My Motorcycling Viewer #2 

I saw a lady stopped at a red light and she instantly went to grab her phone, it's unreal how many people do this

Hi Ashley, bus driver here. No, you're not reprimanded if you run late. The manoeuvre in the first clip is terrible and I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing. Ultimately you're paid by the hour not by the mile so there's no point in risking the safety of your passengers and other road users to gain a minute or two. Obviously it's good to keep to time as best as possible and you shouldn't be delaying service through your own actions, for example hanging around at a bus stop for a few minutes once everyone has got on for no apparent reason. However, to answer your original question, no you won't be reprimanded for running late. If, like in the clip, the delay is evidently out of your control, then you just keep running it. If you get to a convenient location and, for example, the bus behind has somehow caught up with you, you might be told to give them your passengers and run dead (not in service) to where you should be on the running board (the timetable which the bus runs to). Hope this clears things up. Great video as always Ashley

Oooh, I like the ban doubling idea. I've often thought that bans are both not long enough for some people to get the message and simultaneously longer bans are rather onerous in car-dependent societies.

I thought I heard you say a while back that you rode motorbikes, yet you alluded in this video that you have not got one at the moment. It would be interesting for you to step up to the challenge ,now, to get one and bring us a series of you on the motor bike. It would be another addition to your either your motoring channel, or cycling one. Another string to your bow, as with you learning to drive a lorry.👍

For the mobile phone thing, I think that does depend . I've heard multiple stories of people getting charged for using their phone while they were in a car park with the car secured with engine off, but keys still in the ignition. Getting a 3 month ban for doing that is way over the top. But phone use as was shown in multiple clips here, absolutely. The other day I was at a the front of the queue at a set of filter traffic lights. The person next to me was on their phone. My light changed to green and theirs was still red, so I went off. I noticed they went off as well without even looking up from their phone. It's absolutely ridiculous and incredible that more people aren't injured or killed on the roads when drivers like that exist.

Hi Ashley, you’re welcome for the clips. I have since received my license and improved many aspects of my ride. I can see where I can improve from these situations. I would love to send many more clips as I have more interesting events. I am a little addicted with having over 700 clips now

0:44 As a bus driver myself, if you're late , you're late, don't take risks it isn't worth it, as it can result in disciplinary, if you're late get to your final stop or when you have no one on and call control, if they tell you to continue, continue, if you come off late for your break, take your full break which you're are well in yours right to do! And you next route either gets cancelled, put somewhere else to put you back on time or just continue that route late. No excuse for this driving from the bus driver, all the time we are behind the wheel, we are getting paid, if we are late, so be it !

Hi Ashley....... I was a busy driver for nearly ten years. My company would never discipline a driver for missing a schedule. Officially you can be as late as you like. There is however a subtle, or not so subtle, pressure to keep to your running card. You will have timing points along the route which you will be constantly checking. You don't HAVE to get to those points on time, and there are some drivers who just disregard them and drive around without a care in the world. I would say they are the exception, when you take on a bus you will have maybe four one hour trips to do, and it's just human nature to keep checking the time, and trying to keep up. I would add that these timings are often very unrealistic in the first place. Say you leave the terminus at 10-00...... There might be a point 3 miles away that you should reach by 10-06, you could quite easily still be stuck in traffic in the town centre at 10-06. Obviously, this makes your second timing point at 10-23 even more impossible. And so the pressure builds and you start driving off before the old lady has sat down etc. The management will put instructors from other areas on your bus sometimes and check your driving for these kinds of problems. This can lead to a tea and biscuits (disciplinary) where your manager will tell you to slow down, take it easy, don't worry about the time. Obviously, what they will not do is look at the schedule and see that it's unrealistic and add more time. Basically, they will send you out to do four trips in four hours, knowing that the only way to do it is to race around, then when you make a mistake, tell you to slow down.

