Hit by a bus (twice)

alansmurphy · 2018-10-04T13:21:25+01:00

Whilst navigating a short journey between my sons school and work yesterday I was hit by a bus (twice) in what could only have been a deliberate act at least once. I was ahead of the bus in an ASL at some traffic lights (hadn't even filtered past it) when the bus decided to pass me on leaving the line as I was 95% through the crossing. In a stupid move and haste to avoid the car in the right filter lane on the other side the bus chose a stupid angle to cut in front and brushed the handlebar and front wheel - which by this time was in a cycle lane. The bus appeared unable to navigate the road without taking the cycle lane. Now, I often wonder of the good of putting yourself back in risk but thought the driving was so bad and probably sheer ineptitude that i decided to pass the bus at the next lights and politely (honestly) turn to tell the driver that she had hit me. She refused to make eye contact. I gestured to tell her she'd just hit my bike and to give room the next time. Her eyesight obviously wasn't great as she did exactly the same, close pass followed by cutting too early and ending up driving down the cycle lane as we pulled away the second time. This time I hit the bus, twice, hard. Unfortunately for her, she had to pick up passengers 100 yards down the road, bus stopped doors open I decided to let her know that she was a disgrace. Again i didn't want to be perceived as angry ridiculous man on bike so politely told her that she had just hit me and left the scene of an accident and that her driving was a disgrace. She literally refused to even turn her head and look at me, to prove my point she shut the doors and drove straight through a red light, onto a roundabout and was nearly hit by a car. Unfortunately she had to stop another 300 yards down the road for a passenger at which point my politeness had gone, she got called an effing c bomb multiple times as the adrenaline was pumping. I know the bus number and the time so the company will know the driver. Without film evidence is there anything I can do? No actual damage and my aim is to get the driver removed or at least aware of the disgraceful standard of her driving. She will kill someone. Wondering what people's method of attack would be...

This topic has 23 replies, 21 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 8 months ago by Dr_Lex.

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October 4, 2018 at 1:21 pm #29019

alansmurphy

Whilst navigating a short journey between my sons school and work yesterday I was hit by a bus (twice) in what could only have been a deliberate act at least once.

I was ahead of the bus in an ASL at some traffic lights (hadn’t even filtered past it) when the bus decided to pass me on leaving the line as I was 95% through the crossing. In a stupid move and haste to avoid the car in the right filter lane on the other side the bus chose a stupid angle to cut in front and brushed the handlebar and front wheel – which by this time was in a cycle lane. The bus appeared unable to navigate the road without taking the cycle lane.

Now, I often wonder of the good of putting yourself back in risk but thought the driving was so bad and probably sheer ineptitude that i decided to pass the bus at the next lights and politely (honestly) turn to tell the driver that she had hit me. She refused to make eye contact. I gestured to tell her she’d just hit my bike and to give room the next time.

Her eyesight obviously wasn’t great as she did exactly the same, close pass followed by cutting too early and ending up driving down the cycle lane as we pulled away the second time. This time I hit the bus, twice, hard. Unfortunately for her, she had to pick up passengers 100 yards down the road, bus stopped doors open I decided to let her know that she was a disgrace. Again i didn’t want to be perceived as angry ridiculous man on bike so politely told her that she had just hit me and left the scene of an accident and that her driving was a disgrace. She literally refused to even turn her head and look at me, to prove my point she shut the doors and drove straight through a red light, onto a roundabout and was nearly hit by a car.

Unfortunately she had to stop another 300 yards down the road for a passenger at which point my politeness had gone, she got called an effing c bomb multiple times as the adrenaline was pumping.

I know the bus number and the time so the company will know the driver. Without film evidence is there anything I can do? No actual damage and my aim is to get the driver removed or at least aware of the disgraceful standard of her driving. She will kill someone.

Wondering what people’s method of attack would be…
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October 8, 2018 at 12:27 pm #928565
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Dr_Lex

Emergency engine stop button

Emergency engine stop button on the rear of the bus? Won’t make you popular with the passengers, but as it needs to be reset, the bus and driver will be logged at the garage, and you’ve given the driver time to calm down before he/she continues on the route.

October 8, 2018 at 12:00 pm #928563
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Anonymous

This was correct course of

This was correct course of action.

She’d think twice before hitting a cyclist with 10 tonnes of machinery again.

October 8, 2018 at 11:25 am #928561
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Jetmans Dad

Griff500 wrote:

Griff500 wrote:
antigee wrote:

……..”she literally refused to even turn her head and look at me..”

