Apalling actions from an Arriva bus driver

[Davidsw8]

Think ?

For clarity I don't believe Matthew to be a 'nobber'.

 

[The Jogger]

Shall we have a poll ?

Go on then........now you're on a roll.

 

[lukesdad]

Young and over zealous.

I was only going to give 2 choices

 

[PK99]

Apologies for selectively quoting but I'm interested in this bit. We have both said we would not have carried out the overtake, for me I know it wasn't safe and I presume you feel the same? I, and others, have commented on the "what if" scenario, this is the anticipation EVERY road user should be employing - what if a child follows the ball which just bounced in the road? With Matthew's overtake "nothing happened" so we should not take this into consideration?

The bus driver made a close pass, I'v experienced far worse, when he should have been thinking "what if" the cyclist hits a pot hole? "Nothing happened" though - if we are going to ignore Matthew's overtake because nothing happened the same should be applied to the bus driver's close pass, to do otherwise is a double standard.

After all this discussion "nothing happened."

Or is the cyclist allowed a, IMO, dangerous manoeuvre and the bus driver not? I frequently get the impression this is the case.

I detect a whiff of Animal Farm like hypocrisy in such arguments: Two wheels good! Four wheels bad!

If "Nothing happened" is a defence for Matthew, it is also a defence for the driver.

 

[lukesdad]

" Nothing happened" is not a defence, so the wife says.

 

[PK99]

I don't.. he's a young lad with the balls to stand up for himself.

he is a young lad with a condition that makes it very difficult for him to interpret other peoples' actions and behaviour or the impact of his behaviour on others

 

[Matthew_T]

There is normally a 50-50 on my threads when it comes to support vs complainants. I know the overtake wasnt the wisest of things and people on here have brought it to my attention.
However, that did not cause the incident. It was the close pass which the driver seemed acceptable because in his mind "You shoulder checked and cut me off". Giving me the finger, threatening to hit me, and telling me to piss off is why I reported him. The close pass I would have just let go.

In response to should the driver get sacked?
In my opinion, it isnt for me to say. I dont know what Arriva's driver policy is.
However, immediate sack without attempting to rectify the situation is a little bit silly. The driver needs his head checking, which will probably be sorted by a stern word by him employer. Seeing as all three drivers believed that cyclists shouldnt be on the roads, Arriva seriously need to look at what they are training these guys. Because I wont have irate bus drivers with plain WRONG views behind me that have a decision racing through their feet.
The drivers should not be letting their feelings get the better of them.
The driver in question was at the end of his shift. Arriva drivers are only allowed 2/3 hour shifts. I dont know if this guy had a problem in the morning or the day before, but he shouldnt be bringing it into work. He is a representative of the company.

Should he be sacked? No. All three should try to be retrained in terms of vulnerable road users. Then if nothing improves, Arriva can deal with it their own way.

 

[Matthew_T]

he is a young lad with a condition that makes it very difficult for him to interpret other peoples' actions and behaviour or the impact of his behaviour on others

And thats a problem?
I can deal with things as I please. I did not at any point cause the driver to swear or threaten me. I approached him in a passive-aggresive tone and did not give him any abuse. What I said might have been through anger but I still gave him room to apologise.
If the driver had apologised and explained that he made a mistake, I probably wouldnt have reported it.

Bully's on the road will not get away with their dangerous behaviour.

 

[lukesdad]

Quite Mathew,unfortunately there is no compulsory procedure to retrain you on how to ride your bike.

 

[PaulSB]

After several incidents, I decided to carry a copy of the HC on my commute. When a spittle-flecked moron has forced you into the kerb at 20 mph, enraged that you weren't using a cr@p cycle farcility by the side of a very wide road, then got out to try and punch you senseless, just quoting the HC at them doesn't cut it. Thrusting the relevant page of the HC (not a download or photocopy, as they won't believe it) into their bloated red face generally quietens them down rapidly.

If you haven't bothered to read the HC since passing your test 41 years ago, I strongly suggest that you do, as much has changed in that time - ASLs for a start. Most of the problem drivers I encounter seem to be proud of the fact they "know" the HC and therefore have no need ever to read it.

I'm not sure I'd be worrying about thrusting a copy of the HC at someone who is trying to punch me senseless. I don't experience or recognise these situations as they don't happen where I live. Matthew lives in a quiet holiday resort, I can understand things may be very different in a busy city, but carrying around a copy of the HC in Rhyll or Chorley?

With regard to reading the HC. I'm not a problem driver nor would I claim extensive knowledge of the HC. Knowing your rights or the HC does not protect you. Driving and cycling in a careful, considerate manner at an appropriate speed while anticipating events around one does.

