Check out this video of the collision between a Miami Dade Transit Bus and a bicyclist. The Miami New Times reported about this collision several weeks ago. Aggressive behavior by bus drivers against bicyclists happens all too often. I personally have witnessed and have also been a victim of aggressive behavior by bus drivers on many occasions. I think it is about time that MDT steps up its training of drivers to let them know that bicyclists have every right to the road. At the same time they should ban the use of cell phones by bus drivers. It’s been about a year or so since I last used a bus, but I remember the bus driver talking on his phone the entire time.
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15 Responses to Miami Dade Transit Bus Bike Collision Caught on Video
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Driver deserves to be something’d.
What was the outcome?
Don’t you love how she blamed the cyclist.
The cyclist ran a red light.
Steve,
You are absolutely right, but two wrongs don’t make a right. I am certainly not defending the actions of the cyclist, but trying to run a cyclist off the road is criminal and attempted murder in my book. MDT really needs to train their drivers to respect cyclists. Aggressive behavior by bus drivers is all too common and under reported.
I believe both parties are at fault, first the cyclist ran 2 red lights and also cut across in front of the bus. Second the bus driver was driving aggressive like the majority of the driver here in south florida.
I don’t see how the cyclist running red lights has anything to do with the collision. The bus driver clearly didn’t give the required 3 feet of space for a safe pass. The only thing the cyclist could’ve done differently was take more of the lane so the bus driver wouldn’t feel that it’s possible to pass without moving into the other lane, regardless, it’s the bus drivers fault.
I run red lights all the time, I know it’s not legal and I’ll gladly pay the fine when stopped. If the intersection is perfectly clear, i much rather be down the road when the light turns green, than be in the zone of accelerating cars trying to clear the green as fast as possible while I’m trying to gain momentum and clip in.
uh-oh, here we go again.
The cyclist did not “cut in front” of the bus. He overtook a slower moving/stopped vehicle. But that is not relevant to the issue.
The cyclist ran two red lights, and if a cop had been around, he would have done well to ticket him for it. But that is not relevant to the issue.
The lanes are narrow, and the bus CANNOT PASS in the same lane. She needed, BY LAW, to change lanes to pass the cyclist, as the lane is less than 14ft in width. The bus driver screwed up, and did so in an agressive manner, and deserves the storm she is about to get.
fire the driver plus criminal charges.
I have noticed that as long as the intersection is clear cops don’t give a rat ass if you go on red. On the video I don’t see the rider taking any red lights, consider that we look at all the surrounding lights before we go.
And if he did what does that have to do with the fact that he was rear ended! Almost killed, how about that ! almost killed…think about it, killed! In the other hand I wouldn’t blame the driver 100% is that the way they are trained? get everybody out of the bus quickly? no witnesses? based on the speed and the cam angle seems to me like the driver wanted to get the rider, maybe not hit him but to show him a “lesson” and she ended up been the learner!
I wonder if they get training, re certification etc…weeks before that accident another MDT bus accident ..I wanted to be the fly on the wall during those post accident meetings..
http://www.transitmiami.com/2008/12/29/mdt-hit-and-run/
Ok, the bus driver was an idiot and cars should always, by law, defer to cyclists and pedestrians, but…I ride downtown all the time, and you could not pay me to ride down Biscayne Boulevard like that. I love cycling, I commute sometimes to work but I avoid whenever possible streets that are just, sadly, not well designed for bikes to share with cars. When I drive I have often been shocked by aggressive bikers, especially in groups, who don’t care about safety and almost dare you to hit them. Biscayne is safer to bike, maybe a bit more slowly, down the wide sidewalk once you pass 14th Street going south, period. Downtown is really tough for avoiding traffic on your bike, but it’s possible if you are willing to slow down and think. Busses are big dangerous vehicles who can’t always see you, and I give them wide berths.
Having done the same exact route as Pier (the cyclist) this hit close to home. Normally, I prefer to ride on 2nd Ave or South Miami Ave if I’m further South and I feel those options are safer. However, that is a matter of personal preference and the law applies regardless.
The cyclist does take a red light. (0:40.) However, the traffic pattern turning from the left onto the left lane, did allow him to pass on the right. I’ve done that too. (Raises hand…) Also, he must have seen the yellow light on the other direction, the light changes to green almost immediately after he crosses the intersection. (0:42.)
The bus driver, can be seen taking a yellow light. (1:21.) Did she need to do that? Seems like she was in pursuit of something. Very suspicious since she had already honked at him (0:23.)
The cyclist overtaking and moving to the front is what many of us do precisely to be seen and avoid being hit. In more advanced societies (let’s not go that far, Portland, OR should suffice) they have bike boxes like these: http://blog.oregonlive.com/cycling_impact/2008/03/bike-box-portland.jpg
More over, at the point where the incident occurs (an accident it is not) the cyclist is entitled to the full lane because a) the line is substandard in width and b) on-street parking. He chose not to. Why? Perhaps to avoid being confrontational, since the bus driver had already shown signs of aggression. Only he knows that.
Regardless, she needed to change lanes by law. Having “cut in front” of the bus or taking a red light by two seconds does not warrant being sideswiped and nearly killed by a behemoth of a bus while you are on a 20lbs bike.
Bicyclists should ride at the park or pay for a tag if they want to ride in traffic like everybody else
Nelson:
I can see it now, a 10 year old standing at the tag agency to renew the tag on his BMX bike. Also, if they ride in the park, they won’t get to their destination, and what exactly would a tag solve? Most cyclists pay just as much as you to use the road since the majority also own cars.
nelson: what a moronic thing to say. set aside the fact that your comment has no relevance to the current discussion, your attitude reaks of the worst kind of miami ignorance. please do yourself a favor and get a bike and ride it along kendall drive for a week.