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This is why I live by that motto

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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

This is why I live by that motto

Old 02-05-16, 11:32 AM
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This is why I live by that motto

A bunch of you already know my motto is "Ride like everyone's trying to kill you, but don't take it personally." Today, it kept me from being in far worse shape as I started my day by literally being hit by that proverbial bus.

Circumstances: I'm moving up a hill in a clearly marked bike lane running a HotShot on the rear and daytime strobe on front in broad daylight. I notice a bus closing in fast coming in my mirror and expect it to go to a stop 50 yards ahead of me. Even though it's still at least 30 yards behind me, it's moving in such a way it looks like it's going to take me out. I debate going immediately for the curb but prefer not to be forced off the road so I drift left to encourage it to hold its lane until it clears me.

Right as it starts to pass, it turns sharply into me giving me literally no space -- I couldn't just hit the brakes and go far right. I had the presence of mind to slam my fist into the side before the bus made contact about 5 feet behind the front door and I went over the curb. I went to talk to the driver. The poor woman looked like she was about to have a heart attack and practically burst into tears. She had just spaced, was very concerned I was OK, and wanted me to get checked out. But I was fine and so was the bike. No harm, no foul. I told her I just wanted to be sure she was aware she made a mistake. I doubt she'll make that mistake again

She thanked me profusely for being understanding. Frankly, I wasn't upset in the least -- shti happens. But I'm glad I was watching. I could have prevented contact completely by bailing as soon as I noticed the bus on an unfavorable trajectory since that's a sign you weren't noticed. But I'm pretty aggressive and I had a plan B which I wound up executing so I wasn't concerned for my safety. But I was thinking today would have been a bad day to not be aware of what was behind and get taken by surprise. Never trust others with your safety.
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Old 02-05-16, 11:43 AM
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Glad you're okay, but this needs to be reported to her employer. It might be one of many times this has happened.
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Old 02-05-16, 11:44 AM
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Mirrors are for freds.
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Old 02-05-16, 11:46 AM
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Make a police report.
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Old 02-05-16, 11:58 AM
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Old 02-05-16, 12:07 PM
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Glad you are ok.

Another motto is "ride like you are invisible" as the cagers will always say "I didn't see him!"
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Old 02-05-16, 12:28 PM
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I would have been pissed.
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Old 02-05-16, 12:30 PM
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Glad you are okay and practice safety proactively. You did a wise and noble thing talking with her without blowing up. I'm sure she learned a lesson to be more cautious. It's tough being a school bus driver with all the screaming and active kids. Bus drivers don't get paid enough for all the abuse they take from students, teachers, and especially parents.

Well done!

And I'm saying that even with your fredly mirror
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Old 02-05-16, 12:49 PM
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Originally Posted by StanSeven
You did a wise and noble thing talking with her without blowing up. I'm sure she learned a lesson to be more cautious. It's tough being a school bus driver with all the screaming and active kids. Bus drivers don't get paid enough for all the abuse they take from students, teachers, and especially parents.
I missed the OP saying it as a school bus.
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Old 02-05-16, 01:32 PM
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Originally Posted by noodle soup
I missed the OP saying it as a school bus.
I was figuring Tri-Met, myself (city bus).
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Old 02-05-16, 01:49 PM
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Originally Posted by PepeM
Mirrors are for freds.
...+1. I don't want to see it coming, I just want to wake up in my place of everlasting torment.
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Old 02-05-16, 02:03 PM
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Originally Posted by 3alarmer
...+1. I don't want to see it coming, I just want to wake up in my place of everlasting torment.
talk about trajectories...
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Old 02-05-16, 02:24 PM
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Originally Posted by LesterOfPuppets
I was figuring Tri-Met, myself (city bus).
It was TriMet.

I was impressed that the driver seemed so concerned by my well being -- she was visibly traumatized and assumed I was hurt. She expected me to call it in, but I had no intention of doing so as it was a simple mistake, she was sorry, and I know she'll be especially vigilant for cyclists in the future.

On an aside note, I was surprised by the amount of give in the side of a bus. So long as you can avoid getting crushed against something, going under the wheels, or breaking bones when you hit the pavement, odds of being OK after taking a hit strike me as very decent.
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Old 02-05-16, 03:31 PM
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Letting someone go off easily when you do crash is a bad idea. Wait at least 10 minutea after your body calms down and the adrenaline to wear off. A lot of people regret because they didn't feel bad after a crash but later realized it wasnt trivial.
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Old 02-05-16, 05:50 PM
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*pedant warning* You can't literally be hit by a proverbial bus. Like gay weddings; it's a wedding.

