Unsuck DC Metro: Give Metrobus a Wide Berth

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Give Metrobus a Wide Berth

Illustration from this Flickr

As frequent DC bike rider, I ALWAYS give Metro buses a SUPER wide berth. You never know what stunt they're going to pull. They're hulking menaces a lot of the time, second only to the "DC Flyer" cabs, which must be where failed Metrobus drivers end up.

From a reader:

In March, I was riding my bike northbound in the bike lane in the 1300 block of 7th Street, NW (between N and O Streets). A car was double parked, blocking the bike lane. I looked behind me, saw a 70 bus, but determined that I had enough time/space to ride into the travel lane in order to pass the double-parked car and then get safely back into the bike lane before the bus passed.

Well, I was wrong. The bus sped up and tried to pass both me *and* the double-parked car at the same time.

The bus didn't have room to do that safely. It ended up sideswiping me, sending me flipping over my handlebars, and landing in the bike lane about 10 feet away from my bike.

DC Fire/EMS came, took me to Howard University Hospital, they checked me out, and luckily I emerged from the incident with just a few bruises.

The bus, however, never even stopped. Since it was the back part of the bus that sideswiped me, I have my doubts if the driver even realized he hit someone (I don't know if the driver was able to feel the impact all the way up at the front of the bus).

I got in touch with a WMATA claims officer, and she recorded my account of the incident. She also got in touch with a witness who had given his contact info to a Metro police officer.

WMATA reimbursed me for the Fire/EMS bill, my hospital bill, the painkillers that were prescribed to me, the damage to my bike, and my clothing (my pants and jersey were torn to shreds).

I got my reimbursement check about one month after the accident, which is not too shabby.

However, as far as I know, the driver has yet to be found.

I wrote to my claims officer ten days ago: "I received my check, thank you very much. I'd like to follow up on whether the bus driver has been found, and if so what action has been taken?"

She wrote back today: "To this date, I have not received notice the bus operator in this incident was identified and/or located. The employee records containing disciplinary actions are confidential."

I wrote to ask her if this means that the case is closed, but I haven't received a reply yet.

OK, I'm happy to have received my settlement so quickly, and I'm even happier that I'm in one piece physically after the incident.

But don't I have the right to know if the driver was identified? It can't be too hard for WMATA to figure out who it was, when there are only a certain number of 70 buses driving northbound on that block at that time of day.

From Caitlin:

I think I've been flipped off more in this city by Metrobus drivers than by any other group. And, as a bike-commuter, that's saying something.

Case-in-point Thursday night. My boyfriend and I were walking home to Adams Morgan, when we had a close call with a 42 bus at the corner of Mount Pleasant St., Harvard and Columbia.

The bus driver blew through the stop sign, took the turn wide, and almost hit us in the crosswalk. He then proceeded to give me the finger when I yelled at him to watch it.

I really wish there had been a cop at the corner to pull the guy over ... or around any of the other times I have interactions with Metro staff.

Half of them deserve to be fired for recklessness and lack of attention to laws.

Other items:
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Comments (53)

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0 Vote up Vote down

Soylent Green Line · 726 weeks ago

I've been on my bike along that strip of 7th many a time, and I have to say that the bike lane there is clearly marked. I.E., anyone operating a motor vehicle should expect to encounter bikers and, when they do, be able to avoid them safely.

I am impressed that WMATA's claims department acted so quickly – tip of that hat, WMATA. However, as the author that was hit stated, there is no way that WMATA can't determine who was driving that bus. They know the bus number (70), the direction (northbound), and the approximate time of the incident.

There's a possibility that WMATA isn't lying about not being able to release its disciplinary records, but there is still no excuse plausible if this operator is still driving buses. But, knowing how efficiently the union does its work, if anything happened he's probably driving trains.

+10 Vote up Vote down

BradK · 726 weeks ago

Re: the first account---

If you want to know who the driver was, file charges! WMATA has to 'open' their books for a court case, if subpoena'd. The downside to this, you already received your settlement, so it would be a costly battle with likely no return other than the mere possibility that they would get that maniac off the street.

