Bus driver jailed

[col]

Another thing to consider (maybe obvious)...a bus driver would never consider purposely ramming a car even if he was put out by there erratic driving.

As for the cyclest swerving infront of the bus.. I dont know but maybe he was planing on changing lanes to turn right (should have indicated, but maybe the bus should not have been so close to him too)?

They do, Iv seen it. Again its a red mist time.

 

[stowie]

I think the lesson to be learned here is that it's just not worth getting worked up if someone p155e5 you off when cycling. Just stay calm, maybe get it on video and report it, but other than that it's not worth the agro. I had a taxi driver do a u-turn in front of me a few weeks ago. I overtook him (it was either that or brake hard, and in hindsight I should've braked hard) then he over took me (closely), I caught him at the lights, gave him some agro, he said he'd seen me and that I should've slowed down which wound me up even more. I told him to F off, and he wound his window up, and I was so angry that I actually gave him some racial abuse (I'm ashamed to say.) Yes he was a complete t055er, but I was so wound up I just wanted to p155 him off in return. It could have easily ended up in fisticuffs, or worse.

I wish I'd had a camera (I have now, this incident swung me) 'cos I would've reported him.

Lesson learned. No more confrontations in future. It just isn't worth getting sucked in.

I know people get on their high horse about cam cyclists "looking for trouble", but I think that it can invoke a zen like effect as well. Today, I got close passed as some considerable speed by a car undertaking traffic moving across a junction near Aldgate. The car had a long piece of wood sticking out of the rear window. On reflection, and watching the video, that piece of wood must have been reasonably close to my head. It undertook the car overtaking me sensibly and shot off down the road. I think passed this car sitting in a big traffic jam at Shoreditch. The car eventually caught up with me along the road to Aldgate East and performed a minor left hook on me whilst scattering a couple of pedestrians crossing the road a bit further down. None of this was deliberate - or because of an altercation, it was simply a really crap and aggressive driver.

I used to get angry at this crap. I now simply roadsafe it. There is enough on the video to at least merit the police having a word with the driver, if only to discuss carrying an unsecure and dangerous load.

 

[CopperCyclist]

Personally, I think the problem is with the law as it stands.

I have driven buses and coaches, and I know - as does everyone who drives these vehicles - that if you hit an unprotected person, such as a pedestrian or cyclist, with a vehicle weighing several tons, there's a good chance they'll die. So, I think a better law to cover these situations is that deliberately hitting a person with a vehicle over a certain weight should automatically carry an attempted murder charge (assuming they survive). Then the only intent that would need to be proved would be intent to hit them - intent to kill would be assumed once that was established.

Unfortunately, there are too many drivers of large vehicles out there who ... I'm struggling to find the right words here ... don't seem to realise the level of responsibility they have for the safety of other road users (regardless of what vehicle they're using, how idiotic they're being, or how much they're trying to wind you up).

You know... I really think this is an excellently thought out piece. I genuinely think this is worthy of being picked up on by a CPS prosecutor with some big cajhones (someone correct my spelling?) and having a go at it. Could make case law. I'm not positive it would require a change in the law, I think you could simply argue that the driver will know that 'if you hit an unprotected person, such as a pedestrian or cyclist, with a vehicle weighing several tons, there's a good chance they'll die' and let the intent therefore logically follow.

 

[Cyclist33]

Surely the law if changed in that way should encompass ANY motor vehicle if deliberately used?

"Your Honour, i set out to kill the plaintiff, but as my vehicle was a hothatch, it wasnt murder."

 

[col]

You know... I really think this is an excellently thought out piece. I genuinely think this is worthy of being picked up on by a CPS prosecutor with some big cajhones (someone correct my spelling?) and having a go at it. Could make case law. I'm not positive it would require a change in the law, I think you could simply argue that the driver will know that 'if you hit an unprotected person, such as a pedestrian or cyclist, with a vehicle weighing several tons, there's a good chance they'll die' and let the intent therefore logically follow.

Cagone er Kaj er oh doesnt matter

 

[col]

You know... I really think this is an excellently thought out piece. I genuinely think this is worthy of being picked up on by a CPS prosecutor with some big cajhones (someone correct my spelling?) and having a go at it. Could make case law. I'm not positive it would require a change in the law, I think you could simply argue that the driver will know that 'if you hit an unprotected person, such as a pedestrian or cyclist, with a vehicle weighing several tons, there's a good chance they'll die' and let the intent therefore logically follow.

Wouldnt this already follow, especially if the driver made a definite move to hit the person?

