I was riding in the city centre today in the dedicated cycle lane with the traffic moving very slowly outside me, so I was going faster than them. I was riding alongside a bus when the traffic started moving a bit faster and the bus then kept up with me. Suddenly the bus started moving into the cycle lane pushing me in to the kerb so I banged my fist as hard as I could into the side of the bus. The passengers saw me but the bus kept on moving in and I had to drop back to let him have the cycle lane.

I caught up with him at the next traffic lights and pulled around in front of the bus so he couldn't move off and started asking him what the h*ll he was doing. He tried to say it was my fault by overtaking traffic in the cycle lane, despite the fact the traffic was moving at a snail's pace.

At that point I lost it, telling him that even if I was in the wrong, which I didn't think I was, that didn't give him the right to drive me off the road, and that he should never be allowed behind the wheel of a bus.

My friends always laugh at me because I never swear, but I must admit to using words that I never even knew I knew, and am quite ashamed because there were a lot of people on the bus who must have heard me.

I eventually got back on the bike and rode off in front of him and, again to my shame, because I knew I would be turning right in a few hundred yards, took the middle of the lane and made him follow me very slowly until I turned. (In UK traffic rules that's the equivalent of turning left in the US)

Whenever I've seen videos of road rage incidents on the Internet I always think that I'd deal with such a situation in a more adult, calm manner, and I'm disappointed that I didn't, and also that I didn't note the number of the bus and report him.

Should also report it to the bus company!

I can relate to opening the mouth and feeling ashamed later. Although it doesn't make our behavior right, you're not alone in this.

Getting pushed off the road by a bus would scare anyone. Fear causes the fight or flight response in all humans. Anger is merely a reaction to fear. Rage... is uncontrolled anger. Anger/rage issues are always fear issues. Just realizing that could be helpful in the future.

Unless.... you chose to release your rage when you saw the fear/discomfort in the eyes and expressions of the bus driver... and decided to retaliate. As in this event... you no longer had a reason to be afraid... as you were no longer in danger. Retaliation (revenge) would be a completely different matter.

Back in 1973 a classmate and I were riding our bikes to high school. I was sitting in a dedicated left turn lane waiting for the green arrow. An Orange County Transit District bus was behind me. Next thing I know, I feel a bump behind me. The bus had crept forward and bumped my back wheel. I moved forward and he did it again. I moved forward and to the side and the driver pulled forward, opened the bus door and told me to get off the road.

I wish I had called the cops right then and there, but (1) I was only 15, and (2) no cell phones in those days. I did memorize the bus number and told my parents when I got home that afternoon. My mother got on the horn to the bus people, don't know what happened to the guy but I never saw him on that route again.

I dont cuss/swear, either.

This gets a laugh:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIBIAIH9x_Q

I hope it wasn't the latter. I think it was partly a reaction from the shock at what had happened - and what could have happened, made worse by his attempt to wriggle out of his fault in the incident, and blame me for an action that was clearly his responsibility. I should have handled it better, as I have in the past.

The only thing you did wrong was say, "even if I was in the wrong." If he's recording you (or you're recording the incident), then that could be an admission that you were in the wrong.

GH

Saying it was your fault for passing him in the bike lane would be like saying it would've been a cars fault for passing him in the lane beside him.

I pass traffic all the time in bike lanes, that's what they're for.

IMO you were right. I would have called the bus company and the police to report the incident.

Idda got in that bus, set the parking brake and snatched that driver right out of his seat,,,

Then I'd prolly need bail money

+1

If the bus driver said he was sorry or even shrugged his shoulders, I'd probably leave it at that. But to try to wiggle out of responsibility and blame it on you would be infuriating.

Try for better next time, but don't beat yourself up about it. Anger was a completely reasonable response.

There's a reason why laws differentiate between crime committed in the heat of passion and in cold blood.

When your life is threatened, or you perceive it as such, which is more to the point, the adrenaline starts to flow and there's no telling what may come out of your mouth immediately after.

As for your specific incident, there's no right and wrong, just common sense and adjustment to circumstances on both sides. Certainly, if the bus were moving at a decent clip, and you passed into it's blind spot from the rear, there would be fault on your side. Depending on where in the spot you were and for how long, there's also fault on the driver's part because (at least where I live) urban buses have excellent blind spot mirrors, and he should have known you were there, and held off to let you slip by. Then again, when you saw the wedge action, you had the option to start braking (regardless of who should have the right of way), and the bus would have slid by harmlessly.

I know that attitudes vary around the country and the world, but here in Metro NYC, both cars and drivers have learned that flexibility and some give and take makes it better for everyone and keeps us from killing each other.

No problem here with your actions, , physically or verbally.

Difficult and sometimes dangerous times we live in. Legalistic considerations aside, wouldn't it have been ok to just let it go? I recall a road rage incident reported recently which came to blows. One participant recalled, "I took one punch and woke up a paraplegic." Bus vs. bicycle? A man's got to know his limitations. Pride be damned. Live to ride another day.

I think many of us can blow-up and surprise ourselves. I know I have.

+1

The statement that it was inappropriate to pass traffic in the bike lane is ridiculous. The only think you did wrong was to cuss. Banging on the side of the approaching bus, calling out the driver on his behavior, and taking the turn lane were all legitimate actions.

I put a dent in the door of a car once.

+1

and +1,000 to the call the police and bus company posts!

If the bus is making a stop, *maybe* there's a plausible excuse. However, if the driver was simply using the bus to block you - basically a threat with a deadly weapon - you need to report it.

I had a city dump truck pull this behavior on me a few years ago, making it worse, it's my city... the dump truck and driver are paid for by my taxes. I called the city works and the police to report this driver. And this was a major factor in me getting a action camera for my rides, I want to have every bit of proof to show how hateful these people are and get them properly punished.

The bike lane is a separate, marked traffic lane, so the 'passing on the right' doesn't apply. It's not very safe, but it's not illegal.

The bus driver has no authority to enforce his interpretation of the law.

You didn't have anything to be ashamed of, Gerry, the driver did, however. But I doubt that it registered with him. And, don't listen to the internet badasses, either, getting into an altercation would guarantee you time in the Queen's custody, at a minimum. Its amazing how many people are unbelievably thinking they will be able to fight their way through life, as if the television and movie crap, is real life.

Bill

+1 to what Bill said

You should check Youtube - the whole event is probably already posted there, as is seemingly every other "incident" of road rage.

I can understand the sentiment, however in my books the bigger vehicle gets the right of way, regardless of the law.

I overtook a pony and trap on my bike. The gypsy driving decided to make a race of it. He was conversing the merits of his transport in full flight when we approached a bend, with traffic bearing down on us.
I graciously allowed him to win. . .

Especially not by moving his vehicle into the dedicated bike lane.