6:06 those muddy backroads absolutely terrify me - came off one trying to give a tractor some space once - luckily no damage to me or the bike because i was going about 10mph!

At 7:15 that was some cracking observation and anticipation by the rider. Nice job! Wide A-pillars are a crash safety feature, but not all drivers are aware enough to look both sides of the A-pillar before emerging. I remember an old TV Road Safety campaign: "Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bike".

6:02 when I first saw this clip, I thought ‘he’s going some pace down that road’. Then I rewatched and saw that he’s barely going 30. Cameras can be so deceptive. Still, shows how much longer bikes take to stop, especially in wet and slippery conditions which I think is something very few people appreciate. Even in the dry, bikes can take longer to stop than cars.

After my first drive in London I quickly realised that you needed at least double the volume of caffeine to oxygen in the blood stream 😁

Love the sadistic chuckle at 2:10.

At around 5:34 with the moped rider walking his moped across the crossing and only then getting back on to ride. Reminds me of that Mr. Bean sketch where he's in his Mini at a set of red lights. Sees a cyclist walk his bike through a left turn at a red light and then get back on. So Mr. Bean gets out of his Mini and pushes his car through a left turn on red and then gets back in to drive away. Ironically, left turn on red (similar to right turn on red in North America) is something that was debated in the UK but the idea was abolished. So Mr. Bean's sketch still stands!

A nice attitude from your viewer their and I am sure they learned very quickly that going along a single track road over 30mph isn’t the best and they got very lucky (we all learn the same lesson no matter the vehicle - mine was on bicycle going downhill along a single track road) They will get far by not making a big deal out of things, fixing the mistakes of others and getting on with getting to their destination safely Take care out there our motorcycling friend and look forward to seeing more of your clips on here 👍

As an ex London Bus driver I can state the yes and no to time tables, if you were caught more than 3 minutes early you will be reported, And TFL would not pay the company for the journey. Running Late up to an extent was seen as OK by the company, Unless you were running that late you had to get a "Turn" (Shortening the route and turning back before the end destination) then again TFL would not pay for the full mileage. And then you have the passengers who will often show their displeasure if you are late, or having to lose time if the traffic is that light (school holidays etc) and having to hold yourself at bus stops or drive slowly. In the years I spent driving a bus in South London (Fulham, Chelsea, Wandsworth etc) I was spat at, threatened with violence, and even told I would be killed if I was seen on the street for driving a bus and trying to keep to a timetable. Thankfully most people you encountered didn't act like that, they just treated you as you didn't exist. I haven't driven buses since the 90s and those customers who did things like say hello, Thank you and wish you well were that few and far between you still remember their faces. Little tip for people when you use a bus (especially in large cities) Smile when boarding, and say Cheers/ thank you, have a good one to the driver when getting off. it's amazing how the next time you are running for a bus because you are a bit late to the stop how the driver will wait a little longer for you.

Motorcycle rider here: I really appreciate the two wheeled clips as I learn from them (been riding 30 years) but the learning curve continues. Plus these vids give other road users an insight into a bikers behaviour and vulnerability. Thank you.

@2:04 Didn't see a green light, but instead only saw one brake light. Three points for our friend here please.

I worked as a motorbike courier in London in the eighties, amazing how quickly i developed road reading, bike control and survival skills.

Horn, scares... While biking I had a ambo engage his siren just behind me on a windy day, I assumed they'd be trained on not doing that.

Some great progression since part 1 from this cammer. Kudos! Also good keyring 😂

Huge props to this cammer/viewer. Fantastic examples of riding and keeping yourself safe here and even bigger props for willingly sending that clip of their own little oopsie. I can fully understand the "excitement" on a road like that, and those potholes were disgusting.

Kinda agree with you on the 6:27 clip Ash, but something to note is if you can keep moving on a bike thats better. Sitting still is dangerous, especially with people playing on their phones.

With the pedestrians at 6:33, it would depend whether there was anyone behind me. If I was at the back of the traffic then they'd clearly be looking at that clear space behind me.

