Forum menu
It's tempting, I admit.
🙂
But every single one of the passengers will have told someone else about the actions of the 'bloody cyclist' who inconvenienced them.
And the odds on this making the driver more considerate to other cyclists in the future?
Who knows, could go either way.
But I reckon the threat of losing his job would be a better deterrent.
However, I'm glad I now know what this switch does and where it is located.
Just in case.
Riding that stretch regularly I understand your feeling. When they swerve into the cycle lane at speed it just seems vindictive especially if there's no other traffic around. There are speed restrictions (and cameras) all round that area.
However in the same way that every ffing cyclist who goes past me at a red light, with headphones and no helmet riles up the Clarksons of this World I don't think you've advanced the cause of Road Peace.
I'd take a photo of bus and number plate and tweet it to the Argus #attemptedbikemurder. Or something
cycle on the pavement next time!
Been thinking about this one. Mainly because like others here I am in two minds about it. Ultimately I despise hostile or inconsiderate driving against cyclists, so genuinely empathise with your position.
However, from reading your posts it's clear that you fully expected the alternate position of people not being impressed,but, were always completely unwilling to accept that opinion. Perhaps a guilty conscious? Or just trolling? Not sure.
Unfortunately, by your actions I think you became the inconsiderate party and lowered yourself to the numpty bus drivers level.
At best/worst, flaming him in front of his paying customers should have sufficed (if unwilling to report him).
c - I'd be angry at the person who tampered with the fire alarm, yes. If it came to light this was their final attempt at being listened to, I would still be angry (at the delay) but sympathise with their frustrations at not being listened to
As an inconvenienced passenger already having a bad day (I'm on a bus FFS), I would probably have stood up and prevented your hasty departure. Only fair after all. Someone's gotta stand up to these bloody drivers/cyclists.
You should now consider some form of community service towards cyclist/automotive relationship building. Somewhat ironically I write this sat on a train passing through Brighton. Glad I'm not on a bus.
Sadly OP, I think the Dunning Kruger effect will apply here. You gave the driver the opportunity to understand the impact of his behaviour on you and to apologise, and he bailed on it.
Therefore you're clearly not dealing with a grown adult who understands that when people are upset by their aggression, the upset is reasonable and it's their aggression which is not, so he'll learn nothing, either from your original comment to him, or the door thing you did.
Which is a shame, cos i reckon if cyclists were able to respond there and then in the moment with an equal level of force, applied to the driver or their vehicle, then the lousy behaviour would stop. ie: if I get close passed and I'm legally therefore allowed to smash the car window in retribution, then I'd get a lot fewer close passes 🙂
, I can't see why all regular cyclists have to be saintly "ambassadors" while every other douche in a motor vehicle isn't treated in the same way
Too insular. You're confusing 'regular cyclists' with people just doing the right thing in life
, I can't see why all regular cyclists have to be saintly "ambassadors" while every other douche in a motor vehicle isn't treated in the same way
They haven't! But at the same time the cyclists who are less than "saintly" have absolutely no right to criticise douch-ey motorists.
I was in the southbound bike lane there a few days ago and had a hell of a shock when one of those buses came by extremely close at well over the limit. I thought maybe I'd wandered too close to the edge of the lane but I hadn't, he was just cutting it too fine.
However, from reading your posts it's clear that you fully expected the alternate position of people not being impressed,but, were always completely unwilling to accept that opinion. Perhaps a guilty conscious? Or just trolling? Not sure.
I DO feel guilty, yes - as has been pointed out the passengers were fodder in this event.
However, I also feel justified in my ability to be able to have some impact on teh driver. Granted, the ideal would be to appeal to his sensible side and get him to understand the issue. But in failing that, the realisation that actions have consequences is enough for me.
I suppose I'm hoping that there's a Pavlovian cerebral tie between "cutting close to cyclists -> bus being halted for a few minutes"...and maybe changing his ways of realising cyclists are vulnerable, but so's his big red button...??
DrP
I'm hoping that there's a Pavlovian cerebral tie between "cutting close to cyclists -> bus being halted for a few minutes"...DrP
...Only if you plan on doing exactly same thing, but on randomly assigned days over the next few weeks.
M.
After the flaming received here I've cancelled the test... 🙁
DrP
If you wanted sympathy you should've thrown yourself on the floor...
