Psycho Bus Driver

[Jezston]

This is the second time an incident has occured with a driver of an Arriva bus on exactly the same stretch of road:

http://maps.google.c...303.29,,0,13.02

Currently there is major roadworks on this stretch meaning the road is very narrow and it is impossible to safely overtake a cyclist. Last time I had an incident with a bus there was when I had decided to take primary through the stretch, and an Arriva driver had decided to cut out in a wider section and cut back in almost forcing me into the barriers.

I am yet to hear back from Arriva regarding this.

Today a similar incident occured, except this time I found myself in secondary due to the layout of the road coming into the barriered section. An arriva bus driver decided to overtake me through the barrier section incredibly dangerously close, so close I could feel him brush against me - I slapped the side of the bus as I was worried he didn't even know I was there and was about to crush me into the side wall. Instead of reacting with surprise and apologies the driver immediately reacted with rage and hurling abuse and threatening language at me.

The bus then turned left into Albert Street where I was going and pulled over into the bus stop where the yellow bus is shown here:
http://maps.google.c...,203.93,,2,1.47
Frightened and angry I shouted at the driver throught the window that he needed reminding of his duty under the highway code that he should give at least three feet ... but before I could finish he was out of his cab and in my face hurling abuse at me. He then went back into his cab while a colleague got on (presumably he was at the end of a shift and was being replaced by this other guy) and pressed some button, presumably to turn on the cameras. The driver then got very smarmy while I got angry, and as I used swear words he was all "oh your swearing at me, I got that on camera!" I retorted he was effing and blinding at me all the way until this point, to which point he got off the bus, got up to my face and said if he wasn't on duty he'd kick the shoot out of me.

Times like this make me wish I had a helmet cam.

I've phoned Arriva and explained the event and insisted on speaking to someone senior (last time I couldn't get through and had to email them). I said I don't want to go to the police if it's just the case the guy was at the end of a shift, in a foul mood and now he's calmed down, realised or at least been informed of the error of his ways, he's ready to apologise. But I still feel like I should go to the police. I heard nothing back after the last incident (although was told it had been investigated and they hadn't had a chance to write to me yet) and am currently really shaken and scared of getting back on the bike in case next time one of the idiots really does me in.

Part of me feels I shouldn't have had a go at the driver, but I stood my ground and feel if you don't, then they know they can just get away with being ignorant and dangerous bullies.

Should I still report it?

 

[Origamist]

Yes, but don't expect a great deal as they will have a lot of film of you shouting and swearing and I doubt they will be able to "locate" film of the poor and dangerous driving (they might also have a "witness" who will support the driver's version of events.

Without wanting to sound glib, if you had a camera in this situation you would be in a much stronger position if you wanted to report the incident...It might be worth the investment.

 

[BSRU]

I think the problem will be witnesses and on board bus camera evidence, I think the Police will not be that interested if they do not exist as then it becomes your word against his.
Being an awkward barsteward myself I would probably report it but expect not much to come of it.
The main reason I have a camera is for such situations where it would have been my word/opinion against another person's.

 

[upsidedown]

I think a registered letter to Mike Cooper - Managing director – Arriva UK Bus would be a good place to start. I'm staggered that in this day and age people are allowed to behave like that. These companies take their public image very seriously and perhaps they need telling that while the top brass do the shiny logo bit others within their organisation are causing untold damage to the brand.

I'd definitely follow it up until i got a result, but i'm an awkward sod aswell.

good luck

paul

 

[Jezston]

When I spoke to Arriva over the phone they were quite helpful and sympathetic. I just had a call from someone more senior at Arriva who wanted to arrange a meeting so I could discuss the incident with them which they were very keen to arrange. So, I've arranged to meet them monday morning before I go to work at their offices in the Derby bus station. A slight tinge of paranoia is giving me the mental image of being directed into a room to be confronted with a group of bus drivers weilding clubs lying in wait! But hopefully this will be be a constructive experience.

I sent them an email after I'd calmed down somewhat after I spoke to them on the phone stressing that I'd be happy to apologise for anything I may have said to the driver if he would apologise and understand how scary what he did was.

