Gold Coast cyclist’s terrifying Kinetic bus encounter on Nerang-Broadbeach Road
A Gold Coast cyclist is demanding action after a “near death” bus encounter, prompting a ministerial response confirming future upgrades to the major stretch of road.
A Gold Coast cyclist is calling for immediate action after a dangerous interaction with a bus on a major road “could have left him dead”.
Ashley Felderhof was cycling on Nerang-Broadbeach Rd by the Surfers Paradise Golf Course on Sunday, October 12, when he claimed the bus driver used their horn and passed him in breach of regulated minimum overtaking distances required when passing cyclists.
He claimed the public bus driver used the vehicle as a “weapon to threaten”.
“It was so off the wall – I was riding along at 8.30am and this bus speeds up I had no idea it was there, then just swoops at me and beeps as loud as it can about 40 centimetres away from me,” Mr Felderhof said.
“It was f---ing ridiculous. He was threatening me basically trying to barge me off the road – he was a manic. I honestly thought he was trying to kill me – I thought I was a goner.”
Mr Felderhof said he nearly came off his bike from shock, having only recently recovered from a heart attack 10 months ago.
“It was me vs. the bus. If I came off I would have been either dead or seriously injured,” he said.
“He was trying to obviously frighten the daylights out of me. He’s a dangerous driver and needs to be off the road. He’s a threat to public safety.”
Mr Felderhof reported the incident to Qld’s public transport agency TransLink who followed up with the operator, Kinetic.
A Kinetic spokesperson told this masthead they were aware of the situation and the matter had followed an internal investigation process and had been addressed.
The avid cyclist said the crux of the issue – aside from the bus driver’s alleged behaviour – lay with the fact the state operated road did not have bike lanes.
“The third lane changes into a bus lane, and there’s no instruction for cyclists what you’re supposed to do,” he said.
“There’s no footpath, so you can’t actually get off the road.
“The driver was probably trying to make a point that I’m not supposed to be in the bus lane, but the trouble is, the only other solution is to be one lane over where there’s two lanes of traffic – so you’re straddling the white line with buses coming up the left and trucks and cars coming from the right.
“All cyclists know that that’s just impossible.”
Minister for Transport and Main Roads Brent Mickelberg said bikes were legally allowed to travel in bus lanes.
However, Mr Mickelberg said Nerang-Broadbeach Road had been included in planning for additional road upgrades and bus priority as part of Qld’s 2032 Games Delivery Plan which will look at appropriate active transport provisions either in or adjacent to the corridor.
Mr Felderhof said it’s about time – citing it as one of the most “treacherous stretches of road” he’s ever encountered.
The matter has since been reported to the police.
More Coverage
Originally published as Gold Coast cyclist’s terrifying Kinetic bus encounter on Nerang-Broadbeach Road
‘Dream venue’: Inside glittering new Gold Coast eatery
