This is the terrifying moment a road rage bus driver flipped and drove his eight-tonne coach at a pedestrian.
Matthew Smith, 32, flew into a rage when a desperate passenger blocked his path with his car in a last-ditch attempt to get onboard.
CCTV footage shows Smith climbing out of the coach before releasing the handbrake of the obstructing car and pushing it down the street in Bath, Somerset.
He then climbs back into the driver’s seat before speeding forward towards a passer-by who was watching the fracas unfold.
The pedestrian escapes by inches as the powerful vehicle steams past – clipping his backpack.
Smith admitted dangerous driving and using threatening language after the CCTV pictures were played at Bath Magistrates Court.
Amanda Chapman, chair of the bench, said the shock pictures were ”striking”.
She handed Smith a 12-month community order to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work, an eight-week curfew and an electronic tag.
He was also disqualified from driving for 15 months and ordered to pay £50 compensation to the man he drove at.
Incredibly, the court heard that Smith could be handed his job back as his employer was ”impressed” by his conduct after the road rage.
Mrs Chapman said: ”This was a nasty little incident really. I have never seen something quite like it on the television before.”
The court heard that Smith, of Bristol, was driving the rail replacement coach service from Bath’s Dorchester Street Station, when the incident occurred in February this year.
A motorist in a grey Peugeot stopped in front of the Eurocoaches vehicle – blocking its path – while the driver attempted to get his wife onboard.
The city’s CCTV cameras picked up Smith remonstrating with the driver – exiting his coach before reaching into the car and lifting the handbrake.
He is then seen to push the Peugeot away in front of a stunned crowd.
Smith then returned to his bus before speeding towards a small group of pedestrians, who had started taking pictures of the incident.
The coach clipped the rucksack of one men as he struggled to get out of the way.
The court also heard that Smith leaned out of his window and stuck his middle finger up at a witness and a policeman as he drove away.
Philip Hatvani, defending, said the automatic driving ban, which Smith would get for admitting dangerous driving, would be punishment enough.
He said: ”He is going to have to ride out the ban, take the extended driving test, retake his coach test and also get a lorry licence.
”It is going to be particularly hard for this man. He went to a special needs school because he has dyslexia. He has no academic qualifications.
”But he managed to find himself work, to work his way up to become a coach driver.
”He is going to find it incredibly difficult to find any other type of work.”
Mr Hatvani added that Smith’s employer had been so impressed by his conduct until this incident, that it would consider offering his job back.