I added that most cyclists killed on the road are in incidents involving large vehicles like buses and HGVs, so this is why such incidents are so scary.

While I was doing this I thought of a good argument against the negative attitude towards cyclists slowing people down and against agressive overtaking, which I think could make a good public information broadcast. Yes, sometimes a cyclist could slow you down a bit if you are stuck behind them, but then so does a pedestrian slow you down using a crossing which causes you to slow down and stop - and it isn't acceptable to buzz past a pedestrian crossing a zebra crossing putting their life in danger for your convenience, so why is it acceptable to do similar to a cyclist? Most people have no problem slowing down and stopping for a few seconds to let a pedestrian cross the road, so why should it be a problem to slow down for a few seconds for a cyclist?

 

[magnatom]

That's good news about the meeting. I'm sure it will be fine. Just make sure you don't come across as a raving lunatic and you'll be fine!

with regards to the camera, he may have switched a camera on in the cab, but it is possible that there are other cameras not in his control (this is often the case with other bus companies). They may have footage of the incident. When you go to the meeting, ask them about this.

 

[the snail]

I hope the meeting goes well, if they take on board what you have to say, ultimately the management are responsible for operating safely. It looks like this is maybe a situation where the road conditions encourage dangerous driving, so the highways agency or whoever is responsible should allow some room for cyclists, or put up a 'no overtaking sign or something

 

[Stingy]

At least you seem to be getting somewhere with the complaints procedure. I recently complained to Finglands coaches in Manchester after me and another cyclists were mindlessly targeted for no reason, but have had no reply at all.

I'd be very suprised if the drivers have control over the operation of the cameras. Would kind of defeat the object of having them if they weren't recording permanently.

 

[col]

If cctv cams are fitted to the bus, they are permanantly recording onto a hard drive or disk, unless they are not working. They will have you on a recording if they are working.
Very unfortunate for you, and scary too, but there are more good drivers out there than bad.

 

[2Loose]

Goodluck with this Jezston, even if the footage shows you\the event in an unflattering light, remain cool and remember how scary it was to you at the time.

 

[jimboalee]

Blimey Jez, the driver left his cab and confronted you on the pavement and threatened you?

Please tell me why the drivers colleague didn't need to scrape the driver off the tarmac and drive promptly to the nearest hospital?

Were there passengers on the bus who witnessed you being assaulted?

 

[szygy]

Blimey Jez, the driver left his cab and confronted you on the pavement and threatened you?

Please tell me why the drivers colleague didn't need to scrape the driver off the tarmac and drive promptly to the nearest hospital?

Were there passengers on the bus who witnessed you being assaulted?

A friend had something similar happen a couple of months ago on Oxford st.
A bus overtook him (like there is a point on oxford st) and then sqeezed him against the kerb. When he overtook the bus he let the driver know what he thought of him, and carried on. Further along he stopped at the traffic lights, when he felt himself being pulled backwards by his shirt.
The bus driver had got out and him pulled off his bike! He stood there as the bus driver threw a 'slow motion' haymaker punch.
Unfortunately (for the bus driver) my mate was on his way back from Wing Chun, and so grabbed and pulled the punch. As the bus driver sailed past him, he realised he was going to hit the deck pretty hard, and so tried to grab him and break his fall a bit. He did not manage to grab him and the drivers head made sickening noise as it bounced off the deck. Seconds later there is claret all over the pavement, just as the cops turn up. My mate explains what happens to the sceptical cops, who then call the CCTV centre and get then to look at the footage, which shows an unprovoked attack and no blows or violence coming from mr. cyclist.
So apart from taking his vitals, they let him go. BTW the bus driver was not badly hurt, if fact he was unhurt enough to concoct a BS version of the encounter where he was defending himself.

 

[Tammytroot]

Good on your mate.
Will probably have done more to cure bus drivers road rage than whole series of anger management classes!

 

[beanzontoast]

The centre of Derby is a mess with roadworks at the moment. I can see how this may have contributed towards the mechanics of what happened between the bus and your bike, but that doesn't condone the actions of the bus driver.

Good luck for the meeting on Monday.

 

[Spinney]

Good luck for the meeting on Monday.

What beanz said.

And let us know...