Forced of the road!!
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Coming home from work last night was going along at about fifteen mph. As a pinch point was comming
up I looked behind saw a bus a good way back so moved out. Just before the pinch point the bus comes
up the outside of my and slowly starts moving in. Having room on my inside I move over a bit and
does we both stopped in the pinch point handle bars were a couple of inches from the bus and wheel
were a couple of inches from the curb. The driver open his doors after I asked him what his problem
was and he told me to "Get on the f*****g cycle lane". I went up the curb got of my bike and was
ready to inflict as much pain on driver as I would of felt had I fell of the bike when he must of
realised that without his bus for a weapon he was not hard enough to intimadate me :) The doors
closed and he drove off. There is a cycle path off the road but its full off potholes and seems to
be the venue for daily bottle smashing contest so I won't use it.
Anyway I phoned the police and was told to go in to make a statment will it be worth it. I know the
exact time it happened but not the bus registration or number but it can only be one of two bus
services and I would recognise driver again. Anyone think it would be worth making the statement?
Ivor Cave
"Ivor Cave" <ivor@ut2003-server.com> wrote in message news:457621-tqk.ln1@hn-solutions.info...
>
> Coming home from work last night was going along at about fifteen mph. As a pinch point was
> comming up I looked behind saw a bus a good way back
so moved out.
> Just before the pinch point the bus comes up the outside of my and slowly
starts moving in.
> Having room on my inside I move over a bit and does we both stopped in the
pinch point
> handle bars were a couple of inches from the bus and wheel were a couple
of inches from the curb.
> The driver open his doors after I asked him what his problem was and he
told me to
> "Get on the f*****g cycle lane". I went up the curb got of my bike and was ready to inflict as
> much pain on
driver as
> I would of felt had I fell of the bike when he must of realised that
without his bus
> for a weapon he was not hard enough to intimadate me :) The doors closed and he drove off. There
> is a cycle path off the road but its full off potholes and seems to
be the venue for
> daily bottle smashing contest so I won't use it.
>
> Anyway I phoned the police and was told to go in to make a statment will
it be worth it.
> I know the exact time it happened but not the bus registration or number
but it can only
> be one of two bus services and I would recognise driver again. Anyone think it would be worth
> making the statement?
Yes. And write to the bus company.
T
Ivor Cave wrote:
> Coming home from work last night was going along at about fifteen mph.
>
<snip moronic bus driver behaviour>
> Anyway I phoned the police and was told to go in to make a statment will it be worth it. I know
> the exact time it happened but not the bus registration or number but it can only be one of two
> bus services and I would recognise driver again. Anyone think it would be worth making the
> statement?
Certainly. You should also complain to the bus company.
It is unlikely that any prosecution will follow (unless the driver has been reported previously) but
the police _may_ visit/call the bus company and the driver will hopefully get at least a bollocking.
Ignoring such incidents will only mean the driver will believe he can do the same again.
This increase in "Get in the cycle-lane" business is getting concerning.
There is a bus driver who inhabits uk.tosspot who also beleieves cyclists should always use the
so-called cycle lanes. It wasn't in Southampton was it?
John B
> Anyway I phoned the police and was told to go in to make a statment will it be worth it. I know
> the exact time it happened but not the bus registration or number but it can only be one of two
> bus services and I would recognise driver again. Anyone think it would be worth making the
> statement?
Definitely worth it. I was in an incident involving a bus a few years ago. That time I DID get the
license plate, name, etc.
Unfortunately the bus driver actually gave a FALSE name but I was able to give the time and the
license plate number so he didn't get away with it!
That time it was me in a car - but still - got compensation for the damage. Buses seem to think
they're invincible sometimes.
--
...meandering mule...
Ivor Cave tried to scribble ...
