National Express boss "Biggest danger to cyclists is themselves"

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OP
OP
glenn forger

glenn forger

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HorTs

Über Member
Location
Portsmouth
All three parties could have made it easier for the other couldn't they? With the bus being the one able to squash people he should have allowed the cyclists to get clear, but just as easy the cyclists could have slowed, let the bus in and everyone would have been safe. Not that the cyclists should have had to have done it it but it would have ended the potentially dangerous situation.
 
OP
OP
glenn forger

glenn forger

Guest
That's the only example I could find. It's not too bad, but it's certainly NOT the cyclist's fault. Armpit sits on the board, he shouldn't be spouting lies like that, TFL and London deserve better than board members making up stuff to slag off dead cyclists.
 
OP
OP
glenn forger

glenn forger

Guest
All three parties could have made it easier for the other couldn't they? With the bus being the one able to squash people he should have allowed the cyclists to get clear, but just as easy the cyclists could have slowed, let the bus in and everyone would have been safe. Not that the cyclists should have had to have done it it but it would have ended the potentially dangerous situation.

Ok, forget about the clip, maybe it was a mistake posting that example, sorry.

Armitt is a dishonest victim blamer, just the same as idiots who claim raped women are complicit.
 
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Drago

Legendary Member
While its undoubtedly true that some cyclists don't help themselves, its apparent to even the most obtuse observer that many of these large vehicles are consistently driven dangerously and inconsiderately. This is not helped by coach companies that have their drivers working to a strict timetable, thus encouraging them to drive like Ben Hur to meet their schedules.

And then theres the quality of the drivers that Gnational Excess hire...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/beds/bucks/herts/7471141.stm

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-making-safety-announcement-jailed-years.html


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxYfDAJrrKQ


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-19324176

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/117...after_National_Express_coach_hits_police_car/

Mr Boss man might want to check the integrity of his own greenhouse before throwing embarassing mineral based missiles...
 

NorvernRob

Senior Member
Location
Sheffield
Looked to me like the bus driver saw the cyclists, indicated left and pulled over a bit then waited until they went past. I don't really get what's bad about it, he didn't squeeze them off the road. Ok he could have waited behind, but we don't know how many more cyclists were behind the camera guy and none of the ones in front had any intention of letting the bus in.

If it was me either on the bike or in the car I'd have slowed and let the bus in.
 
OP
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glenn forger

glenn forger

Guest
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/lond...srail-for-bikes-scheme-approved-10023945.html

A Transport for London board member today claimed that the biggest danger to the capital's cyclists is themselves.

Sir John Armitt, who is also chairman of the National Express coach group, made the claim as TfL's board rubber stamped plans for Europe's longest urban segregated cycle path through London.
 

400bhp

Guru
Looked to me like the bus driver saw the cyclists, indicated left and pulled over a bit then waited until they went past. I don't really get what's bad about it, he didn't squeeze them off the road. Ok he could have waited behind, but we don't know how many more cyclists were behind the camera guy and none of the ones in front had any intention of letting the bus in.

If it was me either on the bike or in the car I'd have slowed and let the bus in.

Because the cyclists had no idea what he was going to do, continue pulling in or wait at the side.

It was, at best, poor anticipation by the coach driver.
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
Having seen the behaviour of some cyclists in London, I agree with Sir John Armitt - you'd almost think some were tired of life.
 

stephec

Legendary Member
Location
Bolton
Looking at the OP, what's the guy with the headcam doing going up the inside of the coach if it's indicating left and slowing down?

Morally right or not, that won't help you when you're lying in a hospital bed.
 
Having seen the behaviour of some cyclists in London, I agree with Sir John Armitt - you'd almost think some were tired of life.

Same in Cambridge and even were I live in Ely;peeps on Bromptons cutting in and out of queues of cars and riding through red lights on a pedestrian crossing.
 

jonny jeez

Legendary Member
Guys, forget the bloody clip...point here is a member of the TFL board is publically blaming cyclists for accidents...and this chap is also on the board of one of the U.K.' s largest transport firms.

Whilst you and I can debate the video clip, from within the confines of Shaun's forum, we are not heard by the rest of the world.

This muppet is!

People in public office...worse still people on the board of the body that oversees transport within our capital, should know better.

Does Boris want to increase cycling in London or not?
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
He's got every right to express his opinion and from the persepctive of a professional driver, he's got a very good point. Do you aim to censor him?

Cooperative use of urban roads cuts both ways: at the moment all the pressure of the cycling public's indignation is on drivers, which mostly means bus, taxi and truck drivers, who are painted as the Big Satans of the road. Anybody who has ever driven for a living and especially driven a large vehicle will understand the frustration of trying to manouever the thing safely through city traffic while dealing with work-related stress, deadlines, route-finding, safe, legal parking and the need to find an easy escape from the destination once the job is complete. A minority of cyclists has zero empathy with professional drivers or understanding of their difficulties, which indicates lack of intelligence, my definition of intelligence being the ability to think in abstract terms and to foresee the consequences of your actions. Paradoxically, many cyclists consider themself right-thinking and intellectually superior to drivers so there's clearly something that goes wrong inside their heads when these people throw a leg over a saddle.
 
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