What would you do?

[Liberty Belle]

I hope Shortbun jumps in on this. It would be interesting to see her view (If I remember right, she drives a school bus).

 

[agnes!]

Let's see. Let's say that the situation was *exactly* as you describe it. The driver did the following things:

Tailgated - braking numerous times, not allowing safe distance between the bus & the vehicle in front of the bus over a period of time
Passed in a No-Passing Zone - not just passing but also doing this in the face of oncoming traffic

You can go ahead and report this driver, but your report would probably have had more weight if done immediately after the incident. If you do report it, it's up to the company or school bus system to take it from there. They might not care or the driver could get fired. Also, maybe all the other people who observed the incident have already reported it - the person he passed, the other drivers who slowed down so they wouldn't get killed, etc.

Frankly, I think the bus driver should have their license revoked. He's a menace.

agnes!

 

[rabx5]

I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have taken down the bus info to start with because I never have before.

As far as your question, It sounds like you are second guessing yourself,so I think you shouldn't call it in. I think you would have called it in already.

I am glad to hear there were no children in the bus.

 

[MickeySP]

No - mainly because how do I know if the car in front of the bus wasn't playing games with him?

Slowing down - speeding up - jamming on brakes, so the bus driver thought it better to get away from him.

I have had to do this to get away from nuts on the road so I think I would let it go this time.

 

[Feralpeg]

There were no children on the bus and the car in front of the bus was impeding traffic to the point where a bus felt the need to pass that car. As far as the no passing zone is concerned, is it possible that the bus started out in the passing zone and finished just over the line?

In any case, the bus obviously had time to pass the slower car without causing an accident. For all we know, that bus was late getting somewhere to pick up kids and followed that car until he/she saw an opportunity to pass.



The flip side of that is that is that maybe this guy, if he turns out to be an unsafe driver, was the replacement for a former safe driver that some parent made a fuss about because they didn't like that driver for whatever reason. They didn't give a rip about that driver losing their job either. Replacing someone you don't like or agree with doesn't necessarily mean their replacement will be someone better.

As long as there weren't children on the bus and the bus obviously had time to pass the other car, I feel that there's no issue here.

The bus was well into the no-passing zone before starting to pass. The only reason the bus was able to complete the pass safely is because the on-coming traffic saw it and slowed down long enough for it to do so.

Thank you all for your responses. I did not expect for them to all be in agreement, but I did want to know that I wasn't the only one thinking this was a situation that required some action on my part. I did call the bus company and reported what I saw. The lady I talked to was very nice. I told her that I was not trying to cause trouble, but felt that it was an unsafe situation. She told me that they rely on the public to let them know how their drivers are driving. Their first priority is the safety of the children they transport.

Right or wrong, I feel better. I agree with the poster who said that ultimately, the driver is responsible for his actions.

 

[BirdLegsRed]

Yes I would call. I kept thinking, what if that driver was my childs bus driver? I would want him reported.

 

[Carly_Roach]

As far as your question, It sounds like you are second guessing yourself,so I think you shouldn't call it in. I think you would have called it in already.

I agree. I was thinking about this situation on the way into work this morning when I saw the buses on the road. The final common denominator I arrived at was this:

If someone has to ask someone else, especially on an anonymous internet bulletin board, at a later time if they should have done something when a situation occurred, then the situation obviously didn't warrant action.

The time to have acted would have been immediately when it was occurring or immediately upon returning home. If this driver was as reckless as the poster is making him/her out to be, then that behavior should have been worth the OP's inconvenience of having to take her personal time to stop her day, look up the school's number and make a report. If the school was closed, then going to the police station to make a report would have been the warranted action. Especially if the driver was as dangerous as she's saying he/she was.

Good rule of thumb: if an action isn't worth inconveniencing yourself or your time, then what you're witnessing obviously isn't worth reporting in the first place and you should let it go.

 

[Todd&Copper]

I agree. I was thinking about this situation on the way into work this morning when I saw the buses on the road. The final common denominator I arrived at was this:

If someone has to ask someone else, especially on an anonymous internet bulletin board, at a later time if they should have done something when a situation occurred, then the situation obviously didn't warrant action.

The time to have acted would have been immediately when it was occurring or immediately upon returning home. If this driver was as reckless as the poster is making him/her out to be, then that behavior should have been worth the OP's inconvenience of having to take her personal time to stop her day, look up the school's number and make a report. If the school was closed, then going to the police station to make a report would have been the warranted action. Especially if the driver was as dangerous as she's saying he/she was.

Good rule of thumb: if an action isn't worth inconveniencing yourself or your time, then what you're witnessing obviously isn't worth reporting in the first place and you should let it go.

Maybe you missed the update, but she did call the bus company and the representative was thankful for her call.

I am glad she reported it.

