Verbal Exchange of the Day
 

Me: I don't know how you didn't see me, I'm a 250 pound guy wearing orange and riding a bicycle.

Bus Driver: I'm a 350 pound bus driver, and I didn't see you!

Well. You can't argue with that, can you?

So what happened? Did you get hit?

He was busy choking down a bag of chips and a soda.

Didn't get hit. The bus driver buzzed awfully close to me on a wide, low-traffic road. I caught up with him at the school where he waited to pick up kids. His excuses: I didn't see you; what are you doing riding on this road at this time of day; I didn't try to hit you...

I think I rattled him when I suggested I could call his company and complain. I settled for an apology and a promise to watch out for cyclists.

To which I would have said "you have my condolensces".


Actually, no I wouldn't. I would have either ignored the incident completely or just called the company without even bothering to talk to the driver at all.

Had city bus driver trying to 'squeeze' me off the road on my commute several years ago. Could see him grinning in the bus sideview mirror. Fingers on my bars were less than an inch from the bus, but I was not ready to pile up on the gravel shoulder. Managed to hold my line.
Did get the bus number and called the bus company when I arrived at work. The bus driver's boss claimed he could not know the driver. I gave him time, place and bus number and told him if he did not pursue this I would submit an 'attempted vehicular assault report' to the police. That got his undivided attention.
Called back the next day and checked with bus driver's supervisor and asked what action had been taken, to which he replied the driver had been taken to task and corrective action had been taken.
Checked the bus driver of that bus out on my next few commutes, and sure as heck it was NOT the same driver that had tried to bump me off the road.
Cyclists should be seen and not hurt. We are not invisible, it is just inattention or willfull neglect on driver's part. Appropriate action is a must! Share the road.

So open yer #$% @$#*&#% EYES!!!

all the extra weight on the driver is centraly located on his eyelids. Thats the only explanation I could think of on why he didn't see you.

I almost got door'ed by someone who had a "motorcycles are everywhere, look twice" bumpersticker... Oy. I've been thinking about making the exact same bumpersticker but have it say Bicycles instead.

Thanks, that's what I'll tell the director (don't forget to cc. the mayor and your city alder/supervisor).


Uhm, same thing you're doing.


For commercial drivers, is intent relevant?