I got an email back from the MD and another from the ops director, with the driver's monbile number, so I sent him a text to say thank-you for being nice.
Now while I'm here. Whoever looks after the A38 round Bristol, we've got by perfectly well for ages with a cycle lane 13 3/4 inches wide, so how come suddenly it's changed to about a yard and a half? At least it has for the section we used on the Dean. Now I'm not a fan of cycle lanes or paths, but if we have to have them, wider is definitely better, so hip-hoorah.