(no subject)

[tla]

I am SO GODDAMN SICK of bus and taxi drivers in this city trying to bully me into using the sidewalk cycle path on Botley Road. And there's nothing I can do or say in response -- if they had enough perspective to understand any traffic concern other than "I should be able to go fast at all times", then they wouldn't be bullying me, would they?

Comments

[tla]

Well, usually they're not doing anything illegal, just aggressive. So I'm not sure how much good a video camera would do.

[juliet]

Just complaining to the bus company might help. Are they yelling at you, or overtaking too close, or what?

[tla]

The usual form is to pass me while gesturing toward the bike lane. Sometimes accompanied by honking, but not always. As I say, not illegal or particularly dangerous, but I am fed up to here with that attitude. What do they think the funny little icon with two circles on the bus lane sign *means*, anyway?

One bus driver a while ago, having had to suffer the indignity of slowing down to 20mph while he waited 10s for the one car in the non-bus lane to pass so he could overtake me, kept his eye on me in the side mirror and, further down the road after the bus lane had ended and there was just an on-road cycle lane, pulled his (stationary b/c of traffic) bus over into the cycle lane to block my way. Unfortunately he chose a section of lane that had two dropped curbs from the sidewalk about 2m apart, one on each side of the corner of his bus. Up, down, and I was around him without pausing. I was too cheered by his incompetence to stop and take his number.

Today's taxi driver didn't even have to change lanes to pass me in the bus lane, and didn't particularly crowd me, but still felt this need to non-verbally "inform" me that I don't belong on the road.

[scat0324.livejournal.com]

The general case certainly could be interpreted as dangerous driving on the bus drivers part, which is illegal - the threat to the bus companies that cyclists can afford CCTV-type equipment and will hand evidence of aggressive driving over to the police might be enough to make them warn their drivers. The specific example, moving into the cycle lane, is certainly an offence.