Buses (and taxis)

Zoodlebop

Anyone have any good stories of bus run ins? My most recent was having a bus overtake me and apparently not see me, squeezing me into the sidewalk. I had to fend off with my elbow, which was blue (from the paint) and raw for a few days.

The best was a race I had with a bus from the right hand turn onto Upper Dorset, all the way to Santry. I won by half a bus!! Nicest driver ever too; he actually cracked a smile!

Taxis are always horrible and the most likely to beep.

lukester

I had a bus overtake me recently leaving a gap of inches. I gave him the benefit of the doubt, thinking he hadn't seen me, and ended up passing him at a bus stop. He overtook me a second time leaving a tiny gap- I had to hit the brakes and pull in. I managed to catch up with him at the next lights and knocked on his window- wasn't going to give him abuse, was just going to tell him to give bikes more room.

Anyway, he ignored me knocking a few times and as he drove off gave me the finger in the mirror! Caught up with him again at a bus stop and pulled onto the path and tried to talk to him- the doors were open. I was very polite, just said 'excuse me, can I have a word please' but he just kept looking straight ahead. I gave up at this point, took the bus reg, rang Dublin Bus and lodged a complaint.

The girl rang me back in the afternoon and said his manager would speak to him. I hope he did, this guy was a menace to cyclists- I get passed by buses all the time and none of them pass as close. I've had them cut me up before, but never anything like this muppet. Couldn't believe he gave me the finger, I hadn't even said anything to him!

oobydooby

lukester wrote: »

I had a bus overtake me recently leaving a gap of inches. I gave him the benefit of the doubt, thinking he hadn't seen me, and ended up passing him at a bus stop. He overtook me a second time leaving a tiny gap- I had to hit the brakes and pull in. I managed to catch up with him at the next lights and knocked on his window- wasn't going to give him abuse, was just going to tell him to give bikes more room.

Anyway, he ignored me knocking a few times and as he drove off gave me the finger in the mirror! Caught up with him again at a bus stop and pulled onto the path and tried to talk to him- the doors were open. I was very polite, just said 'excuse me, can I have a word please' but he just kept looking straight ahead. I gave up at this point, took the bus reg, rang Dublin Bus and lodged a complaint.

The girl rang me back in the afternoon and said his manager would speak to him. I hope he did, this guy was a menace to cyclists- I get passed by buses all the time and none of them pass as close. I've had them cut me up before, but never anything like this muppet. Couldn't believe he gave me the finger, I hadn't even said anything to him!

was it a 29A by any chance? I was nearly killed by a guy who told me to get off the bike (shouldn't be on the road). When I caught up and rapped on the window he told me his name was Elvis when I asked and then called me a redneck chunt . I was livid, but it'd be fairly funny if it happened to someone else. Three lads walking by heard and saw it all and were laughing but said they'd go witness.

Didn't complain. Too many sound drivers around but I regret not complaining now:(

Wishbone Ash

Just a view from the other side lads:

I occasionally drive a buses and trucks. Often I am waiting at the lights in the left lane intending to make a left turn with my indicator lights activated. Cyclists who intend going straight ahead creep up the nearside and wait alongside. It can be difficult to see cyclists in certain positions with blind spots etc.

Why do they put themselves in danger like this? Why can't they wait behind where it is much safer?

Bicyclegadabout

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Just a view from the other side lads:

I occasionally drive a buses and trucks. Often I am waiting at the lights in the left lane intending to make a left turn with my indicator lights activated. Cyclists who intend going straight ahead creep up the nearside and wait alongside. It can be difficult to see cyclists in certain positions with blind spots etc.

Why do they put themselves in danger like this? Why can't they wait behind where it is much safer?

On the one hand, most cyclists (indeed, most people who don't drive large vehicles) would have no appreciation of the limited visibility you have to deal with. And they should really, it's important.

But secondly, why *should* they wait behind? Getting past a bus when it it's stationary isn't inherently dangerous, it just takes some presence of mind to do it safely. Cyclists shouldn't have to wait behind other vehicles, that's some sort of road-usage apartheid you're talking about dude.

I actually haven't had much issue with buses and taxi's. Dublin Bus drivers are pretty aware and generally decent. Other bus drivers aren't so much. I've found taxi drivers are usually too eager to get to where there going for an arguement to occur.

markpb

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Why do they put themselves in danger like this? Why can't they wait behind where it is much safer?

