IN response to the article about First buses (March 26), I feel somebody seriously needs to look into First and what sort training they give their bus drivers.

Only this week I was involved in an incident with a First bus while driving home with my young son after having taken my partner to work.

I was driving down Huntington Road towards the city centre. As I approached the bend outside the Yearsley Grove pub, a No 5 bus, heading to Strensall, came round the bend like a bat out of hell.

The bus overtook cyclists on the bend itself and had gone on to the wrong side of the road. All I could do was pull over to the kerb as far as I could, stop the car, sound my horn and hope we weren't hit by the hurtling, oncoming bus.

Maybe I'm mistaken, but when I learned to drive I was under the impression that in the Highway Code it's a big "no-no" to make dangerous manoeuvres, such as overtaking on bends?

Since moving to York two years ago I have had numerous causes for complaint with First buses and on this occasion I did not report the incident knowing it was highly likely I would be fobbed off and the issue would not be addressed.

There seems to a total disregard by First bus drivers in York for other road users and pedestrians and unless the issue is addressed soon, it is only a matter of time before a serious accident involving a First bus will happen.

Glenn Palmer,

Medway House,

Walmgate,

York.

Updated: 10:46 Monday, March 29, 2004