I almost saw someone get hit by a bus tonight.
I was taking the bus home and this girl wearing a dark grey or black or navy sweatshirt with dark pajama pants was on her bike and pulled along the side of the bus. I saw her because I was on that side of the bus. The driver did not however. The girl turned on to the street by cutting directly in front of the bus. Not nearly wide enough for the driver to see her. This was as the bus started to pull away from curb. The driver didn't see her until she was about 7/8 across the bus. The bus nearly clipped her. I saw the girl look back. I couldn't see her face clearly but I'm pretty sure she gave a look of disbelief, shock and disgust at the bus.
Now while if there was an accident, the bus would be cited as being as at fault. But to me, it is totally the girl's fault and I don't think I would have felt very sorry for her.
1) Wearing dark clothes thus not very visible at night
2) Had no reflective gear whatsoever aside from the pedals (if that) thus not very visible at night
3) Had no light thus probably did not see the bus moving and also thus not very visible
4) Was not wearing a helmet.
5) Did not swing wide when turning but rather cut directly across in front of the bus and out of the field of vision of the driver. (You know those updated school buses that have that arm that swings when letting the kids off that forces them to walk in front of the bus wide so the driver can see them? That's how far she should have gone. Instead she went like an 1/8 of that distance)
Basically she was a stupid biker. I don't understand why people can't at the very least wear a helmet that way if they do get hit because they didn't take the extra saftey measures, at least they stand a better chance of survival. This is why I refused to ride my bike at night. Even if I had the reflective gear and a light, I still fear that drivers would not see me and that I would get hit. So am I being a cold hearted bitch for believing she got what she deserved had there been an accident? Absolutely, but it's also true.