If the bus is early they can get reprimanded but if its late no reprimand. The reason being if someone turns up at set time and you've being and gone they have missed the bus. Where if you are slightly late they haven't missed there bus

3:21 I'd not recommend backing up in traffic like that unless there's no way for cars to get ahead. In London especially during rush hour and if it's raining, drivers will not wait a second if they can get ahead so it's easy to reverse into an impatient driver.

I love that Ashley's contempt for entitled, clueless cyclists is almost as great as mine now! It's amazing how often these most vulnerable of road users are totally oblivious to everything. Motorbikers, by contrast, seem to take much better care of themselves and others.

My dad is a bus driver and he was sacked by first bus for being late but got reinstate on a appeal you are not allowed to be running ahead of schedule or too far behind schedule as it mucks up driver changes and passengers are generally unhappy when the bus are not running to time no excuse for that bit of terrible driving in the first clip

Did some management work at the universities bus company, safety of the drivers and passengers was always number one priority

I may very well be wrong, but isn't the motorcyclist undertaking at 4:00?

6:13.. wet road, mud and wet leaves on the road, pot holes every where…, an off road scrambler might be able to cope but bombing through on a moped is gonna end in tears.

At the 4 minute plus mark I wouldn't risk the undertakes (yes bad lane discipline by the car drivers and most of them are likely going to stay out there, but.....). Many years ago as a young motorcyclist in southeast London I experienced too many late lane changers and no look left turners (after speeding past me, no cameras then) to even contemplate trusting the observation of others. I enjoyed motorcycling and believe all new drivers should experience a year or two on two wheels. Vunerability improves your observation, situation awareness and consideration for others. If you don't believe me, try it. A careful motorcyclist becomes an old one.

Regarding bus schedules most routes run on a headway, the gap between each bus, basis rather than a set time. Saying that, the safety and comfort of passengers always takes priority and obeying the highway code too. I always teach my trainees that being 5 minutes late is best. That way you're guaranteed an overtime docket when finishing the duty or coming off for meal relief. That bus driver in the opening clip is a dangerous numpty and should be retrained and given a written warning.

At around 3:25, total kudos to the cammer for advising the Honda CRV driver they didn't have their lights on. Having said that, I'd be wary of "advising" another road user of this sort of thing when it means you have to be in a stopped / waiting position if you would otherwise be on the move. Other road users (including the one you are trying to advise) may not anticipate your delayed progress, putting yourself at greater risk just to be a good Samaritan. With regards to forgetting to put on your lights, happens a lot when drivers pull out of a brightly lit area such as a garage forecourt at night. If however you are in the habit of manually switching on dipped headlights at ALL times, including daytime, far less likely to forget.

I've lost count of how many drivers I catch using their mobiles while driving. Before with my older helmet cam it was more discreet but my New One RS has a blinking red light and a nice red battery so they see it straight away and usually put the phone down. They likely pick it straight back up once I have passed but here in Spain that's 6 points and a fine, I think about 500 Euros.

Being able to stop quickly on a single track country lane in the wet with a failed road surface from that speed without loosing the bike is very risky and difficult, way too fast. I ride these kind of roads a lot and the most common reason I've seen for two wheeler accidents is riders braking and loosing their bike.

0:57 your viewer did drive past the white line on the road when the red and amber lights showed, which is illegal. Many people don’t realise this is actually dangerous for cyclists - the red and amber lights are there to warn them that they need to find a suitable gap, which they sometimes can’t if people immediately move off.

100% agree on driving ban for cell phone use. 3 months first offence then doubled each time after. End the “Hardship” exemption too!

Buses --- in my local Town they nearly aways speed in 20mph zones and tail gate you if you travel at 20mph ----- Agree with the phone idea.

