Dangerous Bus Driver (yes another one)

[Scratch]

Hi,

After lurking for a bit I've joined the site so you can see what happened to me this morning and help me with my letter of complaint.

I commute into Birmingham City centre every day from Sutton Coldfield and then along Lichfield Road. Lichfield road is a dual carriageway with one lane being a bus lane. I always ride in primary in the bus lane because in the past a few people have tried to undertake the traffic queue and squeeze past me (not fun). Anyway today a TWM bus driver wasn't happy with that. You can see what happened in the footage.


View: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4kIMv2FIUWY


I cycled in front of his bus to try and catch his face but didn't manage it as I was too busy pointing at my helmet cam. He overtook me again a bit later and did so safely so perhaps he did see the camera.

For those of you without youtube what basiclly happened was he overtook 2 times close and then cut in in front of me forcing me to brake, even though he had an empty right hand lane to use. Every other bus driver I've encountered on this route has overtaken courteously. When I confronted him all he did was shout abuse.

You can see my letter here:

http://cid-5d3740abc5b77bf3.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Cycling/Complaint.pdf

Any comments are welcome, I hope I haven't gone too over the top but he did really piss me off, especially since it was deliberate and he did it twice. Plus he used his horn on the second overtake.

The response I received from National Express is below;

Dear Mr ?
Re Incident on 30 October on Lichfield Road between Grosvenor Court and Rocky Lane.

Thank you for your letter dated 31 October together with CD sent to Neil Barker.

I am very sorry to hear of the alarming incident which involved one of our drivers on number 65 bus on 30 October. It must have been an unpleasant experience.

I forwarded your complaint to the Assistant Operations Manager at Perry Barr Garage who subsequently performed a detailed investigation with the driver concerned. The driver has been interviewed and his previous performance record has been reviewed. The manager will decide what action to take. This might mean extra training or disciplinary action. The decision must remain confidential but I can assure you that all driver incidents are followed through to a conclusion.

Whilst acknowledging an incident did take place, the driver has asked me to stress that under no circumstances did he intend to intimidate or compromise your safety with his actions. He apologises for any stress he may have caused.

I also obtained an independent witness statement from a passenger on the number 65 bus at the time the incident took place, who indicated an ongoing dispute between yourself and the bus driver from just after the train station on Lichfield Road to Dartmouth Circus. The witness describes a heated exchange by both parties which eventually concluded with you continuing your journeys via separate routes.

Our drivers are expected to be polite, helpful and courteous at all times and it is therefore very disappointing to hear about incidents like this. I appreciate your comments in relation to your previous experiences with our drivers. I am pleased these have all been safe, courteous and professional encounters and I trust that this will continue to be the case in the future.

With regard to your request to retain CCTV footage from this service, we have asked the garage manager to store the tape for future reference, should this be required.

 

[Bollo]

Welcome!!!

Very nasty. Report.

Did you also notice that the second time he did it, it looks like he turned his rear number off.

Can't read your letter at the mo', but you'll never be short of advice on CC

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I think that your letter is extremely calm and collected under the circumstances. Please post any follow ups. I wish you the best of luck in seeing this incident through to a satisfactory conclusion. Incidentally I must invest in a head cam as I was cut up by a Stagecoach driver yesterday as he drove out of a side turning looking directly at me whilst grinning.

 

[magnatom]

The first close was way too close, and probably in itself worth reporting. The second was appalling! It did look like he was teaching you a lesson.

I haven't had a chance to look at your letter yet, but I will at lunch time. I will also be putting the finishing touches to mine. Hang on until then, because I might be able to make a few suggestions so that something positive could come of this, i.e. get them to take part in a safety campaign, better driver education etc.

Welcome, by the way!!

 

[BentMikey]

Hiya Oliver! Crikey, that's really shocking behaviour! Have you thought about writing to the papers about this?

 

[magnatom]

Hiya Oliver! Crikey, that's really shocking behaviour! Have you thought about writing to the papers about this?

As Bentmikey says, you can get the press involved, it has worked for me in the past (http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/display.var.1817738.0.0.php)

I'm going to try and guilt arriva into taking part in a campaign (not GCR though). I'll post my letter later to let you see what I am doing.

 

[Too fat for lycra]

The driver is an absolute scumbag -as you say in your letter, first time maybe a mistake, second time- shocking! Hope he gets the book thrown at him.

 

[Bollo]

Just had a read of the letter and I think its a good'n.

Just a word of warning though - take your name off the pdf file for public consumption. As Magnatom will testify, there are a core set of nutters out there who will take time out to make your life unpleasant.

 

[Scratch]

Thanks for everyone's advice. Maganton - I'll wait till later or tommorrow before sending in the letter so I can incorperate any suggestions you may have.

Just had a read of the letter and I think its a good'n.

Just a word of warning though - take your name off the pdf file for public consumption. As Magnatom will testify, there are a core set of nutters out there who will take time out to make your life unpleasant.

Good point I've updated the letter.

I think I'll wait untill I receive a response from Travel West Midlands before taking it to the paper or local news. After all their other drivers are genuinly quite good and I wouldn't want to go straight to the news before allowing them the opportunity to deal with this one nutter.

And I always thought the dangerous bit of my commute was going under spaghetti junction

New letter:
http://cid-5d3740abc5b77bf3.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Cycling/Complaint.pdf

 

[TwickenhamCyclist]

Personally I’d skip the bus company and just go directly to the police – and do it now. He could of quite easily killed you there.

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

At the very least say that you want proof that something is being done about this or you will be straight off to the police...

no, in fact I'd be off to the police anyways, regardless of whether they do anything about it - that was basically attempted GBH/ABH with a deadly weapon, and at the very least driving without due care.

 

[magnatom]

I must admit, I don't think the police would do anything. As well as that, I think a greater good can come out of situations like that if you use the incident to put pressure on the companies to improve their driver training etc.

I think the police are a waste of time, except for the most serious of incidents. Despite what people might think, since using helmet cameras, I have only contacted the police once.

 

[Nigeyy]

Wow! That was bad.

Your letter was excellent by the way, and I agree with Magnatom, I just can't see the police doing anything about it. Better off trying to deal with the bus company directly. I think you clearly outlined the points you need to make in your letter, and let's hope something gets done. I really thought it was very good you were at pains to point out how good the drivers usually are, and to compare that driver against them -very clever and a way hopefully to raise his poor standard of driving.

 

[Bollo]

+1 for not bothering with plod. In an ideal world they'd be discussing a career change with matey right now, but the weight of (anecdotal) evidence is that they view anything less than a big red cyclist-shaped stain on the road as "one of those things that you'll just have to get used to, what'd ya expect.." etc.

Much better going the corporate responsibility route, backed up with the threat of the papers/local news. The media love this sort of thing because its very visual and doesn't require much effort.

 

[TwickenhamCyclist]

In the past I would have agreed with you all about the police not taking an interest, but recent experiences make me think it would be worth a try. While I doubt the driver would be charged I’d be surprised if the police didn’t take any action at all and even an informal visit to the bus company might give the seriousness of the incident greater weight.

This doesn’t mean that you can’t cooperate fully with the bus company. I’m sure the MD would be horrified by the behaviour of one of his (and I’m assuming it’s a him) drivers. If it were my bus company I would want you to inform me I had a dangerous driver in my employment and I also wouldn’t hold it against you for going to the police.

Basically I don’t necessarily see it as an either/or situation – so do both!