Motorcycle accident news

Bus driver rams biker

An East Sussex biker has revealed how he was nearly killed in a motorcycle accident when a bus driver took exception to being overtaken.

Lucky to survive the road rage incident without any personal injuries, Ken Blythe told his terrifying tale to reporters at Motorcycle News (www.motorcyclenews.com) in the hope that other bikers become aware of the risk that a minority of bus drivers pose to innocent riders.

He revealed how he had been riding his Honda CB1300 along the A26 near Tunbridge Wells last November when he pulled out to overtake a double-decker bus that was travelling at 40mph in a 60 mph zone.

For some unknown reason, the bus driver took offence at being overtaken and, according to Mr Blythe, swerved across the carriageway, almost causing a potentially deadly motorbike accident.

Miraculously, the biker managed to avoid being knocked off his machine and, not surprisingly, slowed down and gestured angrily to the driver to tell him what he thought of his dangerous driving.

This seemed to infuriate the irresponsible driver even further who, with his 14-tonne bus full of passengers, proceeded to use his vehicle as an "offensive weapon". He rammed into the back of Mr Blythe's Honda, almost knocking him off and destroying the bike's exhaust in the process.

Frightened for his life, the startled biker got out of his saddle in the middle of the road, forcing the bus to stop, and confronted the man who had very nearly caused a motorcycle accident.

Police officers soon arrived on the scene, listened to Mr Blythe's account of events and calmed the angry pair.

A spokesman from Kent Police revealed that no charges were being pressed following the incident and said, "Having taken into consideration both parties' accounts of events and the comments from witnesses on the bus no further action was taken."

Mr Blythe is reportedly pleased that he wasn't involved in a motorcycle accident that resulted in the need to make a personal injury compensation claim but told reporters of his opinion of the bus driver, saying, "He could have killed me. I have serious questions about his ability to do his job."