A combination of things cause this: bad road markings (remember the TfL report that said cyclists following road markings were more likely to be killed?), incorrectly positioned cycle lanes (left of left is always dangerous) but I guess the big reason is that cyclists get zero training before going out on the roads. There's no-one to cycle along side them and tell them how motorists are likely to react, where they should be to be safe and which road markings to follow or which to ignore if they want to arrive alive.

tampopo

Theother day I was cycling down the Crumlin Rd and a taxi pulled in to pick up a fare. It was the only bit of the Crumlin Rd with the cycle lane free from parked cars, along the hedge of the Iveagh Grounds. Chunt is right.

Generally, if it's looking like there's oncoming traffic with parked cars on either side of the road,and it's okay to do so I go up on the pavement till the bus etc goes by

Wishbone Ash

Bicyclegadabout wrote: »

But secondly, why *should* they wait behind? Getting past a bus when it it's stationary isn't inherently dangerous

Are you being serious? Do you really think crawling up the nearside of of a bus/truck waiting to turn left at lights "isn't inherently dangerous".

Bicyclegadabout wrote:

it just takes some presence of mind to do it safely.

I can't wait to hear this one!

Bicyclegadabout wrote:

Cyclists shouldn't have to wait behind other vehicles, that's some sort of road-usage apartheid you're talking about dude

I've no problem with them using the off side if it's safe to do so. Most motorised vehicles wait in order behind other vehicles. Is that apartheid?

markpb

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Are you being serious? Do you really think crawling up the nearside of of a bus/truck waiting to turn left at lights "isn't inherently dangerous".

There's no safer vehicle on the roads than a stationary one

Seriously though, if you know the junction and you know how long the lights have been red, that's the safest time for a cyclist to pass a HGV. I would happily sit behind a HGV that's crawling along than try to pass it on the inside, there's too much of a chance of the driver accidentally slipping left and catching me. At least if he's stopped, I can be fairy sure it's safe to pass.

Wishbone Ash

markpb wrote: »

At least if he's stopped, I can be fairy sure it's safe to pass.

I don't understand. If the truck/bus is stopped at a red light waiting to turn left the cyclist would also have to wait alongside. The driver may not have noticed the cyclist approaching and they may not be visible if they are under the mirrors.

markpb

Whenever I do it, it's so I can be ahead of the HGV when he starts moving and he can see me. If I think I won't make it, I won't pass even if he's not turning.

If you're cycling in Dublin and wait in queues of traffic, you may as well drive. You can over/under-take and still be safe.

Bicyclegadabout

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Are you being serious? Do you really think crawling up the nearside of of a bus/truck waiting to turn left at lights "isn't inherently dangerous".

I can't wait to hear this one!

I was thinking mostly about passing on the outside. But what Markpb said about knowing light sequences and getting in front to be seen is also important.
It depends, you have to judge the situation and have an awareness of what's happening and what might happen. Presence of mind, like I said.

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Most motorised vehicles wait in order behind other vehicles. Is that apartheid?

But they don't. Look at motorcycles. Or at cars turning off at junctions, the cars behind will pass them rather than sit there waiting. Bicycles, like motorcycles, are more nimble in traffic than cars or buses. Their making use of that nimbleness. Most motorised vehicles wait in order because they can't do otherwise.

Harrybelafonte

Bicyclegadabout wrote: »

But they don't. Look at motorcycles. Or at cars turning off at junctions, the cars behind will pass them rather than sit there waiting. Bicycles, like motorcycles, are more nimble in traffic than cars or buses. Their making use of that nimbleness. Most motorised vehicles wait in order because they can't do otherwise.

I totally disagree, I've never had a motorcyclist sit on my left side when I'm indicating to turn left and I never do it when I'm cycling. It has nothing to do with presence of mind, it's unnecessary risk taking. Why not stay on the right or behind? Behind would be better I guess.

Gavin

Go up the inside of a HGV at the top of the queue turning left ? No way. Totally crazy.

