Bus complaint letter and response

[classic33]

The point I was making, was that this must be a standard enough incident for them to have a standard response.

Yet still they do nothing to sort it.

They seem to hope that the letter will make everything better. Local bus company has at least three such letters, depending on how you were travelling at the time of the incident.

At some stage they might do something. A freedom of information request for the camera footage may have them thinking twice. Or a call to the company Chief Executive, at home, to explain may have things moving quicker. Did for me.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

A freedom of information request for the camera footage may have them thinking twice

In my incident the bus company claimed that the footage was already deleted by the time I made my request for it to be reviewed (less than an hour from the near collision, and from the bus following too!)

 

[classic33]

In my incident the bus company claimed that the footage was already deleted by the time I made my request for it to be reviewed (less than an hour from the near collision, and from the bus following too!)

Both vehicles pulled off the road for the afternoon. Seems odd.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Both vehicles pulled off the road for the afternoon. Seems odd.

I take it by 'odd' you mean 'a pack of lies'...?

 

[Bazzer]

The bus/vehicle in question is fitted with front, rear and side mounted cameras.

Calibrated as collision cameras, making distance easy to work out.

I don't doubt that there isn't at least one camera on the bus, but I'd have doubted the bus company would act in the first instance in any way other than sending a bog standard reply. Pardon my cynicism, but how many times do we hear on the forum about drivers who have been captured on cams doing misdemeanours and then their employers, insurance companies, or whoever, have to be faced down. Certainly from what I recall reading, it is a rare business which is proactive in the event of a complaint from a cyclist.

 

[ufkacbln]

I don't doubt that there isn't at least one camera on the bus, but I'd have doubted the bus company would act in the first instance in any way other than sending a bog standard reply. Pardon my cynicism, but how many times do we hear on the forum about drivers who have been captured on cams doing misdemeanours and then their employers, insurance companies, or whoever, have to be faced down. Certainly from what I recall reading, it is a rare business which is proactive in the event of a complaint from a cyclist.

Another reason for keeeping camera footage quiet

Managers hate being put on the spot

"Please find enclosed a video of the event that I reported, it unfortunate that your Company's version varies so differently from what actually happened

I would look forward to an explanation of this discrepancy"

...and most will not accept that the employee lied to them as appropriate behaviour

 

[classic33]

I take it by 'odd' you mean 'a pack of lies'...?

Yep

 

[jefmcg]

Thanks for the feed back everyone.

I'm feeling a little less sorry for myself after reading this
A bus driver has killed 38 people after ploughing into pedestrians while trying to speed away from a fatal accident in Haiti.

 

[spen666]

They seem to hope that the letter will make everything better. Local bus company has at least three such letters, depending on how you were travelling at the time of the incident.

At some stage they might do something. A freedom of information request for the camera footage may have them thinking twice. Or a call to the company Chief Executive, at home, to explain may have things moving quicker. Did for me.

Why would a local bus company respond to an FOI request?

 

[classic33]

Why would a local bus company respond to an FOI request?

How'd you suggest getting the onboard camera footage?

TFL had FOI has requests for fleet/registration numbers, which they supply.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

How'd you suggest getting the onboard camera footage?

I think the proper avenue is a data subject access request.

 

[Welsh wheels]

How'd you suggest getting the onboard camera footage?

Midnight break-in at the bus company's offices. Black clothes, black gloves, black hat all the get-up. Search for the files by torchlight in a dark office. Just like in the films. Then sprint away on a fast bike.

 

[mjr]

Why would a local bus company respond to an FOI request?

TFL should if it's under contract to TFL. https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/detailed_data_regarding_fataliti which also shows it's not cyclists they usually collide with

 

[spen666]

How'd you suggest getting the onboard camera footage?

TFL had FOI has requests for fleet/registration numbers, which they supply.

I would suggest making a request using the correct legislation.

A local bus company is not subject to FOI legislation. Even if it were, an FOI request would not get the video evidence.

Try making a subject access request under the Data Protection legislation

 

[Dec66]

Many moons ago, I was riding past a bus which was stopped in the bus lane on Lewisham High Street, just past the Ladywell Road junction; he was signalling to pull out but couldn't because of traffic, so I just went rather than hang about.

As I was about to reach the pinch point further up the road, where it goes under the railway bridge, said bus passed me and cut me up to the degree that I had to mount the pavement to avoid being hit.

He then stopped halfway up Molesworth Street; I pulled up and asked him what all that was about, and why did he try to do something so stupid; he refused to acknowledge me. As I was doing this, another cyclist told me he'd seen what had happened, and made sure the driver heard him say it.

We rode off together, discussing it, two abreast. It's a dual carriageway on that stretch. Next thing we know, the bus comes flying past us on the outside lane, honking his horn and trying to intimidate us. He then cut across us, and got stuck in the middle lane of three before the roundabout.

The other cyclist pointed at the bus's number plate, then at the driver, and told the driver he was going to report him, before heading up Loampit Vale. I picked my way through the traffic, and was waiting to go straight on, when the bus came past me, the driver calling me a "f**king w*nk*r", and pulled out onto the roundabout right in the path of traffic coming from the right; those drivers had to slam on hard to avoid t-boning the bus.

Now, I could take the cut-up, and the intimidation, and the abuse... But threatening the safety of his passengers and those other drivers was a step too far. So I wrote a letter to the bus company, outlining everything in detail, with the time, service number, reg. no., everything. I even said that it was such a shame, as I usually find bus drivers to be courteous and professional, and I was sorry that I felt I had to report this as it was so extreme.

The result? A letter, just like the OP's.

I honestly don't think I they give a flying one, so long as no-one gets killed or seriously injured.