I know this exact post exist elsewhere, but I gotta vent!

Email I just sent the Miami Valley Regional Transit Authority:


On January 26th 2005 I was traveling north on Valley Street near Children’s Hospital at approximately 8:20 AM when RTA bus #9211 passed me on my left and immediately pulled to the curb to pick up passengers at a stop thus forcing me into an emergency stop to avoid hitting the bus. The fact that the bus overshot the stop by approximately 100 feet demonstrates the operator’s actions were so flagrant they can only be construed as discourteous as well as reckless. I assume your drivers are required to pass the Ohio drivers exam and are familiar with Ohio law. Just in case I have copied a section from page 61 from the Digest of Ohio Motor Vehicle Laws:

SHARING THE ROAD WITH BICYCLISTS
A motorist must:
• Share the road with bicycles. The bicyclist has the same right to use the public road as any other driver, except freeways.
• Maintain a “safety zone” of approximately three feet between the car and the bicyclist.
• Pass a cyclist only when it can be done safely.
• Leave ample room when turning right after passing a bicyclist so the bicyclist is not cut-off when the motorist slows for the turn.

Your operator willfully failed on every one of these points.

I sincerely hope you can manage to teach your operators the law as well as common courtesy for my safety as well as others.

For some reason the operator also felt it necessary to sound their horn every time they passed me (3). That is within their right, but hardly necessary or courteous. As a cyclist riding in traffic I expect to be passed by motor vehicles.

With the Findlay Street bridge being closed until May 2006 I will be riding on that stretch of Valley Street Monday through Friday twice a day. I am sure you will want your operators to treat me with more courtesy in the future.

Regretfully