Not even if I know the traffic light sequence. I'll go up the outside of it, maybe, depending on how much space there is on the road between oncoming traffic. Whenever I see a truck, I slow down, make sure I'm in his mirrors and tend to stay behind, just back from the inside wheel. If traffic slows and there's space, I'll go up the inside. No one else terrified of HGVs?

All I think when I see one is that they are the primary, on the road, killer of cyclists.

Gav

Bicyclegadabout

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

I totally disagree, I've never had a motorcyclist sit on my left side when I'm indicating to turn left and I never do it when I'm cycling. It has nothing to do with presence of mind, it's unnecessary risk taking. Why not stay on the right or behind? Behind would be better I guess.

I said motorcyclists don't wait behind other vehicles if they don't have to.
I didn't say that motorcylists creep up on the left.

Harrybelafonte

Fair enough, your comparison of motorbikes and cyclists threw me there. But now I don't get your point. I don't think a bicycle's nimbleness means you should take the risk of queing on the left when a vehicle has indicated it's turning left. Maybe I'm picking you up wrong again I don't know.

Wether we agree on it or not this kind of action is one of the things that turns motorists against cyclists and not because of a frustation at their own lack of progress but because they see many cyclists take risks like this everyday with out reproach. Again wether they've to right have this attitude is debatable

Raam

Sometimes I see people creeping up the left of buses or trucks as they sit in traffic, trying to squeeze through stupid gaps. Even if the bus or truck is not turning left it's still a risky thing to do. I wouldn't recommend it at all, it's a death wish. I'm not saying that anyone here has actually said that it is a good thing

311

Almost 90% of near misses with me are when trucks and buses are passing me by and they don't give a crap.

Dublin bus has some of the worst mannered drivers around ,except maybe for taxi louts.

Gavin

I find DB drivers to be quite good actually.

Coaches are a different matter. Aircoach/BusEireann can come scarily close when overtaking.

markpb

I find DB very good, BE quite good and Aircoach absolutely atrocious. All the other bus operators fall in the middle, no-one comes close to Aircoach.

fish-head

Don't think I've ever had a real problem with Dublin Bus, except they can sometimes drive a little close. I work around them and they work around me just fine most of the time.

Taxi's are a different matter altogether, always shouting and beeping and being generally unpleasant to cyclefolk. Not all of them, mind. I had one of them stop and offer to help with a mechanical today!


I'm terrified of HGVs.

blorg

More cyclists are killed in Dublin by HGVs than any other method, generally from crushing and often on left turns. Going up the inside of a left-turning HGV is indeed suicidal, but note that bicycle lanes often encourage this. The idea is that the cyclist is to go up the inside of traffic and then move out into the red box in front of the Advanced Stop Line. Some locations now route the cycle lane to the other side of the left turning lane, but that has it's own problems with moving traffic to either side of a very narrow lane (and the lane isn't respected either anyway.)

c0rk3r

Ive been commuting to college and sometimes work for the past 4 years or so and never really had much problems with buses or taxis. Mostly because i avoid buses and put as much distance between them and myself by either hanging back or sprinting ahead and breaking lights etc. My safety on the road is paramount and myself is my only concern. Buses are one of the most hazardous / dangerous vehicles on the road just becuase of their sheer mass. Logically and from a rational perspective it makes sense to avoid them. I dont really have much or any problems with taxis but jaysus ive seen some absolute nut case cyclists with chips on their shoulders. These are just some incidents/situtations ive witnessed other cyclists in.

1) Cyclist cuts in font of taxi to avoid cobblestones. Taxi rightly beeps and brakes. Cyclist continues on. Taxi and cyclist turning left, cyclist is behind the taxi at this stage and travelling pretty fast. Taxi slightly slows down to take the turn. Cyclist hugging the back of the taxi. Lights are red and the cyclist catches up with the taxi. Taps his hand on the window and unleash a vile torrent of abuse. "I had to fcuking slow down to take that turn because of you" - me thinking wtf. Taxi driver politly suggests that he calls the guards and let them sort it out as no reasonable conclusion can be reached. Cyclists rides away shouting "fcuking scum taxi driver". Only scumbag, lunatic in this situation was the cyclist.

2) Cyclist spontaneously tapped the window of a taxi as were stopped at the lights -"you resent me on the road dont you?" i immediately throw my eyes in the air and sigh. Taxidriver smirks and tells him to piss of. The guy was looking for an arguement and didnt get it. What kind of person does this ? I'll never understand some people.

