Argument between a bus driver and a cyclist on my morning commute.

[Ms Piggy]

On my commute into town this morning I witness a rather amusing but potentially dangerous argument between a lycra clad bicyclist and a female bus driver.

I was pootling along the bus lane of the Petone Esplanade and the bus pulled into it (so I was riding directly behind the bus), the bus was driving at around 30kms (which was a bit unusual I thought). Next thing the bus changes into the RH lane and then passes afore mentioned cyclist and switches back into the LH bus lane.

It appears that the afore mentioned cyclist had been riding in the centre of the bus lane!!?? Then I couldn't pass him either after the bus had because he wouldn't move over for me. I'm only assuming that the bus driver had been following him closely or possibly flashing the bus lights because, when we got to the merging lane the cyclist slapped the side of the bus and then pulled up beside the driver. They had a few rowdy words and the cyclist was holding onto the side of the bus, the driver pulled away and the cyclist (who did just about fall over) slapped the side of the bus again and then rode off!

Most bizarre behaviour I've even witnessed by a cyclist who appeared to be completely in the wrong! Sadly I couldn't hear anything cos I was on BOB and had ear plugs in.

[YellowDog]

I suspect a change in the road code would help here.

Cyclists need to ride in the centre of the lane to avoid being crushed by busses however they shold not be allowed to obstruct the bus, as indeed this one appears to have been doing.

IMO - Busses own the bus lane and cyclists should get out of their way.

[klingon]

The whole idea of buses and bikes sharing lanes seems fatally flawed. I mean the speed differential and size differential is really a recipe for disaster, isn't it? But unless cars are prepared to give up another whole lane, it looks like it will need to continue.

On my commute in Auckland I have seen some terrible bullying behaviour by bus drivers towards bikes. I have seen a bus overtake a bike in the shared lane, then pull left into a bus stop before the whole bus has finished passing the bike - forcing the cyclist to hop up on the footpath to avoid being crushed by the bus.

Sure some cyclists are rude and arrogant, but so are bus drivers. But if there's a collision between the two vehicles I know who is most likely to be killed or injured.

[Vern]

Riding anything up in Auckland you need nerves of steel, I was up there 3 weeks ago on my Virago and to be honest it scared the living daylights out of me. I am sure that every car driver in Auckland new I was from a smaller town and was trying to kill me. ha ha ha.Vern

[JimO]

similar thing happened here in dunedin except the cyclist got on the bus and beat the bus driver up

[Swoop]

Most bizarre behaviour I've even witnessed by a cyclist who appeared to be completely in the wrong!

Psyclist's are never in the wrong, as they own the road/footpath/driveway.
Their registration sticker says so.

[Ms Piggy]

similar thing happened here in dunedin except the cyclist got on the bus and beat the bus driver up

Ah yes, stories from my old home town!

[PrincessBandit]

Riding anything up in Auckland you need nerves of steel, I was up there 3 weeks ago on my Virago and to be honest it scared the living daylights out of me. I am sure that every car driver in Auckland new I was from a smaller town and was trying to kill me. ha ha ha.Vern

Hahaha, yes, us Aucklanders can spot a foreigner a mile away - fresh meat!

Only kidding.

Trust me, cars try to do the same thing to us all the time. Occasionally even a bike will try and do the same thing when we're in our cars.... oops, I'm not supposed to say that.

[DangerMice]

Bus drivers are fuckers, they've cut me up and tried to crush me more than any car ever has. Bastards.

[James Deuce]

Cyclist entitlement syndrome. They're saving the planet so we just have to let them do what they want.

Klingon - I haven't met the psyclist yet that stops for red lights, pedestrian crossings, or realises that left turning traffic is supposed to give way to pedestrians.

Had a row with stinky, hairy, hippy on a mountain bike who decided to clip a woman and then weave through the hoard of pedestrians crossing with the little green man, just today. Don't try to tell me it's an isolated incident. I see it every single day. Bike couriers, women, mountain bikers, recumbent weenies, blokes, and Tour de France refugees. They all treat pedestrians in Wellington like a mobile chicane, without exception, they all run red lights, and they all dish out abuse in an arrogant fashion to the traffic avoiding them.

I'm with the bus drivers in this one. Th psyclist will hold up a commercial transport vehicle and then abuse the driver if he dares voice displeasure.

Think about it psyclist - it's 10s of tonnes of bus you're arguing with. They're all mental.

[portokiwi]

We were up in Auckland on the weekend.....
Gabby had to take over the driving as My old road rage got out.
hmmmmmm I never get it in Wellington Dam Auckland drivers

[Str8 Jacket]

Cyclist entitlement syndrome

Ah, so that's why fat men and woman riding bicycles seem to forget that for them, wearing lycra IS A CRIME!!!!

[Taz]

Don't get me started on inconsiderate dangerous cyclists. All I can say is they have less right to be on the road than any other vehicle and should keep as far left as possible and only in single file.

[vifferman]

Riding anything up in Auckland you need nerves of steel, I was up there 3 weeks ago on my Virago and to be honest it scared the living daylights out of me. I am sure that every car driver in Auckland new I was from a smaller town and was trying to kill me. ha ha ha.Vern

I've communtered in Rotorua, Hamilton, Christchurch, Tauranga and Auckland. You need to be that much more alert in Auckland, or you're dead. The very first time I rode in Auckland, I nearly got squashed between a bus and a car. I grew to like commuting by bike instead of car, as instead of being able to doze off on the way to work, I was super alert, so it prepared me for the day.

Slept at work instead.