ChezJfrey

Well, yet another bus/bicycle incident for me - the driver is an idiot. I'm sending a message to our public transport (Trimet) and if you're up for offering any feedback before I send it, please feel free. Here's my current draft:

I am lodging a complaint against the driver of the route 94 bus to Sherwood with an identity number, 1807, displayed on the vehicle. The driver appears ignorant of traffic law and showed an apparent disregard for my safety.

Yesterday, July 28, 2004 at 5:48 p.m., I approached a stoplight, on my bicycle, at SW Pacific Hwy. and SW Taylors Ferry Rd. I was situated in the marked bike lane and the bus was next to me in the adjacent lane; the line of sight between the driver and myself was clear and unobstructed. When the light turned green, I started to proceed, but was then cut off by the driver of the bus as he pulled across the bike lane, into the right turn lane at the intersection of Capitol Hwy. that leads to the southbound entrance for Interstate 5. I was forced to swerve to the curb and halt so that the bus would not strike me.

Since the traffic control light ahead was a short distance and displayed red, I was able to reach the driver before he pulled away. His window was open, so I queried, "Can I ask what happened back there?"

"Well," he replied, "if you're going to race a bus..."

"What?" I responded, incredulous of the enormous ignorance and smugness of that comment, "I'm not racing anyone."

He then tried to explain that I should not have been next to the bus.

I instructed him that the light turned green, I'm in a legal and marked bike lane, going forward, and that HE is supposed to yield and left it at that.

This incident concerns me because this scenario seems to be recurrent. I was struck in a similar manner by a 94 bus in September of last year (complaint filed - CSI# 101192). I closed my last message with the comment, "...my experience on the road as a cyclist has shown that overall, Trimet drivers are better than most." I'm beginning to question my own perception -- is this the same driver, or are more Trimet drivers disregarding law and safety measures?

This particular driver was quite arrogant and condescending during our encounter and demonstrated with both his actions and words that he does not know basic tenets of traffic law and shows little regard for the safety of others. His comments clearly indicate that he knew I was next to him, yet he pulled into me anyway. This greatly disturbs me because as a daily cyclist, I am in constant contention for space and courtesy on a road where little of these two elements are offered by the driving public. I had always presumed that "professional" drivers would be held to a higher standard, and the man I spoke to yesterday was obviously lacking.

I think that the driver in question needs formal training and testing of Oregon traffic law. I have provided the applicable Oregon statute below:

811.050 Failure to yield to rider on bicycle lane.
(1) A person commits the offense of failure of a motor vehicle operator to yield to a rider on a bicycle lane if the person is operating a motor vehicle and the person does not yield the right of way to a person operating a bicycle, moped or motorized wheelchair upon a bicycle lane.
(3) The offense described in this section, failure of a motor vehicle operator to yield to a rider on a bicycle lane, is a Class B traffic infraction.

I also believe that periodic, personal review of his driving may also be a good idea.

Thank you for your attention to this matter, and please, inform me of the action taken.

supcom

Very well done. Clear and consise. You included a proposed resolution, and a request for follow-up. and most importantly, you got the bus number and time of the incident which will nail driver's identity.

Oxymoron

Good idea putting the law as stated in there. When I am in Portland I am happily amazed at the sheer number of cycists on the road. I can barely drive a block without having to wipe one off my windshield. Ha ha! But while there are so many great commuter cyclists there who are very experienced, the safety that cyclists feel leads to a lot of lesser skilled riders venturing out - such as into the middle of the lane on very busy Hawthorne Ave., which has the skinniest lanes I have ever seen and where 5 mph is not appropriate. I'm guessing that having to navigate constant cycists, of which presumably many are bad and who do sneak up alongside the bus, leads drivers to get annoyed and become indignant.

Your letter will help alleviate the tendancy towards road rage they feel by reminding them that depite bad or numerous bikers the law is the law. Car divers are even worse in Portland, but I don't think that gives me a right to physically ram them with my bus. A bad bus driver will eventually hit a car or ped or bike and will loose their job. I think most bosses like to prevent that before it happens becaus it is bad press when it hits the news - and it will.

Clay

DanFromDetroit

I would note in the e-mail that you have forwarded the same communication on paper via USPS to the management. Use an actual name of the individual addressee instead of "the management". Note as well the names of any other individuals copied on the note.

Dan

DogBoy

I would also send it to the paper's editor, and make it clear that you have done so.

randya

Hawthorne Blvd is a designated bike route (City of Portland Bicycle Master Plan) and is marked with signs stating "Narrow Lanes - Bikes in Lane". It is perfectly legal to bicycle on Hawthorne Blvd. and in fact the appropriate lane position is in the middle of the lane, which is where experienced cyclists ride since the lanes are not wide enough for a motor vehicle and a bicycle to share (9.5'), not to mention the potential hazard of being doored by a parked car if you ride too close to the parking lane (ORS 814.430(2)(c)).