> Coming home from work last night was going along at about fifteen mph. As a pinch point was
> comming up I looked behind saw a bus a good way back so moved out. Just before the pinch point the
> bus comes up the outside of my and slowly starts moving in. Having room on my inside I move over a
> bit and does we both stopped in the pinch point handle bars were a couple of inches from the bus
> and wheel were a couple of inches from the curb. The driver open his doors after I asked him what
> his problem was and he told me to "Get on the f*****g cycle lane". I went up the curb got of my
> bike and was ready to inflict as much pain on driver as I would of felt had I fell of the bike
> when he must of realised that without his bus for a weapon he was not hard enough to intimadate me
> :) The doors closed and he drove off. There is a cycle path off the road but its full off potholes
> and seems to be the venue for daily bottle smashing contest so I won't use it.
>
> Anyway I phoned the police and was told to go in to make a statment will it be worth it. I know
> the exact time it happened but not the bus registration or number but it can only be one of two
> bus services and I would recognise driver again. Anyone think it would be worth making the
> statement?
>
> Ivor Cave
Definitely worth it under normal circumstances I'd say.
But your admission of "I went up the curb got of my bike and was ready to inflict as much pain on
driver as I would of felt had I fell of the bike" really isn't a good statement to make, and I guess
you won't tell the police this ..
IMHO there's no need for this type of violence, from either the bus driver using his vehicle as a
weapon, or the threat of it from you .. As you openly state, nothing happened too much to warrant
your potential violence. You hadn't fallen off your bike, though you had been forced to stop, but
with neither bike, bus, or either road user actually being harmed..
In this instance I'd ignore it ... you appear to be almost as bad as what you're complaining about.
--
Digweed
> This increase in "Get in the cycle-lane" business is getting concerning.
>
> There is a bus driver who inhabits uk.tosspot who also beleieves cyclists should always use the
> so-called cycle lanes. It wasn't in Southampton was it?
The main problem around my area is that cycle lanes aren't continuous. They tend to suddenly appear,
then disappear. What are cyclists to do then? The other problem - as Ivor points out - is that they
tend to somehow accumulate a lot of crap: glass, metal, hubcaps, etc.
Also it doesn't help when motorists use the bus lane and cycle lanes as a sort of escape road. You
get them driving pretty fast along them and it's dangerous.
Having said that a few drivers have been very considerate and I give them the thumbs up. Well done
those people and thank you - whoever you are.
Personally, until all cycle lanes become continuous and more protected (though some are) I prefer to
remain assertive and on the roads.
--
...meandering mule...
"Ivor Cave" <ivor@ut2003-server.com> wrote in message news:457621-tqk.ln1@hn-solutions.info...
> Coming home from work last night was going along at about fifteen mph. As a pinch point was
> comming up I looked behind saw a bus a good way back
so moved out.
> Just before the pinch point the bus comes up the outside of my and slowly
starts moving in.
> Having room on my inside I move over a bit and does we both stopped in the
pinch point
> handle bars were a couple of inches from the bus and wheel were a couple
of inches from the curb.
> The driver open his doors after I asked him what his problem was and he
told me to
> "Get on the f*****g cycle lane".
If he is prepared to try and run over a cyclist (ie if you had continued instead of stopped I guess
you could have been run over) then he could just as easily try and run down a pedestrian (eg an old
granny) who he considers is taking "too long" to cross the road. I would take the matter to both the
bus company and police and not let them fob you off, for the sake of any road user who may encounter
him in the future.
Digweed .. ;) wrote:
>
> Definitely worth it under normal circumstances I'd say.
>
> But your admission of "I went up the curb got of my bike and was ready to inflict as much pain on
> driver as I would of felt had I fell of the bike" really isn't a good statement to make, and I
> guess you won't tell the police this ..
>
> IMHO there's no need for this type of violence, from either the bus driver using his vehicle as a
> weapon, or the threat of it from you .. As you openly state, nothing happened too much to warrant
> your potential violence. You hadn't fallen off your bike, though you had been forced to stop, but
> with neither bike, bus, or either road user actually being harmed..
>
> In this instance I'd ignore it ... you appear to be almost as bad as what you're
> complaining about.
>
So when he does it again to a new not very confident cyclist and cause serious injury. It is right
to ignore it the first time?
Ivor Cave
JohnB wrote:
> There is a bus driver who inhabits uk.tosspot who also beleieves cyclists should always use the
> so-called cycle lanes. It wasn't in Southampton was it?