IF you want to really piss the driver off, at the back of the bus there is usually an engine stop button......
I wish I'd known this stuff after another bus driver in Brighton almost ran me off the road - and then when I caught up and went to board the bus he shut the doors on my front wheel and drove off, almost dragging me and the bike with him! I reported him to the bus company but it would have been nice to see him grind to a halt...
Unfortunately, by your actions I think you became the inconsiderate party and lowered yourself to the numpty bus drivers level.
Whilst I can see both sides of this, and how it may look to the general public and those sitting on the bus...it really can't be compared to putting someone's life needlessly in danger.
And this is what is so wrong about this debate.
Those sitting on the left may have noticed how close the bus came to the bike rider. There's not much entertainment on a bus, bar looking out of the window.
I suppose I'm hoping that there's a Pavlovian cerebral tie between "cutting close to cyclists -> bus being halted for a few minutes"
Somehow I rather doubt it....
I wonder just how many of the liberal hand wringers would have stood up and walked to front of the bus to let the driver know they had almost hit a cyclist?
Probably none.
Most bus passengers dont look out the window they look at their phones, ssame as most drivers .
If the driver wasn't giving you verbals then it seems a bit of an overreaction, but well done for having a word with him.
I like to think it's ignorance rather than malice that makes most drivers pass too closely, so he's hopefully learned a lesson anyway.
Reading some of the replies on here, I wonder how many other 'happy ending to possible angry dispute' stories there are out there, in other people's memories, that won't get told due to fear of the replies........just saying.
Good on you Dr.P
Why would you "fear" the replies? It's the Internet FFS - Toughen up Princess!
"DrP" 1 - "Brighton Bendy Bus" 2 would surely be more accurate.
it really can't be compared to putting someone's life needlessly in danger.
You miss the point. Of course those two things are not comparable, but comparing them is not the point. Tit for tat has nothing to do with it. The debate is wether or not DrP's action helped the situation. He thinks it would have helped the driver stop and think about his actions; whereas I disagree and think that the annoyance caused would cancel out any stopping and thinking.
YOUR action that delayed them, purely because YOU were pissed off.
In my opinion the bad driving of the bus driver started the chain of events, and the OP said 'Actions have consequences',and as the driver is the face of the business they should think more about there behaviour and how it reflects on them.
As far as I'm concerned if you drive like a cock then you will be treated like one accordingly, unfortunate for the passengers but better than scraping DrP off the side of the bus.
I'd not have the balls to do what Dr P did and sometimes, people need confronting.
We've all reacted to some extent, it's interesting to see how people feel about this, and the consequences thereof.
It's a very interesting thread.
Having been on the receiving end of a bendy bus pulling level with me when I'm in a solid white line lane, and then crossing the line, I would advocate breaking the drivers nose against the steering wheel
Why didnt you just note the bus reg or vehicle number , along with time and then email the compny office, with your formal complaint, the driver will be interviewed and a note left on his file, which may result in retraining or suspension.
Both of you then have a written record of what happened, and get a cheap camera to film your routes.
I think I wanted to stop him endangering me for the rest of the road, I wanted an immediate 'action', and this seemed like a reasonable way of achieving that...
Though I know my own industry and the way issues are dealt with there, I've recently had dealings with the police (I reported a crime) and raised a complaint with a private company, and each time Jack all has happened.
To be honest,I didn't want to waste my own time corresponding with a fruitless outcome... Hence the old red button switcharoonie...
DrP
What gets me is the typical response of a ****ing moron "I was in my lane" ie. I done nuffin wrong.
Not " Yeah, sorry mate" anything to diffuse the situation, but I'm a driver Im always right. Bloody MORONS.
Nice one DrP.
FWIW, I was talking to a guy on a sportive last year, as we were spinning along on the last few miles.
He had hideous scars on his leg, and what turned out to be a right arm made out of carbon fibre and a nifty hook for clipping onto the handlebars.
I asked him what he'd done - it turned out a (regular) bus had cut a corner a bit, which he happened to be in, and squished him quite badly. A doctor on her first ever day of actual doctoring had been following him and helpfully saved his life.
In other words, you're being needlessly dramatic - the worst that would have happened is a bit of weight saving by replacing regular limbs with carbon fibre ones 😯
Diffusing the situation and getting a point through an angry mist is pretty hard. Worth the effort though, you might succeed.