Cycling in a considerate manner is crucial to us all. I always acknowledge consideration from motorists and avoid riding which might antagonise - MGIF filtering for example. If drivers see us behaving in such a manner they will learn the vast majority of cyclists are responsible and we gain respect. Encouraging respect through one's actions is positive, waving the HC will not necessarily have the desired effects.

If a driver is a nobber it's likely he always will be.

 

[Maylian]

he is a young lad with a condition that makes it very difficult for him to interpret other peoples' actions and behaviour or the impact of his behaviour on others

Like a lot of other people have said, personally it doesn't appear to be that close. I get closer most mornings on route to work by HGV and car transporters which to me are more worrying than a bus (to me).

Had it been me if he had flicked me the bird I would have uttered a few expletives and probably left it there, going in all guns blazing saying that he's losing his job for it is only going to make someone immediately defensive and you can't expect much more than to be threatened. If someone genuinely thinks they're going to lose their job what else do they have to lose than the immediate satisfaction of hitting their "aggressor"?

Like most others have said Mr. T you seem to look for trouble judging by the few other video's of yours I've watched and I think unless you learn to let things go then you might come a cropper one of these days. It is admirable that you don't let people boss you around and you'll defend yourself but you need to pick your fights. I used to be quite aggressive in the "defense" of my "rights", all it got me was a few grey hairs and wound up for nothing, I never even got a good fight out of it!

 

[PK99]

PK99 said: ↑

he is a young lad with a condition that makes it very difficult for him to interpret other peoples' actions and behaviour or the impact of his behaviour on others​

And thats a problem?
I can deal with things as I please. I did not at any point cause the driver to swear or threaten me. I approached him in a passive-aggresive tone and did not give him any abuse. What I said might have been through anger but I still gave him room to apologise.
If the driver had apologised and explained that he made a mistake, I probably wouldnt have reported it.

Bully's on the road will not get away with their dangerous behaviour.

Yes it is a problem.

As I asked earlier, what do you think the driver might have thought you meant by your head pointing?

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Abstract

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders have deficits in communication, social interactions, and emotional regulation and exhibit repetitive behaviors. These individuals can become very reactive to their environment and at times may engage in emotional outbursts. The social deficits seen in autism spectrum disorders are in part caused by the difficulty these individuals have with modulating their own anger and interpreting their own emotions and those of people around them. Individuals with autism spectrum disorders tend to learn and process visual information more effectively than auditory information. Thus, visual supports can help individuals with autism spectrum disorders process information more effectively. This article discusses the use of one particular visual support, an “emotions thermometer,” in helping instruct individuals with autism spectrum disorders on recognizing and modulating their own emotions. The article also discusses anger management techniques that can be utilized once individuals have begun to recognize more subtle signs of irritability within themselves.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2945855/

in addition, individuals with Asperger's disorder often exhibit a very low frustration tolerance, an inability to modulate their own emotions, and difficulty interpreting the emotions of those around them. For neurotypical individuals, gestures, facial expression, voice tone, posture, and eye contact are all used to communicate the affect of the verbal content during communication. While individuals with Asperger's disorder may correctly interpret one of these cues, they may have extreme difficulty when attempting to combine all of the cues to interpret the overall affective meaning of the communication.

..
Individuals with high-functioning ASDs also exhibit difficulty modulating their anger, which may lead to further difficulties in their social interactions. Because they have difficulty interpreting their own subtle changes in emotion, they are often only able to describe emotional extremes.

and
http://www.autism.org.uk/working-wi...riers-to-learning/behaviour-and-bullying.aspx

 

[oldfatfool]

Mathew wether you are in the right or not, riding up to someone and telling them they will be sacked when you have finished with them is not a good opening gambit to getting an apology, especially when you are already aware that the person in question as a problem with you. You might have been better placed with an "excuse me I was rather intimidated by your driving, and would appreciate an apology" not that I (as previously stated) condone the pair of drivers actions in any way.

You know and accept from previous threads that you do need to think a bit more before doing/ saying things and though you think you may have made a calculated decision on how to act in this situation imo you where probably wound up and on a mission. Don't get me wrong I can be just as bad but it won't help when you come across that 1 in 1,000 that physically actually carry out a threat.

 

[Matthew_T]

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Abstract

So that permits the driver to speak to me like shoot? Who was he to know that I didnt have any disabilities? I could have had a disability which forces me to assault people. Who was he to know that?

My disability in this case is irrelevant. Seeing a 'professional' bus driver give me the finger would have made me confront him either way.

 

[lukesdad]

but that is your problem mathew seeing someone giving you the finger makes you want to confront them.