>
> John B
>
>
>
No in Barking on the new improved longbridge road.
Ivor Cave
mule <meanderingmule.nospam@nospam.breathe.com> wrote in
news:Xns93E777CB3B548meanderingmule@81.1.65.80:
> Having said that a few drivers have been very considerate and I give them the thumbs up. Well done
> those people and thank you - whoever you are.
I try to indicate my approval as well, though I often fear a quick thumbs up may look very similar
to a shaken fist, giving *exactly* the wrong message :/
Fragg
Ivor Cave tried to scribble ...
> Digweed .. ;) wrote:
>> In this instance I'd ignore it ... you appear to be almost as bad as what you're
>> complaining about.
>>
>
> So when he does it again to a new not very confident cyclist and cause serious injury.
I wasn't aware he'd caused you injury. You describe it as though all that happened is that you
stopped and he did .. and you then decided to take the law into your own hands so he drove off.
Threatening behaviour is a serious incident, whether it's the driver of a bus using his bus as a
weapon, or a cyclist who's being threatening in retaliation of an obviously bad driver.
> It is right to ignore it the first time?
As you appear to have also threatened violence to the bus driver, yes, I'd ignore it. You are likely
to find yourself in more trouble than the incident warrants. Call the bus depot and report him for
bad driving. If you call the police he is possibly likely to have a case against you.
--
Digweed
> I try to indicate my approval as well, though I often fear a quick thumbs up may look very similar
> to a shaken fist, giving *exactly* the wrong message :/
Hi Fraggle,
My "thumbs up" in my text was only literal. lol I give any considerate driver an open "palms up"
sort of thank you.
Maybe you're right about "thumbs up" looking like a clenched fist - though going through the motions
now they seem to look quite different. Maybe from a distance it's harder to tell.
--
...meandering mule...
mule wrote:
> Maybe you're right about "thumbs up" looking like a clenched fist - though going through the
> motions now they seem to look quite different. Maybe from a distance it's harder to tell.
Does anyone actually shake their fist when angry? It seems a bit archaic. The sort of gesture you'd
see in a silent movie.
<shakes fist> Grrr... Now I'm mad! Really mad! Grrr.. <shakes fist>
A far more prevalent angry gesture is the ubiqitous 'bird'. Thanks to those pesky Yanks the
traditional English V-sign is now a rare fish indeed.
Simonb
> Does anyone actually shake their fist when angry? It seems a bit archaic. The sort of gesture
> you'd see in a silent movie.
>
> <shakes fist> Grrr... Now I'm mad! Really mad! Grrr.. <shakes fist>
>
> A far more prevalent angry gesture is the ubiqitous 'bird'. Thanks to those pesky Yanks the
> traditional English V-sign is now a rare fish indeed.
I had a chuckle to myself over that one. You're right I'm not sure I'd shake my fist. People would
probably laugh.
If I was livid I would likely give someone "the bird" - or go rap on their tin roofs. Of course I'm
not condoning violence here. The cyclist is bound to come off second best.
I don't know why but "the bird" seems so much more offensive/vulgar than the "V". It's been a long
while since I've seen the "V" now. I don't think I'd take as much offense to it as "the bird".
The other thing I wouldn't recommend (for instantaneous psychological gratification under times of
duress) is the old 2-armed "up yours", which could fail miserably while riding a bicycle.
--
...meandering mule...
> As you appear to have also threatened violence to the bus driver, yes, I'd ignore it. You are
> likely to find yourself in more trouble than the incident warrants. Call the bus depot and report
> him for bad driving. If you call the police he is possibly likely to have a case against you.
I'm not a lawyer and perhaps I'm ignorant in these matters but... ...surely the bus driver's bad
driving is a threat of harm in itself?
Also if the bus driver was also preparing to "square up" or at least have words with Ivor then the
bus driver wouldn't have a case surely?
I don't intend to lose my life on the roads. If some people are so arrogant behind the wheel then
maybe they need to be taught a lesson.
Again I'm not condoning violence. There are many ways to make people take notice!