3) Courier in town acting the bollock as usual. Dangerous manoeuvres putting himself and other road users in tricky situations but hey its cool to be a courier. Taxidriver beeps and this sends the courier into a complete and utter rage. He starts shouting the usually rhetoric causing quiet a scene. He spits on the taxi and darts up the road. Taxi driver catchs up with him, gets out. It was unusal as this guy looked pretty respectable, professionally dressed and a general presence of cool and calm. He walks up to the courier, " you may spit on my car today but tomorrow ill clean it and it will be gone. Tomorrow you'll still be a spotty, freckled faced, red headed, ugly snotty cnut." Courier just stood there astonished and didnt say a word. I laughed.


Sorry that there all negative cyclist stories but there the only ones which involve taxi's or buses. The only problem ive ever had have been with general motorists that cant be categorized. Alot of problems and stories but thats for another thread

Chips Lovell

I'd take buses over taxis anydays. With a few exceptions, bus drivers seem to be more aware of cyclists and, in my experience, leave you a bit of space. What does bug me though are the bus drivers who gun it trying to overtake you only to pull in at a stop 100 meters later, which means you've to try and pick your way around them.

My main beef with taxi drivers is the beeping/verbal abuse you get for not cycling on off-road cycle lanes. I won't use a lot of these because they're just too dangerous, i.e. covered in broken glass, pedestrians using them etc. The one along by Fairview park is a case in point. Most of them don't seem to be too interested in discussing it though. If I get the chance to talk to them I say I'd hardly expect them to drive on a stretch where there was a good chance of getting a puncture or hitting a pedestrian. I'm usually told to go f**k myself.

Other pet hates include SUVs, whose drivers often seem to think they're in a regular sized car and can pass way too close at times. Little old ladies tend to do the same thing. In terms of sheer reckless driving though, you can't beat van drivers.

Ryder

Yeah. Creeping up the side of HGV's, even when stationery, is suicide. However, most cycle lanes encourage this and new cyclists need to be aware of this.

Dont have any issue with bus drivers, but find taxis really dangerous. They will pulll in for a fare anywhere regardless of where you are. This morning on James's street a guy almost knocked me off pulling in for a fare. What can you do?

gzoladz

TBH, Dublin Bus and Taxis are more a less ok. I am more affraid of Bus Eireann (specially the 109) and I consider you need to be mentally sick to work in Aircoach.

What I did last time one of these individuals did something silly was to take a photo of himself and the bus with my mobile. They guy went nutts.

What I suggest is that we create a database with pictures of bus and taxi drivers unpolite to cyclist.

PeadarofAodh

If I had to choose one group of drivers I've encountered the most problems with it'd have to be female drivers in their 30/40s. I tend to give bus drivers the benefit of the doubt - those vehicles really aren't designed to be cyclist friendly! One thing that really gets to me are van drivers who sit in the cycle lane at lights...despite the fact there's a perfectly good road to wait on!

BeerNut

markpb wrote: »

There's no safer vehicle on the roads than a stationary one

I used to think that too, and I share the generally positive experience of Dublin Bus drivers of other posters.

And then last week I was cycling to town along the left of a long queue of stationary traffic, third in a column of cyclists. The cyclist at the front was passing a bus when the bus from a standing start pulled suddenly left, presumably to avoid something in the oncoming lane, though there should have been plenty of room. The cyclist ahead of me was lucky to come out of it with her ankles intact.

gzoladz

Originally Posted by markpb View Post
"There's no safer vehicle on the roads than a stationary one"

Well, you still have to be alert enough to avoid dooring.

There is another type quite dangerous and they are young couples waiting for the lights on the pedestrian side, but...they put the baby-car on the street. These are often spotted on O'Connell St and Parnell, I am sure the area is just a coincidence...

SerialComplaint

Ryder wrote: »

This morning on James's street a guy almost knocked me off pulling in for a fare. What can you do?

You can report him to the Garda Trafficwatch line and/or the Taxi Regulator.

Snapper1

Came across this on another bike site. Its written by a HGV driver and explains the blind spots which a cyclist should avoid:

http://www.londonfgss.com/discussion/3672/hgv-blind-spots/#Item_0