rex_kramer

Yesterday, on my ride home, I was cut off by a dumpster bin hauler. Long story short, I uploaded the footage to my YT page and sent the link to the company. Within hours I received a written apology and a request for more info on the location where it took place so they could figure out who was driving that particular truck. Since they were cool about it, I was too. When they kindly asked me to remove the company name from the title and tags, I obliged them.

So just when I was starting to question the time involved to mess with my cams (changing/charging batteries, mounting, unmounting, video editing, uploading, etc.)...possibly hitting the road without them, I reaffirmed their importance.

vatdim

Great conduct from the company, whoever they are. I never considered using a cam, but this situation here definitely provokes some thought.

John Lesar

Really? Thats it?

DXchulo

At least he crossed over the yellow line before cutting in front of you.

CaptCarrot

Have to say it didn't look that bad to me, there "appears" to be plenty of space there. That said, he "should" have waited for you to pass the junction or turn before he made the turn himself.

alan s 

That happens to me every day. What's the big deal?

megalowmatt

I kind of have to agree. At least the perspective of the video doesn't give much indication of great danger.

longbeachgary

It's not a matter of it being great danger or an extremely close call. It's matter of training so that the driver uses better judgement when driving around bicycles. He shouldn't be terminated - just talked to.

EDIT - and to those who say that this stuff happens all the time - you need a better place to ride because one of these days it won't just be a close pass.

FenderTL5

I had a very similar incident, except I was in a left turn only lane, and the delivery truck made a left from the thru lane across in front.. about the same distance.

alan s 

I live in DC, rated worst traffic and worst drivers in the US. The cyclists aren't much better, frankly.

walrus1

I agree this is actually extremely tame driving. I was expecting a giant dump truck to cut you with mere inches to spare whilst dropping its load everywhere.

rex_kramer

I've had 'em closer than that, but yeah, that's it (I'm pretty sure that's enough). My point is that this truck is a rolling billboard representing the company. Driving stupidly may not be a good idea if you value your job.

10 Wheels

Agree ^^^ move on.

justme23

Not cool but not that bad either.This happens to me in Dallas daily.

Notgrownup

Meh!!! Didn't look bad to me either... Not enough to report it anyway... I don't even see where you slowed down any...No eminent danger, move on...Glad it wasn't bad.

cooker

Perhaps I can't tell from the video but it didn't look close. It didn't seem as if you had to brake. However in real life it was probably a lot scarier and more dramatic than it seems on video.

Mr. Hairy Legs

Looked like bad driving to me, but not really dangerous for the cyclist.

I've found that drivers of dump trucks, food delivery trucks, etc. are the worst out there... obviously it doesn't take much to get that class of driver's license.

spivonious

Agree with the others that this doesn't look too bad. Obviously not the smartest driving, but I don't think I would have bothered contacting the company.

Dwayne

Here's one from last Friday, I plan on emailing it to the company. Approaching a blind hill doing about 20mph on a 35mph limit road, a driver of a "school" bus (in quotations because it's a rental bus, might have been for a school field trip, but looks like a school bus) thought it would be a great place to pass by going into the oncoming lane, screw the car that was already there. I'm surprised the oncoming car didn't drive onto the sidewalk to avoid the bus.

Rootman

Been there done that, actually had the guy pass me and stay in the left lane so long that the oncoming traffic had to swerve into THEIR left lane - and therefore headlong into ME - the car and truck passed each other on the wrong sides and I went off the road, thankfully it was a very shallow shoulder and mowed grass. I just stood and watched as this old beater truck probably took another 100 feet to mosey back into his lane, completely oblivious and didn't even touch his brakes.

Sometimes I wonder how we don't all end up as grease spots on the side of the road.

Number400

I believe the dumpster pass, while not too close to daily metro rider's experiences, was poor driving. While giving the cyclist some room, he swung across the double yellows and was driving too fast for the conditions (a cyclist in front of him and heading into an intersection), and in an unsafe manner.

Here is my issue with the scene. The dump truck DID NOT SLOW DOWN, just drove around the cyclist. Had there been a sudden oncoming car, or a pedestrian stepping out onto the intersection, the truck would then brake and swerve to avoid the new obstacle. This is where the just passed cyclist gets killed. If drivers decreased speed then assessed the situation (wait a ****ing second), we would all be safer.

It's all well and good that people are "so good" at driving that they can just dodge and weave past anything in front of them. It is a whole different story when they drive way too fast into a situation that has no outs. I drive many miles per year. Nearly every day, I almost get rear ended, or someone pulls out right in front of me. Just this morning, up a long hill on the interstate, I had to slow for some tools who were jumping to the right to go around slower cars and nearly collided going for the same space. I had plenty of room in front to decrease my speed and the fool behind me was skidding and came very close to rear ending me at 55mph. I used my available safe space that I leave in front so that I have plenty of reaction time and don't have to slam on my brakes for every single incident ahead. The guy behind me was lucky that I did because I had a little more space to give him by incrementally easing off my brakes. Despite this one near miss, he still tailgated me down the road for miles.

acidfast7

gregjones

Most of those drivers are paid by the load. Haulin' butt can mean one more load at the end of the day.....adding up to probably another paycheck in a month's time. Quite a chunk.

Logging trucks are prominent of these around here with a large lumber mill just up the highway. Even at that, I have had them all give me the whole lane as they pass.

jrbee7

I don't have a camera nor do I think about it very often, but I disagree with the sentiment that we should just ignore this type of driving because it happens all of the time or because the pass wasn't that close. I have a short commute and most drivers are pretty considerate, but I still encounter a few people each week in right/left hook situations. Some of them are close and some of them are not, as measured by whether my adrenaline goes up, but I see complaints all the times on these forums about buzzing and close passing.

Good for you for actually taking some action and good for the company for seeming to care.

Leisesturm

If the self righteous panty waists had any shame, this thread would have slunk off to page two by now. Just saying... if I owned a bus fleet and someone called me to complain about one of my drivers I would sympathized with the caller, offer to fire the driver on the spot, offer to dry clean their bike shorts, anything to make them feel like they got satisfaction. I would do that. But we know that I don't for a minute think that anyone who would ride around with a camera strapped to their helmet deserves any sympathy. This thread is proof of that. Epic fail. Oh the irony is just too delicious.

H