A cyclist has been left ‘scared’ for his life after a close encounter with a bus on a Buckinghamshire A-road. 

Steve Davis, 70, from High Wycombe, has told how he was left shaken after a bus overtook him while he was riding his bike in Hazlemere.

The Wycombe born and bred cyclist was heading home on Amersham Road A404 on Sunday May 28 when a Carousel bus overtook him.

He said: “Basically, I was almost ran off the road. I was going 15mph on my electric bike when it happened.”

A red Carousel Buses service came “way too close for comfort” to Steve, causing him to almost hit the raised kerb as he was sandwiched between it and the bus, he claimed.

After he managed to compose himself and carry on riding, he caught up with the driver at the Terriers bus stop, where he spoke with him through the open window.

He claimed the driver responded to him with “well I didn’t hit you, did I” before telling him that the footpath allows cyclists on that part of the road.

“I did respond telling him I have every right to travel on a road and that he should pass with plenty of room in case I need to suddenly manoeuvre around potholes etc.

“It is not a joke to put the fear of God into a cyclist without giving any regard for my safety. I have no safety shield around me or air bags for protection, just my skin and bones to damage.

"Had I been unable to avoid collision at this point I feel that serious personal damage or even death may have been inevitable.”

Bus drivers who endanger pedestrians and cyclists shouldn’t be driving 10 tonne buses around, he said.

Steve said the encounter scared the "s***” out of him, leading him to report it to Carousel Buses and the police. 

However, the lack of action has left him worried to ever ride on the stretch of road again, he said. 

"Luckily, I am alive to report this, however I keep getting flashbacks of how close this was to something tragic happening," he added. 

Carousel Buses was contacted for a comment.

Changes to the Highway Code after January 29 2022 brought important changes drivers need to consider.

Drivers need to

  • leave least 5 feet (1.5 metres) when overtaking people cycling at a speed of up to 30mph and giving more space when overtaking at higher speeds.
  • passing people riding horses or driving horse-drawn vehicles at speeds under 10 mph and allowing at least 6.5 feet (2 metres) of space
  • allowing at least 6.5 feet of space and keeping to a low speed when passing people walking in the road (for example, where there’s no pavement)
  • wait behind vulnerable road users and to not overtake if it’s unsafe or it’s not possible to meet these clearances