No wonder bus drivers get annoyed...

[008]

I overtook this slow cyclist this morning in a bus lane and then stopped about 100 metres further along behind a bus which was stopped at a red light. The bus lane ahead was clear so thought no point in overtaking the bus and besides, would probably get a good draft behind it

As I waited for the lights to change, the slow cyclist ambles up and proceeds to undertake the bus and then sit in front of it (no ASL btw). Fair enough I thought, so long as she puts her foot down when the lights change... but did she heck! She must've been cycling at less than 10mph. There was too much traffic in the outside lane for the bus (and I) to overtake so we were stuck behind her

Then a gap appeared and I started to overtake the bus... when I got to the front of the bus, I could see the cyclist had almost come to a complete stop and the bus driver had lost all patience and started tooting his horn... even though he was only a few metres from a bus stop by now.

I looked around as I stopped behind a van at another red light a little further up and noticed the cyclist had given up!... she got off and started pushing the bike on the pavemnet.

Why oh why did she pass the bus in the first place and deliberatly place herself in front of a large moving vehicle?? Really baffled me!! Now the bus driver probably hates cyclists even more!

But... that wasn't the end of it... as I was sat behind the van, which was indicating to turn left, about 10 metres past the lights, this woman passes us and then decides to walk her bike in the road in front of us, thus preventing the van (and I) from progressing... again!! ARRGGGHHHHHH!! Now the van driver probably hates cyclists even more!

Sorry, rant over!!

 

[HLaB]

That really irks me too, I'll join the rant. For Instance at a junction where I sit behind the bus that has to turn left up a hill somebody often squeezes by to get in front then struggles when the lights are green. Or what I find irks me more is when they do similar on a downhill but still pull off slowly blocking the bus and everybody has to use their brakes.

 

[CotterPin]

Not knowing anything about this person but I would applaud her for getting out on her bike, and I only hope that her experiences haven't put her off.

Sounds like she needs a little coaching, some more confidence, and little more fitness, and she'll be like loads of others on this forum - irritated by the newbies,

 

[gratts]

Sounds like she's hilarious.
I'd love to meet her.

 

[johnnyh]

she's definitely got a wicked sense of humour...

 

[BentMikey]

She's not a danger to anyone at less than 10mph. She is however an irritation and perhaps less than considerate.

 

[BentMikey]

It does irk me slightly when I'm waiting behind a vehicle in the queue and a cyclist goes in front of the whole queue. That's usually because it's a situation where it's pointless me going ahead, and better for all to wait behind. The usual result of the cyclist going up front is to slow everyone else down, including me, and to reduce their own safety slightly.

 

[Domestique]

She does have every right to be the lane though, the same as the bus

 

[CotterPin]

I don't think the driver is forced to do anything, Lee.

Granted, this woman was slow, but I think she should be encouraged rather than driven off the road by arsy bus drivers and cyclists

 

[BentMikey]

So it's not dangerous to ride in front a bus doing less then 10mph? Forces the bus to do a bad overtake and you end up getting seriously injured or killed.

No-one is forced to do a bad overtake. This is just bad driver thinking.

 

[dondare]

So it's not dangerous to ride in front a bus doing less then 10mph? Forces the bus to do a bad overtake and you end up getting seriously injured or killed.

Not really.

 

[dondare]

Maybe their riding ability and foresight is different to yours.

Quite so. We must all learn to be patient.

 

[CotterPin]

No, ride with with due care and consideration to all other road users.

Which is what the driver of the bus can do as well - attempting a dangerous overtake is not driving with due care and consideration, is it?

 

[dondare]

The woman's behaviour sounds odd. Filtering to the front and then blocking the traffic indicates a lack of awareness or consideration; walking in the road in front of traffic would indicate a certain lack of sanity.

 

[goo_mason]

It does irk me slightly when I'm waiting behind a vehicle in the queue and a cyclist goes in front of the whole queue. That's usually because it's a situation where it's pointless me going ahead, and better for all to wait behind. The usual result of the cyclist going up front is to slow everyone else down, including me, and to reduce their own safety slightly.

+1

If I do decide to filter up the outside to the front of a queue, it's because I know I can out-accelerate the traffic and get a good way ahead of them when the lights change. Otherwise I'll sit in the queue like everyone else, for my safety and that of others. I've never seen the point of people who filter and then proceed to wobble slowly away from the lights. Best to sit in the queue, where the traffic in front of you will move off slowly and you can get your speed up slowly and remain at the speed of your fellow road users for a bit.