But glad to hear you're ok though
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Old 02-05-16, 05:56 PM
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Originally Posted by PepeM
Mirrors are for freds.
Better fred than dead.
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Old 02-05-16, 06:57 PM
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You got lucky.
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Old 02-05-16, 08:18 PM
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You got lucky (that "Plan B" is just a bit risky, eh? You could have sideswiped the curb and slid under the rear wheels.) You were very compassionate---I try to be kind, but I doubt i could have done anything but attack at that point (well ... maybe not ... I recall a time a lady crossed like five lanes of traffic and wiped me out ... but that was just after Christmas, it was cold, and I was preoccupied with the ground beef which had been my knee prior top the event. I didn't go after her ... too much shock?)

Anyway, gracefully handled. Glad you came through whole and upright.

This make me think of the guy who rides strapped ... a warning shot through the passenger windshield might have gotten her attention.

If she Really wanted to kill you she would have kept in her lane and then cut over at the last minute. I guess she needs more training.

+1 to you for giving cyclists a good name.
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Old 02-05-16, 09:38 PM
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Originally Posted by banerjek
Frankly, I wasn't upset in the least -- shti happens.
No, this isn't "**** happens."

This is someone who has no business being behind the wheel on public roads, let alone allowed to operate a bus. She almost killed you. I would have called the police immediately.


Originally Posted by banerjek
It was TriMet.

I was impressed that the driver seemed so concerned by my well being -- she was visibly traumatized and assumed I was hurt. She expected me to call it in, but I had no intention of doing so as it was a simple mistake, she was sorry, and I know she'll be especially vigilant for cyclists in the future.
The only thing worse than bus drivers is a unionized municipal bus driver. This wasn't an isolated incident nor was it a simple mistake. Youtube is full of video's showing close calls with buses, riders being pinched and hooked by buses. Especially vigilant my foot. She hit you, almost ran you over. I would not have let her off the hook so easy.
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Old 02-05-16, 09:39 PM
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Originally Posted by banerjek
Frankly, I wasn't upset in the least -- shti happens.
No, this isn't "**** happens."

This is someone who has no business being behind the wheel on public roads, let alone allowed to operate a bus. She almost killed you. I would have called the police immediately.


Originally Posted by banerjek
It was TriMet.

I was impressed that the driver seemed so concerned by my well being -- she was visibly traumatized and assumed I was hurt. She expected me to call it in, but I had no intention of doing so as it was a simple mistake, she was sorry, and I know she'll be especially vigilant for cyclists in the future.
The only thing worse than bus drivers is a unionized municipal bus driver. They drive like the part of the bus behind them doesn't exist and like they own the road. This wasn't an isolated incident nor was it a simple mistake. Youtube is full of video's showing close calls with buses, riders being pinched and hooked by buses. Especially vigilant my foot. She hit you, almost ran you over. I would not have let a municipal bus driver off the hook so easy no matter how upset.
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Old 02-05-16, 10:12 PM
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This is like the other forum where everyone jumps on vehicle drivers. This may be the first and only instance where the driver made a mistake. No matter how careful a driver us, there are instances where you make mistakes. It happens to us all. Saying the driver has no business behind the wheel doesn't make sense unless we know more.
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Old 02-05-16, 10:44 PM
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Originally Posted by TimothyH
The only thing worse than bus drivers is a unionized municipal bus driver.
I was a unionized bus driver for a couple if years when I was a young man. Interesting thing is that the union didn't hire me. The union didn't train me. The union didn't test my skills to find out if I had adequately learned the skills I needed. It was management that did those things. As it turned out, management hired the wrong person, management's training didn't take and management's testing didn't reveal that I was not the right fit for the job. When I ran into a car and put a guy in the hospital and management finally did something right by firing me, the union never even suggested that they would try to help me keep my job. The union did the right thing. I should never have been put on the road. Management, and of course I, screwed up.
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Old 02-06-16, 12:00 AM
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Originally Posted by PepeM
Mirrors are for freds.
I know you re kidding. So am I.

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Old 02-06-16, 01:42 AM
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Originally Posted by Doge
I know you re kidding. So am I.

Wow, that Fred is working really hard not to get lapped by the peloton. He ought to ditch the mirror to cut drag.
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Old 02-06-16, 04:39 AM
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Admirable behavior banner, we should all be so gracious and forgiving.
I have ridden motorcycles since 16 years of age and am alive only because I assume the world is out to kill me.
I love riding both cycles and motorcycles and both have taught me that assuming I am seen is fatal behavior. The only assumption I make is that no one sees me. It has kept me alive so far.
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