I'm curious...

[Gumbo4x4]

Keeping her from crossing the road is huge. My sister was struck by a motorcycle getting off the bus. My father-in-law's younger brother was struck and killed getting off the bus.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

My DD is the first one on and the last one off. She sees all parts of the township. She is alone on the bus with the male bus driver for about 1/2 a mile. Then if that girl is sick, then its probably about another mile before they pick up another kid.

To be honest, I worry more about her being dropped off and crossing the road. Cars travel fast on my road and the corner is somewhat blind (in my mommy's mind). I would actually prefer that he goes up and turns around and comes back so she could get off on the same side of the street.

DD likes the driver. He's an older gentleman named Jeff. He has a granddaughter the age of my DD. They chat for the last half mile at the end of the day.

 

[daileyad]

I guess I would probably feel better about this situation too if it wasn't for the fact that this is a new bus driver for us.

And can I just say I'm appalled that it appears so common to have people blow through the flashing red stop lights on the bus I think they need to catch these people and take away their license, much like a DUII. I can't believe there are people doing this.

 

[horseshowmom]

This is why they need to have a second adult on all buses. Not to protect the child but to protect the driver from accusations

Honestly, my husband and I used to discuss that very thing. He never had a single (major) problem with his bus route. Most of the kids knew him from school and seldom gave him a problem, but we both wished that the district could afford bus monitors (although I don't know of any district anywhere near us that has them).

Keeping her from crossing the road is huge. My sister was struck by a motorcycle getting off the bus. My father-in-law's younger brother was struck and killed getting off the bus.

I'm so sorry, that's terrible.

I guess I would probably feel better about this situation too if it wasn't for the fact that this is a new bus driver for us.

And can I just say I'm appalled that it appears so common to have people blow through the flashing red stop lights on the bus I think they need to catch these people and take away their license, much like a DUII. I can't believe there are people doing this.

Sadly, it is not uncommon. We live in a very rural area (where students do have to cross the road sometimes to get on buses due to the route not coming back that way). When my husband drove, it infuriated him. Whenever he was able to get it, he took down the license plate and filed a complaint with the sheriff's office.

 

[Mkrop]

That is the hard part getting the license plates...in PA we dont have tags on the front of the cars, so the bus driver cant see the plate and by the time they pass it is too hard to turn around.

The police want a description of the vechicle and a plate #. According to our driver, this other bus had the same car do it several times but still no plate #, so that is why the cop is now following the bus. I see him driving up and down the road.

I go and get my one son off the bus bc I have now witnessed TWO different cars go through the lights. I was able to describe the cars, black SUV, tinted windows, another blue 4 door sedan, but they went by so fast I was unable to get plates. I now kind of stand into the street some so they know I am watching to slow them down. So far no more instances. I have talked with my son about watching and waiting until these cars are at a complete stop but he gets nervous and thinks he is holding up traffic and he needs to get across quickly. So far now I go to the stop.

 

[t_daniels]

My niece and nephew get off the bus, and cross the street daily. I did as well in school. They cross before the bus drives off, stop sign out.

Let us know what they say when you call!

 

[maslex]

I guess I would probably feel better about this situation too if it wasn't for the fact that this is a new bus driver for us.

And can I just say I'm appalled that it appears so common to have people blow through the flashing red stop lights on the bus I think they need to catch these people and take away their license, much like a DUII. I can't believe there are people doing this.

Bus driver here. More than likely, the bus driver is turning around and dropping your daughter off on the right side of the road so she doesn't have to cross. You stated earlier that he stops the bus at your house and other children get off. Do any of them cross? Probably not. But I know where we live, we tend to drop off so they don't have to cross (when possible).

And unfortunately, you wouldn't believe how many times a car will go through my red lights. It's unbelievable. But even worse is when the driver of the car KNOWS they're about to run the red lights and they either, 1-will look down as if changing a radio station, pretending that they didn't see me or 2-will actually WAVE to us as if to say, THANKS for letting me go!!!!!

If I see ahead of time that a car is going a bit too fast, doesn't have a front plate and might run my reds, I will yell to the kids in the back of the bus to get his license plate number. It doesn't work all of the time but over the 11 yrs that I've been driving, I've probably got about 5-6 plate numbers that way.

 

[POPCITY]

DS has to cross a 2-lane 65 mph road after getting off the bus every day. I would be thrilled if he could be let off on our side so he didn't have to cross, even if he had to ride alone with the driver for a few minutes, but it just won't work. Being alone with the driver wouldn't even come up on my radar.

 

[aprilgail2]

I would not be crazy about the fact she was alone on the bus with a male bus driver. I try not to have her take the bus anytime if possible but some afternoons its just not possible to avoid it but I drop her every morning at school. When I was a kid in 3rd grade me and my friend were the only two left on the bus-she was a bit of a wise guy and would stand up when he would say sit down- well he pulled the bus over and came back to the seat we were in and took out a knife and told her she better start listening or else. Well to a 3rd grader it looked like a butcher knife LOL- it was a pocketknife, one of those red ones with the flip out blade. But I was so scared to take the bus after that, and then when my friend told her mother my name was brought in as a witness and I had to go say what happened. I was scared that he would find out I ratted on him and come after me!
I started out in kindergarten letting her take the bus and she was let off a the wrong stop the first week of school, talk about freaking out! Not a fan of school buses!

