Blackandblue
New Member
- Location
- London
Travelling to work this morning I was passed very closely by a bus - so close that without having to stretch my arm I was able to wrap my knuckles down the side of the bus as he passed. This is my usual way of indicating displeasure with a motorist that passes too close.
However on this occasion I was particularly peeved - not least of all because he came to a stop in the traffic without the back of the bus having passed me (ie there was no need to pass so close, indeed there was arguably no need to pass at all). So on this occasion I pulled my bike round the front of the bus and stood by his window (which was open) and asked him why he passed so close. I think he was made of concrete as his head was rigidly facing forwards, his eyes locked on something way in the distance in front of him. I repeated my question several times. He then muttered something. I couldn't make out what he was saying. He muttered some more and I heard something about teaching me a lesson. I asked what sort of a lesson I needed teaching and why. He said something again about teaching me a lesson and then inched his bus forward on to my bike. I told him he was driving over my bike and to stop. He then shut his window.
I managed to summon up all of my wit and wisdom and in a crushing blow to his self esteem and machismo, I pulled one of his wiper blades forward off his windscreen.
I have got more and more wound up and upset about this incident as the morning wears on. Partly because I am due to be a father tomorrow and partly because this happened on, of all places, Blackfriars Bridge which is notorious for cycling fatalities, including deaths caused by bus drivers.
I have no idea what lesson I deserved to learn.
Why are some people so stupid? If he had a problem, wouldn't he feel better getting it off his chest instead of doing something that could have resulted in me going under the wheels of his bus? How would he have felt then?
I now wish I had taken the time to get his details so I could report the incident.
However on this occasion I was particularly peeved - not least of all because he came to a stop in the traffic without the back of the bus having passed me (ie there was no need to pass so close, indeed there was arguably no need to pass at all). So on this occasion I pulled my bike round the front of the bus and stood by his window (which was open) and asked him why he passed so close. I think he was made of concrete as his head was rigidly facing forwards, his eyes locked on something way in the distance in front of him. I repeated my question several times. He then muttered something. I couldn't make out what he was saying. He muttered some more and I heard something about teaching me a lesson. I asked what sort of a lesson I needed teaching and why. He said something again about teaching me a lesson and then inched his bus forward on to my bike. I told him he was driving over my bike and to stop. He then shut his window.
I managed to summon up all of my wit and wisdom and in a crushing blow to his self esteem and machismo, I pulled one of his wiper blades forward off his windscreen.
I have got more and more wound up and upset about this incident as the morning wears on. Partly because I am due to be a father tomorrow and partly because this happened on, of all places, Blackfriars Bridge which is notorious for cycling fatalities, including deaths caused by bus drivers.
I have no idea what lesson I deserved to learn.
Why are some people so stupid? If he had a problem, wouldn't he feel better getting it off his chest instead of doing something that could have resulted in me going under the wheels of his bus? How would he have felt then?
I now wish I had taken the time to get his details so I could report the incident.