Closing off the lane when there isn't enough room to share is something I have picked up on my own - I don't recall training addressing this issue, although they are constantly addressing visibility issues I describe. Sadly, there isn't very much cycling specific training at Metro. I'd love to see a joint bus driver/cyclist training session that addresses the issues faced by both groups - unfortunately, there isn't much money laying around right now for extra training.

We are specifically trained to not "force" people anywhere, except as a fixed object. In other words, I'm not supposed to start pulling into a lane to force somebody to let me in. However, I can block the bike lane to prevent cyclists from passing on the right.

If you feel a bus driver is using their bus to intimidate you, I recommend getting the coach number, time, route, and location and call in a complaint with a detailed description of the incident. *Every* complaint Metro receives gets to the driver, usually in the form of a pow-wow with their immediate supervisor. The driver can be educated as to how they should have handled the incident. Complaints are also tracked and large numbers will result in ride checks by supervisors and possibly lead to discipline.