Ashley i am an ex bus driver and i have worked at 4 different bus companies and i was never once reprimanded for running late. The only time you can be in trouble is if you run time points early

At 2:07, ah yes the good old "Reverse of Shame" after realizing that green light was for another lane. 😮

I’d say they follow too closely in some clips. It’s wet and there is way less than the 4 second gap. Less than 2 seconds in fact.

There should be a universal symbol for "put your bloody lights on"! Often a car behind me doesn't have them on but there's no easy way of communicating that.

Driving in London just seems crazy!

I used to be a bus driver for TWM and they are actually encouraged to be late. We where told if we are early then leave the bus stop early then someone going to the bus stop thinking there bus is due in 5 mins would have to wait till the next bus on the circuit making the customers very late. Being early got you a telling off by the inspectors at the bus stop. So in answer to your question. No they are not remanded for being late. This bus driver would be sacked i would imagine for putting lives in danger like that.

The 3 month instant ban (plus accumulators) is a fantastic idea. I'm sure it would make people less blase about using their phones in traffic.

over the last few years i've noticed more and more people forget to turn thier lights on is this due to dashs on cars being better lit by led's than they use to be? Also if a car behind has no lights on would flashing your hazard lights once be considered miss use?

Why does this motorcycle have its mirrors mounted underneath the steering wheel instead of on top? I think it would be safer to have them on top so it's not necessary to look down to be able to use them.

Around @3:55 I'd have been off the gas a little sooner as the rider was approaching the cars in lane 2 and they were slowing down. Also, the grey sedan was following a little too closely for my liking. I would have been carefully considering whether or not that sedan was going to dart out from behind the white SUV. I don't know how common that behavior is in London but where I live it's a constant threat.

Ashley I reckon it would be more accurate to call the mopeds scooters as it is highly unlikely any are actually 49cc mopeds.

I’ve just watched the intro, the bus was wrong but he had line of sight of the crossing and anyone about to use it, at least so there maybe some mitigation?

4:15 The importance of shoulder checks. Mirrors aren't enough. Good riding.

That last clip, I believe that's what's known as "Rev bombing" though that particular clip was a relatively mild example.

I highly recommend completing Compulsory Basic Training and spending time riding a 125cc to everyone who drives to gain a wider experience.

What do you think of the camma undertaking on the A Road?

Yes Ashley get your motorcycle up and running

With regards to being reprimanded for running late. You won't be reprimanded if the lateness is out of your control. However, deliberately delaying a service (for example, leaving a timing point late when you could have left on time) will result in being reprimanded

Thanks for the clip for Cycling Twitter at 0:59 showing the taxi breaking the law. Two wrongs and all that. ;-)

Lovely video Ashley. You should see some of the riders where I live in Hastings, some are good and some are bad.

Couldn't agree more on the mobile use fine, Ashley. I've been saying similar for years that current penalties are simply not enough because they haven't changed! The fear of a ban if caught will most likely make lots think twice about doing it; if it doesn't and they continue then when they get caught they're removed form our roads, it's a win/win.

Ex bus driver here. My old inspector used to say there are a thousand reasons for running late, but none for running early. You could face a disciplinary hearing if you arrived at a fare stage more than a minute early, so many of us would run deliberately late to avoid this.

7:10 Car emerging has looked behind the bin lorry as s/he approached junction; instead of stopping to check at the junction.

What stood out to me was the condition of the roads on most of this footage. 💩

6:02 that was quite dangerous driving - what if there were pedestrians round those bends? I doubt they could’ve stopped, especially with the wet and muddy road.

Such a variety of vehicles and road users on your channels Ash. Which is a good thing as we all get to see the point of view from different road users and helps us all to better understand things from others perspectives. It's 1:08 am here in Vancouver and 8 hours behind UK time. Was just about to turn in for the night when this came in, so I'll watch this 7 min video now and comment in the morning Vancouver time when I'm more awake. Hope I'm cut some slack for that part! 😊 UPDATE: In my enthusiasm, I've gone ahead and commented anyway. It's 1:50 am here in Vancouver now. Goodnight all!

