Was this bus driver bad?

[col]

Yes, she really did. Bottom line is that she didn't see a cyclist that was coming past her until she started to pull out. You can kill someone that way.

For whatever reason, her actions risked the welfare of the cyclist, a cyclist who had broken no law, who had made no demonstrable error. Cycling home yesterday, on two occasions I overtook busses that were stopped, both started indicating after I'd moved well out to overtake them; I could have pulled a sharp stop in icy conditions to let them go or I could do the safer thing and continue past them, knowing that had they indicated earlier I could have let them out.



Which was too late. Whether by design (blind spot) or lack of attention, she saw the cyclist too late. You don't start moving out into moving traffic where there isn't a gap, its your error if you do so.



No, the driver didn't notice the bike. Doesn't mean it wasn't there.

(further cut, unread)

I shall not entertain any further possibility that Nethalus was not in the wrong, nor shall I accept that her subsequent behaviour can be excused in any way.

It wasnt there when first check was done,when second was done the bus stopped,what mistake is there?
As you pulled out in time to be seen,there is no issue there

She must have noticed it,she stopped

Nethalus was wrong to stick the fingers up.But did nothing else wrong,other than being surprised by a cyclist appearing from behind the bus using bad road position.

 

[col]

Agreed. Equally irritating though is those bus drivers who pull over without indicating or stop alongside bus stop laybyes in the middle or the road just because they can't be bothered to wait for a gap in the traffic once they want to start again. That's part of their job. The laybyes are there to get buses out of the flow and allow traffic to continue.

Or the drivers who see you coming at a fair rate and rather than wait an extra couple of seconds for you to pass pull out regardless.

It works both ways.

"Those bus drivers" And "Or the drivers"
Point taken, But how do you differentiate between "those" and all others?

 

[Brock]

It wasnt there when first check was done,when second was done the bus stopped,what mistake is there?
As you pulled out in time to be seen,there is no issue there

She must have noticed it,she stopped

Nethalus was wrong to stick the fingers up.But did nothing else wrong,other than being surprised by a cyclist appearing from behind the bus using bad road position.

From the OP:

The cyclist shouted "Oi thanks mate" as the bus continued to move. So the bus driver opened the cab window and stuck twos up at the cyclist before accelerating away.

Doesn't really sound like stopping to me?

 

[col]

From the OP:


Doesn't really sound like stopping to me?

Read back,and she says the bike wasnt there when she started to pull away.The amount of times i v checked then pulled away,only for a vehicle to appear and cause me to stop,iv lost count,it will probably keep happening,but does that make me a bad driver?Its part of day to day driving.Ill remember next time it happens,that my actions are inexcusable,because someone else used bad road position,and that i avoided an accident.

 

[Brock]

You seem to be assuming she saw the cyclist, realised her maneuver was in conflict with a vehicle she hadn't previously noticed and then gave way. From my reading of the OP the driver took the time to wave two fingers while still moving before putting her foot down.

 

[col]

You seem to be assuming she saw the cyclist, realised her maneuver was in conflict with a vehicle she hadn't previously noticed and then gave way. From my reading of the OP the driver took the time to wave two fingers while still moving before putting her foot down.

Im not assuming she saw the cyclist,because she didnt,it wasnt there when she first checked,it appeared while she was moving away.The impression i got ,was that when the cyclist did appear,they stopped,and shout "oi" and "Thanks",so letting the bus go.But probably still shocking the bus driver as to where did that come from.So i can only conclude ,that the bike was behind the bus as it indicated and started to move,but decided to still try and pass.?

 

[Brock]

Well the actual details are difficult to ascertain without clear video of the incident, but the mere fact that the bus was STILL indicating shows that it was STILL making a positional change in the road while coming into the conflict with the cyclist. Therefore I assume the cyclist wasn't 'overtaking' so much as trying to continue her course, when the bus joined her lane.
Indicating doesn't give you the right to pull out in front of people, even if you are a bus.

 

[col]

Well the actual details are difficult to ascertain without clear video of the incident, but the mere fact that the bus was STILL indicating shows that it was STILL making a positional change in the road while coming into the conflict with the cyclist. Therefore I assume the cyclist wasn't 'overtaking' so much as trying to continue her course, when the bus joined her lane.
Indicating doesn't give you the right to pull out in front of people, even if you are a bus.

And making a ham sandwich doesnt mean you have to share it
Whats that got to do with it?
It sounds to me like its the cyclist that brought themselves into conflict with the bus.?Like you say,if it was still indicating and moving,why did the cyclist carry on to try and pass it?When it seemed to be too far back,and out of site to the driver,to do that?

 

[Brock]

Who knows? We're not talking about the cyclist's actions, we're talking about the bus driver's.

 

[col]

That's easy. "those" are the ones exhibiting the inappropriate behaviour and driving like idiots.

Again good point

 

[Brock]

Indeed Mr Paul, we should consider 'our own' actions, which in this conversation is Nethalus' actions.

 

[col]

Who knows? We're not talking about the cyclist's actions, we're talking about the bus driver's.

I thought the question was "Was this bus driver bad"? we already agree she was for the fingers,but imo,not for the maneouver.Which brings the cyclists actions into question.

 

[Brock]

Shall we drag her off the bus and give her a good spanking anyway?

 

[col]

This is boring now.

I'll repeat my earlier comment-

The cyclist ought to have given way.

The bus driver, on seeing the cyclist, ought to have given way.

The problem comes when each starts looking at the other's actions rather than their own, and dictating what 'someone else' should have done.

Isn't it far easier to consider our own actions? After all, they're the ones we have complete control over.

Yet again good point

 

[col]

Shall we drag her off the bus and give her a good spanking anyway?

OOerr