Was this ART bus driver "behaving improperly"?

[btj]

@dasgeh 95360 wrote:

Are you going to engage further? I’d also want to know what, if any, training ART drivers have gotten about the new laws in effect in Virginia since July 1.

I plan to send another follow up email. I know the three foot passing law went into effect on July 1, were there any others?

[kcb203]

A couple years ago, I almost got twacked at this intersection by an Arlington County school bus turning right from Lee onto Veitch as I was going straight across as you were. I had the green, and the bus blew through the red to turn right. I sent a letter to the director of Arlington County schools transportation along with a printout from my GPS track, which was detailed enough to show me swerving to avoid the bus. I got a return phone call saying that they’d investigate, but I never heard back and it had slipped my mind until now.

[dasgeh]

@kcb203 95483 wrote:

A couple years ago, I almost got twacked at this intersection by an Arlington County school bus turning right from Lee onto Veitch as I was going straight across as you were. I had the green, and the bus blew through the red to turn right. I sent a letter to the director of Arlington County schools transportation along with a printout from my GPS track, which was detailed enough to show me swerving to avoid the bus. I got a return phone call saying that they’d investigate, but I never heard back and it had slipped my mind until now.

At least under the last school bus guy, I have every faith that APS follows up on these kind of complaints, at least if they hit the right person. They’ve gotten (or are getting, but I think s/he’s already there) a new school bus person, so here’s hoping s/he is equally responsive.

[btj]

I followed up with Steve:

Hi Steve,
Just a quick follow up. Do ART operators receive special training regarding pedestrians and cyclists? How often are operators observed and evaluated? And are operators retrained when new laws are enacted such as the new three foot passing law that went into effect on July 1st? The bus that passed me in this video may have been within the 3 foot distance so I’d like to be sure that all ART operators are aware of the new law.

Thanks!

And here was his response:

They do receive special training, though the curriculum is from 2012 and will be updated in the next few months, with our new Safety and Training Manager who starts in three weeks. He’ll review the powerpoint that we had been using.

[nicefixie]

This reminds me of why I need a go-pro or some other camera. To answer your question, yes that was careless on the ART driver’s behalf.

[ShawnoftheDread]

I’ve had an ART driver pull up alongside me on Army-Navy, with inches to spare, and then make his stop while I was still between him and the curb.

[AFHokie]

Does this whole incident remind anyone else about the BBC Top Gear episode when James May and Jeremy Clarkson spent a day cycling about London? Their conclusion was regardless of whether you were driving, cycling, or walking; buses are the most dangerous vehicle on the road.

[jabberwocky]

@ShawnoftheDread 95656 wrote:

I’ve had an ART driver pull up alongside me on Army-Navy, with inches to spare, and then make his stop while I was still between him and the curb.

School buses pull this on me routinely out here in Reston. I’ve had them start to pass, and while I’m still next to them, cut straight to the right to pick up kids, shoving me right onto the sidewalk. Its to the point that if I know I’m by a stop and around school pickup time, as soon as I hear a diesel engine behind me I move almost to the yellow line to make sure they don’t even try.

[btj]

Update! Not sure when they finished this but paint is on the road now.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]9789[/ATTACH]

[KLizotte]

If you were in a car and the bus driver did this, everyone (presumably even the manager you contacted) would agree this was a bad move and presumably illegal.

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