THE dramatic moment a cyclist is forced out of a bike lane by a bus driver has sparked a furious debate on social media.
Ian Croft is forced to stop to avoid being crushed by the bus as the driver clearly pulls to the left and into the bike lane.
Many viewers of the footage say the London Bus driver is in the wrong for crossing a solid white line.
But others reckon Ian puts himself at risk by trying to pass on the left despite a clear warning on the back of the bus to cyclists not to undertake.
Passions over the issue are already running high in the city after three cyclists were killed in four days early in February.
At the start of the video, captured on a headcam, Ian is passing the bus on the left in a bike lane in Peckham High Street with a solid white line.
The bus then veers into his lane, forcing Ian to stop to avoid being knocked over.
As he reaches the front of the vehicle, he shuts to the driver: “Don’t look at me and then not pull over, it’s a f****** cycle lane mate.”
The driver’s response is not audible but he can be seen to shrug.
He refuses to open the door to discuss the incident further, and Ian calls him an “idiot” before moving away.
Ian, from London, then took to Facebook to share the footage late last week, asking: “Is this bad driving or poor cycling?”
Marc Andree believed the bus driver was wrong for cutting into the cycle lane, saying: “Personally I don’t see how you’re at fault? You did everything expected from a cyclist.
“Regardless what the bus driver’s doing, you stayed in your lane and he f***** up by cutting you up.
Stuart Evans agreed, writing: “Bad driving cos the bus driver would have seen that the cycle lane carried on so should have stayed out.”
Levi McKenzie added: “This has to be one of the worst pieces of driving I’ve ever seen! You were next to the bus when he made the maneuver to enter the cycle lane.”
But others blamed Ian for the incident, asking why he undertook the bus when he knew it would be dangerous.
Daniel Todd said: “Why take risk and try and undertake a bus, asking to be knocked off.
“Should just hang back, what if an ambulance was coming and the bus had to pull in suddenly or any other emergency? Buses are big they take up a lot of room,so should take extra care.”
Nicholas Way agreed, adding: “Has anyone thought what’s the other side of the bus and maybe he’s avoiding?”
Others actually blamed the road for incident, and said it was deigned poorly.
Mick Whittaker said:” Cycle lane with solid line. Still doesn’t mean you’re protected by it. Bad road design.”
Ian himself explained: “I was watching the driver and could see that he was watching me in his wing mirror but still continued to take up more of the cycle lane.
“This was the main reason that I felt that this needed to be posted. There is plenty of space available for the bus to take a normal line without having to going into the bus lane.”
Ben Wales, 32, died after a collision with a tipper truck in North Woolwich Road, Silvertown, east London, on February 9.
And just hours apart on February 6, Anita Szucs, 30, died after an apparent hit-and-run on Bounces Road, Enfield, while architect Karla Roman, 32, was killed in a crash with a coach on Whitechapel High Street, Tower Hamlets.