 

[Chickenlady]

Without giving TMI, this is thread is horrible for me to read...but I had to say something. Do whatever you can to avoid having your DD alone with the bus driver. I wouldn't nec. put too much stock in the "only if he makes you feel uncomfortable" answers...the bus driver in my nightmares was very well liked.

 

[rockawaybeachgirl]

I would not be crazy about the fact she was alone on the bus with a male bus driver. I try not to have her take the bus anytime if possible but some afternoons its just not possible to avoid it but I drop her every moring at school. When I was a kid in 3rd grade me and my friend were the only two left on the bus-she was a bit of a wise guy and would stand up when he would say sit down- well he pulled the bus over and came back to the seat we were in and took out a knife and told her she better start listening or else. Well to a 3rd grader it looked like a butcher knife LOL- it was a pocketknife, one of those red ones with the flip out blade. But I was so scared to take the bus after that, and then when my friend told her mother my name was brought in as a witness and I had to go say what happened. I was scared that he would find out I ratted on him and come after me!
I started out in kindergarten letting her take the bus and she was let off a the wrong stop the first week of school, talk about freaking out! Not a fan of school buses![/QUOTE

First, let me say I am Sorry for what you experienced. But, if we try to avoid eveyr potential situation that MIGHT result in a issuen, we'll drive ourselves crazy. I was threatened at the age of 11 in a pizza shop. Should I never let me kids in a pizza shop alone? I think not.

And I wonder, would people have the same reaction if the female librarian was left on duty with their son? If not, why?

 

[mhsjax]

This is why they need to have a second adult on all buses. Not to protect the child but to protect the driver from accusations

I agree. I wouldn't want a bus driver in that position and I wouldn't want my DD on a bus with a male driver alone.

 

[mhsjax]

I would not be crazy about the fact she was alone on the bus with a male bus driver. I try not to have her take the bus anytime if possible but some afternoons its just not possible to avoid it but I drop her every moring at school. When I was a kid in 3rd grade me and my friend were the only two left on the bus-she was a bit of a wise guy and would stand up when he would say sit down- well he pulled the bus over and came back to the seat we were in and took out a knife and told her she better start listening or else. Well to a 3rd grader it looked like a butcher knife LOL- it was a pocketknife, one of those red ones with the flip out blade. But I was so scared to take the bus after that, and then when my friend told her mother my name was brought in as a witness and I had to go say what happened. I was scared that he would find out I ratted on him and come after me!
I started out in kindergarten letting her take the bus and she was let off a the wrong stop the first week of school, talk about freaking out! Not a fan of school buses![/QUOTE

First, let me say I am Sorry for what you experienced. But, if we try to avoid eveyr potential situation that MIGHT result in a issuen, we'll drive ourselves crazy. I was threatened at the age of 11 in a pizza shop. Should I never let me kids in a pizza shop alone? I think not.

And I wonder, would people have the same reaction if the female librarian was left on duty with their son? If not, why?

Because I bet that statistically speaking, females do less damage than males do.
I do get so tired of the anything can happen, maybe we should just stop walking out the door excuses.

People who don't smoke get lung cancer, does that mean we should all feel less concerned about smoking because it can happen even if you don't. NO. Some things contain more risks than others. Things can happen anywhere at any time. YOu use your best judgement and avoid putting yourself in a place that makes it easier for something terrible to happen. It is all common sense.

 

[t_daniels]

I agree. I wouldn't want a bus driver in that position and I wouldn't want my DD on a bus with a male driver alone.

In our city , they didn't have enough drivers for each bus. A second person wouldn't ever have been an option.

 

[t_daniels]

Statistics only reflect what's reported. Not what actually happens. .

I've even seen online , many people have the attitude that its only rape if done by a male. Which is ridiculous. Females are just as capable.:/

I wouldn't be surprised if guys would be more ashamed to report a rape/molestation by a female, than the reverse....for fear of not being taken seriously.

 

[ebtbmom]

We lost a student this year, she was hit crossing the road to get back to her bus stop. She and her siblings were outside waiting and something on the other side caught her attention. When she saw her bus she was afraid shed miss it and tried to run back, sadly she was hit.

I agree that there should be two adults on the bus, but more because around here the children's behavior is out of control.

 

[Sparkly]

We don't really have school buses here so when I took the bus home I had to walk all the way down the hill, across a busy road, travel for 20 mins on a shock horror public bus and then cross another road and walk up another hill to get home! I was so glad when I started sixth form college and it was much easier.

To answer your question though, I don't see why it's a issue. Maybe I'm just used to travelling on the London buses with a huge mix of total strangers sharing the bus every day.

 

[Iforgetmypassword]

Not an issue to me.

If it did bother me, for whatever reason, I'd rearrange my schedule so that I could drive her/pick her up myself.

Back when my oldest was in first grade, she was the last student to arrive in her classroom, because she was on the last bus to arrive. She was shy, and it bothered her that everyone was looking at her when she came in at the last minute. Bothered enough by it to cry. So I made arrangements and drove her, so that she would get there earlier. Then we were both happy.

 

[FLCyndi]

Every man is not a molestor waiting to pounce, after being a child abuse investigator I will say most children aremolested by family members, not strangers.

 

[Allison]

Every man is not a molestor waiting to pounce, after being a child abuse investigator I will say most children aremolested by family members, not strangers.

I am curious what all these people who believe every male of the species is a pervert waiting to pounce think about their husbands, fathers, brothers, sons, and themselves.

If they have jobs where they are around children, or they coach, or they give their kids friends a ride home are they suspicious of their intentions?