Bus Company trying to deflect attention away from themselves?

[brades68]

A local bus company has just posted this up Youngs Bus Service blame shifting most likely in response to a media story that appeared WINNews video that showed one of their drivers (maybe two) close shave the same cyclist twice in 3 days. Of course the bogans and rednecks are lapping it up.

Makes you wonder what is going through the head of someone at the company where this is thought of as a good PR exercise.

Stay safe everyone.

[Mububban]

As you said, drumming up support with the anti-cycling brigade. Appeal to emotion rather than logic or, you know, the law.

[g-boaf]

A local bus company has just posted this up Youngs Bus Service blame shifting most likely in response to a media story that appeared WINNews video that showed one of their drivers (maybe two) close shave the same cyclist twice in 3 days. Of course the bogans and rednecks are lapping it up.

Makes you wonder what is going through the head of someone at the company where this is thought of as a good PR exercise.

Stay safe everyone.

They are all riding in a very compact 2 abreast pack, with one rider following behind the group. They are riding perfectly. What would these bus companies prefer, a long strung out single file group that takes even longer to overtake. Wait until it is safe to overtake and do a proper overtake instead of being a dangerous driver.

Someone will hopefully get this bus company in serious legal hot water over this. Whoever the social media person is, they are stupidly misguided in posting that. You do not ever do that!

[human909]

What would these bus companies prefer

That the cyclists not be on their road in the first place!

[find_bruce]

It would seem the answer "slow down & overtake when safe to do so" is not the answer they are looking for

[biker jk]

It would seem the answer "slow down & overtake when safe to do so" is not the answer they are looking for

Yes, the owner of the bus company says the roads are too narrow to give cyclists the legal space required. The poor bus driver is boxed in and right up against the dividng line. Of course, "slowing down and & overtaking when safe to do so" is not an option. Instead, cyclists shouldn't ride on that road.

[Leaf T]

Last year I was cycling in QLD. I've cycled in South East Asia and never have I felt so unsafe as I did in QLD.

Heading south from Hervey Bay I had a similar experience to this guy with a Greyhound? bus. Literally a few inches near my handlebar and doing at least 100 k's. I pulled over and let my pulse slow thinking how close I was to being killed. Sadly the exact same thing happened again 20 minutes later with another bus! Half the trucks were the same too. I try to avoid highways but there was no option on this stretch.

Nobody wins when tragedy strikes. Can't these knuckleheads think a little bit beyond their own self made problems and stop blaming others? If nothing else at least think what would happen to themselves and their family if they were jailed?

[find_bruce]

Perhaps they need a multiple choice

If you were the driver of a bus, approximately 12 metres long weighing 20 Tonne, with passengers on board, travelling 100 kms per hour in a 100 km zone, and you drive over a crest and then see this, what would you do? Choose as many as apply

1. slow down if necessary and overtake when safe to do so
2. make sure you have at least 1.5 meter clearance before you overtake
3. squeeze past at 100km/h because the road rules don't apply to you
4. sound your horn to warn the cyclists they are being approached by a dangerous driver
5. Speak to a public relations consultant about the damage to your brand caused by dangerous driving - the Gold Bus Company of Ballarat can probably recommend someone
6. Talk to your lawyers about the WH&S implications of a public acknowledgement that you expect you drivers to ignore the road rules
7. make a whiny post on facebook about how unfair it is to expect your company to drive

[g-boaf]

Last year I was cycling in QLD. I've cycled in South East Asia and never have I felt so unsafe as I did in QLD.

Heading south from Hervey Bay I had a similar experience to this guy with a Greyhound? bus. Literally a few inches near my handlebar and doing at least 100 k's. I pulled over and let my pulse slow thinking how close I was to being killed. Sadly the exact same thing happened again 20 minutes later with another bus! Half the trucks were the same too. I try to avoid highways but there was no option on this stretch.

Nobody wins when tragedy strikes. Can't these knuckleheads think a little bit beyond their own self made problems and stop blaming others? If nothing else at least think what would happen to themselves and their family if they were jailed?

The solution is for them to lose their licenses, permanently. Or to be sent off to prison, no questions asked if they overtake without doing a full lane change. That will change behaviour.

[trailgumby]

Perhaps they need a multiple choice

If you were the driver of a bus, approximately 12 metres long weighing 20 Tonne, with passengers on board, travelling 100 kms per hour in a 100 km zone, and you drive over a crest and then see this, what would you do? Choose as many as apply

1. slow down if necessary and overtake when safe to do so
2. make sure you have at least 1.5 meter clearance before you overtake
3. squeeze past at 100km/h because the road rules don't apply to you
4. sound your horn to warn the cyclists they are being approached by a dangerous driver
5. Speak to a public relations consultant about the damage to your brand caused by dangerous driving - the Gold Bus Company of Ballarat can probably recommend someone
6. Talk to your lawyers about the WH&S implications of a public acknowledgement that you expect you drivers to ignore the road rules
7. make a whiny post on facebook about how unfair it is to expect your company to drive

Here's a ripe opportunity for any of our Queensland members to arrange for some state-delivered safety education and a substantial financial incentive for these cowboys to lift their safety game by taking a few screenshots and delivering them to WorkSafe Queensland.

https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/contact-us/complaints

[silentC]

Had an argument with a bus driver once. He was having an anti-cyclist rant during which he related a story. He was driving on a narrow highway when he came upon a cyclist. A car was coming the other way so he wan't able to move over to the right, so he passed the cyclist very close. As a result the cyclist came off his bike. This was put forward as his reason for believing cyclists should not ride on such roads - because they put themselves in danger. He was not accepting of my assertion that it was his behaviour, not the cyclist's, that represented the danger. That is the mentality you are dealing with.