Yes, when letting pedestrians or cyclists carry on crossing like that you are endangering them to the risk of the unawareness of other motorists. You’re much better off staying in control of the situation and carrying on, with care, making them hold back from their urgency to cross. What they do after you’ve passed is then their business. I’m not going to hold back and gesture somebody to cross as this is totally unsafe and if I’m not mistaken, a prosecutable offence. I’ve seen several near misses involving other motorists to know not to do this, and probably incriminate myself. Just carry on but with caution so that you’re able to avert any harm.

It almost seems like it is the norm now for cars to stop in the advance cycle waiting at lights. I never do it as a driver and get annoyed by it as a rider. And yes Ashley I would welcome a 3 month ban for mobile phone use.

As a cyclist I get wound up by motor bikes creeping up shoulder to shoulder with me by passing the advanced stop signs, looks like this rider is guilty of this sometimes. I'm now in the habbit of waiting and letting motorbikes and mopeds rev off as I've had too many close calls with them turning left passed me. Situations like 5:11 I'm not sure where the moto rider is planning to go unless it's just deliberate disregard.

I’m shocked that Honda SUV doesn’t have auto headlights…it isn’t that old surely On my one 2019, if I used the manual override while parked at night and turn them off, as soon as I pull away the computer takes back control and turns them back on. It won’t let me drive at night without headlights….even if I initially override it. And yes I’ve tried tricking the computer while driving at night on a trading estate-while moving, in the dark, the lights are auto on, if I adjust the manual control to OFF….the instruction is ignored. Ultra Safe! My hands free mobile phone connection doesn’t always work tho…sometimes even with several attempts. I quite often get a “phone is locked” error and I have had to pull in and unlock my phone. A 1/2 mile section of my work route also suffers from poor signal coverage…which also causes issues.

I'm not a bus driver, I'm just making assumptions. I'm going to guess that it depends what county you drive in, if you get reprimanded for running late. Assuming you do in London, consdering how busy it can get.

Where are the motorcycles mirrors? Is this not an MOT requirement on a modern bike like this one? Great footage btw👍

If I see someone without lights and it is safe, I might switch off my lights and switch them back on again a couple of times as a hint. Only if it is safe though; it works for the more switched on driver only...

Funny you mention cycling twitter and the users there saying that horn use "scares them".. imagine my disbelief when I stated I use the horn to let cyclists know I'm there such as when there is wind/bad weather prior to an overtake or I see one coming around a bend on a hill or something, And then cycling twitter chastising me for sounding my horn and stating it gives them PTSD, or that it scares them and is likely to cause an accident. I genuinely thought they were trolling at first but some of the responses afterwards confirmed that they actually meant it... If correct use of the horn scares them or gives them PTSD, Then I personally would recommend another form of transport because they clearly are a danger to themselves using that logic.

It's a legal requirement to have blood caffeine levels at a certain level when driving. Therefore the coffee drinker was correct to be drinking coffee whilst driving.

5:05...are motorcycles allowed on the hatched areas?

There is more that use phones while driving than not and agree with ban would clear up pollution too 👍🙃

6:35 Isn’t the law (Highway Code) now that pedestrians must be given priority at junctions? They were crossing very close to a junction.

Hey Ashley, hope you can clear a disagreement between me and my nan. If you approach a mini roundabout and realise you left something and need to turn around (roundabout on a T junction) can you use said mini to turn back on yourself by indicating right and taking the roundabout wide?

Who says you shouldn't beep if a cyclist is doing something stupid. Let them know, we saw someone who looked ready to cut across traffic the other day, I advised my mother to give a quick peep to let him know she was passing just in case. Hell, I have a horn on my bike, apart from the fact that there are a few single lane rail bridges near me, where it is just a good idea to let people know you are coming, you sometimes need to be able to get a drivers' attention, and they won't hear a bell! You want to sound like a car!

