Bus driver jailed for mowing down road user he argued with

[northwichcat]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-17063165

Bristol bus driver 'used vehicle as weapon'


A bus driver who knocked a cyclist off his bike in Bristol using his bus "as a weapon" has been jailed for 17 months.
Gavin Hill, 29, from Frome in Somerset, previously pleaded guilty at Bristol Crown Court to dangerous driving and causing grievous bodily harm.
The court was told Hill deliberately knocked Phillip Mead down after the pair had an altercation. Mr Mead suffered a broken leg.
Sentencing Hill, Judge Mark Horton said the collision "was not an accident".

 

[Ivo]

Looks like the HUBS route, which is operated by Wessex I think (says a lot).

Very sorry for the cyclist; hope he has made a full recovery (or will do if he hasn't as yet). The driver deserves to be behind bars. We should be thankful it was only a Solo and nothing bigger...

I can't believe I'm going to say this, but First drivers would never do that.

P.S.: Technically cyclists aren't pedestrians

 

[anthony263]

I remember reading about this at the beginning of Deecmber took the BBC long enough.

I speak for myself and some other drivers I know who were horrifed at hearing about this. I have had runs in's with cyclists and I must admit there have been times I wanted to yell out of the window but I would never go this far.

1 thing is for certain no bus operator in their right mind will employ this guy if he ever gets his pcv licence back (I also think there will be a lot in the bus industry who will campaign against him getting his licence back)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Looks like the HUBS route, which is operated by Wessex I think (says a lot).

Very sorry for the cyclist; hope he has made a full recovery (or will do if he hasn't as yet). The driver deserves to be behind bars. We should be thankful it was only a Solo and nothing bigger...

I can't believe I'm going to say this, but First drivers would never do that.

P.S.: Technically cyclists aren't pedestrians

Yes dam lucky cyclist and the vehicle is operated by Buglers on their former service 500

 

[Badger]

Another case of 17 months for attempted murder in my eyes.

 

[anthony263]

Another case of 17 months for attempted murder in my eyes.

17 years would be better in my opinion

 

[Ivo]

Yes dam lucky cyclist and the vehicle is operated by Buglers on their former service 500

I got the route right, just not the operator

Their drivers have always struck me as being quite unprofessional to be honest. Some time ago I went on a University field trip to the Create Centre (an environmental hub for Bristol) but elected to travel on the X39 there and back instead of using the coach that the Uni paid for. Based on what I was told by others, it's a good thing I did - and that's before you realise that the "coach" was actually a step entrance Dart...

 

[northwichcat]

P.S.: Technically cyclists aren't pedestrians

I know. The first time I watched it I thought he was going to hit one of the people running across the road and missed the fact he'd pulled alongside a cyclist before swerving out to hit them. I've changed the title to 'road user' now.

 

[Temple Meads]

A bus overtook me on a turn off slip road the other day, highly unprofessional indeed.

 

[causton]

A bus overtook me on a turn off slip road the other day, highly unprofessional indeed.

And? You're going to need a bit more detail as to why that was unprofessional - as I was on a bus the other day which overtook someone on a slip road because they were doing 20mph on a road going down onto a motorway where we had to merge with lorries doing 56mph as the slowest vehicles! The driver not wishing to have to be held up by this person having to stop to find a gap big enough to pull out from, overtook them in the second lane of the slip road and got out immediately - looked behind and as predicted the other car had to stop as they weren't fast enough to merge...

...2 girls sitting on the bus were quite shocked by this and were complaining 'No bus should EVER overtake a car' - presumably just cause they were thinking that cars are *always* faster than buses!

As long as you're not like those girls though that's fine





Aaaaanyway, back onto topic. I don't think that driver should ever be in charge of a road vehicle again - or see a road for a very long time!

 

[Royston Vasey]

What was the cyclist doing to antagonise the driver, I'd like to know? He looks like he's stopped right in front of the bus, then rides down the centre of the middle lane, then veers right as the bus is about to pass him without indicating.

Obviously this action was despicable and criminal by the driver, but as a cyclist, I do think many other cyclists do not help themselves by acting like they are holier than thou, while going through red lights, wrong way down one way streets, cutting in front of cars at traffic lights (I just wait in the line at the centre of the lane) and having a bad attitude when a driver does make a mistake.

