- Location
- Glasgow
Really? Unless they have a big line of passengers waiting to board, I prefer my buses well in front of me when I'm cycling. I make sure the driver can see me from the right mirror. But then, I am slow
How do you deal with a bus ?
- Thread starter Lancj1
- Start date
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OP
OP
Lancj1
Active Member
- Location
- St Helens, Merseyside
(I'm from Whiston so only down the road)
snorri
Legendary Member
- Location
- East coast, up a bit.
With respect.
wmtlynx
Active Member
Really? Unless they have a big line of passengers waiting to board, I prefer my buses well in front of me when I'm cycling. I make sure the driver can see me from the right mirror. But then, I am slow
When cycling I too prefer buses in front, rather than behind. I just find it upsetting see legitimate road users backing down, especially when they can see people at the next bus stop. The bus driver side of me doesn't like passing cyclists because it creates an extra hazard : Pass cyclist, stop at stop, passenger faffs getting on, go to pull away, can't see cyclist... Where's cyclist gone? Especially in the rain when mirrors can be covered in raindrops and all that is visible is light and shapes.
growingvegetables
Guru
- Location
- Leeds
+1
A fwiw - based on cycling my route into Leeds city centre. Add a lot of give and take. If it's your commute, and there's not too many bus routes, the regular drivers'll get to recognise you.
And if you're the guy that let's them pull out when they need to, or pulls in to the side when you're riding primary (and it's safe!) and they come up behind you, or gives 'em time to pull out from a side road in front of you, with cheery waves and thumbs-up ....... hey - then you've got a fair few drivers looking out for your a**e, especially when you need it.
Doesn't work on routes where there's loads and loads of scheduled bus routes - then the drivers seem to be as frazzled as the cyclists, despite having several tons of protection round them
Just a wandering thought - ain't no panacea!
jonny jeez
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chislehurst, Kent, UK
If you can, then use them to your advantage. This is a vid of me drafting after a failed overtake. It pulled me through one of the dullest parts of my ride home.
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj82mtlinbA
Otherwise, as others have said treat them with respenct, the London Bus drivers seem to be very well trained in the main and equally cycle aware.
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj82mtlinbA
Otherwise, as others have said treat them with respenct, the London Bus drivers seem to be very well trained in the main and equally cycle aware.
mr_hippo
Living Legend & Old Fart
True.
I work for a Bus company and can drive (but don't for a living), I also view all of our CCTV incidents and the amount of times I see cyclists (some claiming to be experienced) putting themselves in danger by not being positive, holding primary or moving lanes /on /off paths without looking is frightening 
Be positive, hold primary and if you can overtake at a stop then do it (with a wide pass if possible!). You will always be faster in town....
Be positive, hold primary and if you can overtake at a stop then do it (with a wide pass if possible!). You will always be faster in town....
Cyclopathic
Veteran
- Location
- Leicester.
Would it help drivers if buses were fitted with a camera at the back to cover some of the blind spot?
Cyclopathic
Veteran
- Location
- Leicester.
In general how do you find bus drivers regard cyclists? Are they lumped together as a nuisance or a hazard, or are they considered more on an individual level with some good and some bad? Is it generaly thought that we don't do enough to keep ourselves safe?I work for a Bus company and can drive (but don't for a living), I also view all of our CCTV incidents and the amount of times I see cyclists (some claiming to be experienced) putting themselves in danger by not being positive, holding primary or moving lanes /on /off paths without looking is frightening
Be positive, hold primary and if you can overtake at a stop then do it (with a wide pass if possible!). You will always be faster in town....
A few years back when I drove a mini cab I can't remember there being any overt animosity to cyclists and I don't remember cyclists being a particular problem.
subaqua
What’s the point
- Location
- Leytonstone
depends what road I am on . theres a few by me that i will keep behind the bus a few metres as I can keep up with it easily . this stops stupid close passes by must get ahead mentalists.
Davidc
Guru
- Location
- Somerset UK
I do whatever's safest!
Often that means taking a position (Primary) so the bus can't go past until I think it's safe and let it go.
I have always found that being assertive and at the same time making sure that drivers (all of 'em not just buses) know EXACTLY what I intend to do helps keep problems to a minimum.
Can't do anything about complete morons who drive, but I've rarely come across them in buses. Bad driving yes, moronic no, and I get the impression that bus drivers prefer knowing what you're doing so they too avoid any problems even if it costs them 20 seconds getting to the next stop.
Often that means taking a position (Primary) so the bus can't go past until I think it's safe and let it go.
I have always found that being assertive and at the same time making sure that drivers (all of 'em not just buses) know EXACTLY what I intend to do helps keep problems to a minimum.
Can't do anything about complete morons who drive, but I've rarely come across them in buses. Bad driving yes, moronic no, and I get the impression that bus drivers prefer knowing what you're doing so they too avoid any problems even if it costs them 20 seconds getting to the next stop.
We have a handful that "hate cyclists" as with any group of people, one the whole our drivers are pretty good and give plenty of room and space to bikes as they understand how vulnerable we are. I see more cyclists causing problems by their own actions than the other way around.
Same old story with any driver really, cyclists jumping lights and riding in places they shouldn't be means we all get tarred with the same brush sometimes
They all know I cycle and they no about it if the do anything wrong towards "one of us"
wmtlynx
Active Member
Some buses do have rear-mounted cameras to aid with reversing, I believe. Haven't driven any like this myself, but I see no reason for the screen used for this not to be on all the time. Maybe other bus drivers can enlighten me? Mirrors and shoulder checks, for the most part are adequate, providing they are used. Bad weather can be a problem and this is where hi vis and having lights on during daylight can help be seen. Fog is the worst weather as a film of dew mists up the mirrors and the outside of the glass. Heated mirrors are good for this - until the bus gets to about 5 years old and "any old mirror will do if it fits" after that.
The company I work for are very safety conscious and we are trained to a very high standard. Their buses are fitted with gyroscopic equipment to detect side swing and harsh braking. We're taught to drift around parked cars rather than swing out and back in again and this kind of driving could be a lifesaver for a ninja hidden behind foggy mirrors.
There's always going to be new and inexperienced bus drivers about - we do get quite a high turnover of staff due to the nature of shift work not being for everyone. And I presume all bus companies have the depot nutter who just doesn't care.
On the whole, "canteen talk" regarding cyclists is that bus drivers have no real love or hate for them. Around half a dozen drivers are even taking to the roads on pedal power since the Olympics! And in any case, bikes don't really get in the way in Redditch, and buses only get in the way of other buses.......
