Doug Scott <doug...@gmail.com>: May 16 07:09AM -0400
Gang,
I took a solid hit from a county school bus Tuesday on Old Bucklodge Rd. and realize there are some lessons to be learned for those of us that use this lightly travelled route and others like it.
I was going Northbound from White Ground towards 117. Going along the fence line towards the first of the two 90-degree curves I saw the bus (a “shorty’) approaching from the opposite direction. I could see most of the bus, the wheels and pavement were obscured by an earth berm.
After entering the turn I discovered the bus (a shorty) fully in my lane to the pavement’s edge. The bus made contact with my left side just past the drivers position. I managed to lean in enough to avoid the berm and stay upright.
Yesterday, I returned and saw a long bus go through. He did the same thing and might actually have a problem negotiating the curve with an oncoming car. From the bus driver’s perspective, they have a good view of oncoming traffic obscured lightly by a 3-board fence. A cyclist should be plainly visible. Drivers simply do not process a bicycle despite bright clothes and lights as they are tuned to threats to themselves and students.
Tuesday, I watched the bus slow and then accelerate off to the South. There is simply no way the sound of my body impacting the side of the bus or my screams were inaudible.
The point is I saw the bus but did not anticipate their taking my lane to negotiate the curve at higher speeds. They appear to do this as a matter of routine, so be extra careful.
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"Denise C." <biker...@yahoo.com>: May 16 11:51AM
Report it. You know roughly the time you were struck. It shouldn't take the school bus coordinator more than 60 seconds to search the schedule and identify the driver.
On Thursday, May 16, 2024 at 07:09:10 AM EDT, Doug Scott <doug...@gmail.com> wrote:
Gang,
I took a solid hit from a county school bus Tuesday on OldBucklodge Rd. and realize there are some lessons to be learned for those of us thatuse this lightly travelled route and others like it.
I was going Northbound from White Ground towards 117. Going along the fence line towards the firstof the two 90-degree curves I saw the bus (a “shorty’) approaching from theopposite direction. I could see most of thebus, the wheels and pavement were obscured by an earth berm.
After entering the turn I discovered the bus (a shorty) fully in my lane to thepavement’s edge. The bus made contact with myleft side just past the drivers position. I managed to lean in enough to avoidthe berm and stay upright.
Yesterday, I returned and saw a long bus go through. He did the same thing and might actually have a problem negotiating the curve with an oncoming car. From the busdriver’s perspective, they have a good view of oncoming traffic obscured lightlyby a 3-board fence. A cyclist should be plainlyvisible. Drivers simply do notprocess a bicycle despite bright clothes and lights as they are tuned tothreats to themselves and students.
Tuesday, I watched the bus slow and then accelerate off tothe South. There is simply no way thesound of my body impacting the side of the bus or my screams wereinaudible.
The point is I saw the bus but did not anticipate their taking my lane to negotiatethe curve at higher speeds. They appear to do thisas a matter of routine, so be extra careful.
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Doug Scott <doug...@gmail.com>: May 16 08:44AM -0400
Thanks
I have and I did sort of reported things. The police came to the scene for my information and when I asked what next they mumbled ultimately saying they would write a report. I left with a solid understanding they thought I was lucky to be alive and a fool for riding bicycles.
I used to drive a school bus as part of summer work in NoVa. Yeah it was the Madeira School, not MoCo but I doubt the rules are that much different or have been relaxed for MoCo. They are mostly common sense once you accept there are children, parents, lawyers and big bureaucracies involved. Cyclists are probably overload.
I wrote the head of the county bus system asking if they had a driver’s report of an incident with a bicycle after 3:35 pm Tuesday. He got back to me with with mumbo jumbo about initiating an enquiry that would take a few days and would I help by providing all my information. I replied saying I would provide it the moment he got back to me with an answer to my first question... Dispatch would have called his Safety Coordinator immediately with a serious event and logged a less serious event on the daily summary sheets for each cluster. The rules are explicit, his needing my information and a couple of days was a stall and I am not in the mood for naked delay tactics.
Bottom line, I have low expectations of any accountability for the driver leaving the scene. Bigger lesson is do not assume anything about oncoming traffic when you can’t see their tires on the pavement.
Doug
I feel like sending the county bus guy a photo of my jersey and suggesting he ask the driver of bus 18432 if it is familiar....
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Mariette Vanderzon <mariette....@gmail.com>: May 16 11:30AM -0400
My guess is if you threaten to sue the county school board and the police
for not filing the report, you'll start hearing 'inquiry' reports very
quickly.
Doesn't mean you should or need to, but it will get a call to action
response.
And you might save someone's life.
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Kurt Zwally <kzw...@gmail.com>: May 16 11:58AM -0400
Wow, close call. Glad to hear you're OK Doug.
I strongly second Mariette's suggestion. You might save someone else's
life.
I also strongly second your advice, not to assume anything about traffic
coming from either direction. I learned that lesson the hard way.
I like pancakes but I'm glad I didn't become one and I'm glad you didn't
either.
Best, Kurt
(Hit and run survivor, Aug 2014 on MD 108)
On Thu, May 16, 2024 at 11:30 AM Mariette Vanderzon <
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