Arriva Buses, the best way to almost squash a cyclist .........

[User6179]

Matthew is a teenager and therefore thinks he knows everything...

Whats your excuse?

 

[Matthew_T]

Hang on, I don't know what you mean when you say "I know what you mean by this". I gave you another option to pursue the matter & you turn it round in my face. I've used them & even managed to suprise one when I rang to thank him for taking the time to look into the matter.

I thought you were making a comment to the initial overtake from me at the crossing. Because in the original thread, there was a lot of confusion over the legality of it. I thought that with you saying they would do a full investigation, that the outcome would probably end up being 50/50 due to there being mistakes on both sides of the argument.
I wasnt in any way turning around what you said.

 

[John Shingler]

Well he would have seen the car even before he decided to overtake, but decided to overtake anyway.

Bikes are too slow ...you have to overtake, even into on coming traffic.

 

[HLaB]

Bikes are too slow ...you have to overtake, even into on coming traffic.

Agreed, everybody knows a bike can't do more than 4mph The driver was probably caught out by the speed of the approaching car but thats no excuse, as said, 'bad driving'

 

[Frood42]

Not a very nice passing manoeuvre, was more concerned about the perceived delay than the vunerable road user and the oncoming car, poor driving and planning.
If you are providing a public service, expect to be scrutinised and to be held to a higher standard, perhaps this driver needs to be put on a bike and have a bus pass them too closely a few times...

 

[TheJDog]

I'm going to say I think you are far too close to the side of the road. Which probably makes the pass even worse.

 

[TwickenhamCyclist]

Good luck getting a response other than a standard fob off. Bad driving, bad overtake. All the more reason to stick in primary when an Avila bus is behind you, perhaps you could write to the depot and explain why you will be taking the entire lane next time any of their muppet drivers are close by!

 

[Origamist]

It's a piss poor overtake by a "professional" driver in the face of oncoming traffic. Report it.

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

I think the video speaks for itself.


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ohcbe8I9suc&feature=youtu.be




And just to point out I was dressed in a bright red top and a white helmet. I had a yellow rucksac on with reflective tape.
I had a new exposure trace light on my bike on flash and also a exposure red eye light on my helmet.

I tend to get more close passes like this from Arriva, than I do any other operator.
Go North East are usually excellent.

 

[Jezston]

I had an issue with an arriva driver a couple of years back. Led to me having a meeting with two senior arriva staff and the promise that I needn't worry about running into him again.

They aren't hopeless.

 

[classic33]

I had an issue with an arriva driver a couple of years back. Led to me having a meeting with two senior arriva staff and the promise that I needn't worry about running into him again.

They aren't hopeless.

Moving the driver onto another route doesn't solve the problem though. It, like the driver gets moved on.

 

[Brandane]

Hang on, I don't know what you mean when you say "I know what you mean by this". I gave you another option to pursue the matter & you turn it round in my face. I've used them & even managed to suprise one when I rang to thank him for taking the time to look into the matter.
Result wasn't as expected & not entirely in my favour, but they have legal access to records that you can only dream off. Any company over which they have power would be mad not to comply with any investigation they may start. They have to ansewr them, or face suspension.
If thats how you treat help thats offerred, I might just keep my help for those that really want it!

+1 to the above. I used to drive HGVs (but same rules apply to PCV licence holders), and if the company received a complaint about a driver, the action taken by the company (and I worked for quite a few through agencies too) was always along the lines of "Listen driver, some tw*t cyclist/car driver has complained about you, so I am obliged to have a word with you. Consider yourself spoken to, now get back in the truck and keep making money for the company."

The Traffic Commissioner on the other hand would have involved being summonsed to the TC's office in some far off town for a very uncomfortable bollocking at best, and possibly a suspension of your HGV licence. If the companies representatives attitudes and knowledge were as displayed by Arriva in MT's clip, then the person who holds the operators licence could find themselves with serious questions to answer. The TC's are ruthless and have the power to take pretty drastic action against drivers and operators. Much more so than the Police or prosecutors.

 

[Matthew_T]

The Traffic Commissioner on the other hand would have involved being summonsed to the TC's office in some far off town for a very uncomfortable bollocking at best, and possibly a suspension of your HGV licence. If the companies representatives attitudes and knowledge were as displayed by Arriva in MT's clip, then the person who holds the operators licence could find themselves with serious questions to answer. The TC's are ruthless and have the power to take pretty drastic action against drivers and operators. Much more so than the Police or prosecutors.

In the future (if I even have anything similar happen) I will just go down the TC route then. You just get ignored when you complain to the company (or just receive the same old response).

 

[Frood42]

In the future (if I even have anything similar happen) I will just go down the TC route then. You just get ignored when you complain to the company (or just receive the same old response).

Complain to the offending company first, if you are unhappy with the response and are unable to resolve it with Arriva, then take it to the next level (such as the TC).

 

[Matthew_T]

Complain to the offending company first, if you are unhappy with the response and are unable to resolve it with Arriva, then take it to the next level (such as the TC).

I have always wondered: should I mention the possibility of taking it up with TC to Arriva when complaining? Or could it make things worse?

FYI I have never threatened any company with taking the matter further just because I dont know what the consequences of doing so might be.