It's sad that Disciplinary records of a public transportation system are 'classified'. A true system of the people would not be ashamed to tout their drivers' good records...

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paid too much · 726 weeks ago

I normally don't have a problem hating on metro but honestly I think this is mostly the OPs fault. I'm surprised that Metro paid for the incident. I mean the guy/girl just jets outside of the lane and gets sideswiped by a bus that's already in that lane. They have the bike lanes for a reason, and it's not so you can just hop back and forth as you please... No that car shouldn't have been parked there but that doesn't mean you have the right to dart into traffic, it's YOUR obligation to yield the right of way when switching lanes.

8 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

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Squished · 726 weeks ago

First, the bus SPED UP!

Second, if Metro thought they could have NOT paid the victim--YES THE VICTIM--they would have.

Metro doesn't give away a dime to the public they don't have to. They flush it down the toilet instead.

+5 Vote up Vote down

paid too much · 726 weeks ago

The bus "sped up" but the OP stated they were struck by the back of the bus. If the bus sped up wouldn't it make sense that it was the front of the bus where the OP would have been struck? The story sounds like someone just doesn't like that they can't do whatever they want to do on the road because they are riding a bike. Metro probably only paid them out because it was more cost efficient that way, not because they were being forced to.

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Corresponding Toads · 726 weeks ago

There was very limited space between the double-parked car and the bus. I assume the biker got hit because as the bus sped up, this space became a bottleneck, which is why the biker was hit by the rear of the bus.

Don't even try to put this on the biker. If you're going to put blame on anyone else besides the bus driver, you can blame it on the owner of the double-parked car.

Metro paid out because Metro injured a biker who could have easily sued for tens of thousands of dollars.

Are Metro bus operators trained to watch out for bikers? Here's an obvious tip to add to the bus drivers' training manual:

- If you see a car parked in a bike lane, watch out for bikers who are forced to merge into a regular lane.

Simple as that. Metro thanks you for your sympathy, paid too much.

-1 Vote up Vote down

Radner · 726 weeks ago

I'm with you on this one, Toads. The fault belongs with the illegally parked car. I'm sure the Metro driver did something that was suspicious enough for Metro to pay those bills, but paying out verses a lengthy trial probably seemed a lot more cost efficient.

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Frogger · 726 weeks ago

You can absolutely place the blame with the biker. He was outside of the bike lane when he got hit. When the biker saw the double parked car, he should have stopped and maneuvered around it in a safe manner instead of jutting out into the road where bikes do not belong. Given this account, I'm SHOCKED that WMATA paid up.

I'm sick and tired of bikers thinking they own the right of way no matter what. Don't want to get hit by a car? Stay out of their lane.

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asdf · 726 weeks ago

Are you kidding me?? Cyclists have every right to normal lanes of traffic as well as bicycle lanes. There is no such thing as a "cars only" lane in this or any other city.

I'm sick and tired of drivers thinking they own the right of way no matter what. Don't want to deal with other people on the roads? Stay at home!

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anon · 726 weeks ago

Huh. That's funny, I'm pretty sure cars can't go in the bike lanes. You know, the ones that are only for bikes? Or are you saying they can? You know share the road and all that?

Don't want to deal with cars on the roads? Don't ride a bike.

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Soylent Green Line · 726 weeks ago

Bullshit (re: your suggestion that this incident was the biker's fault). Bus operators are responsible for a mammoth piece of machinery that can kill people as easily as we swat flies. Driving one demands an enhanced awareness and imparts a greater responsibility on the operator. In this case, as evidenced by WMATA's payment of the biker's medical expenses, the operator clearly did not operate the vehicle responsilby.

Do you think that if WMATA had reason to believe that the biker had been at fault, it would have agreed to pay for his medical expenses, his bike, and his clothes? Come on, man. Get real.

