HGV 1, Bus oooh, lots!

[reohn2]

I simply dont trust any other driver using the road,the bigger the vehicle the less my trust,bus drivers can be idiots,skip truck drivers are lunatics.

[sirmy]

What sort of issues do you generally find with buses?

- Buses over-taking after I've signalled to turn right, and pulled to the center of the road

- Buses over taking, whilst coming towards me, when there is no room

- Buses pulling onto round-a-bouts, from my left, after I've already entered from the previous entrance - normally forcing me to stop.

To be fair, they're not much better on country lanes, over taking on blind bends and brows of hills - it's almost like they have a schedule to keep that's more important than other people's lives!!

Add to that pulling out from stops as you're passing, obviously not checking mirrors first, happens while both driving and riding

Moving to the left before turning right pushing you into parked cars and necessitating a grab the brakes and hope emergency stop

Trying to squeeze past at splitter islands

Tail gating in 20 mph zones

and many more

[Rob87]

Another example, a few months ago, I was cycling along Midmere Ave and approaching one of those traffic calming things where oncoming traffic on the other side has to give way. I was in “Primary position", there was a Bus coming the other way that by law should have stopped to give way to me. But no he carried on straight through forcing me into the kerb, then had the audacity to stop and tell me I shouldn’t be cycling in the middle of the road ! I asked him who has the knowledge about cyclist road position as per the National Cycle Training Standard him or me. And pointed towards the road sign and told him he should have stopped and waited for me to pass. He replied he was already “commited” to going through … I told him he shouldn’t have “commited” as there was oncoming traffic i.e me and he was driving without due care and attention … I think he was trying to mutter something about cyclists not been traffic, and shouldn’t get in his way.

That's correct the bus should have stopped regardless of the what type of traffic was coming through. Driving a bus is a different all game to a car and once you are "commited" that's pretty much it you are commited. One of the main reasons is you can't slow down at the same rate as a car really, whey you could but not without Dorris and her shopping going flying forward. Still, he should have paid attention to you as the signage was self explanitory.
I hear all these horror stories and wonder if the drivers are presured to keep to the schedule which may cause this. As I say I'm lucky as my gaffers insist I drive safe and late as an "incident" will cost alot more time in the end.

[MikeF]

Well, I have a bunch of decent bus drivers around here...

They frequently give me a wave or flash their lights as we pass. But I don't jump out of their way when they are behind me. I'll indicate when it is safe to pass, I'll even ease up somewhat as they do so, but I have a schedule to keep as well...

Most of the HGVs around here are pretty good as well (it's even more rarely one from the local hgv source that's an issue).


Large vans/small lorries.... well, the less said the longer it will be before I regret it.

It's rather like that round here. In general bus drivers have given me ample room and at times "even more than ample". HGV drivers seem very good as well, but as you note some drivers of large vans/small lorries and cars/small vans pass too close. However my cycling is not usually in large towns so maybe there's a difference although some is on busy roads, which is never pleasant.

[bigjim]

i reagd them all as completely mental behind the wheel, until they convince me otherwise. So called professional drivers [I am one by the way] are no better in my experience, in their attitude towards cyclists.
Last week I had to report a bus driver who overtook me brushing my arm on a bend in the road. He was pulled over at a bus stop further on. Stood on the bus step having a smoke. He decided to have a rant at me, as how I was a typical cyclist who wanted more space. Sick of us lot moaning. He had to overtake closely as it was a bend. Waiting had not occured to him, as the highway code advises.
I open the local paper this morning to see a young woman, just riding her bike, has been killed by a so called professional driver.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/oliwia-cyclist-salford-killed-tribute-13568168

[Flinders]

Mr Flinders was forced onto the pavement by a bus in Stafford last week. It cut across a mini roundabout turning right and its right side was so far across the road on the opposite side that it cut across the pavement adjoining the roundabout. He was approaching the roundabout on the bus's exit road, and had to cycle up onto the pavement to avoid being hit, even though he was on the opposite side of the road.
His bike rode up the kerb. Mine, with its narrow wheels, would probably not have done.