Dangerous driving by a National Express coach driver

[mysteryelv]

I am a coach driver and this muppet wants sacking. Clearly dangerous to other road users.

[EinkOLED]

If the number plate had been more clearer I think a complaint to the London Met police would have done justice.

If a national express coach driver thinks he can behave like that then he should have his licence suspended and his contract terminated. What a stupid tw@.

[lgu954k]

In fairness, there is a bit of a legend that NE coach drivers have a "we can do what we like" culture, and this sort of driving does nothing to dispel it. In direct contrast to London Transport drivers, who, back in the day, were 'knights of the road' - good manners were a matter of honour. All of that seems to have been eroded however...

[busog97641]

I am not sure of the record of NE's driving, but from what I have seen, I could not see any thing that this driver did wrong, it looked to me in every way what I would have expected from their driving.

[ZiggyRob]

@busog97641 The NE driver was clearly in the wrong lane - you can see that from the arrows painted on the road. Rather than pulling in behind me when he realised he was in the wrong lane, he chose to accelerate hard to try and cut in front of me. This meant that both I and the other cyclist were forced to veer to the right to avoid being knocked off which meant that, potentially, we veered into the path of another vehicle. The consequences could have been very serious.

[busog97641]

@ZiggyRob Well, just goes to show you, that one must re-read what they type in the comments section, because one can make themselves [Me] look like a pillock by what they say/type.

What I actually meant was from what I have seen on ‘you tube’ about NE. NE has got a reputation for driving like that, that I did not see anything that would be out of the ordinary or considered wrong for the way they drive.  Not saying that it is correct, mind you.

Sorry for the miss-take.

[ZiggyRob]

@busog97641 :D Sorry - I did get the wrong end of the stick. Re-reading your initial comment, I can now see how you meant it.

[pajmankent]

Cyclist on a camera too, thats safe isnt!!! Perhaps the cyclist(s) should obey road regulations too, instead of trying to catch other motorists out who actually PAY to use the roads in forms of insurance, tax, fuel etc etc. CYCLISTS: YOU ARE A LIABILITY!!

[marbleblue]

@pajmankent What? Go back to whatever cave you wondered out from. The camera was fixed on the bike somewhere which nullifies your first argument, and cyclists use the road by right, and how does paying for any of those things give motorists the right to use the road?

[pajmankent]

@marbleblue So why have a camera fixed to your bike then?? Just go out looking to screw others over! We pay for th eright to use the roads, we pay for insurance, we pay for road tax, we even pay for your cycle lanes you knob! The arguement is that you, if you use the roads, should pay the same, cycle test, insurance, road license and so on! Then hopefully cyclist might appreciate the motorist a bit more, and stop being such arses on the road!

[marbleblue]

@pajmankent Hurr, to catch idiots like this who think they can screw cyclists over because they are in a bigger vehicle.

You pay to use the roads, that doesn't make it a right. Y

ou pay for insurance purely because the amount of damage cars can do can cost so much.

You pay for a licence because cars are dangerous and as such need training.

Road tax hasn't existed since 1937. What you do pay that you probably call road tax is in fact vehicle excise duty...

[marbleblue]

@pajmankent ...which goes into a general taxation pot, and isn't necessarily spent on the roads. And for the emissions of the vehicle I drive (i.e. none), I pay the correct amount of VED, thanks.

Neither the cost of your licence OR insurance are spent on the roads either, so how exactly do you pay for me to use the road?

[exmouthroady]

@pajmankent I agree that some cyclists are a liability, just as some motorists are a liability. Your 'payment' argument is a bit misguided. Many cyclists are insured and many own cars in addition to their bike thus pay vehicle tax (along with income tax and council tax that actually goes towards road maintenence).

I'd like to know how you can seriously lay any blame for this incident on the cyclists involved? The bus driver was entirely at fault here.

[ZiggyRob]

@pajmankent I have third party insurance. I pay for fuel (it's called pasta). I'm pretty sure I pay a shed load more tax than you each year - as others have pointed out, "road tax" isn't actually hypothecated towards road maintenance. And I do own a car for which I pay all the costs you mention anyway.

I'm not trying to "catch out" other motorists - I would much rather they drove safely around me than have video footage to be used at the inquest to my death caused by a prat driving a coach.

[saberswordsmen1]

@pajmankent How, pray tell, does a mounted camera negatively effect safety? What regulations?  What are you blathering about?

[pyro999maniac]

@pajmankent tax is not paid for use of the roads....its paid for the emissions that your vehicle gives off....a bicycle gives out NO CO2 so it pays NO tax.....plus cyclists can buy insurance. plus its called a helmet camera mate....not in his hands. know what you are talking about before you type!

[brianm4242]

@pajmankent That's right. All cyclists are in the wrong and all drivers are angels. If you can't see what happened then you are effectively blind and shouldn't be driving!

[mozer30]

@pajmankent so just to recap over all the replies to your comment,since you've not had one for a while.....its a helmet cam,which is eactly what it says on the tin,unless of course you hold your helmet,its hands free,hence totally legal.Secondly drivers pay VED (tax) based on emissions/drive train of the specific car.You cant begrudge a cyclist because you have to pay for fuel now can you? i just thought id remind you of all of the above just in case it slipped your mind in the last 2 months :-)

[pajmankent]

@mozer30 well actually any camera that catches images of other people or persons without their authority or prior warning IS ILLEGAL under the Data Protection Act wherever its held/mounted!

