Advocacy & Safety - I was almost ran over by a bus

I was riding home from work when a bus passes me very close on my left hand side and proceeds to cut me off to drop off passengers while taking the whole bike lane. I wait at the back of the bus until it starts moving again. I'm riding and come up upon traffic (two cars making a right taking up the bike lane, then the bus and about three cars behind the bus) so I proceed to pass on the left hand side. As I pass the three cars and come upon the bus, I give a light tap on the front of the bus to let him know I'm there passing. As I'm doing this, traffic starts moving so I start pedaling faster. As I'm doing this the bus starts catching speed as I'm passing the bus. The bad part is the bus is on my ass and I barely have enough room to pass. I know he sees me but I'm not sure why he's acting like a dipsh**. Also if I fall I'll probably be underneath the bus.

Now here is where it gets bad. I'm back on the bike lane, I've passed up the bus again (this time on the right lane since I don't want to die) and passing up two cars that are in front of the bus. Traffic starts flowing and as soon as the bus reaches me, he gets on my a** AGAIN and this time starts blasting his horn. This guy is scaring the crap out of me. I'm obeying all the laws and I feel I'm about to get ran over. He passes me on my left. As the bus gets half way passed me it starts riding the bike lane. I see the lane and sidewalk curb get smaller and smaller between me and the bus. I look to the left and see the back tires of the bus inches away from my handlebars. I had to make drastic measure since the bus is right beside me and no more bike lane since he's taken it all. I really felt like I was gong to die. I hit the curb and land on the side walk as me and my bike goe down. Get back up, I pick up my bike, start running to the bus (anger kicks in and I'm about to kick the drivers a**). Bus makes a quick stop and hits the gas when I'm about reaching the bus doors.

I didn't catch the bus number and wasn't thinking correctly right after this happened since I was possessed with anger and being scared sh**less. This is the first time anything like this has ever happened to me. Next time I'll just have to keep my anger down and get the correct information.

Excuse the English grammar. I thought I just had to share this and get it out of my system. A thing like this makes me not want to ride my bike. I thought the bus was supposed to be on the same team.

Just one question, why?

I was riding home from work when a bus passes me very close on my left hand side and proceeds to cut me off to drop off passengers while taking the whole bike lane.
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Just one question, why?

I'm sure that if you contact the transit company and give a time and location of this incident they could figure out who it was. Was there any advertising on the bus or anything about the bus (size, colour, etc) that may help narrow it down (maybe?) Police on the scene shortly after and witnesses would have helped also.

I would not let this slide.

In answer to your question "why" - jerks are everywhere, they even drive buses (most drive automobiles).

I'm sorry that this had to happen to you though and take comfort in the fact that you are uninjured.

Cheers!
Digger

You can't play leap frog with a city bus. I would have let him go the first time and waited until he was a block down before starting up. Bus drivers know they can ride inches from you because they can. However, there are blind spots and it looks like he may have lost you for a moment. A very dangerous place to be.

You can't play leap frog with a city bus. I would have let him go the first time and waited until he was a block down before starting up. Bus drivers know they can ride inches from you because they can. However, there are blind spots and it looks like he may have lost you for a moment. A very dangerous place to be.

+1.

I don't know what to do about the bus driver you encountered, as it just sounds like a mutually exacerbated encounter rather than a clear incident where one person is most definitely at fault.

In the future, though, I would suggest either letting the bus go for at least a block ahead or, if traffic and traffic light conditions give the advantage to you, you get ahead of the bus. Whenever I do the latter, I make sure to turn, smile, and wave to the driver as there's a good chance they'll see you ahead. I'd rather the driver see me as a nice, polite person than just, at best, some random cyclist.

you CAN play leap frog with a city bus, that driver was harassing the OP despite the conditions. it is wiser to avoid the situation however.

Some bus drivers HATE bicyclists, they certainly dislike being held up by a bicyclist. I've chatted with some and the talk around the bike barn about bikers would make their mothers ashamed they raised such social scoundrels.

You could have just avoided the issue and allowed the bus to gain distance from you.

Jousting with a multi-ton vehicle in traffic is akin to playing russian roulette.

"He who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day"

Bus drivers are *******s in all cities it seems. MTA bus drivers here in NYC love to do the same ****. It is a ticketable offense, but since they are driving extra large death machines, I guess they are exempt.

I just do my best to stay far away from buses. I get out of their way, and if I have to pass them, I do so on the left. If their is a bike lane, I get out of it and take a lane further left, since the bike lane is usually right in their pick-up/drop-off path.

