May 22, 2008 5:43 am
Complaint No. 14714
Posted by Will under biking, disgraceful, mass transit
Via the LADOT website I filed this complaint after almost being smushed by the impatient and reckless driver of Dash Bus No. 99058, between it and parked cars on Fountain Avenue last evening:
I am a commuter bicyclist and was riding home eastbound on Fountain Avenue yesterday (May 21) evening. Having crossed Highland Avenue at approximately 6:55 p.m. traveling in what’s commonly referred to as the “door zone” alongside the cars parked on the south side of the street I was overtaken and passed by Dash Bus No. 99058.
Demonstrating a total disregard for safety and the law, the bus driver accelerated and passed me less than a foot away from my left shoulder forcing me to stop in order to avoid either being hit directly by the bus or pinned between the bus and the parked cars to my right.
Any precious time saved in this dangerous and entirely illegal and unnecessary manuever was negated by the four-way stop sign a couple blocks further east that we arrived at almost simultaneously. And while keeping pace with the bus all the way to Wilcox, when I looked to the driver for any kind of recognition of her wrongdoing all I got was a defiant attitude and some unheard words in return.
Though clearly the driver is not aware of either the proper and legal way to pass a cyclist nor the potential consequences of her inconsiderate and reckless actions, I trust that the LADOT can comprehend that had I not taken evasive action I could have been severely injured or killed because of her impatience and utter dismissal of my legal right to the road.
Therefore it would be in the best interest of the LADOT to reinforce upon this driver — and all your vehicle operators — a respect for cyclists’ rights to the road.
May 22nd, 2008 at 7:50 am
Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll be getting a form letter detailing how your complaint is being fully investigated!
May 22nd, 2008 at 8:00 am
I am afraid Mr. Rollers’ statement is a very accurate statement of reality. I have filed a few complaints myself at the DOT regarding their busses pulling into or out of traffic with no regard for the cars next to them and forcing myself and others to swerve into other lanes of traffic and all I got was the above-noted form letter.
May 22nd, 2008 at 9:24 am
I concur, any complaints I’ve made to the MTA have either been outright ignored or responded to with the aforementioned form letter.
I have no hopes for anything other than similar treatment from the LADOT but maybe — just maybe — it’ll get cc’d to the supervisor of the driver involved and he or she will tell her it’s best not to piss off a cyclist.
May 22nd, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Will,
We’re glad you weren’t hurt!
I have found Mitch O’Farrell of Council President Eric Garcetti’s office to be responsive and helpful.
Since this is was a DASH Bus, operated by a contractor of the LADOT, Mitch might be able to get a response and some form of accountability out of the bus operator’s supervisor.
His phone number is 323-957-4500 or you can email him at Mitch.Ofarrell@LACity.org
“See you on the Streets!”
May 23rd, 2008 at 7:15 am
Glad you where not hurt but why were you in the door zone? Being in the door zone unintentionally invites buses, truck, or car to try an squeeze by cyclists.
Here is a
” title=”why bike lanes in the door zone”> are more dangerous than a plain old road, but you already know that right? Another thoughtful article about ” title=”bikes and bus sharing urban spaces”> for local bus operator.
Stay out of that door zone!
May 23rd, 2008 at 8:53 am
I appreciate the concern Dan and you’re absolutely right to smack me for being in the door zone. Indeed, had a taken the lane instead of stayed to the right, the bus couldn’t have passed me and the incident wouldn’t have occurred.
So from that perspective perhaps I’m as much culpable as the bus driver.
Frankly, I’m very much guilty of riding in the door zone too often, which is something of a paradox given how adamant I am about having a right to the road and defending that right.
I continue to make conscious efforts to break that bad habit — and have had some success — but I often find myself subconsciously back in the door zone.
So the struggle continues.
June 19th, 2008 at 11:39 am
In Japan, 1978, the largest vehicle had the right of way. Allegedly this resulted in fewer deaths than the American system. It makes sense, if true. Cyclists, motorized or otherwise, should never assume any form of “equality” on the road with larger vehicles.
June 19th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Glen, I don’t know if you meant to insult me, but you have by coming here with a comment to me as a dedicated cyclist telling me that as a rule I should always feel inferior on the road and therefore yield to larger vehicles.
Whatever Japan’s laws may or may not be and whether or not they’ve proved beneficial in saving lives, they are not U.S. laws and on the streets where I ride no one type or size of vehicle has the automatic right of way over another. Size does not matter.
Further in this specific incident, the bus approached me from behind and in passing me hazardously and with little regard for safety, created a potentially injurious situation. No vehicle or vehicle operator has the right to do that. Ever.