I’ve had similar from a couple of taxi drivers. I have since assumed that there must be some sort of anti road rage training bus and taxi drivers get which teaches them how not to escalate a situation.

I had a nice one the other evening. Driving down a darkish and relatively winding road, well lit up, bright yellow and reflective waterproof on, and took the centre of the lane through a 100m stretch with a central traffic island on, with a taxi behind me (didn’t know it was a taxi until he came past).

He stayed back a good distance, so I actually went to wave my thanks as he overtook (with plenty of room) only for him to open his window and yell “Over to the left or on the f*****g pavement, d******d”, while giving me the finger.

With what looked like a Mother and daughter as passengers in the back.

I really don’t get it anymore.

October 8, 2018 at 10:59 am #928559
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Griff500

antigee wrote:
antigee wrote:

……..”she literally refused to even turn her head and look at me..”

I’ve had similar from a couple of taxi drivers. I have since assumed that there must be some sort of anti road rage training bus and taxi drivers get which teaches them how not to escalate a situation.

October 8, 2018 at 7:50 am #928557
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antigee

……..”she literally

……..”she literally refused to even turn her head and look at me, to prove my point she shut the doors and drove straight through a red light….”

had similar – me stopped claiming middle of lane at lights – bus came up behind so I’m clearly visible – other side of lights on road cycle lane and the bus front wheel passed me clearly moving into the (narrow) lane and the rest of the bus was going to get closer so I banged on side and gesticulated at drivers mirror to move over – all pretty slow and I was ready to bail onto the pavement….next set of lights I pull up to right of bus and signal driver to open window – no, just drives off across the red light – nothing was coming – can only assume the CCTV is mainly for the safety of the drivers and any response made or any reasonable accusation made would be recorded – “safer” for the driver to just move on (?)

October 7, 2018 at 1:50 pm #928555
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CygnusX1

Absolutley do what others

Absolutley do what others have suggested – log an incident with police, request onboard camera footage from the bus under GDPR, and log a complaint with the bus company.

Especially if she then ran a red light almost causing a collision with a car – clearly shouldn’t be driving a PSV if she endangered your life, those of the passengers onboard AND risked a fender bender that might have damaged one of the Metal Gods of the Highway.

October 6, 2018 at 6:15 am #928553
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Fishpastesarnie

In addition to reporting it

In addition to reporting it to the police can you make a Subject Access Request for the footage under GDPR?

October 6, 2018 at 4:45 am #928551
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davel

That’s awful, smurph.

That’s awful, smurph.

You’re probably expecting nothing to come of it, but go the police and bus complaint route. Hopefully you have already. I understand the skepticism of some comments, but you never know; whereas if you do nothing, the only effect will be another dent in your confidence in ‘professional drivers’.

Meanwhile, it’s back on the bike, trying to remind yourself of all the drivers who don’t drive into you..

October 5, 2018 at 8:28 am #928549
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LastBoyScout

growingvegtables wrote:
LastBoyScout wrote:
I got left-hooked by a bus a while ago – reported to both police and bus company.

Bus should have CCTV both inside and out and you/the police will need to request it is stored before it is deleted/overwritten. The fields of view will, hopefully, show you position in relation to the bus that makes it obvious you were close-passed, if not actually hit.

Get onto both parties quick, with full details of times and places and bus details.

Police should definitely act as it’s technically a hit and run.

This. And quickly.

It’s a few years ago now, but I’d a bus driver driving aggressively at me four times. I didn’t have a camera, but the bus did ;-). Management took the driver off the road for two weeks re-training, and monitored his performance with “secret customer” inspectors.

Should add that that incident was one of the last straws that pushed me into finally getting a handlebar camera.

October 5, 2018 at 6:59 am #928547
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John Smith

Rather than top I would guess

Rather than top I would guess they just can’t be arsed, knowing that the bus company will make it as difficult as possible, claiming not to know who was driving, claiming the CCTV is not working. The problem seems to be that many police just get lazy about this sort of paperwork chasing stuff that takes time and management and would rather be out being a “thief taker” “nicking wronguns” that go against their stats rather than issuing NIPs so drivers get points or courses, which don’t give something on their arrest figures.

October 5, 2018 at 6:48 am #928545
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Mark_1973_

A bus driver deliberately

A bus driver deliberately rammed my car from behind a few years ago. Phoned police to report the assault but they just kept referring to accidents and insurance companies. Completely disinterested and eventually sent a PCSO (or whatever they’re called) to the scene who had to have spelled out to her, in child-like English, the difference between an accident and a deliberate act.

