Buses and peak hour traffic...

[MadMike]

Haven't had many run-ins with school buses, but I have had plenty of experiences on city transit

It's the same way in the city where I work. Some of those bus drivers drive like complete and total idiots. If they're pulled off to the side picking up or dropping off passengers, be extra alert when you're passing them. When they decide to pull back onto the road, they'll do it regardless of what may already be in the lane. Another time, I almost got nailed by one that decided, like many other drivers out there, that stopping for a red light is optional, especially if it just changed within the last 10 seconds. My wife told me not to even bother calling the company to complain, because they don't care.

The only really bad school bus driver that I can remember is the one I had when we (my brother and myself) moved into my mom's and stepdad's new house. The driver was an older guy, and a helluva nice guy at that, but he was a terrible driver. Possibly his age was catching up to him. Every so often, he'd start to drift into the left lane, until this one smartass kid would loudly ask him, "Are we in England?"

One morning, we were waiting for the bus. And waiting. And waiting. Finally, we gave up and my mom drove us to school. On the way there, we found the bus parked off to the side, with body damage on the driver side and some of the trees on the left side of the road banged up. As far as we could tell, he drifted into the left again, but this time kept going until he sideswiped some trees.

The next year, we had a different driver. I'm guessing the other guy retired, possibly not voluntarily.

[skeptic53]

Two brand new cars with dealer ads instead of license plates were racing on the freeway, dodging in and out of other lanes, going 80-100 depending on how much room they had. When we exited, I stopped & called the dealership on my cell and complained. They were two kids hired to bring the cars to the dealer from the docks where they were unloaded (Japanese cars). The man I spoke to called me back to tell me the kids were fired as soon as they pulled in to the dealership.

[angelkirie]

I know two people that have had issues with city buses. The first one, now my roommate was crossing at a crosswalk in downtown, when the bus driver decided he didn't want to wait for the pedestrian's to clear out to take his free-right hand turn; nicking my friend's arm/shoulder area with the side of the bus.

The second actually had the door closed on her as she was getting out!

[repsac]

I have GOT to pass this on. It's not so much about sucky drivers, but it's relevant I think. If not, ah, sue me...wait, don't. No money.


Several years ago, one of the cities here in Georgia (I'm guessing it was around my area, but I could be wrong) was notorious as a "speed" trap.

Here's how the whole thing worked:

The city had a central four way stop governed by an old stop light. Normally, this light actually would work as intended. However, it was wired to a control located in a nearby building that overlooked the road. In this building, a police officer would sit, the switch right there and a radio. Down the road, a mile or so, an officer on a motorbike would wait hidden away.

Here's how the scam worked:

A semi truck would come down the road, only to have the motorbike fall in behind it. As the driver approached the light, it was always green for them. When they were around 200 feet or less from the light, the man in the building would flip a switch, causing the light to go QUICKLY to yellow and then red. Fast enough so that it caused the truck to run the light. Then, the officer behind him would pull the guy over for running a light and find other reasons to tack on like speeding and such.

It was how the city made all its money, and worked fine until one day...

One day, a trucker locked his brakes down and actually stopped for the light. The motorcycle, did not.

The cop did survive, but the state got in on the investigations and that's when they found out the scam. I forget what city it happened in though.

[Horsetuna]

I've had a few drive-offs using public transit. Including one at 11pm at night, in the dark, in the rain in a very dark parking lot.

Another incident happened and I really wish I had remembered the bus' number.

But basicalyl to get to the post office I had to take a bus, then walk down from Hawkwood BLV.

The bus goes ALONG the blvd on two separate ways of the route.

so I get on. It being Canada and Winter, its dark out. As the empty bus starts moving, I ask the Bus driver about Hawkwood Blvd. He shrugs, and muttered something I couldnt hear - I didnt hear what he said over the bus' engine.

So I sit down nervously, already having a sinking feeling... I try to see the signs out in the dark, but its too dark and he was going too fast (I dont know if he was speeding or not though). So nearing tears, I wait, to go and ride the bus back to my starting point.

Only he went Out of Service when we got to th turn around point.

20 minutes in the freezing cold later, I get on the NEXT one.

I tell the bus driver I needed to get off at the 7-11. He says sure, he'll drop me off!

Happily, I sit down, then get off when he tells me to... the gas station being on the far side of the road, so I didnt see until the bus pulled away...

That he dropped me off at the HUSKY station

Crying more, I waited again for the next bus, and just went home... total trip, THREE HOURS.

[BlackIronCrown]

The cop did survive, but the state got in on the investigations and that's when they found out the scam. I forget what city it happened in though.

The town was Ludowici, GA. Here is a nice Time Magazine article from 1970 about the place:

Definitely a wretched hive of scum and villainy.

Wikipedia provides a final epitaph:

"The Governor went so far as to put billboards, along with state troopers with their lights flashing to highlight the billboards, on the outskirts of town along US 301 warning motorists to slow down and that he was trying to resolve the problem. Ultimately, traffic enforcement authority was stripped from the local police and handed over to the Georgia Highway Patrol. The signal that was responsible for the ticket trap now hangs in Doris and Zip's bait and tackle shop in town."

-BIC-

[April]

I've had two experiences with Buses, once as a pedestrian and once as a driver.

The first, we were in this little touristy town we have around here (Old Colorado City for those in Colorado) basically, in Summer, you just wander around this place looking at the little shops and all. We were crossing (at a light) and this bus pulls right into the cross walk to let out people, came within inches of hitting me. When i got around the bus I said "You know you are in a cross walk and nearly hit me, don't you?" He actually started cussing at me. I wish I had gotten his information.

The second i was sitting at a busy intersection waiting to turn left. This bus for one of the daycares was across from me waiting to go straight. The light changes for the green arrow and I start to turn when the bus runs the light to go straight. I honk at him and he literally leans out the window to flip me off and scream at me. With the kids on the bus. I DID call in that one and had a return call stating that numerous people had called about him that day and they were "letting him go"