On Sep 25, 4:33 pm, Matt O'Toole wrote:
LA bus drivers (and cops) do tend to be surly, but this is over the top:

http://laist.com/2007/09/24/hollywood_bus_d.php

Matt O.

I had a run in with a bus driver yesterday. He saw me coming across
the top of a T intersection and decided I was of no consequence so he
just pulled out in front of me. He had a yeild sign. I was forced to
brake resonably hard and swerve so as not to broadside the bus. I gave
him the finger, and turned around to give chase. It took some serious
motoring on my part to catch him (rural area!) but when I did, he was
ready for a "discussion". I decided to start out nice and give him an
out by asking if he didn't see me due to the sun glare. He responded
with that he was tired of cyclists who think they own the road. So I
asked if that meant that because some other people are jerks it was ok
to run me over. Then he said I didn't have reflectors (I have
reflective tape) which is I think the standard bus driver response
around here as I have heard others say they heard the same thing from
jerk bus drivers. I stuck to my story asking him if he had a yeild
sign, and if so he was supposed to yeild to me. He then claimed I was
going too fast. The speed limit is 50km/h and I was lucky if I was
doing 30 up the rise where the intersection is. He said I was doing
60. I said no way, if I could do 60 there I'd be down winning the
world championships not sitting there arguing with him. He laughed. I
then said I knew he wasn't going to admit it because it had to do with
his job, etc, but that I knew that he knew I was at least partially
right, and he shouldn't take it upon himself to give some cyclist a
lesson because some other cyclists have been a problem for him. He
sort of half nodded, and we went our seperate ways. I saw him again
today and I waved.

Joseph