--
...meandering mule...
damn cyle paths- round pembrokeshire and carmarthenshire there so inconsistenet, and most of the time a marked cycle path is just a normal road that isnt used greatly by cars, when it is a proper cycle path it is always very uneven, i cant go more than 17mph on them yet on the road next to them ill be going 25 and using less effort by not having to avoid the broken glass, potholes and chippings that have been kicked accros the path. the most annoying part is when they suddenly end though, 1 stretch of cycle path i cycle along side is on the left hand side of road is i go to work, but that means its on the opposite side of the dual carriageway coming back, what doesnt help is that it suddenly ends and to someone who is not aware that it will end suddenly (no sign posts saying it will end in 300 yds, 200, 100) they will find themselves going up the dual carriageway against the oncoming traffic!!! its clear that cycle paths arent designed by cyclists.
as to those hand gestures at dumb ass drivers do the old italian "mama mia" style one, i get more brake lights on the car than any other gesture, and it isnt as offending as the v, just makes the car drivers think more and then they are more likely to remember the incident, which i hope helps out other cyclists, or me again!
mule tried to scribble ...
>> As you appear to have also threatened violence to the bus driver, yes, I'd ignore it. You are
>> likely to find yourself in more trouble than the incident warrants. Call the bus depot and report
>> him for bad driving. If you call the police he is possibly likely to have a case against you.
>
> I'm not a lawyer and perhaps I'm ignorant in these matters but... ...surely the bus driver's bad
> driving is a threat of harm in itself?
Which I freely acknowledge in the part you snipped .. " Threatening behaviour is a serious incident,
whether it's the driver of a bus using his bus as a weapon, or a cyclist who's being threatening in
retaliation of an obviously bad driver."
--
Digweed
> damn cyle paths- round pembrokeshire and carmarthenshire there so inconsistenet, and most of the
> time a marked cycle path is just a
normal
> road that isnt used greatly by cars, when it is a proper cycle path it is always very uneven, i
> cant go more than 17mph on them yet on the
road
> next to them ill be going 25 and using less effort by not having to avoid the broken glass,
> potholes and chippings that have been kicked accros the path. the most annoying part is when they
> suddenly end though, 1 stretch of cycle path i cycle along side is on the left hand side of road
> is i go to work, but that means its on the opposite side
of
> the dual carriageway coming back, what doesnt help is that it suddenly ends and to someone who is
> not aware that it will end suddenly (no sign posts saying it will end in 300 yds, 200, 100) they
> will find
themselves
> going up the dual carriageway against the oncoming traffic!!! its clear that cycle paths arent
> designed by cyclists.
If trains or roads were like that no-one would stand for it.
"Right off you get. Road ends here. Let's walk."
Am off for a ride now. Have a good weekend everyone...
--
...meandering mule...
> Which I freely acknowledge in the part you snipped .. " Threatening behaviour is a serious
> incident, whether it's the driver of a bus using his bus as a weapon, or a cyclist who's being
> threatening in retaliation of an obviously bad driver."
Sorry for the bad snip. Lucky I'm not a surgeon then.
...but then your argument doesn't really make sense to me. Why should he ignore it? Would Ivor get
into trouble just because he looked like he was about to retaliate? I don't think so.
The bus driver has no case against Ivor, because Ivor hasn't done anything wrong.
I think Ivor should report him to the bus company and police.
Just because the bus driver is having a bad day, he can't run people off the road and expect to get
away with it - and not even to feel remorse.
Obviously I must be having a bad day...
--
...meandering mule...
On 30 Aug 2003 13:03:24 GMT, mule <meanderingmule.nospam@nospam.breathe.com> in
<Xns93E784BD59758meanderingmule@81.1.65.80> wrote:
>I don't know why but "the bird" seems so much more offensive/vulgar than the "V". It's been a long
>while since I've seen the "V" now. I don't think I'd take as much offense to it as "the bird".
Sorry to be behind the times here, but what is "The Bird". Is that a single (middle) finger, or does
it involve flapping one's arms a la birdie dance? Or is it something else?
--
If ingnorance is bliss then I am the erm er luckiest thingy in the whatchamacallit. To mail me,
change the obvious bit to richard
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