Was this bus driver bad?

[domd1979]

In the scale of things, probably not. There's much much worse things that you could do when driving than stick fingers up at people. A bus driver sticking two fingers up at an errant cyclist is no different to the many people on here who admit to yelling/swearing at motorists, who in their view are in the wrong, when they are cycling.

we're trying to establish (at her own request) if the driver's actions upon noticing the cyclist make her a 'bad bus driver' at that point or not.

 

[vernon]

It doesn't help that the junction's functionality was all screwed up when it was redesigned quite a while back. Have a look at the cycle lane as you approach the junction. I don't know who the redesigned junction was meant to help.

Look at the length of the bus lane on the far side of the junction where the bus stop is.

I'm sure that the juction was reworked to spend some surplus money ring fenced for road safety improvement purposes but with no quality assurance measures to assess the success.

Getting back to the original posting, the cyclist should have held back. It isn't wise to take on a motor vehicle especially as big as a bus.

 

[col]

We're not interested whether the cyclist was wrong or not, since they aren't here to explain themselves, we're trying to establish (at her own request) if the driver's actions upon noticing the cyclist make her a 'bad bus driver' at that point or not.

Perhaps we could let her off if she won a game of online cribbage against a champion from cakestop?

We already agree she was bad for sticking the fingers up,but other than that,there is nothing to let her off for.

 

[Brock]

Only if we accept your interpretation of events, which fills a lot of unknowns with your own imaginary reconstruction, or 'impression' as you put it.
I say she was accelerating while being overtaken by another vehicle, which fits with the facts as she gave them.
you say the bus and bicycle stopped, which is just something you made up out of your Christmas cheer addled imaginary fantasy box.

 

[Brock]

'level with the back of it' Hmmmm does that mean the the cyclist herself or the very front of her tyre though?

 

[Cab]

She didn't say she was being overtaken. She said that she pulled out when the cyclist was behind her and about to try and overtake.

So by her account she pulled out into moving traffic where there was no gap; the cyclist (for reasons we cannot ascertain) chose not to let her out, and its his call as to whether doing so is safe, no one elses.

 

[Brock]

Anyway, would an accelerating bus driver with the cab window closed actually be able to hear a female call from a bicycle that hadn't even begun an overtaking maneuver?
This whole thing stinks of conspiracy to me, how do we know she isn't lying and just ran the cyclist over for a laugh?

 

[domd1979]

You can't stick two fingers through a closed cab window.

Anyway, would an accelerating bus driver with the cab window closed actually be able to hear a female call from a bicycle that hadn't even begun an overtaking maneuver?

 

[Brock]

I deduced like Sherlock Holmes from her own account that she 'opened the cab window' for the purpose of the obscene gesture.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Sometimes when you're driving a big vehicle, you have to accept that you're going to piss people off. I have to negotiate a roundabout in Dudley fairly frequently, where the traffic with priority over me is going at a fair old lick and is nearly all using the exit just past the one I'm entering the roundabout from. I wait for a reasonably large gap then go as quick as I can, usually having to force someone to slow down and occasionally getting an angry blast on their horn. Now, I know it's not ideal to force someone to slow down, but there really isn't much choice when your vehicle is so large. And we're taught to do this kind of thing on the HGV test, believe it or not.

 

[nethalus]

Anyway, would an accelerating bus driver with the cab window closed actually be able to hear a female call from a bicycle that hadn't even begun an overtaking maneuver?
This whole thing stinks of conspiracy to me, how do we know she isn't lying and just ran the cyclist over for a laugh?

The cab window was open wide, as it was a fairly warm day. The particular bus I had was a bit sluggish at pulling away, but when he got going he easily got up to speed. I saw a chance to get out of a bus stop, as the other traffic had stopped for the lights and the road was mine. I pulled away and seemingly out of nowhere this cyclist appeared. Now the bus being a little sluggish to begin with I suppose she might have mistaken that for me slowing down to let her past but I wasn't and she didn't like that so she shouted at me. Just as my bus reached that critical point where it would start to pick up speed, I stuck my hand out the window with a clear two fingers, then let the beast fly up the road. It was naughty and I shouldn't have done it, but I can't change history. If I could I would appologise to the young lady, but as I'll probably never see her again I can't

Sorry I don't find running over people funny, others might but I don't. I know a bus driver who was involved in a collision with a young cyclist. He said for weeks after the event every time he closed his eyes he kept seeing the whole scene repeating it's self over and over and had trouble sleeping. It took him a long time to get over the trauma of the accident. No, sorry accidents like that are just not funny.

 

[col]

Only if we accept your interpretation of events, which fills a lot of unknowns with your own imaginary reconstruction, or 'impression' as you put it.
I say she was accelerating while being overtaken by another vehicle, which fits with the facts as she gave them.
you say the bus and bicycle stopped, which is just something you made up out of your Christmas cheer addled imaginary fantasy box.

Isnt that what we are all doing really?

 

[mickle]

Good for you nethalus for sticking your neck out.

The two fingered salute is a venerable British tradition (unlike the crass American middle fingered gesture) and we should be encouraging its use. A good flicking is something to relish for both the flicker of the Vs and the flickee.

 

[Brock]

But... But... you said in 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'

But now you're saying the window was already open?? How can we make a considered answer to your question if the already vague 'facts' change?

I still think you're naughty and should say at least one hail mary before you get back in that doom bus.

 

[Cab]

It sounds like there was a gap, but not big enough for her to pull into without slowing the flow of traffic.

Or, in other words, the cyclist coming past chose not to let the bus out. We can't say why, but we all know that such a decsion can be perfectly valid (car right on your tail, insufficient time or space to slow down when you spot the bus indicating, etc.). The gap was therefore not big enough, but the bus driver chose to use her size to bully the cyclist into stopping, quite possibly dangerously.

The bus pulled out, and the driver spotted her error during the manoevre. She could then have stopped pulling out, waved the cyclist on and apologised. Or she could have raised her hand and just acknowledged the mistake. She didn't; in fact, in response to the cyclists polite comment she became insulting, then she drove off in front of him anyway.

Her behaviour was dangerous and it was discourteous. And then, knowing that her behaviour was wrong in every way, she came here seeking absolution from cyclists. And, bizarrely considering just how mistaken she is if she thinks that kind of behaviour is forgiveable, she has received it.