+19 Vote up Vote down

HurricaneDC 76p · 726 weeks ago

Metro's interview process:
"Do you have a clear driving record?"
"Uh, err, eh... yeah"
"I believe it, you're hired!"

1 reply · active 726 weeks ago

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anon · 726 weeks ago

Let's be real here. It goes like this:

"Can you see me?"
<nod>
"Welcome to Metro!"

-26 Vote up Vote down

El Diablo · 726 weeks ago

It is terrible to compare dealing with METRO to being raped. Because it trivializes the experience of dealing with METRO.

8 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

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Corresponding Toads · 726 weeks ago

Given the choice, I'd take Metro over rape any day of the week. Rape victims probably feel the same way. Thanks for stopping by, Satan.

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Ever and Anon · 726 weeks ago

Well said Toads! El Diablo, your comments are crass and show an extraordinary level of ignorance of rape.

-12 Vote up Vote down

El Diablo · 726 weeks ago

Hemingway had a stark vision about writers such as yourself. And with that stark vision, he decided to suck start a shotgun.

+9 Vote up Vote down

ever and anon · 726 weeks ago

I am not a writer. i am a blog poster who knows what effect rape has on a person and their family. It cannot be compared to careless vehicle driving. Hemingway? yeah ok. I prefer Steven Erikson.

+10 Vote up Vote down

Corresponding Toads · 726 weeks ago

Don't waste your time on this guy, ever anon. It must get very lonely being Lord of the Underworld. Not to mention it's like living in a hot car for eternity. Metro will kill me before I have a chance to suck start a shotgun.

Your tangible friend,
Toads

+1 Vote up Vote down

ever and anon · 726 weeks ago

Hey.. that was you gasping for air next to me the other day in the train car? LOL! ;D

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hrh king friday 13 · 726 weeks ago

Man, you can't even make a joke about rape anymore without people taking it literally.

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Gobama · 726 weeks ago

Unless it's about Republicans.

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Guest · 726 weeks ago

"It can't be too hard for WMATA to figure out who it was, when there are only a certain number of 70 buses driving northbound on that block at that time of day."

Apparently it is IMPOSSIBLE for WMATA to identify their drivers based on the bus number and the time bus route it is supposed to be.

I recently attempted to commend the driver of my normal bus route for telling unruly school age children that because of their repetitive disruptions and general loudness on the bus, they would no longer be allowed to ride his route. WMATA's response was, "We appreciate your taking the time to contact our Office to commend a Metrobus operator on the V5 route, however, additional information (four digit bus number) is needed to identify the operator. In the future please note the four digit bus number so we can properly process the commendation. Thank you for riding Metro.?

The driver/operator referenced his "route," not his bus, and I clearly identified to WMATA the route number and what time it leaves its origination point, and still they rely on a bus number that changes every day.

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

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Kara · 726 weeks ago

I have had the same thing with a metro train. In the evening when trains depart 15-20 minutes apart. I was able to give them the exact time it left, the line, and had witnesses. The incident (the doors opened then closed less than a second later) left me dazed and the witnesses all shocked so silly us nobody was in the mental state to get the number on the train.

So sure enough metro could not identify the operator. I am assuming they keep a log .... just how many trains left Huntington at that time anyway?

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KWM · 726 weeks ago

Believing that WMATA could figure out which bus driver hit the cyclist based on the time of day and location of the accident assumes that Metro buses actually run on time. Anybody else see the giant hole in that theory besides me? Just sayin'....

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rory · 726 weeks ago

If this accident involved two cars, no one imagine anything except that the car that switched lanes was at fault.

2 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

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gac · 726 weeks ago

Not true - the cyclist said he had enough space to pull out, the overtaking bus had a choice - fall in behind, or try to pass. the bus driver decided to pass, and no doubt cut in front a little too close to "make a point". Every driver has seen this happen. The obcious problem with this is the cyclist could have been killed - but you blame him? Pathetic.