[trailgumby]

Had an argument with a bus driver once. He was having an anti-cyclist rant during which he related a story. He was driving on a narrow highway when he came upon a cyclist. A car was coming the other way so he wan't able to move over to the right, so he passed the cyclist very close. As a result the cyclist came off his bike. This was put forward as his reason for believing cyclists should not ride on such roads - because they put themselves in danger. He was not accepting of my assertion that it was his behaviour, not the cyclist's, that represented the danger. That is the mentality you are dealing with.

That's why you need laws and fines. I don't care a whole lot if they internalise the reasons for the laws or not, so long as they obey them and keep their distance away from me. Ultimately it's better if they do internalise the reasons, but you won't reach everybody. It only takes one, as this poor cyclist found out.

[bychosis]

... and if it was a tractor?

[Leaf T]

A friend drives buses for a living. He was telling me recently how he started driving for a new company on new routes so quite a few drivers were hired at the same time. The ones who were cautious and took it easy got the jobs. One guy said he was going extra slow during the interview because he'd not driven larger than 24 seat buses for awhile. The others were professional and knew about modern workplace expectations I presume.

[g-boaf]

A friend drives buses for a living. He was telling me recently how he started driving for a new company on new routes so quite a few drivers were hired at the same time. The ones who were cautious and took it easy got the jobs. One guy said he was going extra slow during the interview because he'd not driven larger than 24 seat buses for awhile. The others were professional and knew about modern workplace expectations I presume.

I catch a bus sometimes, and one particular service seems to be driven by the same driver each day. This guy drives the thing in a totally unsmooth manner. Near flat out acceleration, hard braking all the time. This doesn't seem mechanically sympathetic, and it is also very uncomfortable for the passengers too.

[bychosis]

A friend drives buses for a living. He was telling me recently how he started driving for a new company on new routes so quite a few drivers were hired at the same time. The ones who were cautious and took it easy got the jobs. One guy said he was going extra slow during the interview because he'd not driven larger than 24 seat buses for awhile. The others were professional and knew about modern workplace expectations I presume.

I catch a bus sometimes, and one particular service seems to be driven by the same driver each day. This guy drives the thing in a totally unsmooth manner. Near flat out acceleration, hard braking all the time. This doesn't seem mechanically sympathetic, and it is also very uncomfortable for the passengers too.

That's probably worth a comment to the bus company. I'm sure they'd like to cut down fuel and brake pad use even if they don't care for passenger comfort.

[mikesbytes]

I've put a polite comment about driving the conditions

[Mulger bill]

I've put a polite comment about driving the conditions

Thank you, I jumped in swinging the old Zefal HPx...

[Leaf T]

Exactly what bychosis said. Mate said reduced maintenance but also passenger comfort were important. Buses have a lot of tech these days with gps tracking from base and internal and external cameras capturing everything. Would be good to see the footage from the bus in the OP seeing as they mention dash cams. No doubt any incriminating footage is long gone.

[find_bruce]

Put on the hazmat suit to have a look - seems the bogans are seriously out numbered.

Well except for some numbat called Dave, but he's a cycling bogan

[London Boy]

Perhaps they need a multiple choice

Sorry, hope you don't mind. I posted this on their page. I didn't say it was yours, but happy to.

[Mububban]

Good to see an overwhelming number of posts actually supporting safe driving and following the law.

Check out their latest post:




Assuming this lady is walking on a green light, this smacks of more deflection/victim blaming. Sure it's not exactly "best practise" safety, but she's crossing where she's supposed to isn't she?

Putting the wrong person in charge of your social media presence can really make or break a company.

[BJL]

^^

Wouldn't matter even if there were no pedestrian lights at that crossing. The markings on the road dictate that it's a pedestrian crossing and lights aren't required.

I think most pedestrian crossings with lights are marked differently with a pair of parallel lines running across perpendicular to the road to mark the crossing. (thought I'd better rephrase that)

[trailgumby]

I've put a polite comment about driving the conditions

Thank you, I jumped in swinging the old Zefal HPx...

I saw that. Most amusing

[brades68]

I know the stretch of the road well. I know some of those riders in that bunch. One is the Cycling Club Coach looking after our juniors, long time rider. The stretch of road, the one with the mysterious crest, can be found at the link. I posted it up too.

It is Emu Park Rd and those riders are at the intersection of Tuckers Rd (to the left).
https://tinyurl.com/ya33hhlx

They, youngs, just keep leading with their chins!