[mozer30]

@pajmankent i do believe your wrong,its perfectly legal to film in a public place without consent,these videos mounted on any vehicle can be used as evidence to bring prosecutions so how can it be illegal.....yet another thing your wrong about,again go do your homework

[mozer30]

@pajmankent so then how can you film police officers in public despite them asking you to stop? in a public place its perfectly legal unless its not going to be used for commercial reasons.The only time you need prior permission is on private property or parks ect that are owned by the council

[mozer30]

@mozer30 +EDIT+ in a pubic place its perfectly legal unless ITS GOING to be used for commercial reasons

[FiringOnAllEight]

Muppet. Typical cyclist. Coach did nothing wrong. Get a life and an engine.

[ZiggyRob]

@FiringOnAllEight As fba2933 says below, the police prosecuted the driver for driving without due care and attention.  He got points on his licence and a hefty fine. You might think he did nothing wrong but the police know a little bit more about these things than you do and it seems they disagree.

[pajmankent]

@ZiggyRob Both cyclists should be in the cycle lane to the left as they approached the lights and NOT cutting across lanes of traffic as it clearly shows he was. The coach driver was in his lane of traffic. The cyclist should also shown good roadworthyness in appreciating that a large vehicle has blind spots.

[ZiggyRob]

@pajmankent

It's always a problem with the internet that it's very difficult to tell the difference between trolls and the hard-of-thinking.

I wasn't cutting across lanes of traffic. I started in the middle and I stayed in the middle.

The coach driver wasn't in his line of traffic - see the clue in the big arrow on the road in front of him.

Large vehicles do have blind spots - I agree - but they do have great big windscreens at the front which they should be able to see out of.

[CyclingMikey]

@pajmankent Wrong. Cyclists should take the full lane across junctions, and most definitely through roundabouts. Coaches shouldn't undertake like that, no wonder the driver was prosecuted.

[00westlondon]

ZIGGYROB YOUR A KNOB. YOUR A PRAT. TALKING TO YOURSELF.

[ZiggyRob]

@00westlondon I take it you don't realise on how many levels that comment makes you look like a half wit?

Seven months of planning since your last comment here and that was the best you could do? I'm pretty confident you won't be swelling the ranks of Mensa anytime soon.

[mixymadman]

Coach driver cuts accross from a clearly marked left turn only lane at the last minute. That to me says he's the one at fault. He didn't even use the vehicle indicators, for the benefit of anything that may have been following.

[fba2933]

The cyclists are continuing round to the right, clearly they are in the correct lane for this, how anyone thinks cycling in the turn left lane and cutting acroos is better is beyond me, the coach driver is turning right but uses the left hand lane and cuts across at the last instant, I understand the driver has now plead guilty to driving without due care and attention.

[SilverBeird]

coach driver did nothing wrong, if both them bikes hadnt been in the middle of that lane he would have been able to over take you both, instead of undertaking you

[ZiggyRob]

@SilverBeird BigGigantos (below) explained pretty well what happened - you should read his comment.

Which lane do you think I should have been in (bearing in mind that I'm going straight on not turning left and there are four lanes)? And any suggestions why the coach driver (who was behind me) couldn't have overtaken on the right or perhaps even (crazy suggestion coming up) waited a few seconds?

[BigGigantos]

As a driver, I have to say I'm with the poster on this one. Look carefully, lanes 1 and 2 are clearly marked to go left, whereas the cyclist wants to go straight on and therefore is in the CORRECT 3rd lane - as long as they get there as soon as they can. The coach however (pause at 0:42), has come from the 2nd lane (marked for going left) into the 3rd at the last moment, instead of following behind the cyclist. He could clearly see them as he was BEHIND them. That was dangerous and stupid.

[alebzibzi]

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[00westlondon]

ZiggyRob your a sad git for putting this on here GET A LIFE. Im a cyclist too but i see how a lot of you cycle in london, like prats. I drive for the london fire brigade and the mount of time you lot get the way. Like our vehicle we have a lot of blindspots like coaches do. So stay well next to the kerb or dont ride on the road. THINK!

[ZiggyRob]

Erm, okay, troll. And you don't think that also makes you a sad git for watching this and taking the time to post?

Plus, having Mummy and Daddy hold the back of your bike in the park when you were five years old doesn't make you a cyclist.

If you really do drive for the London Fire Brigade (like in real life, not your little fantasy world) then you will realise you have a responsibility to other road users. Drive safely and try not to kill anyone - it wouldn't look good on your record.

[finbat]

@00westlondon Yer a twat. Blindspot looking out the front of a coach? How the fuck do you get top the 3rd lane by staying next to the kerb. There is absolutely no way that you drive anything like the size of a fire engine, you don't have the necessary knowledge or brains.

[cardboardhut]

@00westlondon "Im a cyclist too" - you are full of it. And if you really do drive for the fire brigade, they should fire your ass because you don't seem to know shit about traffic laws, blind spots, or how to drive in general. Cyclists can take a lane of traffic LEGALLY, if they need to.

[CyclingMikey]

@00westlondon Wrong. Cyclists can and should often take the lane. You just wait behind until it's safe to pass. If you drive like this coach driver, then you'll likely get prosecuted. There are thousands of cyclists out there with cameras. You'll never know who is filming your muppetry.

[00westlondon]

what you doing cycling in the middle of the road read the highway code for cyclist you prat. Coach driver should have ran you down then you wont cycle like an idiot take all the road up. STOP HOLDING UP ROAD TRAFFIC.

[ZiggyRob]

In 00westlondon's world, the Highway Code is very different from our world, the rules for negotiating roundabouts are very different, and the very reasonable penalty for disobeying the rules in 00westlondon's world is death by National Express coach. And did I mention that the rules of grammar in 00westlondon's world have never advanced beyond that attained by an average 7 year old in our world?