 

[Nonsense]

What was the cyclist doing to antagonise the driver, I'd like to know? He looks like he's stopped right in front of the bus, then rides down the centre of the middle lane, then veers right as the bus is about to pass him without indicating.

Obviously this action was despicable and criminal by the driver, but as a cyclist, I do think many other cyclists do not help themselves by acting like they are holier than thou, while going through red lights, wrong way down one way streets, cutting in front of cars at traffic lights (I just wait in the line at the centre of the lane) and having a bad attitude when a driver does make a mistake.

Agreed entirely, especially the ones with their sanctimonious I'm going to save the world with my bike and to hell with everyone else attitude, and there are enough inconsiderate cyclists on the road to make me view all of them with contempt. I know there are some responsible cyclists that understand that the highway code applies to them too, but I don't see many of them about.

The most irritating thing is that if I kill one of them, it will be me that has to live with it.

 

[Badger]

And that's justification to try and kill someone is it? If this was any other situation (i.e. off the road) would such an annoyance warrant killing?

 

[Royston Vasey]

And that's justification to try and kill someone is it? If this was any other situation (i.e. off the road) would such an annoyance warrant killing?

Well obviously not, and neither Nonsense or myself made any such assertion. Some cyclists do go out of their way to "prove their point"

 

[anthony263]

What was the cyclist doing to antagonise the driver, I'd like to know? He looks like he's stopped right in front of the bus, then rides down the centre of the middle lane, then veers right as the bus is about to pass him without indicating.

Obviously this action was despicable and criminal by the driver, but as a cyclist, I do think many other cyclists do not help themselves by acting like they are holier than thou, while going through red lights, wrong way down one way streets, cutting in front of cars at traffic lights (I just wait in the line at the centre of the lane) and having a bad attitude when a driver does make a mistake.

I am trying to find the article on this which was in the Bristol evening post back in decmber which did have a lot more details

 

[150222]

What a T***! I've seen many a crap bus driver but he takes the P***. Disgraceful! I say this having been hit by a cyclist (on foot!) in Notting Hill last year. Some are very annoying (and think red lights don't apply to them) but there was just no need for that!

 

[robertclark125]

The driver worked for Bulger Coaches. When you click on the link, once the apge comes up, click on the "see also" story and that is from the local BBC area website. It actually quotes the owner of Bulger Coaches.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-17066798

There's a more detailed link.

 

[trentside]

Whatever your opinion of cyclists that video is quite horrific. It's lucky that the cyclist wasn't more badly injured.

I think we'll all have experienced idiots on bikes, but to do this is just beyond reason!

 

[Nonsense]

Whatever your opinion of cyclists that video is quite horrific. It's lucky that the cyclist wasn't more badly injured.

I think we'll all have experienced idiots on bikes, but to do this is just beyond reason!

Absolutely right.

 

[90019]

The driver is completely out of order, and hopefully won't get his licence back.

There are a lot of cyclists who don't exactly help themselves though, and then the few who seem determined to make a nuisance of themselves - it's no wonder cyclists have a bad reputation.

 

[Dennis]

Apparantely, the bus came a bit close to the cyclist at a previous roundabout and when the bus pulled in at the next stop, the cyclist banged his hands on the bus before leaning his bike against the front. He then started shouting at the driver and twanged a wiperbleade.....

 

[185]

Knew that wouldn't be a Wessex driver, they may be fast but they ain't that stupid.

It's a Buglers bus.

 

[Royston Vasey]

Apparantely, the bus came a bit close to the cyclist at a previous roundabout and when the bus pulled in at the next stop, the cyclist banged his hands on the bus before leaning his bike against the front. He then started shouting at the driver and twanged a wiperbleade.....

Strikes me as being a bit of an arse to be honest.

A tiny tiny part of me would have to admit... I've been tempted to do the same from time to time, and I bet I'm not alone!

 

[Ivo]

Good on Buglers for giving the guy the boot. I have to say though, and noting what I said earlier about the company's vehicles and the like, I wasn't overly impressed with them when I made my first journey with them - less than 9½ days ago. I shan't be taking another any time soon.

Knew that wouldn't be a Wessex driver, they may be fast but they ain't that stupid.

They're stupid enough to jump red lights on a semi-regular basis...

 

[anthony263]

Good on Buglers for giving the guy the boot. I have to say though, and noting what I said earlier about the company's vehicles and the like, I wasn't overly impressed with them when I made my first journey with them - less than 9½ days ago. I shan't be taking another any time soon.