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rory · 726 weeks ago

I'll just point out that a bike going only 10 mph will pass a 15 foot parked car in one second. That the original poster collided with the back of the bus argues strongly that he did not have a safe lead at the moment he tried to change lanes.

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11th · 726 weeks ago

i'm a bike commuter (11th nw, 14th nw) and regular bus rider (64, h8, s2, 52) and have to say that most bus drivers i've encountered on both ends have been really pretty good. the bus driver in the first post is obviously terrible, but most are good in my experience. double parked cars and people with md plates are the worst. it must be nice to terrorize a city's roads without having to pay for them.

4 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

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James · 726 weeks ago

Look...Metro is obviously to blame for part of this because they obviously give anyone with a pulse and working arms and legs the opportunity to drive a bus or railcar, but this is what happens when bikers in this city don't think the rules of the road apply to them. They breeze through stop signs and red lights, and in this case...veer back and forth across lanes with reckless abandon. The bus was in that lane and had the right of way. The biker rolled the dice and lost.

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Metro Ryder · 726 weeks ago

I hate the lawless bikers as much as the next person (maybe more) and I recognize that we are only hearing the bikers side of the story, but I still think it is the bus's fault. When you are driving and a car cuts you off do you speed up? No you use your brakes. It sounds like this bus driver decided to play chicken and knew he/she would win because the bus is far bigger than the bicycle and the double parked car.

As a driver of such huge machinery and transporter of the public, I think that bus drivers have an obligation to drive more carefully than the average commuter. Sadly, metro does not agree.

3 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

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James · 726 weeks ago

Are you serious? When another car tries to cuts me off, of course I speed up. AND I honk my horn at the guy. People engage in unsafe and disprespectful driving because they figure they can get away with it and people like you are the reason for that. If someone is trying to be an asshole and act as if they can just swerve from one lane to the next without consequence or respect for other drivers, I make it my personal mission to keep that person from doing so. Right of way is right of way. If I have it, I'm going to protect it.

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asdf · 726 weeks ago

So, um, people in your world are never allowed to change lanes?

WTF man, WTF. Talk about unsafe driving! Sounds like YOU are an aggressive a-hole driver, and a menace to others on the road. Nothing is worth driving recklessly. If you can't handle the additional 3 seconds another car in front of you will cost your commute, leave earlier.

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James · 725 weeks ago

There is a HUGE difference between someone signaling and waiting to have an opening when they have the chance to do so safely, and someone just swerving into another lane without signaling and just expecting the other car to slam on their brakes. Let me be crystal clear about that. If someone is signaling, I of course let them in the lane. But if they don't....if they are the type of driver who thinks they can swerve into another lane without signaling and that everyone els should slam on their brakes (raising the chances that that car will be rear-ended), then I do everything I can to keep someone from being able to get away with driving recklessly. We have turn signals and rules of the road for a reason. I has absolutely NOTHING to do with the length of my commute. Someone who thinks it's ok to veer recklessly from one lane to the next is no different than the person who runs a red light. If you don't abide by traffic laws, you are at fault and acting recklessly.

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dcn8v · 726 weeks ago

All we're getting is one side of the story. Is the OP's version of events accurate, and did the OP have witnesses to corroborate? Could it be that the bus didn't speed up, but was just coming a lot faster than the OP originally thought? Did the bus driver not see the cyclist and therefore wasn't intentionally trying to "beat" him around the double-parked car?

We'll probably never know, so I think the takeaway from this is that everyone on the streets in DC (buses, cars, bikes, and pedestrians) should be aware and alert because some idiot is going to think the rules don't apply to him/her.

And agree with previous posts- whatever else happened, the person who was double-parked was the party responsible for setting off the chain of events in the first place. I hope they got a ticket.

3 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

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GDopplerXT · 726 weeks ago

Well said. I get lambasted on here every time I point out that these one-sided accounts may or may not have happened exactly as described by the letter writers. I honestly don't think people always have a clear and objective view of how they and others are actually using the streets and sidewalks of this town.

