Attended my first Bike Friday this AM. Joined 30 or so other cyclists who came from various parts of Manchester to present a letter to a representative of the GM Passenger Transport Executive detailing the Friends of the Earth's response to the Local Transport Plan (LTP3). It was very cold but nice to go for a coffee and warm up after the photoshoot (should be in the Evening News on Saturday). I met Coco from Cycling and Working in Manchester at long last and chatted to a nice bloke who also works in healthcare and has some experience setting up a Bicycle User Group. Hopefully a useful contact.
I had arranged to meet my wife in Manchester for brunch after the ride. On my way to our rendezvous point I cycled down Lever Street from Piccadilly. Approaching my left turn into Dale Street the lights were red and a bus was stopped in the bike box signalling left. I approached with caution down the inside cycle lane and reached the lights as they turned green. I made eye contact with the driver and swung left into the bus/cycle/taxi lane. I was quickly up to 14 mph and as the lights shortly ahead at Oldham Street were red I just coasted toward them. Next I know the bus driver was behind me, leaning on his horn and screaming at me out his window to get off the road. I was cycling in primary within the bus lane but the lights were red for gawd's sake. These went to green before I needed to stop and after crossing the next junction with Tib Street (where Dale Street becomes Church Street) the so called 'professional' bus driver overtook me with less than 30 cm clearance. He got about 3 seconds ahead and then had to stop at the High Street junction where the lights were already at red. Needless to say some words were exchanged before I cycled ahead of the bus as the lights went green. The beautiful thing was the traffic was now at a standstill and so while the bus was well and truly blocked I happily filtered along to meet my wife at The Printworks. The annoying thing was I didn't get any details of the idiot. It's events like that which make me wish I was still using the headcam regularly. Never mind!
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Start at the yellow marker and continue to the red for a breakdown of the encounter
View Bus Bully in a larger map
I did wonder how the rest of your day went... I trust that, incident apart, you had a good morning!
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ReplyDeleteYep. Met wife, had brunch, went to work, all fine. And you?
The worst incidents I've experienced have all been thanks to bus drivers. I hope it wasn't a Stagecoach bus, they are the only company I find are considerate. Magic bus (Owned by stagecoach stangely), Finglands & First seem to be driven by more than their fair share of pshycopaths.
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