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ooms7j
Senior Member
USA
154 Posts |
 Posted - 05/13/2005 : 10:28:31 AM
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I just want to know if stop arm violations happen as much else were as they do here. this week we have had 10 reported and 3 of them were passed on the right as a student was about to exit the bus. One student was almost killed by the driver. OUR POLICE FORCE DOES NOTHING ABOUT IT TOO. Is this a problem in other parts as well.
Just wondering Because I refuse to have a student get killed on my watch. |
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Salaskie
Advanced Member
USA
453 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2005 : 11:52:43 AM
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We have also seen an increase in red light runners. Seems to happen every spring. The sun seems to interfere with brain waves :-)
Two thoughts...
I have one particular stop where vehicles went through the reds on a regular basis. I got in my car, approached that stop; lo and behold...the sun was shining right where the reds were! The cars that ran the lights were approaching from the right and making a left turn in front of the bus, so couldn't see the stop arm until they were already around the bus.
The other thought..
Are your drivers consistent with the timing between stopping and activating their reds? Check and see if some are letting drivers pass through the ambers before activating the reds.
A motto around here is "Your actions create expectations. Be consistent."
This applies to all bus drivers. I am involved in certifying State Trainers, and I make it my mission to get all school bus drivers in the state consistent. What the drivers in Anchorage do creates expectations for the public hundreds of miles away.
I too do not want a child killed anywhere! |
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JK
Top Member
USA
7307 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2005 : 12:54:04 PM
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I've come to the conclusion that where police and schools seem lacking toward stop-sign runners, then my focus must be on the kids. I no longer make any attempt to get plates or descriptions if doing so takes a second away from what my kids are doing, which is always the case at bus stops. Cops and schools serious about catching these violators need only install a stop-arm camera on the bus. They must stop distracting bus drivers away from the kids at bus stops. (jk)
Do your school buses include:
* The bus driver trained in violence prevention strategies?
* A working video camera on every school bus?
* Children trained daily in safe practices and informed school staff and parents ready to help keep kids safe?
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There is no school bus driver shortage!
Properly train, effective support and pay that retains. |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2005 : 1:05:55 PM
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| We have tons of them, our drivers can honk and scream, however, cars think they are invinsible! We even have strobing stop arms, they are sooooo noticible, even in the direct sunlight. On our 2006 IC RE units, they are equipped with STROBING LED WARNING LIGHTS. I am curious to see if there is a reduction in red light runners! We just started receiving these units a month ago |
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Sherm
Top Member
USA
621 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2005 : 1:15:43 PM
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JK is right. I emphasize with my drivers that the task at hand (unloading students) is more important than trying to recognize a driver or get a plate number.
It used to be we had a cooperative police force and judges who had no respect for bus drivers. As a result, most people got off free. Now, we have changed judges and we have a new prosecutor who is serious about bus safety. I also send a mechanic to testify when requested by the prosecutor. As a result of all the positive change at the courthouse, everyone knows we are serious about punishing violators. We now win virtually every case that goes to court, and my folks have earned a lot of respect from the lawyers. But we still have, and always will have, red light violators. Aggressive prosecution must go hand-in-hand with student safety training. |
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Bus9709
Top Member
USA
751 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2005 : 5:29:39 PM
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| There are alot in my area. I don't think the police even care, well at least some of them. One afternoon there was a bus in front of mine that had activated the amber warning lights. A cop coming in the other direction actually sped uo so they would make it past before the reds came on. There is also this one driver that does it everytime he's at the bus stop. He would drop off his kid when the bus comes, then turn in front of it while the loading lights are on. It's a shame what some people do around school buses. If you can't have the patience to wait at least a minute, then that's just sad. |
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JK
Top Member
USA
7307 Posts |
Posted - 05/14/2005 : 07:38:44 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Bus9709
... It's a shame what some people do around school buses. If you can't have the patience to wait at least a minute, then that's just sad.
Very true. Regardless, we don't own the roads and must keep aware of what we can do to help ease stop sign runners. I've watched school buses deliberately become an obstacle in the road, that is fail to look ahead and time their stops to delay the least amount of motorists. We have a few nut-cases in our fleet that simply don't belong behind the wheel of a school bus - too aggressive on the road, even when around other school buses. I was behind a school bus a few weeks ago on a busy two-lane road with over a dozen cars behind that bus while dropping students. A car near the front of the line bolted around other cars and the bus in a no passing zone - and still the bus driver seemed clueless of the hazard he or she had created. There were several places to pull off and let traffic proceed - my guess is the bus driver didn't even know the amount of traffic he or she was unreasonably delaying. I'm not surprised about runners when the bus driver is also defiant toward traffic flow. How many school bus drivers become annoyed when forced to stop in a construction zone and wait, wait, wait? How many bus drivers go around a stopped mail delivery vehicle in a no passing zone when that vehicles yellow light is flashing (illegal in most states). How many bus drivers become upset when a large semi is blocking the road while backing into a delivery area, or are forced to follow a line of farm equipment traveling at twenty miles per hour to the next field? Aggressive and discourteous behavior is not limited to those other motorists. Plenty of school bus drivers are just as hostile toward traffic or appear to be. It is sad so many school bus drivers seem no longer trained that we DO NOT own the roads and must mix our activities in a way that does not offend traffic. One of the most effective ways to ease hostile responses from motorists is simply to adjust the timing to let these motorists go on by. It takes awareness, training, time and multi-tasking strategies to become aware at the level I'm suggesting. Motorists are not likely to receive that training - that's no excuse for us not to have that training on our end. We call ourselves professionals - that the case our skills and behavior must exceed that of the above average motorist. In doing so my suspicion is that the so-called stop arm runners would drop by more than half. In my situation with a wide variety of conditions a motorist violating my stop sign is very rare. Learn to anticipate and compensate for what motorists are doing. That strategy should be part of the job and responsibility of trainers to teach. The behavior of the bus driver and location of bus stops themselves must mix with traffic in a way that respects all users of the road. (jk)
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FREE School Bus Safety Ads
Free to use at websites, in newsletters, memos, the local press, letters to parents and more. Note that the photos area is under revision - The school bus safety ads area is now available. This is a very popular Website. If you can't get in bookmark the page and try again later.
There is no school bus driver shortage!
Properly train, effective support and pay that retains.
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Edited by - JK on 05/14/2005 07:54:12 AM |
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92FrdCarp#11
Top Member
USA
1455 Posts |
Posted - 05/14/2005 : 09:47:41 AM
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| JK, most of the things you described about some bus drivers in the post right above me definitely described my bus driver. He's always saying how bad driving a school bus is. Sometimes I just want to tell him "If driving a school bus is soooo bad, then why do you drive a school bus?" He don't pull over whenever there are cars behind him because he thinks he shouldn't have to. His excuse is "They should've left a few minutes earlier so they don't get behind this bus." The sad thing is is that it's state law that if you have 3 more vehicles behind you, you have to pull over whenever you can. |
Johnny
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Stop Arm Runners strike agian