 

[Carly_Roach]

Maybe you missed the update, but she did call the bus company and the representative was thankful for her call.

I am glad she reported it.

Nope. Didn't miss it at all. I expect others who I'm talking to on the phone to be polite as well.

 

[cheermom1]

I'm glad it was reported as well for the simple fact that he did put other in danger on the road the on coming traffic weather he had children on board ot not he still put the lives of other in danger I mean there could have been children in the on coming traffic!

 

[wall*e2008]

I would call. So there were no kids on the bus the bus driver make an unsafe pass and passed in a no passing zone.

 

[Imzadi]

Right or wrong, I feel better. I agree with the poster who said that ultimately, the driver is responsible for his actions.

You don't know if a call from you might result in the driver losing his job, so don't put that onto yourself. They might file a complaint in his records, give him a reprimand this time, and when he gets three, then he's out. The company needed to know he's reckless. You did the right thing.

 

[xoprincessmomxo]

I would have reported it, too! I know, a lot of people say "well, maybe he doesn't drive like that if there are kids on the bus." But, the what if he does weighs out much more heavily. I'd rather be overly cautious then possibly ignore a dangerous situation for children.

 

[FINFAN]

I would call. You said it occured in a no passing zone. Imaptience and poor judgement wereshown, not exactly the top 2 qualities a person entrusted with children should have. Your point about not wanting someone to lose their job, well, perhaps there is someone LOOKING for a job that is better suited and safer for shildren. It upset you and your sister, 'nuff said. Follow your instincts.

 

[ericamanda01]

I would call in a heartbeat! It shouldn't matter if he drives kids or not, he endangered the oncoming traffic.

 

[Heidict]

I would call also. Glad you did OP!!
People are cracking me up though. Who cares if there were kids on the bus or not? So, the other people on the road don't warrant protection from someone breaking the law? Just the kids?

Please, the bus driver could have very easily caused a major accident and could have killed someone. It's a no passing zone for a reason. We have all been behind idiot drivers that can't go the speed limit and we have all fought the urge to pass them at an unsafe time while flipping them the bird. But, we didn't. This bus driver should not have also done it. Children or not.


My DH's boss was just in a major car accident because some idiot decided to pass a car when she wasn't suppposed to. She (the boss) is now going on her second week in the hospital with a broken ankle, broken knee, broken wrist, 7 broken ribs and a broken neck. She has surgeries to look forward to and a month in rehab when she finally makes it out of the hospital. This is what happens when idiots, like the bus driver, decide that their time is more valuable then everyone elses and that the laws don't apply to them.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I wouldn't care if there were kids on the bus or not. He was endangering the lives of every other driver on the road. And I wouldn't worry about whether or not he loses his job. If he drives a huge bus in that manner, he shouldn't be a bus driver at all. You could be doing a lot of people a favor by getting that guy off the road. My son rides a bus everyday and I would want someone to report his driver if she was driving without regard for anyone's safely. If he did it once, he's probably done it before and will do it again.

 

[wvjules]

I think I would be inclined to call the bus company. If he drives like that with an empty bus, chances are he isn't going to be very careful with kids in it.

I don't think that is true. I drive much safer when DD is in the car.

 

[TCPluto]

There were no children on the bus and the car in front of the bus was impeding traffic to the point where a bus felt the need to pass that car. As far as the no passing zone is concerned, is it possible that the bus started out in the passing zone and finished just over the line?

In any case, the bus obviously had time to pass the slower car without causing an accident. For all we know, that bus was late getting somewhere to pick up kids and followed that car until he/she saw an opportunity to pass.



The flip side of that is that is that maybe this guy, if he turns out to be an unsafe driver, was the replacement for a former safe driver that some parent made a fuss about because they didn't like that driver for whatever reason. They didn't give a rip about that driver losing their job either. Replacing someone you don't like or agree with doesn't necessarily mean their replacement will be someone better.

As long as there weren't children on the bus and the bus obviously had time to pass the other car, I feel that there's no issue here.

You're wrong on every point.

Children on the bus or not, driving unsafe is a hazard to every other driver on the road, in this instance everyone on that road at that time.

Impeding traffic???? Please. They were driving down the road at a speed they apparently thought was safe (except for the crazy bus driver). Unless you're on the freeway, there are no minimum speed limits.

Any time you find yourself on the wrong side of the double yellow, you're in the wrong. Please accept your ticket with a smile. You showed bad judgement by attempting the pass....

 

[krcit]

I don't think that is true. I drive much safer when DD is in the car.

Really? Shouldn't you drive as safely as possible every time that you are driving no matter who is in the car? I'm not trying to be snarky, I really think that you should rethink that policy. Everyone should drive safely each and every time that they are behind the wheel-to not do that can have devastating consequences to your family and other families.