I Want To Kill A Busdriver

[dev null]

My son almost got killed this morning on Clarence Drive because a bus driver refused to honour the 1.5 rule and basically shoved him into the gutter on the side of the road, causing him to crash. Luckily it was not his time and he fell as the bus was past him, else it could have been bad.

 

I am so angry now. Now more than ever determined to get him to Europe to further his cycling there. Here he will be killed before he has fully developed his potential if he stays here.

[kosmonooit]

Lucky he is okay, my view is to watch every vehicle and be prepared to get out the way. That also means you either need eyes at the back of your head or ride facing the traffic.

 

And Joburg is probably worse in terms of bus drivers, the mad lawless taxi driver culture has permeated. Bus are driven like taxis. stop anywhere, change lanes without indicating, and in front of your path. Run traffic lights, stop streets. Ride yellow lanes. Reflects on those running these services, not to mention totally lame and ineffective traffic policing,

 

Other day a  Rea Vaya bus came directly towards me on the wrong side of the road ( a truck was parked in the oncoming lane), I had to mount the pavement to avoid it and then when challenged the driver displayed unremorseful &  serious bad attitude, but drove away before I could take a pic of him and reg number.

 

Sad days that we have come to accept this with indignant resignation and all we can do about it is whinge on the interweb,

[dev null]

Huge amount of buses taking people from the township to Kogelbaai for picnic this morning. If I knew that, we would have slept on instead of waking at 5h30.

[porqui]

(Just a by the way - it's 1m space)

 

Was it a Golden Arrow bus. I reported a bus try to squeeze me near Ocean View about 10 days go and the driver has been summonsed to a disciplinary hearing.

 

If enough cyclists take note of the bus numbers and report bad behaviour we might find the bus companies will do something about it.

 

I am going to contact the red open top bus service as they have scant respect for cyclists in Hout Bay.

 

 ***  I have to give kudo's to touring busses. I have not had a single incident with them since the1m bylaw was introduced ****

They used to regularly cut corners.

[dev null]

No, another bus service, I had it in my head, because that was my plan. Now forgotten it, but maybe somewhere today it will get back to me. I know it is some surname. A google search on 'western cape bus services' does not bring up a result that I recognise.

[lerouc]

and that is why i stopped riding that route. Especially during crayfish season! We always had issue with either trailers/boats or busses.

[Bonus]

I am so angry now. Now more than ever determined to get him to Europe to further his cycling there. Here he will be killed before he has fully developed his potential if he stays here.

 

Send him our way. I'll pick him up from Barcelona . . . . :-)

[dev null]

Send him our way. I'll pick him up from Barcelona . . . . :-)

 

In 2 years time, sure. I know some Spanish, I will teach him some. He need to finish his Matric first. He was planning on Switzerland, but Spain even better for road cycling.

[Pikey]

It's sad that you can't even do the sport you love without the constant fear of being hit by a vehicle . Sorry for the incident ,but take the positives . He's alive and now you know even more so what needs to be done for him. Hope he's ok.

 

On aside note also had a close encounter yesterday right near the end of my ride. In the yellow lane o swarkoppies road and a careless driver was so close to me I felt the wind move me. He got caught at the lights . His windows were all done and as I pulled up was about to accost him,when the lights turned green . I got level with him and was shouting at him asking him what he was doing. He just stared at me blankly offered no apology and drove off. Was hoping to catch him at the next lights but alas.

 

Be safe out there guys. Very few ppl give a sh!t about us cyclists and that they can end our life in the blink of an eye.

[Bonus]

In 2 years time, sure. I know some Spanish, I will teach him some. He need to finish his Matric first. He was planning on Switzerland, but Spain even better for road cycling.

 

One of the things we're looking at here is in providing a "stepping stone" into Europe for people coming on holiday or to train.  I'll talk about it on our  "Big Adventure" thread.

 

:-)

['Dale]

Sorry to hear

Glad he's oraait and had the skills to take evasive action

[DJR]

and that is why i stopped riding that route. Especially during crayfish season! We always had issue with either trailers/boats or busses.

Saw a near thing on Ou Kaapse Weg this morning when a driver towing a boat and trailer swiped a cyclist off the road at the Noordhoek junction. He went off the tar and took a 10 metre cross country detour through the bushes, but kept it all together without crashing. Impressive skill or a beefy guardian angel?! The driver kept going totally oblivious.

[LOOK695]

Thankful that your son was not injured seriously moridin.????????

[EmptyB]

I would also be feeling like you right now!!

 

Glad your son is "ok"....

[GaryvdM]

Awful

 

Question: did the incident happen on a bend of a straight section? Were there oncoming cars?

[dev null]

Awful

 

Question: did the incident happen on a bend of a straight section? Were there oncoming cars?

 

Straight piece, no oncoming cars. I was 50 meters in front of him. Bus passed me with about 30cm between my handlebars and the bus.

 

Luckily he only has bruises and roasties on his hands and knees, and a cut on his lip. Front wheel rim is toast though, because there are these blocks in the gutter, and the front wheel went into a slot between the blocks. I am just thankful that it was not worse.

 

From now on we are staying of that road on Sunday mornings. My own rule that I had broken because we were both lazy yesterday morning. Just confirmed why I had that rule this morning.