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Rubbish bus drivers' rubbish excuses

by philshems
Thu, Sep 29, 2016 07:19
8

I'm beginning to wonder if London bus drivers are being trained in the art of rubbish excuses for their bad driving.

Rubbish excuse 1

I was on the receiving end of a really close pass by a bus this morning, on the approach to a red light. He forced me into the kerb, then jammed on the brakes.

As I passed I let him know that his driving left a bit to be desired.

At the next lights he's hollering out of the window at me, telling me that it was my fault, because the Highway Code says that on a narrow road I should take the lane to prevent being overtaken!

I pointed out that the advice was to protect me from morons, not from professional drivers who should know how to overtake safely.

As you can imagine, the quality of the debate deteriorated from there.

Rubbish excuse number 2

A couple of weeks ago same thing, different location. This time the excuse that the bus driver used was that "you were going to jump the red light", so he overtook me deliberately to stop me from doing do.

That's so poor on so many different levels I really didn't know where to start.

Especially as he'd just sat and waited behind me at the last set of red lights!

Anyone else had rubbish excuses for bad driving from 'professional' drivers?

* and just in case anyone's wondering, I'm no kerb hugger...

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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8 comments

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philshems | 8 years ago
0 likes

Cheers all - some good advice, and some good (or should that be bad?!) excuses.

The daft thing is that if a driver (or indeed a cyclist) just holds their hand up and admits they've made a mistake then it diffuses the situation instantly.

On the odd occasion that I've had a bit of a moan at someone and they've responded by saying sorry, then there's not much else to say. When that happens I've usually ended up feeling a bit mean myself for having had a go at them!

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Mungecrundle | 8 years ago
2 likes

Not from a bus but a few weeks back I got overtaken on the approach to a roundabout on a housing estate and then effectively left hooked. A very short while later the car driver pulled onto his driveway and gave me a rather unpleasant look. Usually I'd just carry on as I'm not so good at arguments but this time I thought I'd simply ask what the overtake was about. His reason was that he overtook me because I was speeding and that I was doing more than 20mph.

1. I was on my mountain bike.
2. It's a 30mph zone
3. I was freewheeling up a mild incline to match speed to a vehicle already on said roundabout.

Then it descended into the usual road tax crap and how we all ride on the pavement and through red lights.

But I know where he lives....

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The _Kaner replied to Mungecrundle | 8 years ago
0 likes

Mungecrundle wrote:

Not from a bus but a few weeks back I got overtaken on the approach to a roundabout on a housing estate and then effectively left hooked. A very short while later the car driver pulled onto his driveway and gave me a rather unpleasant look. Usually I'd just carry on as I'm not so good at arguments but this time I thought I'd simply ask what the overtake was about. His reason was that he overtook me because I was speeding and that I was doing more than 20mph. 1. I was on my mountain bike. 2. It's a 30mph zone 3. I was freewheeling up a mild incline to match speed to a vehicle already on said roundabout. Then it descended into the usual road tax crap and how we all ride on the pavement and through red lights. But I know where he lives....

 

Similar to my experience, except the driver in question actually left hooked me...to turn into his own drive way from a main 80kph road....silly man, revenge is a dish best served cold.....

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ConcordeCX replied to The _Kaner | 8 years ago
0 likes

The _Kaner wrote:

Similar to my experience, except the driver in question actually left hooked me...to turn into his own drive way from a main 80kph road....silly man, revenge is a dish best served cold.....

 

we should all go round to their house at 4 in the morning ringing our bells and flashing our pedal reflectors at them.

 

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vonhelmet | 8 years ago
0 likes

The other week a bus driver was in such a hurry to overtake me after I took the lane through a pinch point that he sailed past me... as well as the poor so and so at the bus stop who was waving for the bus to stop.

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nniff | 8 years ago
2 likes

The one that always staggers me is that when you tell a driver that they were too close and they refute it.  I never bother saying anything more - too much like trying to carry water in a sieve.

 

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arfa | 8 years ago
0 likes

If you are regularly riding in bus lanes, get a gopro. Red bus drivers and royal mail vans are consistently the most reckless drivers I encounter in London as too many couldn't care less about anything other than their own schedule. The fact that it matters not if they have an accident as the insurance is picked up by their employer is another factor. If you have video footage, you have a faint chance of the employer taking action against a reckless employee.

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Edgeley | 8 years ago
0 likes

One of my very few I am going to die moments was when a London bus driver deliberately close passed me next to railings.  I was too shocked even to take the bus number.

99% of drivers are fine, but it only takes one.

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