What a lovely bus driver ....

[snapper_37]

A West Midlands double decker was most curteous to me this morning . He stayed behind me through the city centre (for nearly a mile), maintaining a safe distance, no revving or slamming on the brakes up my arse.

I signalled him to pass me when we came to a stretch of clear road. He papped the horn and switched on the hazards.

What a refreshing change. I may write to the bus company to praise the chappy, as I've probably wrote about 4 letters in 5 years about tosser drivers.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

It's always nice to praise the good ones. Speaking as the driver of a large vehicle, I'd be absolutely made up if my boss told me someone had written to say how great I was.

 

[snapper_37]

I will do it then RT. I deal with customer complaints as part of my job and it always makes my day to have a bit of praise instead of people whingeing about a bit of gristle in their sausage

 

[Scratch]

I've always found the West Midlands bus drivers to be very good. I've only had one bad incident where the bus driver tried to run me off the road but other than that they've been pretty good.

Hopefully the more people who cycle in Brum the nicer everyone might be

 

[silverbow]

If you see that driver again, would ask him if he would like to live in Suffolk?

 

[magnatom]

Do as BM does and send in some chocs as a thankyou. Just be careful, the driver might think your coming on to him....

 

[snapper_37]

Do as BM does and send in some chocs as a thankyou. Just be careful, the driver might think your coming on to him....

That would be about as rare as hen's teeth Mags.

 

[magnatom]

That would be about as rare as hen's teeth Mags.

I don't understand, why would it be rare, I'm all confusicaled now....

 

[snapper_37]

Cos I is married innit

 

[thomas]

I had a nice car like that the other day. Kept behind, even when was reasonably safe to overtake. It made me a bit nervous because I thought eventually they'd just cut me up. When it was safe I signalled them past and thanked them, they did hands up and hazards...I was going to give a little pap of my air zound in appreciation but i thought it might be misinterpreted

 

[bonj2]

debatable, but imho unwise to signal drivers to pass. it's up to them to decide when to overtake and their responsibility to do so safely, it's not your responsibility to BE overtaken. i've been driving behind cyclists before who've signalled me to pass when I didn't consider it safe to at all.

 

[snapper_37]

debatable, but imho unwise to signal drivers to pass. it's up to them to decide when to overtake and their responsibility to do so safely, it's not your responsibility to BE overtaken. i've been driving behind cyclists before who've signalled me to pass when I didn't consider it safe to at all.

I wondered when I'd get this. Thanks for your opinion though.

It was a clear road, there was only little me and a bus on it. I was in no danger. The bus was ready to overtake me anyway (for the pedantics, I could tell this by the sound of the engine and he had already pulled out ready) - I'd like to assume he therefore agreed that it was *safe*. I gave him a 'yes come on' with my hand. He passed and acknowledged my thumb up as he did.

Sometimes a bit of human comminication between cyclist and driver is nice.

Positive comment sent to West Mids Travel now.

 

[magnatom]

Ben makes a reasonable point, but if as snapper says, there was no risk involved then I think waving someone on has positive benefits, i.e. the cyclist driver interaction.

Despite what my videos might show, most of my interactions with drivers are very positive. From memory, this morning, I can remember two cars that I waved out of junctions allowing them to pull in front of me (it was safe to do so) and one car driver waved me out of a junction. I also go a thums up from one driver when I thanked him (a BMW driver as well! ). I'm sure 'incidents' like this happen every time I'm out on the bike. They just aren't youtube material!

 

[snapper_37]

Ben makes a reasonable point

Yes of course he does. If I'd been on a blind bend, crest of a hill, or with on coming traffic approaching or when overtaking parked cars etc etc, I wouldn't have signalled. But then again - the bus wouldn't have attempted to overtake as was proven by our little jaunt at 15 miles a hour through the centre .

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

Yes of course he does. If I'd been on a blind bend, crest of a hill, or with on coming traffic approaching or when overtaking parked cars etc etc, I wouldn't have signalled. But then again - the bus wouldn't have attempted to overtake as was proven by our little jaunt at 15 miles a hour through the centre .

He does. But like you said snapper you'd not have waved the bus past in those circumstances and neither would the bus driver have tried to get past. The point in this case I think is that you were not really "letting" the bus past, rather you were acknowledging the driver's patience and making contact with them in a mutual agreement "it's cool to go now" kind of way. All very human contact and feel good.