Again, Catching a bus not an option.
 

I have always been an advocate of getting our bikes on bus' and doubling the distance we can do on a bike in order to commute further.
Today, as this past December I did my Christmas shopping and today my Valentine's gift shopping on my bike. The bus did get me and my bike early in the morning to a relativley distant doctors' appointment.. From there I commuted to a shop 30 miles away to get my wife a gift at an import shop in Solana Beach..
With winter month's daylight lasting shorter thought I might catch a bus back. So not so tired for tonights plans.
Unlike last December, I was a little earlier and could commute the whole distance before dark..But, in route I stopped at bus stops to see how a potential bus connection would have fared.
Had I absolutely needed to catch the bus, it again would have failed me...Again buses late or not enough bike rack space left. Guess it is good bike commuters are utilizing this service. But not good for me...What if I wanted to routinely use bus/bike commuting combinations..Forget it..
Too unreliable. So what I have always advocated to encourage biking/buses to get me further..It won't work when needed. Might work on trains. Urban buses, you would be late for work.
Last December's shopping bike/bus commute, I was out in the dark and cold.. Today, I made it with less than 30 minutes to go before dark. It was worth it, my wife has grown to be very dependent upon imported beauty product.
Would not have gone down there if I had to get into the car..Traffic down there is a drag.Riding the bike along that long section of coast on a sunny day lifts the spirits. In the car, I would be angry and in freeway traffic..

Screw Busses!!
 

I don't care how many people busses can accomodate. Yesterday I was nearly killed by a bus, and then attacked by one of it's passengers! The bike lanes have been full of hazardous gravel since a severe winter storm three weeks ago. The city doesn't have enough street sweepers to keep up; I was riding ouside of the bike lane for my own safety, the bus nearly ran me down - about 4" from my handlebars. Naturally, I caught up with the bus in traffic shortly thereafter, the bus driver refuses to acknowledge me; then he lets some passengers off at an undesignated stop, one of them assaults me, and gets back on the bus (?) and jokes about it with the driver! I spend the rest of the morning in the ER...

http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2004/01/278957.shtml

Rndya.
 

As soon as you are feeling better, you are considering complaining to the city commission and Transportation governing board..There in Oregon state law is on your side.?
I would not let this stand..You did get the bus number and can identify the driver.? I would be raising holly hell. Any costs for ER? I would expect reinbursment..
You ok? ER? You were hurt.. ? Hope you are ok...
Someone interferes with my biking like that, I am afraid I might loose my temper.. As to that passenger, I am afraid explectives would be flying. You could have been killed. *** *o**. Oregon is supposed to be bike friendly.
Bus drivers about here..Don't sense any hostility..So many cyclists in these parts and the bike racks are full..

Wow!!

I believe buses have potential as a transportation alternative, but it is something that would require governments to direct some of the private transport subsidies into public transport (it always amazes me that governments seem happy to subiside private transport to the hilt, yet expect public transport to be profitable and pay it's own way).

My experiences both here on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane have been similar. Around 50% of the time, the scheduled bus won't show at all. Even when it does, there's no guarantee it's going to be there on time. Simply not an option for me, either.

We are lucky here we have a good bus system in the summer time there is a lot of jockeying for bike rack space. I use it daily to get to and from work. And have used it to run errands on weekends but thats when I usually run into bike rack problems. Some of the drivers will let us on and use the wheelchair areas but most don't. We are working to change that since the train does. There were times last summer when i stayed in the city after work that I would wait for hours to get a bus home and on those occasions it was just because I walked on the last bus (11p) with my bike over the objections of the driver, telling him that since my home is in Everett he is not leaving me in Seattle and I don't care if he calls the cops. These aren't the regular buses they are the longer articulate buses and are rarely even half full at night.

rand I do hope you know that is an isolated incident and that you have already filled a police report. They know who the driver was. It also really doesn't pay to take these mater's into your own hands next time call the transit authority and file a complaint. If you don't think that will work you have a city ombudsmen go to them. They have been trained who to drive around cyclists they do not want drivers that behave like that.

Ngate.
 

