Should School Buses Pull over (when safe) to allow cars to pass

[rgf207]

On my drive to work which is in a rural country area there is a stretch of road about 3 miles long.

Every day there are school buses in both directions that stop approxamitly every 200 yards to pick up children. This causes a huge backup and takes about 15 minutes to complete. there are literally hundreds of cars following these buses in both directions.

Should these buses be required to pull over to the side of the road (when safe) to allow cars to pass?

I am not arguing the stoping or red lights or safety of the children in any way, I'm just asking if it's just me that thinks they should pull over.

Now I know this may not be possible everywhere but on this stretch, there are very wide shoulders that could allow this.

What do you all think.

 

[NMAmy]

I don't know about requiring it but the school buses in my area DO pull over and let cars pass.

 

[MareQ]

Absolutely not! Anybody that is annoyed at having to drive behind the bus should just leave a little bit earlier or a little bit later to avoid them all together. I wouldn't want MY child to have to leave early or their safety compromised because the bus pulls over on it's route to let impatient people pass.

 

[WDSearcher]

Absolutely not! Anybody that is annoyed at having to drive behind the bus should just leave a little bit earlier or a little bit later to avoid them all together. I wouldn't want MY child to have to leave early or their safety compromised because the bus pulls over on it's route to let impatient people pass.

ITA. If getting stuck behind the bus happens to you every day, then you likely know the bus time / route. Avoid those times or take another route (if possible). But the bus driver has precious cargo as well as a job to do. It's not like the bus is just driving down the road looking at the scenery. (THOSE people should pull over if they realize that they're backing up traffic!)

 

[mickeyboat]

I vote no, too.

And as much as you probably hate to hear me say this, it probably isn't a bad thing to have traffic backed up and moving slowly while kids are up ahead waiting at the side of the road for the bus to come. My kids aren't taking the bus to school this year, but I could not believe how fast some people drive past a school bus stop full of kids.

Denae

 

[DVCLiz]

Absolutely not! Anybody that is annoyed at having to drive behind the bus should just leave a little bit earlier or a little bit later to avoid them all together. I wouldn't want MY child to have to leave early or their safety compromised because the bus pulls over on it's route to let impatient people pass.

Totally agree. You know the time the bus will be on that stretch of road - either leave before it becomes an issue or wait until after it finishes the route. Kids on a bus shouldn't have to be exposed to cars racing around them. If this were the case, we would make every slow driver pull over to let the faster ones by.

 

[Mkrop]

Ummm no way! Leave earlier.

 

[Fitswimmer]

I don't know about requiring it but the school buses in my area DO pull over and let cars pass.

Ours too. The driver finds a safe space, pulls over and waves the cars by. I think it's safer for everyone in the long run.

 

[Mickeyluver37]

As much as I hate being that car stuck behind those buses, I still say no way. I don't see how this would be safe at all.

 

[DVCLiz]

Also, from a parent's point of view, I wouldn't want my child to be sitting on a schoolbus full of kids for extra time. Not only does it mean that my kid had to leave earlier or get to school later (the amount of time it takes those hundreds of cars to pass the bus) but that's time with unsupervised kids (except the bus driver, of course) who have nothing to do but sit and get on each other's nerves. No thanks!!!!!

 

[rgf207]

I'm not usually stuck in the bus traffic except for the days I have to stop for gas

Just wanted opinions didn't want to start a fight.

 

[jbmom]

I vote no, too.

And as much as you probably hate to hear me say this, it probably isn't a bad thing to have traffic backed up and moving slowly while kids are up ahead waiting at the side of the road for the bus to come. My kids aren't taking the bus to school this year, but I could not believe how fast some people drive past a school bus stop full of kids.

Denae

I agree. Our bus driver will pull over to let any cars by her before pulling out of our subdivision onto the main road though.

 

[janey99]

I'm going to vote yes, based on my coincidental experience yesterday - I pulled onto a winding mountain road directly behind a full size school bus. The road is about 2 miles long and the speed limit is 35 mph. It is commonly regarded as a "shortcut" and there are multiple other ways to arrive at the same spot this road lets you out.

The school bus proceeds to drive *14* mph (slower on switchback curves) for the entire length of the road! During the journey, it did not once stop or turn off to let kids out - clearly he was using the road as a shortcut too, except when we finally turned off, there was a line of about 40 cars behind me, and the trip had taken 4 times longer than it should have!

There's no need for that. Farm equipment, large construction vehicles, other slow moving traffic pulls over (depending, of course, on whether the driver cares about the people stuck behind him). Why should busses be any different if it's safe to let other people pass?

Jane

 

[Fitswimmer]

I'm not usually stuck in the bus traffic except for the days I have to stop for gas

Just wanted opinions didn't want to start a fight.

Anything that gets posted that could possibly be considered a safety issue for kids will start a fight.

On my street, the bus pulls over when the driver sees the line behind getting long, it takes about a minute for the cars to pass and then the driver goes on. The kids are all ON the bus, so there's no safety issue. I've looked at it as more of a courtesy than anything else, and it reduces the chance of some road rage filled driver trying to pass the bus and hitting someone's kid.

 

[DawnCt1]

Absolutely not! Anybody that is annoyed at having to drive behind the bus should just leave a little bit earlier or a little bit later to avoid them all together. I wouldn't want MY child to have to leave early or their safety compromised because the bus pulls over on it's route to let impatient people pass.

How would your child's safety be compromised after the school bus picked up at the stop, pulled over and allowed cars to pass? Many people who work want to be sure that their child has gotten on the bus before they leave for work. Leaving early isn't always an option.

 

[Acklander]

I wouldn't want the school bus to be "required" to do it. If they do pull aside (as from some of the posts on this board it appears some drivers do it), great, if not - no big deal. I'll trust the driver's judgement on this one.

 

[okeydokey]

In our town (lots of rural roads) people stuck behind busses going 20 mph for miles will try to pass at every opportunity. I think this also creates a safety issue. I think maybe they should pull over when they can, but not sure if it should be required.

 

[sassyat30]

Why do you think you're (general you) more important? What is so urgent that you can't get to work a few mins later?

If you know the bus schedule leave earlier, later or take a different route.

Easy enough.

Around here, no, buses do not pull over ~ because they shouldn't have to.

 

[Beth76]

there are literally hundreds of cars following these buses in both directions.

And how long do you think the bus would be sitting on the side of the road waiting for hundreds of cars to pass? Not trying to start a fight, just pointing something out.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

No because the kids would never get to school.