Having said that, the fact that Metro compensated the cyclist in the first letter is really the strongest piece of evidence that the bus driver was at fault. Even still, it's not necessarily an admission of guilt; maybe someone at Metro decided it was the right thing to do. But don't expect anyone around here to give credit for that, since the party line is that all Metro employees are incompetent and malicious.

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Party Member · 726 weeks ago

Where's the party? Do you have a line?

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Melvis · 726 weeks ago

"I got in touch with a WMATA claims officer, and she recorded my account of the incident. She also got in touch with a witness who had given his contact info to a Metro police officer."

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Kat · 726 weeks ago

I've been wondering why they can't use their own GPS data to track where a bus was at any given day and time.

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

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MadAsHeck · 726 weeks ago

I'm sure that if management ever proposed that, the drivers union would go beserk. Yes, it absolutely should be done. However, at the agency where I work that was attempted, and the union fought tooth and nail.

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King of the Road · 726 weeks ago

Dick move by the bus driver and a very lucky cyclist.

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Hater · 726 weeks ago

Judging from the comments...

Things people hate in DC:
1. Metro
2. cyclists

+13 Vote up Vote down

hrh king friday 13 · 726 weeks ago

Q: What do cyclists and Metro busses have in common?

A: They both blow through red lights and mow down pedestrians.

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James · 726 weeks ago

+ 1 million!!!!!

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AnonyMous · 726 weeks ago

if metrobus ran on a schedule and drivers were somehow held accountable to those schedules, then mayby...MAYBE i would understand the speeding up part, but they aren't. So this driver needs to chill, take another toke and realize that at the end of the day he doesn't really even have to complete his route. He'll still have a job tomorrow.

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Richard · 726 weeks ago

You should not be pleased with the speedy way they treated you.
That bus nearly killed you and could have easily.
You MUST get the ID of that driver.
You MUST sue Metro.
This is not for your sake alone but for the good of us all.
Do the right thing.

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dddddda · 726 weeks ago

I can believe the OP was clipped by the back of the bus through no fault of their own. I was once crossing the bus lanes at the RI Ave. Metro, in the crosswalk, when a bus driver decided that because there was *just* enough room between me and the station side of the road for him to stick his nose into it, he had the right-of-way. I stopped dead in my tracks, but as he continued to pull away from the curb, I had to jump back to avoid being smushed by the back tires of the bus. It sounds to me like the bus driver sped up, moved a little to the left, cleared the car, and then started moving back to the right, trapping the cyclist between the back of the bus and the parked car. If someone pulls out in front of you, with enough room to simply make it into the lane, it's YOUR responsibility to slow down behind them if they're going slower than you are/want to. That includes cyclists, who have every right to be in the driving lane (the bike lanes are for convenience, cyclists are not REQUIRED to ride in them), and have a REASON to be in the driving lane when people pull the oh-so-common dick move of parking in the bike lane.

As far as cyclists on the sidewalks, not stopping at lights/stop signs/etc., I've seen a lot of dick moves on the part of cyclists, too, and would like to send this simple plea: I understand that you're not required to ride in the street outside of downtown, but COULD YA on quiet, residential streets with uneven, narrow sidewalks? It's easier for you and safer for me (as a pedestrian). Seriously, on these sleepy little streets with hardly any traffic I think you can handle riding in the road. Also, I get the rolling stop...I do, but COULD YA LOOK before going through the light/stop sign? For both pedestrians and cars. K? Thanks!

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abc · 726 weeks ago

Quick settlements actually aren't that impressive. They want you to settle quickly to avoid further litigation and liability should some medical problem develop at a latter date. When it's time to pay the drives they don't seem to have any problem figuring out who was driving, but not so much when they crash into you.

PS. A few days ago I witnessed a motorcylist nearly getting taken out by a bus that was pulling out of the bus lot in Potomac Yards. The motorcyclist had to swerve to avoid being hit. Very scary.