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Mad bus driver A38 South Glous.

by GreenMark
Sat, Oct 17, 2009 18:58
7

Two of us were riding on the A38 in South Glous towards Bristol between Alveston and Almondsbury today, at around 12.15pm, when after being passed by a bus, operated by First, clearing us by inches, he then stopped 20m past a bus stop to pick up a passenger, blocking the road.

This gave me a chance to pass on my views on said driving.

The driver then got out of his bus and shouted abuse, I got off my bike to walk back and he got back behind the wheel, drove past me and stopped in the road with hazards flashing.

There followed a conversation where he swore at me, threatened to call the Police and then pushed me, only to claim it was the other way round.

Luckily another cyclist stopped to give moral support and try to talk some sense into the driver. The cyclist was wearing a Cycling Plus jersey and still had his entry number from the Cheddar Sportive on his bike. Unfortunately, I didn't get his name or number and hope that he or someone who knows him could get in contact with me so that i have someone to back up my story, as I wish to report this driver as he is a danger to all road users and particularly cyclists.

I doesn't end here, as when my mate returned to see what was keeping me, the bus again passed us slowly and with inches to spare hitting the horn at the same time, while on his mobile!

He then stopped again, I'd had enough and carried on but my mate remonstrated with him and the driver proceeded to accuse him of swearing and kicking him, neither of which happened. Remember this bus was full of passengers!

Just goes to show there's some serious nutters out there, so be careful!

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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7 comments

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fennesz | 14 years ago
0 likes

I'm happy to be wrong on this one, but aren't bus drivers on close-to-minimum wage & have fairly high staff churn rate?

In Cambridge, I only seem to have problems with Stagecoach drivers. Other drivers seem to cope with cyclists, but not bus/coach drivers.

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mrchrispy | 14 years ago
0 likes

letter of complaint to the bus company and follow it up with one to your MP, if you dont complain then nothing will ever happen.

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Jon Burrage | 14 years ago
0 likes

write to alan hale, road safety, broad lane, yate, BS373pb with your concerns.

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Shaun Audane | 14 years ago
0 likes

Here's a classic example of SMIDSY...I was in my KA waiting to join the flow of traffic on Friday morning when this bus ploughed into the back of me. If he "Couldn't see" my little KA what chance would I have stood on the bikes?

In my experience, it is all too often a case of WLFYM- Wasn't looking for you mate.

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OldRidgeback | 14 years ago
0 likes

The standard of bus driving in London has fallen dramatically in recent years. They seem to employ just about anyone now.
Skip lorries have a particularly high incidence of accidents amongst HGVs, as London mayor Boris Johnson found out. The skip lorry market sector also has an extremely poor record for running badly maintained and even dangerous vehicles - I read a DfT report some years ago and it said the skip lorry sector had the worst safety record of any segment of the HGV business.
I could say more but then I'd be straying into dangerous ground and would be risking libel charges, so best just to stick with that.

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Fringe | 14 years ago
0 likes

in order of bad/inconsiderate driving its a hard fought race between bus drivers, skip lorrys and taxis.

avoid the A38 if poss. is my advice, sometimes difficult i know.

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Tony Farrelly | 14 years ago
0 likes

Not so funnily enough I had a row with a First bus driver in Bath about 18 months ago, he zoomed passed me with millimetres to spare when he had acres of space to pass and then cut in front of me sharply and it certainly was no SMIDSY incident I made eye contact with him in his mirror as he want passed, when I caught him at the junction just before the bus station he deliberately swung his bus out in front of me.

Young bloke with a crop, took a pic of his bus on my camera and reported him to First… but couldn't find the pic afterwards. First seem to have a problem with some of their drivers.

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