Bottom line: if I'm in front of you on my bicycle on SE Hawthorne I have the right of way, it doesn't matter how fast or slow I'm going. There is a passing lane on Hawthorne for motorists to use if they wish to pass slower-moving bicyclists. One of my favorite recreational rides is up and down Hawthorne a couple of times, taking the lane the whole way...the 'lesser skilled' cyclists generally avoid Hawthorne or use the sidewalk.

As far as TriMet operators go, I have had numerous experiences with rude or aggressive bus drivers. Absolutely report all incidents in which you have been endangered by one of them!

spunko

Send it registered postal mail, not by email.
good reply to a dangerouse situtation.
By the way most of the buses on my commute watch out for cyclists, do not know why but they seem to know bikers are there. Perhaps dirver training. They tend to yield again, got me why they do what they are supposed to do in the first place.

Chris L

I would also be keeping a copy to send to the police.

Oxymoron

Perhaps Hawthorne is a bike route, but I can barely stand to walk across the street or attempt to parallel park there and open my door, let alone bike on it. People drive like animals - fast and dangerous. The traffic on that road IS what I hate about big cities. Why riding it could be recreational I do not know. I'd be terrified to go slow, and if I went fast getting hit by a door would be inevitable. Anyways, I thought the street one or two blocks to the east was a bike route. I always like the road one block west of Burnside - so quiet and slow. But, we all have different biking styles and I know you can ride on Hawthorne if you want and I will respect you if I see you. But despite the huge number of bikers on that street, they still get no respect and it is an accident waiting to happen unfortunately.
Clay

atbman

One thing which is not clear from your draft letter: who arrived first at the junction, the bus or you?

If the bus was already there, I would suggest that it would have right of way in turning, just as much as would happen if the lights had been on green - if you were approaching under those circumstances, you wouldn't overtake on the inside.

If, on the other hand, you arrived at the lights first, then the opposite would apply. If the latter is the case, then perhaps you might consider making it clear in your letter. It would also make it clearer to the police, if you involve them.

Good luck

randya

Oregon law - A cyclist in the bike lane has the right of way over a vehicle turning right across the bike lane, regardless of who arrived at the intersection first. The statute was correctly stated in the first post:

811.050 Failure to yield to rider on bicycle lane.
(1) A person commits the offense of failure of a motor vehicle operator to yield to a rider on a bicycle lane if the person is operating a motor vehicle and the person does not yield the right of way to a person operating a bicycle, moped or motorized wheelchair upon a bicycle lane.

This is one of the many reasons why bike lanes suck. I don't know how many times I have been raced to an intersection by a motorist who then cuts me off by turning in front of me, instead of yielding the right of way and waiting 2 seconds for me to clear the intersection before they make their turn.

madpogue 

In WI, car drivers are supposed to get into the bike lane to turn, but of course, must yield to thru traffic, that is, they should move in BEHIND bikes going thru. I've been hooked twice (one right, one left in a left-side bike lane on a one-way) and have witnessed another left hook (same one-way) just this year, all involving car drivers who turned from the outer lane, and didn't understand what to do, even though there are at least two signs per block saying "Restricted lane, bicycles and right (left) turns".

It's not the bike lanes that suck. It's the drivers.

ChezJfrey

Not that it matters, because the post by randya is correct -- a car must yield regardless, but I pulled up to a red light where the bus was already stopped. But, the bus was not turning right at that point. When the light turned green, we both proceeded forward and the bus moved into the right turn lane for the NEXT intersection. So, I was travelling parallel to the bus when the driver pulled into me.

Dahon.Steve

Every month without fail, we have a new incident with bus drivers. I've said it before, buses are more dangerous than trucks because they use the same road the cyclist uses and often have little regard to those who get in their way. Many bus lines have time limits to complete a route and the drivers are under pressure to make it within that limit.

Driving a city bus sucks. These motor drivers have the worse jobs in the world that are full of stress. They take this stress out on the steering wheel and you all know the results. I'm sick of bus drivers who act like bullies on the road but there is nothing you can do. This is another reason why I no longer use buses but lightrail.

I was thinking of carrying a small can of whip cream and when the bus driver cuts me off, I'll race over to the driver's side rear view mirror and diry it with cream. I then tell the bus driver, the two seconds he saved cutting me off could have taken my life and thus I'm causing him to lose 5 minutes by forcing him to clean his mirror.

Transit companies want fast drivers and NOT cautious ones. Seriously. Next to a drunk driver, I don't know of any other motor vehicle that poses more danger to the cyclist.

supcom

An obviously bad idea that might earn one some community service time washing busses.

Ryan

Your complaint will probably be ignored.

Chris L

Regardless of who sucks, you have to be prepared for it. As I've said before, if staying in a bike lane is going to get you into trouble, get the hell out of it.

Crazy Cyclist

I find it a waste of time complaining about public transportation. nothing ever happens, I have cmplained a few times and I get the standard "we will look into it" which means "we don't care" .