Web sites such as Brainfood talk of how soon petroleum supplies in like Britain,Mexico, Alaska will be running out and no comparable supplies are being found elsewhere.
Mark my words before 2007 gas in the U.S. will be in the $6-7 dollar range.. we need lobby transportation authorities to make public transportation more compatable to alternatives....A crisis will be soon.. I hope part of my solution other than getting a hybrid will be including a bike.
Chris...Don't know about Australia.But in the U.S. paid lobbysits run our government..Auto and gas lobbies have far more influence(money) than public transportation or bike advocates.When the crisis comes, the switch over to new transportation will be slow and tempers short.
Ngate...We need lobby transportation authorities to find extra space for bikes to help account for crowded conditions..I am sure this conditions have been delt with elsewhere. The buses I could not board because the bike racks were full , where mostly empty of passengers..Handicap areas unused. Meanwhile I was out in the cold..They do want us to use the buses right..

Have you reported this incident to the police?

Yes, yes and yes. I filed a police report; I also filed a report with the transit agency, and I contacted a bike-friendly attorney. I wasn't hurt that bad, just a split lip, couple o' stiches...it just irks me really bad that I was first endangered by the bus, and then when I tried to make the driver aware of this I was attacked a second time...it won't happen again, I'm taking steps to ensure that...thanks for all of your support!

You guys kill me.. Folks we've gone over this again and again.
If you want to use a bike with 700 cc wheels with the bus, you're going to be disapointed. Too many buses don't have racks and don't even think about bringing that big bike inside the cabin. There are only three bikes out there that can get on buses inside the cabin with little or no problem providing they are covered. The Brompton, Dahon Presto and Strida.

I've been able to board buses with my Dahon Piccolo (covered) but will upgrade to the Presto Lite when it becomes available. I know you guys wouldn't be caught dead riding on a 16' wheel folding bike but after a while you get used to the stares. It's all in your mind. Buses are not a problem with the right bicycle but your fear of being seen on a folder is what's causing all this misery. I repeat buses are not a problem and work well ALL the time with bicycles providing you have the right one!

I don't know why the folding bicycle is seen in such bad light. It's not that bad a ride. Seriously. The gearing is that of a slow hybrid but you have to make compromises if you want to use bicycles along with transport. I think this is one of the biggest secrets out there but no one takes advantage of it at all.

Here's an idea. If you don't want to be seen on a 16' inch wheel folder why not leave a junk bike on the other side of town. I do this with a toy store bike that is right now on the streets of New York City waiting for me to arrive Monday morning! Place junkers in town locked with the New York Chain and you'll have personal transport for you all the time.

Here's another idea. If you're too embarrassed to ride a 16' wheel folder or leave a junk bike in the city, why not use an electric scooter like the Razer? You can carry these things on the bus and lock it outside the store when shopping with a small U-lock.

Crimes against cyclists are treated like something that the cyclist deserve. "Well, if he wouldn't ride in the street then that wouldn't happen, huh?"

If the bus had run over you it would have been an accident that could have been avoided if you had just stayed on the sidewalk/in the bike lane, etc, etc. Driver prolly wouldn;t even lose his/her job.

The real problem isn't the law it's education, in this case the law is on your side but in reality, it's doesn't matter until people start respecting cyclist's rights.

Best bet would be to carry a cell phone and then stop on the side of the road and report things like this right away. Call the bus company and tell em, or had it been a car-- get tag number and report it as reckless driving and tell dispatch you want to press charges.

"lock it outside the store when shopping with a small U-lock."

Or better, keep that small u-lock in your back pocket and if someone attacks you beat the **** out of them with it.

Steve.. The way things are now, you are right about bike access to buses...I am new to using buses in conjunction to bike commuting and have found newly acquired expectations and believe something must be done to prepare us for the transportions systems needed to get us through the energy dilemas of the near future.
I know as things are now, we expect too much from bus transportaion to suit our needs. I bet in some bike obsessed communitiesd like Davis, Calif. or Boulder, COlo. they have solved this problem..I shall search and find out politices elsewhere...You are lucky you have trains taking you where you want to go.Most don't ... All I see is empty space on buses and maybe something could be devisted in this empty space..Once when my tires were shreded a driver got permission to place my bike in the back of the bus,9 where there was lots of empty space) when the bus barely had 10 people on it and I had an emergency...
Kurrem...I have no cell phone. Just have not wanted one.
One convincing argument, reporting jerks when they hassle cyclists..Not thought of that need.

