7/11/19 18:00
I was riding home from work and go hit from behind by a bus.
Full yellow proviz jacket, 2 rear lights (1 flashing), reflective tape around helmet etc.
Thankfully I managed to avoid a full impact but hit the deck hard, bike is a gonna as frame bent from the rear, body stuck back together at A&E and muscle damage will hopefully get better with rest.

NOW. What do i do…?
I have insurance details and driver details, started contact today but not heard back yet.
Police will only act if I press charges (dangerous driving?).
I do have front and rear video evidence to provide.

Any advise, or recommendations of good solicitors to use.

It’s not up to you to “press charges” it’s up to the police/cps.
You report the incident to the police and they take a statement/gather evidence etc.

If there is enough evidence of a crime to secure a conviction, then the driver will be charged.

You got hit by a bus! I’d be telling the police to crack on and you expect them to do their job.

Leigh Day (via British cycling) helped when I was knocked off. See if they’ll take on your case.

Bus driver will be on a warning for that. Get onto bus co immediately. Stagecoach certainly take this serious*

Vids will be checked to ensure driver wasn’t distracted at time and for corroboration of your story .

Once they have evidence it’ll be warning time or other wise.

* Source -my mother was 1 of the nspector who’s job it was to make this happen .

If you’re looking for personal injury damages, I’d be asking the CTC for solicitor recommendations. Assuming you’re not covered by an insurance policy (household?).

I’d be relieved I got away with smoking all those fags 😉

APF

Not currently after personal damages, I was able to drive to work today (bloody traffic) but was sent home by the boss to rest.

Bike is at LBS for an estimate to replace.
Evans shopping basket is up to 500 quid in clothing and helmet replacements.

I see that Wiggle offer a ‘No win No fee’ service, will call 1st thing in morning.

Not sure I want to prosecute the driver, even if he was definitely in the wrong as i know how much of an impact that could have on his career/life. BUT it would be good to know that the company do something to help him and all the other drivers to learn from this.

I swear at every bus, lorry, Audi….etc that gets to close or is a Co*k, but I have been on the other end once and I know it can ruin lives if not dealt with in a good manner.

I used bikeline when I got knocked off. No hassle claim. No win no fee.

Glad to hear that you are ok. It sounds like you had done a lot to amke yourself visible to other road users. Given that and the video evidence it would seem hard for the bus comapny to defend the driver’s actions in hitting you.

Interested to know if you have any idea why he hit you? – what it a tricky piece of road or were you slowing to prepare to turn right etc?

I think engaging a specialist cycling lawyer would be a good idea. I joined British Cycling mainly for that benefit.

I am finding the roads increasingly dangerous on my commute and audax cycling – I have embraced hi-viz plus reflectors and multiple lights but still have close shaves – maybe it is time for me to think about a video cam – please can you let me know what you use.

I would want action and if that means the driver loses his job and license then so be it – unless he had a reasonable excuse

Edinburgh buses used to be awful towards cyclists. Now they are the best on the road towards cyclists as a result of training them to treat cyclists well and them then finding out this makes life better for everyone. I would want this bus co to use this as a reason to do the same.

Oh – and yo really should get personal damages as well. Why should you not be compensated for the pain

as i know how much of an impact that could have on his career/life

Not as much as the potential impact of a bus. If he was in the wrong, he should never drive again.

unless he had a reasonable excuse

There is absolutely no reasonable excuse. Not one.

OP I’d potentially be of the same though of you, of asking the police to not press criminal charges

IF

you can be 100% sure this was in no way malicious and the bus company proved and demonstrated they were going to do adequate training. Having written that though. There is no fken excuse. You were almost murdered. Get them put to justice.

You should absolutely be taking it to Leigh Day (they’re who BC instruct – by FAR the best) to get £20,000 compensation. My friend was hit by a driver of a car, and got 18k compensation.

If – by some miracle – this wasn’t a result of his actions, then the ample evidence your cameras and theirs will provide will ensure he is treated fairly I’m sure.

If not, I don’t want him in a bus. Persue as hard as you can. It’s mere luck you’re alive. I’ll you’d gone under the bus, and it sounds like you could have, good chance you’d be seriously injured. It’s his job, and legal and moral responsibility, to ensure that doesn’t happen.

