Morse coaches brushes my elbow...

[Sh4rkyBloke]

Road positioning quibbles aside, they can't dispute that the driver was a complete c*ck..

FTFY.

 

[siadwell]

FTFY.

Ta.

Could have been a c*ck-ette, though.

 

[mr_cellophane]

I'd also write to the council about the mud left on the road. I am fairly sure they should make the farmer sweep that up regularly.

 

[fossyant]

Deffo explain there was your wife at the side...........

 

[Amanda P]

I had a one-line reply from the manager of Morse Coaches:

"I shall interview the driver on his return".

The driver probably has returned by now, but no further word. I'll follow up next week if I hear nothing futher.

I'm curious as to why you all think the presence of my wife is relevant. I wonder if it's because you think I was on the outside to protect her? Not so, she's a very experienced and competent rider. It could just have easily been her on the outside.

I specifically didn't mention this in my letter because I really don't think my position in the road or why I used it is relevant. And I don't want to get into a discussion with the bus company of why I wasn't in the gutter, unless they choose to raise it. If they choose to defend themselves by attacking my behaviour, we'll get into that. If not, we won't - and why should we? I was doing nothing wrong, and cyclists not using the gutter shouldn't come into it if drivers are properly educated and competent.

Incidentally, when we started cycling to work, we encountered quite a lot of poor overtaking, whether together or separate. Now, people know us and it almost never happens. We live in a small village and have done for ten years, we know most of the faces; this bus company has had its garage there now for two or three years. I'd be surprised if this driver didn't know us at least by reputation. We get stopped in the street with "Hey, you're that couple that cycles everywhere". (It's always tempting to reply "Yes. Aren't you the guy that drives everywhere?)

I don't tend to look around every time I hear an engine behind, although I do usually glance in the mirror. I'll look round if there's any reason to be wary - approaching a junction or a squeeze, for example. But you can't see me doing this because the camera is on the bike, not on me (it's a rather bulky ATC).

 

[Amanda P]

I'd also write to the council about the mud left on the road. I am fairly sure they should make the farmer sweep that up regularly.

I know the farmer responsible - I work with farmers quite a bit. I also know he'll almost certainly get it swept up or washed off when he's done. While the job's ongoing, though it'd be a waste of time - there'd just be more an hour later.

One of the joys of living out in the sticks - that and thrashed thorn hedges leaving thorns in the road... (And I've spoken to my tame farmers about that too. Farmers like buying new kit. Fancy new flail mowers come with a blower to blow the clippings onto the verge).

 

[Arch]

I know the farmer responsible - I work with farmers quite a bit. I also know he'll almost certainly get it swept up or washed off when he's done. While the job's ongoing, though it'd be a waste of time - there'd just be more an hour later.

One of the joys of living out in the sticks - that and thrashed thorn hedges leaving thorns in the road... (And I've spoken to my tame farmers about that too. Farmers like buying new kit. Fancy new flail mowers come with a blower to blow the clippings onto the verge).

I suppose being a farmer with a funds is like having access to the biggest Brittains Farm set there is... I never had any machinery as a kid, just animals, but the girl downstairs had a haybaler, and sometimes she'd let me borrow it. It dropped bales out of the back, and everything.

Oh, on the plus side, I've rescued that bottle cage you had your eye on, it's yours when ever you want it.

 

[MacB]

I think you're right Phil, road positioning is immaterial, even if you had been breaking some sort of law that's for the police to decide(Iknow you weren't). Not a bus driver to use his bus as some sort of judge/jury/executioner

 

[Amanda P]

I've had no further reply from Morse's - not that I asked for one. But this is how one of their vehicles passed this morning.

I think the hint may have been taken.

 

[4F]

Now that was much better

 

[addictfreak]

Bloody hell Uncle Phil where was that road, Basra! Looks like its been hit by a cluster bomb.

 

[Arch]

Bloody hell Uncle Phil where was that road, Basra! Looks like its been hit by a cluster bomb.

It's about par for the course around York then....

To be fair, they've patched some of the worst bits on my commute in today, although I notice they've dug up the road on the other side for a utility, so that'll be another long strip patch to attract damage next winter....

 

[BentMikey]

That's living out in the sticks for you.