Am I the only one who doesn't put her child on the bus???

[Robinrs]

Okay, I admit I am not from rural America, never grew up without a threat to human safety so I know I'm different from MOST of the people on this board and in the world...

But I have never gotten over the "school bus" nightmares I grew up with, me being the perpetrator believe it or not, so I drive my son to school everyday.

I know I have to get over this since I don't live in BROOKLYN anymore, but I still have a problem with it. And everytime I hear a nightmare about a child on a bus, I feel more and more justified. Maybe if I grew up differently I'd think differently, but it's a hard thing to shake.

 

[PandyPaws]

I am with you, Robin! We live a scant half mile from the school, so DS doesn't qualify as a rider, but even if we were further, I'd still drive. I have seen what goes on in those buses, even on field trips with parent/chaperones present....sometimes I will even drive the field trips with DS, following the bus instead of riding. Often the bus drivers offer no assurance either....we had one run out of gas on the way to West Point

 

[Mermaid02]

I tried to put Jack on the bus last week but he cried and I had to ride too..... the driver then proceeded to ask ME where the streets on her stop were (some of which she had already been on) I told Jack he wouldn't have to ride the bus again. If the driver is that incompetent that she doesn't know the area and they send her out anyway.... I have no confidence in the bus company's ability to take care of my 5 year old.

 

[Mom2Em]

ME! My DD gets driven to and from everyday... I have some safety issues with school busses... When I was younger the bus I was riding in was hit from behind... The car was only going about 15 mph but 3 of the kids had broken bones out of it... Now granted, I am, ehm, getting older and some things may have changed... but I just feel more comfortable doing it this way...

 

[danacara]

From the opposite perspective, some of my best elementary school memories come from the bus. I made a few of my best buddies there.

 

[Robinrs]

Wow, I was beginning to think I was a loon...

I'm glad you have great memories, danacara, I wish I did. The school bus was a place to intimidate, humiliate and terrorize people when I was growing up. If I had to ride with someone like me I'd rather walk!

 

[caitycaity]

"The school bus was a place to intimidate, humiliate and terrorize people when I was growing up. "

me too. after elementary school (which was too far away from where my mom worked for her to drive us), my sister and i always got rides to school from my mom on her way to work.

 

[browneyes]

I take my kids to school. We're not zoned for the one I want them to go to, so I have to take them.

As a kid, I hated riding the school bus. I had to ride it for an hour and a half in the am, and 2 hours in the pm. Too much riding.

The school bus was a place to intimidate, humiliate and terrorize people when I was growing up.

I saw that on my bus, too. Luckily I had a crazed lunatic for a brother, so most people didn't bother me (they were either afraid I was like him, or they were afraid he'd come beat them up).

 

[MosMom]

My daughter doesn't start school until next year but I will be driving her. An elementary school bus driver here was arrested for driving the bus (with kids in it) drunk. His blood alcohol level was 5X the legal limit. They gave the guy time served and probation.

That combined with no seat belts, punks, molesters, and everything else that makes me a paranoid parent helped me come to my decision.

 

[Pin Wizard]

DS is in a private school and they don't have buses. I drive him every day and like it that way. If he were in public school, there's NO WAY I would ever put him on a school bus. I've almost been side swiped by 2 on major roadways. Next time, I'll get the bus number and call the county! Others I've seen don't use signals and just cut in. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

 

[Pin Wizard]

Originally posted by caitycaity
after elementary school (which was too far away from where my mom worked for her to drive us), my sister and i always got rides to school from my mom on her way to work.

I live 4 miles from the hospital I worked at. I could have driven a total of 8 miles a day if DS were in the public school across the street from our development. However, I love his private school and am willing to drive 40 miles a day total to get him there and back.

 

[Straycat]

My DS who will be 13 next week would rather ride the bus than have me take him up to the school. His friends from the neighborhood are on the bus and its a chance to socialize before and after school. We have yet to have any problems with intimidation or harrassment on the busses.
But, today is the 3rd day of school this year and I have a big problem with the busses this year. My son informs me that there are too many kids on the bus and he has had to stand for the two and a half mile trip to school both thursday and friday and the driver isnt the carefulest of drivers. I am going to give the school till this afternoon to have that problem fixed and then its time to raise hell.
Get this dilemma, he told me about friday afternoon that he got a seat but there were many standing including girls, well, i let him know that i expect him to be a gentleman and offer his seat to a girl that is standing next time that situation arises. I know that leaves him in danger, but he is built like a football player, he can handle the bumps and turns better most likely than a girl. Taking him myself everyday is not an option as i start college again next week and will not be free anymore.

 

[Mamu]

Robinrs I live in a small town. Like most it has swelled in size so it's not what you call a rural town anymore.

We live on the outskirts of town. So my children always took the school bus. They would tell me horror stories about, their bus trip to and from school. About a bus driver who allowed this to happen.
Complaints never seemed to work. Everyone shut their eyes to the problems.

My children were outspoken and defenders of the underdog. When I sit back now and think about what torment some children went through I am horrified.

In the 6th grade my son was struck by a vehicle while crossing the street for the bus. Minor injuries, Thank God. None of my children ever took the bus again.

Between the horror of what went on inside the bus and the thought of them having to cross a busy street. That was enough for me.

 

[Blondie]

would rather ride the bus than have me take him up to the school. His friends from the neighborhood are on the bus and its a chance to socialize before and after school. We have yet to have any problems with intimidation or harrassment on the busses.

That is the way it was last year....we'll see how it goes this year. Hopefully they'll be no problems.

If there are problems, I won't hesitate to drive them in.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Standing on a school bus? I thought they all HAD to be seated and the bus couldn't even leave a stop until EVERYONE was seated!

 

[gina2000]

I wouldn't put my child on a bus.

Think of it this way....one adult, 20/30 kids. What happens when someone acts up? I know most buses have school kids acting as bus monitors but still....kids taking care of kids. The bus driver can only drive, yell and perhaps pull over if things get ugly. I wouldn't trust anyone to be able to effectively drive and discipline. And if there is no discipline? Well, you take your chances.

JMHO.

 

[disykat]

I let my kids ride home on the days I'm not working at their school. We are the first stop so they ride less than five minutes on the way home. There is a different story - they would be on the whole 1/2 hour route. It's tons easier for me to get up 1/2 hour later and take them myself. Sometimes my friends give me a hard time for driving my kids, but I always have the excuse of how much easier it is for me. The reality of it is I don't want them on the bus for very long.

Our route used to have a terrific bus driver. The new one is making me reconsider allowing five minutes. He got taken off the route at the end of last year after I called to complain. I hear I wasn't the only caller. I guess we'll see what this year brings.

 

[dizneenut]

All 4 of my boys ride the bus, and we have never had a problem.

 

[John Smith1]

I don't, and won't.

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

I drive my DS to school and back as well. Our bus system is not right as far as I am concerned. they bus middle schoolers with the primary school kids. some of the kids after being picked up at the primary school have to switch to a different bus when they pick kids up at the middle school. That is insane. First of all I don't think the primary kids should be exposed to what the middle schoolers say and do on the bus. AND I don't think that the little ones should be the ones that have to switch buses. It is all very confusing. A lot of parents drive where we live.