Dear god. This is terrifying. I ride on Edgewood every day. We need to get this guys name!

Maybe a mandatory StreetSmarts workshop for CT Transit Drivers?

this same situation happened to me on state street last spring, and again on orange st in the fall. i followed up with complaints to CT transit and a supervisor told me she would "look into it" but nothing was ever done.

i think we should arrange a meeting with all interested cyclists at their headquarters.

Corporate Contact Information

100 Leibert Rd.
Hartford,CT 06141
Phone: (860) 522-8101
Fax: (860) 247-1810

have a petition to get this guy fired

While riding in the bike lane eastbound on Edgewood Blvd this morning at 8:25, a CT Transit Bus Driver (Q3, Bus#347) tried to run me down by veering into the bikelane I was in and running me into parked cars. He WAS NOT pulling up to a busstop at the time. At the next redlight, I pulled up to the left of the bus (now stopped at a busstop) and told(his window was open) the driver to allow more room when passing cyclists. He laughed and told me to get off the road. This is actually an ongoing issue with this particular driver. I've been on his bus before when he has done the same thing to other cyclists. I've asked him directly to be more courteous to cyclists, and called the incidents into CT Transit, but have never had anyone follow up.

have a petition to get this guy fired

While riding in the bike lane eastbound on Edgewood Blvd this morning at 8:25, a CT Transit Bus Driver (Q3, Bus#347) tried to run me down by veering into the bikelane I was in and running me into parked cars. He WAS NOT pulling up to a busstop at the time. At the next redlight, I pulled up to the left of the bus (now stopped at a busstop) and told(his window was open) the driver to allow more room when passing cyclists. He laughed and told me to get off the road. This is actually an ongoing issue with this particular driver. I've been on his bus before when he has done the same thing to other cyclists. I've asked him directly to be more courteous to cyclists, and called the incidents into CT Transit, but have never had anyone follow up.

@Juli... That's a great idea! OccupyCTTransit!

I have seen this happen several times. If you describe the driver I can confirm whether it is the same one and I will also file a report if so.

i know this sounds ridiculous, but you need video. A flip camera on your handlebars, or a helmet cam, and it's an open and shut case. If a worded complaint were enough, action would have already been taken against the driver by CT Transit.

i know this sounds ridiculous, but you need video. A flip camera on your handlebars, or a helmet cam, and it's an open and shut case. If a worded complaint were enough, action would have already been taken against the driver by CT Transit.

Seems like this guy isn't the only one doing this to bicyclist. I had a female driver pull the same move on my wife and myself on Chapel St. I reported it but we all know how that goes.

If what you say is true, this is truly criminal. His comments to you express mal-intent and deliberateness to his actions. And you have seen him do it to others. His words suggest that he knows about it and that he isn't doing it by accident.

This is very serious and I urge you to submit this in writing to New Haven police.

You will be forced to either have an officer come meet you or go down to the lobby and wait for an officer to take your report from you.

I might even CC your written submission to police to the mayor's office, your alderman, and CT Transit.

If there are witnesses to any of it -- to incidents or to his statements -- make efforts to collect them and/or contact info for them.

PS, honestly, in this incident where the driver suggests he knows and does it on purpose, I think other commenters are not taking this seriously enough. If it is not prompting a criminal investigation it is only because a report has not made this clear enough and not been submitted forcefully enough.

Another commenter says he/she knows this driver and has seen the same thing. That is a witness. I urge you to both go forward and not to do it half way, with a phone call etc. A petition to fire the driver is fine and good but if you feel it is criminal and do not put in a clear report that contains his comments and the allegation that he has repeated his behavior of driving bikes off the road, and includes witnesses (one who showed up right on this board) you won't be able to say you took effective, called for action. Good luck

PPS: Sorry, one more thing. Ct Transit has a committee in this area made up of members of the communities they serve. The majority of them are from New Haven because of New Haven's size. The mayor appoints the New Haven members.

I should say, this also happened to me once on my bike, but with a school bus on another route and I had no reason to believe it wasn't just negligence on the driver's part. It was at the intersection of Tower Parkway and Broadw/Goffe/Dixwell, in front of Payne Whitney gym. The driver took a right turn and hit the curb with the bus wheel. I was lucky to get out of the way. It is because I am alert around buses especially and absolutely assume they can't see me.

That's probably how we all survive -- by assuming this, because drivers do not pay enough attention to bikes. We need dedicated bike lanes/ double, bike/walk sidewalks even.

See also http://www.seeclickfix.com/issues/160776-city-bus-speeding-going-through-red-light

I'd consider alerting the police: that's assault with a deadly weapon! I changed the "who was notified" list to include area police watchers, and you might want to contact Sgt. Marty Tchakarides, who I think oversees Westville for the NHPD.

