2009-06-12 - Rider Down/Fatality, Holborn

I didn't really want to say this, but its something I witnessed a few days ago, when on a bus:

The bus-driver kept intimidating a woman cyclist coming up from OKR to Elephant. I wanted to go say something to him, but it was clear he was doing it on purpose. The cyclist, to her credit, was a good rider, and confident, and kept her pace, and kept turning to make eye-contact with the driver, each time he nearly touched her.

I have never seen aggressive driving like that from that angle. I got off the bus (had to wear a suit, so couldn't cycle), and was left angry and shaken by what I had seen.

I'm sure these accidents in Holborn was due to negligence rather than aggression, but it really showed me how dangerous HGV drivers can be. He seemed to think that somehow, the cyclist would just accept his driving almost into her. Obviously he's never ridden a bike in London, so had no inkling how vulnerable the cyclist feels, and is.

I'm not sure what i would have done myself but I guess in hindsight he's a bus driver, so what can he do if you call him out on it to his face? People in a position of trust should know better than some van man bastard. Report him, even if it comes to nothing, the company may take it seriously and cause some grief for him. Get someone else to ring up and complain too, just to rub it in even more. 1 complaint? maybe just a busy body. 2 complaints? not looking so great for him. 3 complaints? this is serious, he must have been driving dangerously then.

RIP