Was this bus driver bad?

[Cab]

Guys! Chill out a bit.

Cab, nethalus is at least making an effort here, so give her a brake. We all know that you are good at finding little holes in peoples arguments, but does that really take us forward? Does it really matter how far her window was down?

All Nethalus is doing is seeking affirmation that she did nothing wrong. She isn't making an effort to be a good road user, she isn't making an effort to find out the views of cyclists. She's after having people tell her she didn't do wrong when demonstrably she did.

Yes nethalus shouldn't have gave a two fingered sign, but she did and she feels guilty about it. I have given my fair share of rude signs to other road users (a lot worse than two fingers!!) and sometimes I regret it. I don't however, think this makes me a bad person, just someone who needs to learn to hold back (and I am better now).

What makes her a bad road user is that she's trying to justify the first mistake, which was to pull out into road space that was occupied (or shortly to be occupied). It isn't her call to say that the cyclist must stop, to let her out, as there are many valid reasons not to do so; thats why the highway code asks you to let a bus out where you can, rather than saying that you must.

Her manoevre was dangerous, and she knows it, and we gain nothing by appeasing that kind of behaviour on the roads.

Cab, I respect your views and your advice on road safety is usually spot on, however, you do go on your high horse sometimes!!

Only when faced with some other people being oddly recalcitrant when I suggest that we call a shovel a shovel; Nethalus described a dangerous manoevre and unacceptable subsequent behaviour, and she has then changed her statement on the subject to try not to come across so badly. She wasn't interested in hearing any view of what she did other than 'its all the cyclists fault'.

Frankly, I think that such behaviour can be roundly condemned from a dwarfish pony on its knees, no need to get right up on to a high horse.

 

[tdr1nka]

OK it's that time again.....

NURSE!

Tx

 

[domtyler]

Frankly, I think that such behaviour can be roundly condemned from a dwarfish pony on its knees, no need to get right up on to a high horse.

Go get 'em Floyd!

 

[Cab]

So am I.

Cab - You seem completely incapable of seeing things from a bus driver's point of view (or the driver of any large vehicle), and your rantings aren't doing anybody any favours. IMO the cyclist in this particular incident was in the wrong, failed to anticipate what was happening, and failed to act accordingly. Being on a bicycle doesn't automatically make you in the right regardless of circumstance.

So, lets get this right...

Cyclist is going along, bus signals to move out. The cyclist has a reason for not stopping, believes it to be too dangerous to do so for whatever reason (saw signal too late, the road is frosty, theres a car right on his arse or whatever else). In your view the cyclist is now in the wrong if he doesn't stop, and the highway code is wrong because its advice is only to let a bus out in such a scenario when you can (i.e. when it is safe to do so)?

Sorry, but thats barking.

 

[magnatom]

Cab,

I'd argue your points, but I just don't have the energy or the time to read most of your posts when you start your rants (and this is a rant). Grab one of Jacomus' zen bubbles and convert it for internet use.

 

[Cab]

I make no apology for it. It didn't slow the flow of traffic.

And you didn't force anyone to make any sudden stops, or endanger anyone else in doing so. Really very different to the scenario described by Nethalus.

 

[Cab]

Cab,

I'd argue your points, but I just don't have the energy or the time to read most of your posts when you start your rants (and this is a rant). Grab one of Jacomus' zen bubbles and convert it for internet use.

Sorry Mag, you're a good bloke but thats a cop-out. The situation is really very, very simple; bus pulls out into the path of a cyclist who has not slowed to allow the bus out, the bus driver is in the wrong. Granted, the bus driver can then stop, allow the bike to go, wave a hand in apology, and thats the kind of thing you'd hope to see. The cyclist should understand that people make mistakes and let it be. But that didn't happen, the bus driver followed up a bad call with bad behaviour.

I don't see any other reasonable interpretation of events, unless we're prepared to say that a bus can validly pull out into traffic regardless of whether or not it is safe to do so.

 

[tdr1nka]

And you didn't force anyone to make any sudden stops, or endanger anyone else in doing so. Really very different to the scenario described by Nethalus.

You must be a paleontologist Cab, no-one else could or would assume and extrapolate so much from so little information.

And by the way, you and your keeling pony appear to be standing on chair........

T x

 

[gambatte]

And you didn't force anyone to make any sudden stops, or endanger anyone else in doing so. Really very different to the scenario described by Nethalus.

Doesn't sound like Nethalus did either of those 2 things Cab

 

[gambatte]

Looking at that stop I'd argue whether the bus actually pulls out into traffic, looks like every other bit of traffic has to carry out an overtaking manouvre to pass.

 

[Cab]

You must be a paleontologist Cab, no-one else could or would assume and extrapolate so much from so little information.

I'm fairly sure that he'd have told us if anyone had had to suddenly stop or if the whole of the traffic ground to a halt.

And by the way, you and your keeling pony appear to be standing on chair........

On the contrary, you could spit on Nethalus's argument from the back of an earwig.

 

[nethalus]

You must be a paleontologist Cab, no-one else could or would assume and extrapolate so much from so little information.

And by the way, you and your keeling pony appear to be standing on chair........

T x

I was thinking that myself. Like in an earlier post he suggested the road was frosty! I never said that, the incident happened a while ago and the road was dry and the day fairly warm. Also there were no cars, as like I'd said previously they had stopped at the traffic lights so I didn't force my way into traffic. The only other vehicle was the cyclist like.

 

[Cab]

Doesn't sound like Nethalus did either of those 2 things Cab

Would be easy for Nethalus to comment on that, but I note that despite being directly addressed on such issues several times she hasn't done so. Has changed other aspects of her story, though.

 

[domtyler]

Come on Cab, you've had your fun, now don't be a plonker and apologise to Nethalus.

 

[magnatom]

Sorry Mag, you're a good bloke but thats a cop-out. The situation is really very, very simple; bus pulls out into the path of a cyclist who has not slowed to allow the bus out, the bus driver is in the wrong. Granted, the bus driver can then stop, allow the bike to go, wave a hand in apology, and thats the kind of thing you'd hope to see. The cyclist should understand that people make mistakes and let it be. But that didn't happen, the bus driver followed up a bad call with bad behaviour.

I don't see any other reasonable interpretation of events, unless we're prepared to say that a bus can validly pull out into traffic regardless of whether or not it is safe to do so.

No it's not. It is a reaction to the form of your posts. They are way too long and you nit pick at the smallest of details (was a window fully open or partially open, who cares!!).

My summary would be this, nethalus may have pulled out and endangered the cyclist and got annoyed just because thats what some drivers do. Equally the cyclist may have done something stupid, and caused nethalus a fright which she reacted to. Yes wrong reaction but hardly a terrible crime. The only source of information we have is nethalus herself. She is the only available witness. Witnesses are notoriously poor at remembering information correctly, so there is significant uncertainty in what happened. So what point is there pouring over the detail when there are probably biased inaccuracies anyway (nethalus this is a general statement about wittinesses and not aimed specifically at you)

Therefore we should listen to what she says, chat amicably about what may or may not have happened, suggest what she could do in the future and thank her for bothering to spend the time chatting about it.

What we should not do is witch hunt, nit pick, make assumptions, and question the motives of someone who is obviously trying to improve her driving.

Nethalus has changed her opinion of cyclists over the last few months and it would appear is considering taking up cycling. Is that not a result? It is likely if she does this that she will improve her understanding of cyclist issue and will probably become a better driver for it.


Taking all of this in mind, what purpose does your continued arguing with nethalus now serve?

Give it a break mate!!

(I am sorry that this post is now of cab proportions, please feel free to read or ignore what you wish!! )