If their is a bike lane, I get out of it and take a lane further left, since the bike lane is usually right in their pick-up/drop-off path.
To be more specific, the right side of the street is almost always where the pick-up/drop-off point will be for a city bus. Bike lane or not. A smart city bicyclist has to realize that it is a city fact of life that bus drivers have to repeatedly pull in and out of the right most part of the street to do their job. Asserting your alleged "rights" by playing dodge with a known hazard of city cycling is not smart cycling.

if you've got the groove on, the traffic weave with a city bus is not that tough. just be aware they're going to be curbhugging and cutting you off. One technique is that once the the bus begins to pass, gets past your nose and a stop is ahead, feather back and pass on the left. Repeat.

you can leapfrog a city bus. be aware the drivers hate you.

If you are familiar with the locations of the bus stops along your route, you can chose to:

1. Outrun it. If the stops are very block or so, and your fitness allows it.
2. Hang back and let it get ahead of you.

Good advice from everyone. Glad you weren't hurt

+ 1 on not playing leap frog with a bus or semi or other very long vehicle with a large turning radius and multiple blind spots.... While it may be fun the first time, surviving the learning curve of "VC Large Vehicle Leap Frog" is steep with limited odds of success.

Buses always have the right of way. They need only to signal and pull out into traffic--- traffic- including bikes, must let them back in. In many areas, it is also illegal to turn right in front of a stopped bus. No wonder they drive like maniacs--- they can basically do no wrong.

"I thought the bus was supposed to be on the same team."

Well, in terms of providing city dwellers with an alternate means, besides the car, of transportation, yes.

But on the other hand, he's our direct competition. If bus passengers are already peeved at the latest fare hike to $2.00, then they see bicycles going faster than the bus, they just might quit riding the bus and get a bicycle. With a two-dollar bus fare, a bicycle could pay for itself in two months.

No, the bus is out to win passengers, it's not on the same team as us.

"I thought the bus was supposed to be on the same team."
Sez who? Mr. Straw Man?

This has happened to me a couple of times.
On my home I ride on a road with 2 lanes of regular traffic and a transit lane on the right, absolutely no shoulder to speak of. At the time I'm usually riding home there is light traffic. More than once, a bus pulls up behind me- I am riding in the transit lane off to the right side- and just lays on the horn. Each time there is no other traffic preventing the bus from moving left and passing me. When the bus finally does pass, it is within inches, and again the bus has plenty of room to pass safely.
I called the transit company and reported the incident. The person implied it was my fault for riding in the transit lane, even though there is absolutely no shoulder to ride on.
So I feel your frustration.

Glad you are ok. Report it, they can figure out who did it to you and WILL take action. (At least, if they are like our transit here they will.)

It seems that many bus drivers have cyclists. I have had run ins with them as well but do not remember the details all that well. Dont let one idiot stop you from enjoying your bike.

Buses always have the right of way. They need only to signal and pull out into traffic--- traffic- including bikes, must let them back in. In many areas, it is also illegal to turn right in front of a stopped bus. No wonder they drive like maniacs--- they can basically do no wrong.

Correct, and one of my strongest arguments against Mass transit. The government, which runs the system, sets it up as a can-do-no-wrong legal entity. And by the way if it does some wrong, you go in front of (drum roll please the same local government officials to argue your case.

The fact that none of these overpaid pansy-assed judges and lawyers would be caught dead riding a bus doesn't salve their guilt about the fact that no one else does, and who do you think you are! YOU ARE! on a bike. If you were a tried and true fan of mass transit you would be ON THE BUS, not blocking it, you ninny! Didn't you have Ralph Kramden fantasies as a kid? :)

roughstuff

Correct, and one of my strongest arguments against Mass transit. The government, which runs the system, sets it up as a can-do-no-wrong legal entity. And by the way if it does some wrong, you go in front of (drum roll please the same local government officials to argue your case.

The fact that none of these overpaid pansy-assed judges and lawyers would be caught dead riding a bus doesn't salve their guilt about the fact that no one else does, and who do you think you are! YOU ARE! on a bike. If you were a tried and true fan of mass transit you would be ON THE BUS, not blocking it, you ninny! Didn't you have Ralph Kramden fantasies as a kid? :)

roughstuff

The problem is, not everyone wants to make every trip by bicycle, not everyone can, some people don't want to, or can't drive either, so transit in some form is needed. However buses are a terrible way to implement mass transit, they are noisy, they are stinky, and can, on occassion be operated by a dumb**s:eek:

Much better is the streetcar, little noise, no stink, and even if the operator is a dumb**s they can not swerve to buzz you. The only issue is the track can eat a bicycle wheel, and can be slippy when wet, so you need to cross them at a greater then 45 degree angle, or bunny-hop them, something that I am sure you only forget once:cry:

The idea that buses always have the right of way is yet another urban myth.

Some states and provinces require traffic *behind* the bus to yield to them as they merge back in after a stop. This doesn't mean that they can plow into a vehicle that is legally already passing them.

They are held to the same standards as the rest of us. Definitely complain to the transit company with as much detail as possible.