As for damages, you’ve been damaged. Don’t belittle how you feel now – the full extent hasn’t shown itself yet. It will.

There’s a good chance you’ll need physio; short-, mid-, or long-term, it’s too soon to tell. No way you should be footing that bill yourself for the result of another’s actions.

You say that the police will only act if you press charges. Did they tell you this? It seems like a strange thing to say. You also mention prosecuting the driver. I do t think that you can prosecute the driver. You can sue him or the company for damages outside of any crime that he’s committed.

If he has committed a crime then you need to report it to the police and the police need to do what they do. I do understand your reluctance to potentially bring the drivers employment to an end, but There is the possibility that the driver isn’t good enough to drive a bus (I’d be a bloody liability in one)

personal damages is your call. Though I would say this isn’t like claiming for nonexistent whiplash when someone drives into the back of your car. In your position I’d feel that receiving the necessary amount of physiotherapy to ensure that my injuries healed properly would be completely justifiable. I am referring to prompt attention outside of the NHS as there is no reason why that service should be burdened in this situation.

anyway, hope you’re not too damaged and that you get your bike and gear fixed and replaced without too much grief.

It’s not surprising that the general public consider cyclists disposable when one of us is squashed by a bus, endures a trip to A&E to be “stuck back together”, but then gets reluctant about pushing for the police to prosecute or seeking damages.

To hit someone as visible as you describe yourself requires driving well below the standard reasonably expected of anyone, let alone a driver who does it for a living. Makes you wonder what he was doing at the time.

Do not stop pushing the police for a prosecution. You might need to put effort into this before the CCTV recording is conveniently lost or overwritten.

Do not feel bad about seeking damages for personal injury, inconvenience, and damage to equipment. You’ll be more motivated for this when the insurance company refuses to replace your stuff new-for-Old under the argument that you’ve had some use out of it.

If you aren’t claiming for injury damages, claims lawyers probably won’t assist you because their fees now come out of your compensation. If you’re only after the value of the bike and some clothing that doesn’t cover their costs.

Glad to hear you weren’t badly busted.

I drive buses that’s inexcusable(unless icy/driver distracted momentarily by another hazard ? It would be a sacking from my work if not.

Bus driver will be on a warning for that

WTF? Just for driving into somebody? – health and safety gawn maaaad, I say !!

There is absolutely no reasonable excuse. Not one.

Stung by a wasp? Passenger waving a knife in his face, sneezing at the wrong moment, mechanical failure of some sort? that sort of thing

A warning can be escalated to final written for such an offence result in instant dismissal when you drive busses

The bus will almost certainly have cctv, this will clear the driver if he’s innocent, (if it’s a wasp etc)
I’m a coach driver for citylink, the cctv has proved me innocent 4 times against false allegations.
Please report it, this incident could be an early indicator of health problems for the driver, or simply a wake up call to change his attitude to driving a large vehicle.

The fact that at least 2 actual bus drivers are encouraging you to report it says quite a lot imo.

Do any of you ever make a mistake at work? And if you do would you expect to get sacked or maybe helped & extra training instead?

Yes he messed up and hit you which is awful but unless it was malicious maybe some training would be better than kicking him out the door.

I agree that this is the ideal way forward

BUT it would be good to know that the company do something to help him and all the other drivers to learn from this.

Not necessarily this

I drive buses that’s inexcusable(unless icy/driver distracted momentarily by another hazard ? It would be a sacking from my work if not.

I’m glad you’re OK jimbo and hope that the insurance pays for your bike and any health costs.

Do any of you ever make a mistake at work? And if you do would you expect to get sacked or maybe helped & extra training instead?

if my job was operating a bus and I hit someone with it then i would expect to get sacked

OP please do everything you can to get the driver off the road

And if you do would you expect to get sacked or maybe helped & extra training instead?

If I nearly killed someone? Possibly due to lack of care or even a malicious act?

I’d be out of the door before I’d said “But…”

We need knives at work to do the job. Some guy brought his own in from home, not approved by H&S. He was gone within the hour. No injury, no damage, just not taking care of his and others safety.

So at the wheel of a bus and knocking cyclists about? You are done.

Unfortunately, he’ll probably walk into another bus operator and get another job without much fuss

Unfortunately, he’ll probably walk into another bus operator and get another job without much fuss

And if that happens then would it not have been better to have not sacked him and gone down the extra training route?

even a malicious act?

