generalising. I am a cyclist and have seen some pretty poor driving, I don't generalise that all drivers are the same. Just as there are some good cyclists but there are bad ones too. I have had cars turn left into me without looking and buses that pull out without indicating.

 

---------- Post added 22-02-2013 at 23:48 ----------

 

Hear hear, well said. The cyclist was in the lane getting ready to turn right, the bus undertook on the INSIDE then cut the cyclist up.

 

agreed. the cycle lane was in the left hand lane and the cyclist was turning right.

 

also, i get fed up of drivers saying cyclists have no right to be on the road because they don't pay road tax. road tax is not used for the maintenance of the roads and hasn't been for as long as i remember, council tax maintains the roads - which I pay! would they then say that people who do not pay council tax have no right to be on the road? ban anyone who is out of work?

[trackside 10]

also, i get fed up of drivers saying cyclists have no right to be on the road because they don't pay road tax. road tax is not used for the maintenance of the roads and hasn't been for as long as i remember, council tax maintains the roads - which I pay! would they then say that people who do not pay council tax have no right to be on the road? ban anyone who is out of work?

 

Yep, every cyclist I've ever spoken too also drives so they're still paying their roadtax anyway. I'm sure there is the odd cyclist without a car but it'll be the exception rather than the rule.

 

Also it's blatant that the bus driver was in the wrong in this instance and I find it quite worrying that there are drivers on here that would take his side. I don't cycle but to know that there are other road users that think that this behaviour is acceptable is pretty scary.

 

to the op: I'm sure you have done so already but make sure you speak to the Police and First. Admittedly they may not do anything but If they get complaints regularly for this driver they'll be forced to take action.

[maccapacca 10]

The cyclist in the video isn't me. I found it on youtube and thought i'd post it due to the sheffield connection. I think the cyclist did call the police but they didn't press charges.

 

The bus driver in the video looks like he deliberately cut in close to the cyclist in a punishment pass. I've had bus drivers overtake me and cut it a bit close but never anything like this. I think this video shows the problem with bike lanes. A lot of motorists think you're obliged to use them which you're not.

[Annoni_mouse 10]

As a bus driver, let me start by saying that the driver was in the wrong to pull in as close to cyclist as he did. However....having watched the video and approaching it from a bus drivers POV, I believe that the bus driver probably assumed that the cyclist would be travelling straight on, and that he would probably be clear of the bus' off side by the time he had reached the right hand turn.

 

Now as I have said, I don't believe the driver should have performed the manouver he did, but once he had pulled away from the stop, with the cyclist still to his right, he was left with the option of waiting until the cyclist had done whatever he was doing, and by doing so blocking the left hand lane to all traffic behind him, or pulling in, which he did.

 

Had the cyclist, once he'd realised that the bus was off to his left hand side, slowed down and allowed the bus to complete his manouver, the situation would have been a lot safer for all involved.

 

I hear a lot, especially on this forum, of how vulnerable cyclists are compared to other road users, yet on a daily basis I see them constantly put themselves in dangerous situations which can easily be avoided, but there seems to be a mentality amongst certain section of cyclists that proving a point is more important than cycling defensively and staying safe.

[I1L2T3 10]

He could easily have stayed to the left until nearer the turning allowing traffic to pass, the cyclist also has the option of dismounting and safely crossing as a pedestrian too.

 

To put your life at risk to make some silly point is ridiculous.

 

Spot on. First thing that came into my head was what was the cyclist doing there to begin with. The roads were quiet and he should have put his own safety first, stayed to the left and cut across when safe.

 

I'm a cyclist.

[gym_rat 10]

Me neither. Dont see any reason why they should.

 

Any reason why this cyclist continued in the right hand lane so far away from the right turn? Ive watched it twice now and it seems to me that if they had moved back over into the cycle lane after overtaking, the bus would have easily pulled out and moved into the right lane ready to turn in plenty of time.

 

By being stuck out there in the way meant the bus had little choice but to undertake and quickly maneuver right.

 

Look to me like they caused their own problem.

 

Having seen the second one the cyclist's attitude was hardly civil. "do you see what I have on my head"... who cares? Doesn't mean you are in the right.

 

 

this ...............

 

---------- Post added 23-02-2013 at 10:40 ----------

 

As a bus driver, let me start by saying that the driver was in the wrong to pull in as close to cyclist as he did. However....having watched the video and approaching it from a bus drivers POV, I believe that the bus driver probably assumed that the cyclist would be travelling straight on, and that he would probably be clear of the bus' off side by the time he had reached the right hand turn.

 

Now as I have said, I don't believe the driver should have performed the manouver he did, but once he had pulled away from the stop, with the cyclist still to his right, he was left with the option of waiting until the cyclist had done whatever he was doing, and by doing so blocking the left hand lane to all traffic behind him, or pulling in, which he did.

 

Had the cyclist, once he'd realised that the bus was off to his left hand side, slowed down and allowed the bus to complete his manouver, the situation would have been a lot safer for all involved.

 

I hear a lot, especially on this forum, of how vulnerable cyclists are compared to other road users, yet on a daily basis I see them constantly put themselves in dangerous situations which can easily be avoided, but there seems to be a mentality amongst certain section of cyclists that proving a point is more important than cycling defensively and staying safe.

 

 

this ...........

[WeX 10]

The cyclist is a jerk, looking to cause trouble. He is not typical of cyclists in Sheffield, most are pretty good road users (apart form their insistence on running red lights).

[gym_rat 10]

(apart form their insistence on running red lights).

 

and blinding people with the strobing front light aimed at eye height

[Waldo 96]

I hear a lot, especially on this forum, of how vulnerable cyclists are compared to other road users, yet on a daily basis I see them constantly put themselves in dangerous situations which can easily be avoided, but there seems to be a mentality amongst certain section of cyclists that proving a point is more important than cycling defensively and staying safe.

 

Well said. There are too many road users (bike, car, bus, whatever) who drive with a combative mentality. Better to be more safety conscious, considerate and aware of other road users. Aside from reducing the number of accidents, it would also make everyones journeys more pleasant.

[waynef25 10]

cyclist should not be on the road full stop they dont pay any thing towards the road like cars and motor bikes and busses and lorrys,

[Squiggs 11]

cyclist should not be on the road full stop they dont pay any thing towards the road like cars and motor bikes and busses and lorrys,

 

Congratulations on an awesome display of ignorance.

 

Overall, cyclists tend to be higher earners on average, given that roads are funded through general taxation of which Vehicle Excise Duty is but a small part (and most pay VED anyway for the cars that they can manage to travel a couple of miles without), cyclists tend to contribute more tax therefore put more in the "road fund"

 

So if we were to go with your logic (I use the term loosely) of priority by tax payment, motorised vehicles would be very much the second-class road user