 

[indeterminate]

The judge is an utter moron, these vehicles are hugely powerful, to premeditately use it as an act to kill like this scum and recieve a paltry couple of months is an outrage
did the stupid judge not view the video?
a year ago one of these scum flew past me with about 2 feet to spare at a pinch in the road, any contact and i would have been killed but the law sides with the motorist every time
The UK is a horrific country to cycle in, i usually have a hammer with me for my own safety such is the hell it is to cycle nowadays

 

[BentMikey]

Nah, despite all the sh1t we read about, the UK is still near paradise to cycle in. The vast majority of drivers are lovely, and it's only a minority that misbehave.

Carrying a hammer with you is likely to get you jail time and serious trouble. That doesn't speak well to me about your intentions, and it leaves you on the moral low ground. Do you not think some cycle training would stand you in better stead to deal well with traffic, and to manage to avoid the mistakes you'll inevitably encounter on the roads?

There's nothing stopping you getting cameras and doing some campaigning against the drivers that do misbehave. That'll help everyone else those drivers encounter in future, and you to some degree as well.

 

[CopperCyclist]

Wouldnt this already follow, especially if the driver made a definite move to hit the person?

Yes, hence my point about I don't think it necessitates a law change if the CPS lawyer has the balls to try. However, I think having the driver in a large vehicle, such as this bus, or a HGV would make it much more likely to succeed as an argument as opposed to a smaller vehicle.

Let me word this carefully, I'm not saying 'cars don't kill', I'm not saying that there should be a defence of 'I was only in a car'. I'm saying that if a prosecutor decided to give lulubel's argument a go, the case would be much stronger with a large HGV type vehicle. The inherent risks are raised AND you require extended training to be able to drive, all of which should assist in proving the the driver must have known that death was a likely outcome, and hence intent to kill should follow from intent to use the bus in this manner.

 

[BlackPanther]

Personally, I think the problem is with the law as it stands.
Unfortunately, there are too many drivers of large vehicles out there who ... I'm struggling to find the right words here ... don't seem to realise the level of responsibility they have for the safety of other road users

Agreed. As an LGV driver I'm fully aware of how much damage 28 ton could do if I made a mistake. BUT the amount of LGV drivers I see driving badly in the week is scray. Be it lane wandering, jumping red lights, going way too fast through narrow gaps, or being distracted by talking on their mobiles, I shudder to think of the consequences. I can't see the new CPC compulsory course making a shred of difference. More cops-in-cars and tougher punishments for aggressive/incompetent driving is the answer. And a big change in the law so judges can hand down appropriate sentences. This case highlights just what a fek'd up world we live in.

 

[al78]

Some dreadful attitudes on the Yahoo comments section.

 

[Norm]

I wonder what the cyclist thought would come from his actions. I wonder whether he considered for one second what would be the best result and what would be the worst.

I wonder if the word "consequences" ever figured in any way, shape or form.

Not that it exonerates the bus driver in any way from what I think should be considered attempted murder or assault with deadly weapon but just what the heck was the cyclist thinking would come from acting like that?

 

[Leedsbusdriver]

Is there any video of what happened before the bus driver swiped the poor cyclist.

 

[Ste T.]

Some dreadful attitudes on the Yahoo comments section.

Go on any forum tonight and you will see today is not a good day to be a cyclist. Any doubt that we are vilified by a large slice of the the driving public has been blown out of the water big time. It could have been Jesus christ himself on that bike and you would still have had the cycle hating public slagging him off.
You've got to ask yourself why. Why are we so hated?
If any good is to come out of this, perhaps we could get a definitive reason why we are viewed the way we are. Like most of us on here, I have experienced plenty of cut ups, left hooks and being squeezed out into the gutter, but I dont lump all drivers together the way these people lump all cyclists together.
Yet everytime somebody is hurt or killed, even if they were totaly blameless, it only takes half a dozen posts for the subject of RLJs, tax, insurance, pavement riding to raise its head and a general cyclist kicking fest ensues.
I'm not suggesting any navel gazing on our part, especially as over3/4 of accidents involving cyclists are the other parties fault, but why do they react this way?

 

[Mugshot]

I wonder what the cyclist thought would come from his actions. I wonder whether he considered for one second what would be the best result and what would be the worst.

I wonder if the word "consequences" ever figured in any way, shape or form.

Not that it exonerates the bus driver in any way from what I think should be considered attempted murder or assault with deadly weapon but just what the heck was the cyclist thinking would come from acting like that?

+1
The first thing I thought when I watched the video was "GET OUT OF THE WAY!!"
There's a bus who's driver you know you probably seriously hacked off right on your back wheel, get off the road and let the idiot take himself, his bus and his red mist as far away as possible.
The actions of the bus driver are absolutely mind boggling and inexcusable, but it does demonstrate what can happen when we confront drivers. I'm all for assertive riding and I'm not suggesting in any way that cyclists should be a bunch of shrinking violets, but the mental image of the cyclist with his bike leant up against the front of the bus whilst he berates the driver isn't a pretty one for me.
Just to make myself clear, I am NOT excusing the bus driver, he deserved everything he got and a whole lot more.