I use bike racks on my daily commute and have never had any problems with my 700cc tires. I have used 2 different styles one is a sportsworks rack I am not sure who makes the other they are on Everett Transit buses and they are a little smaller than the Sportworks ones.

Steve. A question..You primarily use trains to get about.Envy your option. you do not have to commute miles, probably your commute in the city is mega blocks?
Would your foldable bike work if you had to commute 20 miles and more? I take a fair amount of stuff with me on my bike commute. Most of the time, probably at least 20 pounds worth of stuff. Would a foldable bike work for me.? I feel I need the hauling ability and strength of a touring bike..
Don't know what my solution is, but in the energy world of the future, maybe you will have 15% of the population commuting maybe 10 miles or more.. Like China has been with bicycle commuting... I predict an energy future before the needed replacement of your present cars, of maybe $5-7 range and long lines...We had better be preparred. That is what I think..
What then? ( I often commute 26 miles one way.) Bikes could be a part of the solution to save the worlds economies.
Just looking for solutions..
Ngate..Probably reason bike carriers so full here...We have lots of migrant workers, working in agriculture, etc.. Poor people, using bikes since they can't afford cars. In more affluent cities, bike commuting is a lesser percentage of the commuting population...
I could probably end this dilema by carrying more stuff ( like strong lights and warm gear) and just plan on doubling the ride time, but once in awhile life intrudes on my bike time and I need get home faster; so that I can commute on tthe bike tomorrow.

You don't need a cell phone to report jerks. A pen and paper will record their details just fine. Personally I prefer to do it this way and visit the police in person. Tends to be more effective than just phoning them.

And again, you are overestimating the intelligence of the average bus driver. If you tried to take a folding bike onto a bus here in Queensland, you would be ordered off immediately. Even people catching a bus from the airport (barring the special airporter service which is totally useless to commuters anyway) aren't allowed to take their luggage on. This is just the way bus companies operate.

Actually if we want to have a voice in our government we need to give money to politicians like other interests. Oil and car companies give money to politicians and they have a voice, bicyclists are tiny little mice squeeking in a great big field.

I mean the current administration are either former oil executives or oil company investers. They want to figure out how to get more oil, more gas, not reduce the need by using alternatives to cars. If we want to have a voice then bicyclists need to form a big group, something like the N.R.A. to lobby in congress. Problem is we don't and won't have the numbers, guns are kewl and bikes are weird.

I hope Randya reports the driver to the police and the bus company. Most companies don't tolerate this kind of criminal behavior because lawsuits are very expensive. On that note, Randya may want to talk to a local lawyer about trying to get the bus company to pay his medical bills and any lost wages.

Our buses in Columbus are much better. Although the bus company is behind in installing bike racks, the bus drivers here are some of the most courteous drivers on the road.

Today I took the bus because we had freezing rain which followed 3 to 7 inches of overnight snow. I can handle snow and single digit F temperatures, but I draw the line at ice. Because we are in a "Level 2 Snow Emergency," the buses are free.

Randya, if you complain, keep us informed.

If the driver was aware of the assault and battery, but did not report it, not only is he a major loser, but he might be held legally accountable, as well.

When the winter comes, I use the bikes to get me to the trains. The furthest I have to travel by bike is 6 blocks! This certainly wouldn't qualify me for the Tour de France! ;-) I do most of my riding in the winter on the weekend.

Last summer, I did a lot of train fanning on my bike by going to the last stop and coming home with the use of my GPS. I intend to do more of this with the bus this summer. Yes you heard me correctly. THE BUS!

>>Would a foldable bike work if you had to commute 20 miles or more? <<

Sure.... I used to do it on a 16' inch wheel but wouldn't recommend it since the ride tends to be laborious. A much better solution would be a cycle with a 20' inch wheel and thin tires like the Schwalbe Servio.

The problem with the 20' inch wheel bike is trying to get it inside the cabin of the bus. The bikes that fold into the smallest package that have 20' inch wheels are made by Dahon in case you're interested. You will experience a performance loss with a 20' inch wheel than a bike with a larger 700 cc tire but compromises have to be made if your're going to use cycles in multi-mode transport. A larger wheel makes for a larger package and you don't want to be carrying 20 pounds with stuff and a 20 pound bike at the same time. I've known plenty of people who used folding bikes for touring purposes so carrying loads is not a problem. The problem is getting all this stuff inside the cabin of the bus without anyone complaining.

