On Wed, 1 Sep 2004 19:34:15 +0100, Roland Perry wrote:

In message , at 19:25:27 on Wed, 1 Sep
2004, dwb remarked:
I'm a bit confused, what exactly was the bus doing wrong?

Sounds like it was stopped in a mandatory bike lane. A very common
offence.

Something similar happened to me this morning on my way to work.
A fella in a van was dropping what looked like his wife off. He pulled
into the bike(only) lane, then opened his drivers door as I rode past. I
swerved out, narrowly missing his door. Didn't say anything to him, just
went to work. Really, what good would it have done, other than making me
momentarily feel better? It wouldn't have given him a nice image of
cyclists, which ultimately is what we all want.
I've said it before, not that this excuses in any way the bus driver in
the OP's belligerence, but working drivers like bus drivers are that
agressive because of their job. I used to drive multi-drop (deliveries) in
central London. IME pushing in front of people becomes second nature. In
fact, in most driving jobs you would get the sack if you took longer to do
something than everyone else.
A bike and rider that weighs 230 lbs (heavy for a bike and rider) can turn
or stop a lot more easily than a lorry that weighs 15000 lbs (a very
small, light lorry). If you were driving one and a cyclist ran into the
back of it you probably wouldn't notice if you couldn't see them in your
mirror. You have to watch out for lorries, buses and other working
drivers, and get out of their way as soon as it's safe to do so. Don't
shout at them, it won't help you and it isn't fair to them. They're trying
to make a living.
Now as for the t**ts in BMWs and the kids driving souped up Fraud Festers,
sometimes you need to shout at them, cause it's important to make them pay
attention. But that's another thing entirely.
Take it easy,

Chris
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