They're stupid enough to jump red lights on a semi-regular basis...

Or Drive on pavements as was seen in the Bristol evening post newspaper back in 2009/2010

 

[jon0844]

...I was on a bus the other day which.. (snip)

I wonder if it's the same bus company I am thinking of?

This same company has some great drivers, many of which I am sure would be capable of doing exactly the same thing.

1. A woman bus driver that was so angry that a bus from another operator wouldn't move forward, she got out and kicked the back of it and started f'ing and blinding - in full view of everyone at the train station. I tried to video her actions and she started to hang out of her cab when driving off and saying 'Filming a woman? You pervert', giving me the finger before shouting 'f**k off' - while flying out of the bus stop area into the main road at speed.
2. Multiple male drivers that swear profusely at other motorists doing things wrong, seemingly not caring for other passengers on the bus. Red mist at its worst.
3. Speeding drivers - managing to top 60 in a 30 along Wellfield Road going back to the depot (most likely won't be able to do that now that they have GPS that must record such things)
4. A driver that tried to shout to another driver at Hatfield station to run me over (I was outside his bus talking to him through the door) as I'd accused a colleague of running early and forcing me to wait 30 minutes. He took offence to this and also started to swear at me before flying off with passengers onboard. I reported his behaviour and he's not been seen again! Come to think of it, neither has the woman that wanted to kick an Arriva bus into touch!

Believe me, when I saw this story my first thought was if it was this bus company and I was almost disappointed! Maybe we'll hear something similar in the years ahead.... (seriously, for the sake of the poor person hit by the above lunatic driver, I really don't hope that is the case)

I will also add that despite being of the opinion that most cyclists bring it on themselves from the stupid way they ride, ignoring all rules of the road and not caring for anyone else - despite being so vulnerable - what happened in the video was outrageous.

 

[anthony263]

Strikes me as being a bit of an arse to be honest.

A tiny tiny part of me would have to admit... I've been tempted to do the same from time to time, and I bet I'm not alone!

No you are not alone although I would not be stupid enough to even attempt it.

 

[Zamracene749]

All cyclists should have the right to swerve across two or more lanes in front of vehicles (in particular heavy ones) to hold them up when they feel aggrieved without expecting harm?

All drivers should have the right to run over or ram people that transgress them, without charge?

Seems to me that two hotheads boiled over and ultimately got what was coming to them....

Sadly it's typical of how utterly stressed so many people are in todays society. Terrible road manners, perhaps even bad manners in general combined with a **** everyone else attitude, both at work and socially.

Discuss.........

(Long term sadly now lapsed cyclist and current car driver speaking)

 

[yorkie]

Well obviously not, and neither Nonsense or myself made any such assertion

I find your comments concerning, but I will continue that discussion by PM.

Some cyclists do go out of their way to "prove their point"

Is that unique to cyclists (and how do you define going out of your way to prove a point? what does that actually mean? hmm) or is this just an attempt to get a reaction?
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Apparantely, the bus came a bit close to the cyclist at a previous roundabout.....

"a bit close" eh? How close is a "bit" close?

 

[Royston Vasey]

I find your comments concerning, but I will continue that discussion by PM.


Is that unique to cyclists (and how do you define going out of your way to prove a point? what does that actually mean? hmm) or is this just an attempt to get a reaction?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

"a bit close" eh? How close is a "bit" close?

I do a lot of long distance road cycling, and I do a lot of driving. Road rage isn't unique to drivers, but nor are cyclists immune from it. Of course the driver's actions were indefensible and not those of someone totally stable. From my point of view as a cyclist, I find the best form of defensive riding is to be aware of everything, but then just accept and deal with issues rather than remonstrate.

I think resting his bike on the front of the bus and rapping the bus was going out of his way to prove a point.

Just wondered what the other side of the story was, thats all.

 

[90019]

"a bit close" eh? How close is a "bit" close?

A big part of the problem is that many cyclists have no idea drivers of large vehicles can actually see - and some of them just assume that they can be seen wherever they are.
Whether that was the case here, obviously, we don't know.

I recall hearing about some event in Edinburgh a few years back where one of the things was that cyclists could go and sit in the driver's seat of a bus to see just what the driver can and can't see in the mirrors.