Irony + naivety * health & safety = frostbite

No, you're wrong. It's the driver's *discretion *as to whether you're allowed on or not, ergo: on an empty bus you would hope that the driver used that discretion in your favour and allowed you on. However from my own sorry experience I'd agree with OP and say they're much more Health and Safety trigger happy rather than using a bit of simple human kindness. Mind you, they take a lot of shit so who's to blame them for being miserable sods?

Don't go around telling people they're wrong right on their face!, it's folding bicycles you're speaking of;

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/9049.aspx#buses