I feel guilty for reporting a bus driver...

[Wheeledweenie]

even though I know I was right.

The full shebang is on my blog but this guy harassed me over a couple of miles in an 18-tonne bendy bus. He tailgated me, cut me up and various other things.

I felt so uneasy at one point that I nearly deviated the route I take nearly every day just so he would leave me alone.

And yet I still feel guilty. Am I a bad person?

 

[mr Mag00]

no

 

[JiMBR]

no...you're just a human being

 

[Noodley]

Who did you report it to?

 

[Wheeledweenie]

It's London so you report through TfL who then take it to the bus driver. Guy on the phone laughed when I said 'I'm a cyclist and I can hear your heart sinking because you know what I'm going to say.' He said I was right to report it and agreed I should also put it on the CTC Smidsy campaign.

 

[Origamist]

Inconsiderate and intimidatory driving needs to be addressed, WW. Well done for reporting it.

If anyone else feels the need to complain about poor bus driving in London, here are the contact details:

London Buses
Tel: 0845 300 7000 (08:00-20:00 Monday to Friday)
Textphone: 020 7918 4435 (08:00-20:00 Monday to Friday);
Email: customerservices@tfl-buses.co.uk
Post: London Buses Customer Services, 4th floor, Zone G7, Palestra, 197 Blackfriars Road, London SE1 8NJ

 

[Noodley]

It's London so you report through TfL who then take it to the bus driver. Guy on the phone laughed when I said 'I'm a cyclist and I can hear your heart sinking because you know what I'm going to say.' He said I was right to report it and agreed I should also put it on the CTC Smidsy campaign.

Very good. And good to hear TfL have this system

 

[Alan Whicker]

Absolutely the right thing to do. A bus ignored my right of way through a chicane in Leytonstone a few weeks back. I had to take evasive action and ended sat on the top tube which was er, painful. I reported him, and the impression I got from TFL was that they'd take it very seriously. I think the lady I spoke to said something along the lines of "If he's done this before he could be in serious trouble".

The guy you encountered shouldn't be on the road in my opinion. Or at least in line for some serious training.

 

[Wheeledweenie]

I feel better, thanks.

It's only the second time I've reported anyone and I know I was right. The first incident in the chain of idiocy could have been accidental and I didn't swear, get angry or take issue in any way but he just decided to get nasty about it.

 

[BentMikey]

Well done Wheeledweenie! Of course you feel guilty, that's because you're a good person who cares. I often feel the same when reporting a driver.

Just think about duty, and not about the guilt. I think it's our duty to report these clowns, not for our sakes, but for those other cyclists and vulnerable road users they will indimidate and scare in the future, or even have a collision with.

 

[Origamist]

London Buses
Tel: 0845 300 7000 (08:00-20:00 Monday to Friday)
Textphone: 020 7918 4435 (08:00-20:00 Monday to Friday);
Email: customerservices@tfl-buses.co.uk
Post: London Buses Customer Services, 4th floor, Zone G7, Palestra, 197 Blackfriars Road, London SE1 8NJ

Don't forget, you can also compliment courteous bus driving using the above details...

 

[jonny jeez]

You are not bad at all!

Think of it as helping the good bus drivers to maintain their quality and the respect from the likes of us (you cant let a bad apple spoil the barrel).

Glad you made it in one piece.

Good work, but I would also +1 Origamists point about praising when its due too, this only adds credibility to any report that you do "have" to make.

 

[Wheeledweenie]

Indeed, I'm about to email Kingsmill because one of their lorry drivers regularly uses the same route as me and is lovely, he goes out of his way to be helpful.

 

[Windward]

my desire to report compliments/complaints is about 20 to 1, my route is charmed! But I think you're totally right to report that sort of driving, especially as the bendy moron is intentionally harrassing you, and not just suffering from a brain fart, which if not more dangerous is certainly more mean spirited!

 

[mark i]

I think that reporting is the right thing to do. Assuming that it is impatience rather than malicious then the driver needs training, which the company can only do if they know. Also the threat also means that the drivers have a reason to keep their nose clean. The difference between agressive driving that is intimidating and aggressive driving that causes injury is only the judgement of someone who sees fit to intimidate cyclists. That kind of says their judgement is not to great in the first place.
For me I cycle down broad lane in Coventry and have fun with buses. We end up at similar speeds, but credit, if I am in front they do not tend to overtake me they wait behind and pull in at the stop once I am clear, often taking pains to do so. If I am behind I end up slowing at every bus stop!