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Cycling Tips From a Bike-Commuting Bus Driver

by Angie Schmitt on October 27, 2010

Pop quiz: You are bicycling home from work at rush hour and find yourself in the right lane behind a few buses.

Do you, A) wait behind while they stop and load, only to repeat a few blocks later? Or , B) pass on the left, potentially forcing them to overtake you shortly afterward?

Buses-bikes

Buses and bikes can coexist. Photo: Publicola

As the above scenario illustrates, while buses and bicyclists belong to the same fraternity of clean transportation, practically speaking, there can be some tension. To help reconcile the conflict between these two modes, Josh Cohen at Network blog PubliCola has gone directly to the source for advice. Cohen interviewed a bike commuting bus driver who, to protect his job, goes by the identity “VeloBusDriver,” about how to safely and courteously interact with a bus on a bike:

    First, Be visible: Wear visible clothing and use lights—day and night.  It makes a huge difference from a driver’s perspective. I have lots of stories of cyclists seemingly coming out of nowhere at the last second. I can usually see a red tail light three or more blocks away while some lighting conditions can hide cyclists until I’m almost on top of you.  Seriously, please, get front and back lights and use them all the time—I do.

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