Advocacy & Safety - Biking in Baltimore on the radio

I am sort of curious how many cyclists in other cities can relate to the callers comments.
http://onelesscar.org/page.php?id=272

My first thought when I heard about the MTA bus drivers was absolute outrage -- run a child off the road?!?! WTF?!?! Baltimore obviously has a loooooooooooong way to go to even approach NE Indiana, much less Portland, OR!

I don't feel so bad about how things are here, anymore.

If anyone has some good bus driver training material they could send my way I would appreciate it.

In one of our meetings with MTA they complained that we did not understand what a driver has to endure on a daily bases. So I suggested a cultural exchange day on the driver training track and we'll have cyclists driving buses and bus drivers on bikes. That was such a fun point to make, they still don't get it but it was fun watching squirm for a bit.

Well, I'm glad I made somebodies city seem a bit more bike friendly.

My first thought when I heard about the MTA bus drivers was absolute outrage -- run a child off the road?!?! WTF?!?! Baltimore obviously has a loooooooooooong way to go to even approach NE Indiana, much less Portland, OR!

I don't feel so bad about how things are here, anymore.

Sadly, that does NOT surprise me. I wish that it did, but it doesn't.

My first thought when I heard about the MTA bus drivers was absolute outrage -- run a child off the road?!?! WTF?!?! Baltimore obviously has a loooooooooooong way to go to even approach NE Indiana, much less Portland, OR!

I don't feel so bad about how things are here, anymore.

The solution is to make a note of the bus number, location and date/time, call the company and complain. If they start getting a lot of complaints they will update their training process. There really is no excuse for it, bus drivers are supposed to be professional drivers.

The solution is to make a note of the bus number, location and date/time, call the company and complain. If they start getting a lot of complaints they will update their training process. There really is no excuse for it, bus drivers are supposed to be professional drivers.

I do that in my day-to-day riding if I am passed by a bus too close I'll pull over and "drop a dime on them" and likewise if they pass me giving me three feet or more I'll likewise pull over and call and file a compliment for said driver.

Sadly, the operator(s) I've talked with are a little surprised when I call to file a compliment vs. calling to file a complaint. But from having done both I have noticed that the drivers on my route(s) to tend to behave in a better manner. Such as it seems like most of the drivers will hang behind me until they can safely enter the left hand lane to pass and waiting a car's length or so before moving back into the right hand lane.

The solution is to make a note of the bus number, location and date/time, call the company and complain. If they start getting a lot of complaints they will update their training process. There really is no excuse for it, bus drivers are supposed to be professional drivers.

Or do what MTA did and downsize the complaint department. I will stress with all things bike related always cc your local advocacy organization.

Or do what MTA did and downsize the complaint department. I will stress with all things bike related always cc your local advocacy organization.

If you email your complaint, even better, cc your local city council member and your state representative as well, often transit is partially funded by government, in this case remember the golden rule is he who has the gold, makes the rules.

A state representative asking the secretary of transportation why his in box has 73 complaints by cyclists about MTA drivers, is likely to result in someone high up at the MTA (probably the president or chairman) getting asked that same question. Then things get interesting, because the one thing high ups hate, is getting asked this kind of question when they are out of the loop, it makes them look bad, and company presidents and chairmen hate looking bad. Like #### it then flows downhill, as far as it can. This usually solves the problem, probably by supervisors telling drivers in morning meetings what they should do around bicycles, and updated training manuals.

I think in 5 years of riding in Toronto, I have had a problem with a TTC bus, exactly once, didn't bother to complain, because it's only happened once.

If you email your complaint, even better, cc your local city council member and your state representative as well, often transit is partially funded by government, in this case remember the golden rule is he who has the gold, makes the rules.

A state representative asking the secretary of transportation why his in box has 73 complaints by cyclists about MTA drivers, is likely to result in someone high up at the MTA (probably the president or chairman) getting asked that same question. Then things get interesting, because the one thing high ups hate, is getting asked this kind of question when they are out of the loop, it makes them look bad, and company presidents and chairmen hate looking bad. Like #### it then flows downhill, as far as it can. This usually solves the problem, probably by supervisors telling drivers in morning meetings what they should do around bicycles, and updated training manuals.

I think in 5 years of riding in Toronto, I have had a problem with a TTC bus, exactly once, didn't bother to complain, because it's only happened once.

This is very good advice but the first problem is most people (like the caller) will not do this. So we don't have 73 complaints going to a state representative maybe we have one complaint going to one rep and other complaints going to other reps.

But I think the bigger issue is most people accept that the streets are mean so they don't bother doing anything constructive. Not doing anything then enforces the streets should be mean and it's dog eat dog as the way of survival.