You said the bus is mostly empty. This is good news. A crowded bus will be much more difficult to board with a large package. In New York City, our buses can choose to not allow you to board with a bulky package during rush hour. If the buses you take are empty, I don't see why it should be a problem boarding with a folder in a bag.

I'm going to see if I can find a black fabric that will fit like a skin around the bike thus making it a smaller package. The bag that comes with my Dahon actually makes it look like a very large suitcase! This would not be acceptable for entering a bus.

Last night, I folded the bike and removed the seat post completely from the cycle and guess what? The package was dramatically smaller! In fact, it was not much wider and taller than a large shopping bag. All the naysayers will say it's impossible but I think it will work. (I have my fingers crossed!) I'm almost certain this kind of package would be allowed in most buses. I'm serious. If I can find a black fabric that will cover the bike like a second skin, this just might work in getting a 16' inch wheel folder inside the cabin of the bus. I'll see if I find the material and then get an expert (Mom) to sew it together for a super tight package altogether. I would carry the seatpost on one hand and the bike on the other. It could really open up many opportunities for me this summer when I'm exploring other towns and neighborhoods by bike. With my GPS and the bus to get me far away in distant locations, the summer can't come soon enough.

I look at it this way. If this system can work with a 16' inch wheel bicycle, it just might work for a 20' inch wheel cycle. After all, the difference in sizes between the two are not much different. I'll keep you up to date on my project. These are very exciting days!

If the driver of the bus, drove away with the attacker, he and the bus company are liable for damages. In fact, the driver may even be an acccessory to the crime!

cyclezealot:

Someone on another forum answered my question on folding bikes on buses. I'm hoping to get more but here is his response as he rides buses with his folding (Dahon Presto) bike in Madrid! I guess there really is no set rules but to have the bike covered in the smallest package possible and hope the driver doesn't get upset. I'm working on a design right (mesh fabric bag) now and hope to have it done in several weeks. The possibilities are endless!

Here's the response he sent me.

>>>>>In the Madrid Metro, there is not a problem at all to carry a folded Presto, covered with the slip cover and the seapost set. It is not recomended on peak horus, is so crowed....
By bus, well, there is a lack of regulations about budles to carry on buses.
A covered Presto may be acepted if the bus is almost empty, but it depends of the driver (the captain of the bus), this man decides if yes or not eatch time.To dismount the seapost helps.
If the bus is almost empty, then may by a seat available and you has a nice place for the Presto under the legs, the space of a seated passenger has wide boundaries.
Is there is no seat, things become worse, there are small holes on the cabin you can use. The more important is to adopt friendly and polite movements and be ready to rapidity change the position of the parcel when AND ONLY when necessary, the worse is to move your bike all the time.
There is no rules, depends of the situation.
One final remark, It is better than the packet do not exhibit like a bike. People thinks "If you has a bike , why take a bus?. In this case the seapost is a tip-off.
I have a very small saddle, is a DuoPower, http://www.tiendadeportes.com/DuoPowerEnglish.htm it is light and the shape is not the classical saddle, that also helps.
Blue Skies
Manuel<<<<<<

Steve.
 

Right now my bike is loaded to go to work..My panniers are mostly full, jackets, work material, warm accessories. I am glad a foldable bike works for urban commuting. The stuff I have in my panniers would almost fill your bike bag, I suspect. All I hope for is a commuting system I can count on to get me home and to work promptly, reliably and let me leave my car home.Does not work, I have to reduce my bike commuting..I see free open space on the bus,some would find solutions....
I bet in Denmark they would solve the problem, so as to get bike commuters out of their cars. we wanted to encourage bike/bus commuting and save on petro dollars leaving the country...we would make this a priority.
Like, could not there be foldable seats that raise up and hooks, straps to secure the bikes in a unused corner of the bus- so it is reliable for us.. We do that on trains..
That would cause me to get me car off the road and save the asphalt for some other Hummer. I know, I am a dreamer.

Yes, public transportation sucks. It is even better when the bus driver sees you and drives off.