Bitch-slappin’ the bus driver
So one cranky cyclist is caught on CCTV bitch-slappin’ some bus driver and we all have to have an opinion.
We may never know what actually happened on that Transit Way in Seven Hills at 5am on that Friday morning. We do know the rider was angry and became physically violent against the bus and its 64-year-old driver. Perhaps his rage was not justified. Perhaps the old man endangered neither life nor limb. Maybe our cycling psycho was madly mistaken.
Transport Minister David Campbell fulminated fulsomely against the unknown cyclist. Yes, Fat Controller, of course the cyclist should not be riding on the T-Way. It is illegal. But it is not a capital offence.
Fascinated by the range of reaction to this Hot Topic, your diligent columnist dredged through 109 comments posted on the SMH site during two hours one morning last week. The worst was JT – ‘Apparently no cyclists are allowed on T-ways. It’s clear. He’s lucky I wasn’t the bus driver!’.
Why do the police not identify this sicko and prosecute him for his hate crime?
Most were even-handed in condemnation of irate rider and oblivious bus driver. A local reported the exclusivity of that T-Way is more honoured in the breach than the observance. Families often ride there. After all, these stretches of well-designed public transport infrastructure are absolutely vacant more than 90% of the day. Would it be too difficult to make the necessary modifications physically and psychologically to allow cyclists and buses to coexist safely?
Although a handful of cranks [repressing memories of Shiny New Bikes not brought by Santa] want cyclists banned, many, many more contributors swelled a strong chorus for the advance Australia fair sharing of the roads.
Happily the general benevolence towards lycra-clad lairs was reasonably summed up by Dave from Sydney – ‘Cyclists are fellow PEOPLE not targets for some kind of petty point proving execise [sic]. How would you live with yourself if your aggressive driving actually caused a fatality?‘
by Peter Whitehead