What about the bus and Mercedes in the bike zone at 5:16 - lazy/poor/selfish drivers.

3:58 isn that undertaking?

I don't about banning them from driving because they were using a phone, they might still drive anyway if only illegally. However, if they are caught and charged by the police, their phone should be taken off them and held as evidence until their trial. That will hurt more than anything since all their information, contacts, previous messases are on the phone. The really hurts, being without it.

4:30 I wouldn't have undertaken like the motorcyclist did, but the frequency of lifesaver looks was better than most motorcyclists and drivers carry out. 6:02 That road is hazardous: single lane; damp; leafmould/crud along the centre line; a building on the left with possible access to the road; Ah! 6:08 there it is. On a road like this the motorcycling line would along the centre, slightly to the right for a left curving road, but the crud makes that impossible, so a speed lower than 30 would be more appropriate. 6:10 a tree line perpendicular(ish) to the line of travel can be seen, suggesting either a sharp turn or a junction. Poor job by the biker.

Half hearted rev bomb at the end. 🤣

it may be that his camera is aimed above his eye line, but a thing I noticed was that assuming his camera DOES match his eyeline, how many times did you see his mirrors in the clips? I thin it was 2 or 3 clips in before I even saw evidence that he has any mirrors. and I don't care how uncool mirrors look, I would have had them positioned in a better place. I nearly got hit by a motorist because I was concealed directly in front of his car, and it was the fact I saw him coming in the mirror that warned me to dodge.

Would you also make comments on your lorry driving and bus driving viewers' videos some time?

He's alright on his motor bike, but why does he drive so close to the edge of the lane? It makes it harder and harder for people to give him 1.5m of space if they are passing on a duel carriage way...

Anybody noticed the undertaker by the smart car on the lorry 🤦

📱bans being doubled up for every repeat offence...... That would clear the roads in very short order.

Yikes, some dodgy riding and a lot of obsessing over others on the phone. Just send it to the police if you want it to stop. No point honking repeatedly and gesturing - only serves to annoy and escalate. Few pointers from a biker - Slow down when approaching junctions till you can see who might emerge (just a few mph will do it). And when filtering, get a shoulder check in prior to changing to the off-side, and stay wider from the car doors (in case someone opens them or ped running across).

Re mobile phone usage and penalties, I suggest there are circumstances where it’s absurdly disproportionate. For example, in a queue at a closed railway crossing, car in P. There is absolutely nowhere to go. There is zero risk of harm. And yet the penalty is brutal - perhaps based on the assumption that, when the gates open (and the phone is put down) somehow attention is reduced a minute later? And yet enforcement for all the much more dangerous incidents your videos show, is essentially zero. Surely a more proportionate balance would be better?

I didn't see any mopeds in these clips, but a lot of misbehaving small scooters and small motorbikes with L plates. Mopeds have pedals (like the first ever Norton in the National Motorcycle Museum).

It's easy if you look at what's happening around you, and think

bus drivers are reprimanded if they don't cut up at least 10 cars per day

1:04 the horn can be used to warn - which implies danger. There was significant danger here and the motorcyclist absolutely rightly used the horn. Very poor cycling on display here, hopefully nearly going over the bars has taught them a lesson!

3 months is lenient for phone use in my opinion, it's an absolute scourge

The problem with a ban for mobile phone usage is the fact the very people who create such laws and enforce them also do this as well, and no one is going to listen to hypocrites.

Ashley. On 2 wheels still did you see the item Cargy930? sent you about Cycling Mikey not willing to accept us informing him that we think he could have anticipated a problem. He went right off the handle, and I see that I very much think he is still embaressed by your remarks about gandalf as he has still not returned there and does no seem to court so much confrontation.

That motorbike needs some decent mirrors.

People are always on their phones, it's ridiculous! I think we as a society should start recording these people and sending clips to the police. Otherwise it will never get any better :(