From "The Daily Telegraph": bit.ly/5AHxox
"A double-decker bus full of school children had its roof ripped off when it collided with a bridge in Leicester."
This bridge has highly visible markings and signage.
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This bridge has highly visible markings and signage.
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>>>it also says there was thick fog and it was also mentioned thick fog on the midDay news,i really cant believe the driver rammed in on purpose FT
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There are mitigating factors such as the bus being off route due to local road closures or the driver normally driving single deckers.
However, it is a legal requirement that the height of a double decker bus should be clearly visible within the cab area. That, combined with the fact that the bridge was clearly marked suggest that the driver was simply not paying attention and, when you are a PSV driver, that is simply not good enough.
The driver is very lucky that he has not caused any deaths. He (or she) should now lose his (or her) licence though I would sincerely hope that they will give serious thought as to their future suitability as a PSV driver.
BellBoy - I've just watched the news item on the BBC Lunchtime News. The bridge in question is less than 75 yards round a traffic light controlled junction so I don't think that the fog would have been so bad as to render the bridge invisible. And of course the driver didn't ram into the bridge on purpose - what a vapid comment. If they have any professional standards and are unfamiliar with an area then they should use a sat nav programmed with low bridges.
Edited by Badwolf {P} on 11/12/2009 at 13:21
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having driven many things in my life and needing a licence to earn a crust i can easily see that hitting a bridge in an unfamiliar bus on a route i dont know and a lot of giggly school kids behind me is an easy proposition.
i think it unreasonable until all the facts come out that you want to turf this man out of his job
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I've been driving buses and coaches for twelve years now, BellBoy. Not a lifetime I'm sure you'll agree but long enough to know that there is no excuse for driving a double decker bus under a low bridge. Admittedly, the cab layout of some older Leylands is exactly the same, whether it's a single decker (National) or double decker (Olympian), but the view in your mirrors plus the difference in handling characteristics, the noise on the 'ceiling' above you, the notices that are legally required in the cab and the warning signs on the approach to the bridge should be enough to warn even the most slapdash driver of trouble ahead. If all of these things fail to alert the driver then I do think that he should not be in the job.
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having driven many things in my life and needing a licence to earn a crust i can easily see that hitting a bridge in an unfamiliar bus on a route i dont know and a lot of giggly school kids behind me is an easy proposition.
I'll second that; I occasionally phone my daughter when she's on the way home on the school bus, the level of background noise is so high I can hardly hear her speaking. No wonder they crash now and again.
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I too agree with badwolf. i use to drive old atlanteans & leyland nationals & AEC & Volvo coaches of all makes & sizes & low bridges when off route was one of those things you had to be on extra alert for including overhanging branches & telephone wires1 it was just part of the job! If kids became too noisy & too much of a distraction i use to stop & wait till they shut up! when they realised they were going to be late home they soon shut up. I can remeber being stopped with a D/deck with 110 kids on board wasn't bad for an 83 seater! Did look funny when they were all turfed off & counted. It caused so much congenstion & confusion in the rush hour i got sent on my way without a ticket!
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unfortunately you cannot tell kids on buses these days to be quiet because it will infringe their human rights
for the record i know a few bus drivers and they wont do school runs,i wonder why?
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yeah bell boy they probably pull a gun nowdays! In my day it was just a flick knife. Glad I'm past all that now!
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