Obviously if intentional then that’s a very different situation.

We need knives at work to do the job. Some guy brought his own in from home, not approved by H&S. He was gone within the hour. No injury, no damage, just not taking care of his and others safety.

Again that sounds harsh unless he’d already had a warning or was looking to use it for some other reason. Without knowing all the details and just guessing, was his reasons because the company provided one isn’t very good and he thought his was better?

Never mind the driver what about other cyclists? You have to report to police and press charges. & report to the bus company- I assume driver would have to do this aswell. You have video footage- can you see the driver in it?

maybe some training

Isn’t there already training before someone is allowed on the road driving a bus?

If I made a mistake at work (eg shoddy repair/poorly installed rollcage) and someone was injured as a result I think I’d be very lucky to keep my job.

It may cause the driver hardship, but imagine if it had been worse/happens again- that may be a family minus a loved one.

Isn’t there already training before someone is allowed on the road driving a bus?

Nothing wrong ongoing training surely?

HSE related incidents rarely go down that avenue. If he has been distracted and noted on camera it’s tatties and rightly so

If it’s medical or legitimate distraction it’ll all come out in review.

If he’s simply missed it and his eye sight is up to scratch and the cyclist hasn’t caused it then he’s on a thin rope

Nothing wrong ongoing training surely?

Totally agree. I’d expect that to be more adding to the the skillset that a professional driver has. Not hitting things should be compulsory. And like most other people, a workplace incident resulting in an injury would be gross misconduct if negligence was involved on my part.

I’ve had bike accidents which have contributed to ongoing medical treatment for over a decade. If they’d been as a result of someone else, then I’d definitely be aiming for compensation. And there’s no time machine.

Finally, it’s your obligation to the rest of us to make sure this is investigated and dealt with appropriately. If there’s no fault on the drivers part then as said above there’s no consequences.

Look into the training that lothian bus drivers get. there is a whole specific part about co existing with cyclists. Its really worked. Now lothian buses are very courteous to cyclists whereas they used to be ruddy awful.

Its one of the things I would be pushing the bus company to do

I’d put your request for the CCTV footage of you ( from the buses cameras) in asap, you’re often allowed a copy under GDPR but buses often overwrite it within the week

Join CTC or B.Cycling.

Then use the legal advice.

Again that sounds harsh unless he’d already had a warning

Not harsh if the contract of employment and H&S induction state work equipment will be supplied by work and no other will be tolerated.

Any manager failing to apply H&S rules in the workplace fall foul of the Management of H&S at Work regs and is personally liable.  If one of the workforce misbehaves they are usually gone to protect the manager.

I know JJ and have seen the vid it’s horrific as the bus has to wait behind him to pull into a bus stop then say 45 seconds later the bus smashes into J J as he enters a roundabout. J J is moving off into a gap and the bus wants the same gap, the driver simply has to e looking right out of his side window not to see him
The roundabout had a curved or swept entrance so the bus sweeps into veiw for maybe 5 seconds then wham J J is punted into oncoming traffic
Think he is on a plane right now hence radio silence
Lucky boy really, a few more mph and it could have been a very very different outcome

Bike is at LBS for an estimate to replace.
Evans shopping basket is up to 500 quid in clothing and helmet replacements.

Insurance will only pay for the used value, go for personnel injury otherwise you will be out of pocket.

Been to the cop-shop, incident reported and the cogs will start turning…slowly. The driver will just have to take the luck of the system, sorry chap.

I already e-mailed the bus insurance company Friday morning, no reply and left message by phone Friday PM. Will carry on when they go back to work…..I requested CCTV footage.

Awaiting call back from Leigh Day as well when they return to their desks on Monday.

Watching my own video was a shock, more so than the crash it’s self, as the driver had plenty of time before and during to see me or even remember I was in front only a few moments before. + i could actually see the bus coming straight at me, which I could only ‘feel’ at the time.

Cycliq cameras front and rear for the footage.

Not on a plane yet, but might be taking a long slow walk to the airport rather than trying to go to work as 1 side of my body is beat up. Might drag the turbo trainer out for a few gentle miles.
Will soon be sat on a beach getting a scabby patterned tan.