I had this similar situation happen with a bus and I just followed him to the next stop. I went up to him and he wouldn't open the door. I just told him, that I would kick is azz if he tried something like that with me. I would go to a stop up the road and ditch my bike and just kick the crap out of him. I will NOT be bullied by anyone on the f'n road. I have had it and will make an example out of someone at some point. I am no joking either. I almost threw my bike through some guy's windshield one time. I would do it if I feel threatened. I just don't care anymore.

Thanks guys. Next time I'll take a different approach to this situation. I'll try that is.

I used to hate playing leapfrog with the buses coming from La Jolla. Even if you slowed down and let em get ahead inevitably here comes another one right behind it. I switched to side roads, safer but took longer.

There is no excuse for aggressive driving, especially from a city bus driver. Get the number and report him if you can.

I run into similar problems with buses in philadelphia all the time. The worst is when there is a bike lane and a bunch of bus stops. I've learned to be cautious to any bus near a stop in fear of dumbasses exiting the bus without looking both ways on the bike path. Yes I know I should yeild to this type of behavior but its not always obvious if a street corner is a bus stop nor do buses always pull over, Typically what happen is that bus will pull over just into the bike lane, usually cutting any cyclist off. The biggest annoyance of this is that I can't do much to win against a bus. A car will get the hood tap some type of confrontation. Bus driver no idea. Die septa die.

Transit companies do take complaints seriously, always report bad behaviour even if you sparked it somehow, a professional driver should not respond.

Leapfrog w/bus = bad.

I consider city buses to be on the same team as me. It's certainly much harder for a bus to safely pass me, than it is for a car. If I'm holding up a city bus, I'll usually zip into a driveway and ride on the sidewalk until they've passed. I've received a few waves of thanks for doing this.

I never move for cars.

Guys, I realize you all mean well, but what's with the "don't play leap-frog with buses"? I thought the OP was clearly using a marked bike lane. Passing a stopped bus is perfectly acceptable if safe to do so. The bus has no business in the bike lane while you're in it, period.

BTW, I'm not talking about passing a bus on the right while it's picking up passengers, or lingering next to a bus.

As several others have said, report this in writing (or email). I've reported a couple bad bus drivers, and I've adequate responses each time. For the most part, bus drivers are some of the most courteous drivers on the road, but there are a few idiots. By reporting them, you put the idiots on notice that their job is on the line.

In this case, when you complain, give as much information as you can. Time, date, location, number of passengers on the bus, description of the bus driver (if you got it), etc. He didn't pass you safely, and you need to do what you can to protect other cyclists from this guy. Even if the company can't nail this one driver, they'll be able to narrow down the field.

I agree with Bek here (how often does that happen?). Bikes and busses have to play careful leap frog. They go faster than us between stops, but then they, well, stop. It's as fair to ask them to stay behind us without passing as it is to ask us to stay behind them.

The key thing is to be careful. Before passing a stopped bus, make sure that its double flashers are both on. Also, give it enough room that you can escape if it suddenly starts moving. If there's no place to escape, wait behind it. AND PASS ON THE LEFT.

Bus drivers, especially school bus drivers, tend to be some of the worst drivers that I encounter. You'd think they would be better, given that they have higher standards for licensing, but I've not found that to be the case. I've been "squeeze-played" by buses often enough that if I see one coming from behind I move left and take the lane...I refuse to be "squeezed" by some big bus.

Also, bus stops tend to be the worst spots along my commute for glass. I almost always move well left of any bus stop, to avoid the seemingly inevitable collection of glass fragments in the roadway there.

Bus drivers, especially school bus drivers, tend to be some of the worst drivers that I encounter. You'd think they would be better, given that they have higher standards for licensing, but I've not found that to be the case. I've been "squeeze-played" by buses often enough that if I see one coming from behind I move left and take the lane...I refuse to be "squeezed" by some big bus.

Also, bus stops tend to be the worst spots along my commute for glass. I almost always move well left of any bus stop, to avoid the seemingly inevitable collection of glass fragments in the roadway there.

Everything about a bus is ridiculous. I've already mentioned their size, their fuel, and their gearing. Their drivers tend be scum simply because since the bus system is municipally run, they have the power of the state on their side when it comes to adjudicating blame, and heavy handed drivers are attracted to that.

I'd take 15 cars over 1 bus any day of the week. I'd take a semi over a bus any time. When a bus stops, ya also have to worry about passengers who get off and walk across in front of the bus, expecting traffic to automatically stop for their flaming posteriors just because they are already in the roadway. Never mind that ya can't SEE them (because of the damn bus).

roughstuff

report it each time!

i have seen positive results after contacting both school and transit service bus companies here about specific drivers (bus #, location, time, and discription of occurance, in detail).

contacting the local police (and informing the bus company of this also) may ad fuel to your fire~!

Bus drivers around here run red lights & stop signs all the time along with speeding. Alot of them are real cocky also. I once even got into a fist fight with one of them while i was on his bus( the guy tells me to step off & handle my business) then he had the nerve to call the police afterwards.