Judging by the map, this happened in police district 4, which means you should call Lt. Hassett. His office number is 203-946-7597.

@mapninja:

if you would like some help possibly filming a future interaction with this driver, seeing as though you've seen this on more than one occasion, i would be glad to help.

To John Fitzgerald:

My understanding is you don't file police reports to your district Lt. You do it at the PD station or by having a police officer dispatched from the main dispatch number.

You can tell Lt. Hassett but he may or may not initiate a report. There is a difference. District 4's community management team meetings are for bringing community concerns. That is done at meetings. A cycling group can attend a meeting and make a presentation. That is the best use of that structure. Enforcement follows, if approved

Maybe Lt. Hassett runs his district differently from how other district groups are run, but that's been my experience.

To guest:

Everything you write is true, and it's all good advice. I still think it's a good idea, though, to contact Lt. Hassett directly. I work with him quite a bit, and he's always receptive and responsive to direct contact from residents.

Good to hear he is responsive to some residents. I was thnking of procedural and in light of my own experiences trying to contact him in the past.

Is the original poster going to come back and let us know what she ended up doing? Please do

Here he is. I was taken off the bus this morning for telling him that "the bike lanes and laws that protect them aren't subject to your approval." the transit cop couldn't have been nicer. Gave me a ride to work, a day pass for tomorrow and took another report for the incident 2 weeks ago. At least it's in the hands of someone who can do something about it. Whether he will remains to be seen.

Great work! This guy needs a wake up call

Just got off the phone with New Haven CT Transit supervisor Keo (sp?) Goodwin, who has looked at the video of the incident (who knew, but they DO have video of this stuff), and has spoken to the driver twice,already (once after the incident, once today when he had me taken off the bus). She is returning to the video to confirm that he laughed and told me to "get off the road" which she didn't look for because apparently by the time the report got to her that had been dropped out. She promised if that checks out he will get another talking to, and promised that there will be no more problems with this driver on this route.

Thanks for being so persistent, mapninja. You're making New Haven safer for me and all the other cyclists in town.

Yes mapninja you are a hero!

Same experiences
I am a daily bike rider in this same area and have been cut off , almost struck by the buses many times.
When I am the only person on the road and the bus buzzes right past me then cuts in front to let a passenger off at a high rate of speed then quick stop is crazy!
I know of one driver ( I ride the bus also ) if you say anything to he will just pass you on by the next time you are waiting at stop!
Its so frustrating being on a bus thats 15 mins late and have the driver stop go get coffee / lunch chat with people on street then get down town and miss the connecting bus. Say something about it you get passed the next time if your standing alone .

@Charlie: Apparently, there are really good cameras on the buses, inside and out. The supervisor I was talking to was watching and listening to the video as I was on the phone with her and was able to confirm the event. If you EVER have an issue with a driver in the future, contact CT Transit until they respond. They CAN confirm driver behavior!

I can't believe you were taken off the bus and I am even more surprised they have good video coverage. Good for you and thanks for getting back to us all.

What we need now is a meeting with Ct Transit to see if they will put out a bulletin to all their drivers (or incorporate it into an employee meeting) outlining expectations around bicycles.

I would like them to raise awareness among all their drivers and emphasize it as a priority.

I know a bicyclist who was very seriously injured when hit by a bus, years ago in another city, and it occurs to me it would be good if they had a guest speaker like that at an employee meeting to talk about the impact something like that has on your life. Also, a police guest speaker to outline the laws to the drivers.

good news! i am in contact with a CT transit supervisor who is in charge of presentations on sharing the road. he is very receptive to another session, as it has been over a year since the last one, and we will meet prior to the presentation to make sure cyclists concerns are adequately addressed in the training!

Its is good to know they really do investigate. I have co works that ride the same route and we have all had issues with one driver.
I got to note his bus # and name.
Today a lot of people are really in need of jobs.
I don't wish anyone harm.
But if a person does not care about doing his correctly I don't feel bad if some one get fired .

Be warned,there is another driver who is sometimes on this same route who leapfrogs and cuts off cyclists along Edgewood. I haven't seen him for several weeks so he may have been disciplined already.

I'm going to leave a last comment on this thread, and close it. I just want to make the point that, if we as cyclists want motorists to afford us the respect they (in theory) afford to other motorists, then cyclists have to start obeying the traffic laws, too. That means stopping at stoplights and stop signs (and waiting your turn), respecting school buses with their hazards and stop sign on, staying off of sidewalks, etc... All too often I observe cyclists behaving in ways that would make their heads explode if they observed a motorist behaving in the same way.

Demand that motorists respect the laws that provide and protect cycle routes, etc... But, practice what you preach, or you simply are breeding animosity, and making it more dangerous for all of us.

The issue was resolved, and the driver was disciplined.