Myself and a passenger reported it to the bus company but, guess what? None of the CCTV cameras on the bus were working at the time. Would you believe it?

There’s a definite heirarchy on the roads, and I can assure you that, when it comes to the police, bus drivers are at the top.

October 4, 2018 at 10:49 pm #928543
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Anonymous

LastBoyScout wrote:
I got left-hooked by a bus a while ago – reported to both police and bus company.

Bus should have CCTV both inside and out and you/the police will need to request it is stored before it is deleted/overwritten. The fields of view will, hopefully, show you position in relation to the bus that makes it obvious you were close-passed, if not actually hit.

Get onto both parties quick, with full details of times and places and bus details.

Police should definitely act as it’s technically a hit and run.

I got fobbed off last by Hertfordshire police saying that the bus company (Arriva) told them they didn’t have CCTV on that particular bus, clearly they didn’t even bother to check the lazy fuckers.Sick thing is because I admitted to striking the toughened glass at the side of the bus deliberately to get the old farts attention because he had driven at me, the cuntstable starting saying she could do me for public order offence. I replied crack on then if that’s how you want to play things out, she backed down and I told her to stop wasting my time if she wasn’t going to uphold the law and put the phone down on her and never heard anything back, not even a follow up letter. They’re useless twats from top to bottom who basically give the green lighht for motons to do what they like.

Yet a few years ago there was an incident with a driver who was trying to escape police and who was clearly not aiming their car at a copper when he tried to stop them on foot was initially charged with attempted murder, fucking hilarious double standards when it’s their own!

October 4, 2018 at 9:58 pm #928541
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srchar

TfL in particular seem to

TfL in particular seem to have enacted a new recruitment policy for bus drivers in the last few years, whereby they only employ the stupidest, most aggressive cunts they can lay their hands on. Buses used to be the best-driven vehicles on the roads; they’re now some of the worst.

October 4, 2018 at 9:35 pm #928539
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Awavey

growingvegtables wrote:
LastBoyScout wrote:
I got left-hooked by a bus a while ago – reported to both police and bus company.

Bus should have CCTV both inside and out and you/the police will need to request it is stored before it is deleted/overwritten. The fields of view will, hopefully, show you position in relation to the bus that makes it obvious you were close-passed, if not actually hit.

Get onto both parties quick, with full details of times and places and bus details.

Police should definitely act as it’s technically a hit and run.

This. And quickly.

It’s a few years ago now, but I’d a bus driver driving aggressively at me four times. I didn’t have a camera, but the bus did ;-). Management took the driver off the road for two weeks re-training, and monitored his performance with “secret customer” inspectors.

I kind of wish Id reported mine when it happened,as Ive got a feeling its the same bus driver on the same route I keep meeting who never gives me any space when passing, but I got close passed by this bus just before a roundabout,who then left hooked me for good measure,and I actually had to grab a fistful of brakes else I was going to get squished by it, but my video camera didnt record any of it,and Id stupidly assumed it would always work and not thought to double commit details like registration, I knew the route number so yeah they might have been able to check but I think the whole reason the bus was being driven like that was because it was very late and I suspect theyd have just gone with the timing from the later bus and ignored me.

so yeah if youve got details report it, because guaranteed theyll do it again if they arent pulled up on it

October 4, 2018 at 7:48 pm #928537
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grumpyoldcyclist

growingvegtables wrote:
LastBoyScout wrote:
I got left-hooked by a bus a while ago – reported to both police and bus company.

Bus should have CCTV both inside and out and you/the police will need to request it is stored before it is deleted/overwritten. The fields of view will, hopefully, show you position in relation to the bus that makes it obvious you were close-passed, if not actually hit.

Get onto both parties quick, with full details of times and places and bus details.

Police should definitely act as it’s technically a hit and run.

This. And quickly.

It’s a few years ago now, but I’d a bus driver driving aggressively at me four times. I didn’t have a camera, but the bus did ;-). Management took the driver off the road for two weeks re-training, and monitored his performance with “secret customer” inspectors.

Agree with this, before I got my own camera I had a row with a Arriva and they looked at their onboard cctv and agreed with my version of the story. The depot manager can then decide what action should be taken, perhaps training and/or viewing the videos at any time in the future to ensure no repeats.
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