WWYD?--passing a school bus

[fey_spirit]

If you can't stand to wait five minutes for kids to get on a school bus, leave five minutes earlier - then you can be in front of the bus.

I'd check the littering laws and handbill posting ordinances in your neighborhood before posting or leaving any flyers. People may feel as though your "Make an exception for me and/or my family" flyer is being preachy. They could go from just being annoyed at being inconvenienced every single morning to flat-out furious that you're now telling them they're wrong for feeling anger at being forced to wait every single morning while your son's life becomes everyone else's center of the Universe.

Get the license plates, be vigilent about getting the license plates, and let the police handle it. If it happens as often as you say it does, one of two things will happen:

1). The continual price and points that your neighbors have to pay will become cost prohibitive as opposed to having to wait five minutes every morning.

2). The situation may change where the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few and the bus may have to pull into your driveway instead of blocking traffic on the roadway.

I have to be honest with you here: having to wait five minutes (which is a LONG time during the morning rush commute) is something I'd do for a train or a car accident. Having to wait five minutes every single morning because of a neighbor's issue would make me a bit angry after several months of it. Getting a flyer from that neighbor wouldn't increase my understanding of their situation - it would probably just make me angrier.

 

[fey_spirit]

This isn't directed at you, exactly... but after reading over and over again that five minutes is such a long time to wait... it makes me want to cry.

What has this world come to when five minutes is too much for us to give to acomodate another human being who needs help? Especially when it is so easy to simply leave ten minutes earlier to avoid the situation to start with.

I would agree with this. Our neighbor across the street has a special ed son and the bus that picks him up doesn't turn on it's lights or put out the stop sign when he is loading and unloading because they stop at the end of the driveway, no street crossing.

I have to agree that 5 minutes is a very long time to wait. I also don't see where the danger is with people passing his bus and why the lights and the stop arm has to come out at all. I could see it if there was a chance he could dart out in front of the bus but that doesn't seem to be the case. Maybe you could suggest this to the bus driver instead of expecting all the other families in the neighborhood to adjust their schedule to fit your schedule. If there was another route out of your street that would be different but to tie up the only exit route for 5 minutes is asking a lot.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

If it takes him 5 minutes to get on a bus, running into the street is not an issue from the way it sounds.

Not necessarily. I know a student who because of muscle problems has a hard time getting on and off the bus, it does take him quite awhile. But he is certainly capable of moving quickly on a flat surface. The OP's son could have a similar situation. Those bus stairs are very steep and narrow, and it can be difficult for people with certain disabilities to navigate quickly, but that does not mean that they are incapable of moving swiftly. The way the OP described her and her husband having to hold on to their son gave me the impression that it is possible for him to dart out into the street.

Even if he wasn't all that fast, if he were to get into the street before they could pull him back and a car was passing the bus, they could hit him simply because they couldn't see him.

 

[golfgal]

This isn't directed at you, exactly... but after reading over and over again that five minutes is such a long time to wait... it makes me want to cry.

What has this world come to when five minutes is too much for us to give to acomodate another human being who needs help? Especially when it is so easy to simply leave ten minutes earlier to avoid the situation to start with.

Personally I would be mortified if I knew that someone in my family was holding up traffic for that long and would try to find an alternative to the situation, but that is just me.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

Around here, the special needs bus pulls off to the side of the road. We are allowed to pass them. Expecting people to wait five minutes is an eternity when you are trying to get to work, or anywhere.

Sorry, but if your son is in no danger with the traffic, what's the big deal?

 

[Allison]

Around here, the special needs bus pulls off to the side of the road. We are allowed to pass them. Expecting people to wait five minutes is an eternity when you are trying to get to work, or anywhere.

Sorry, but if your son is in no danger with the traffic, what's the big deal?

The big deal is it is the law. The OP doesn't want these people to get in trouble, she is trying to prevent that because she knows the bus driver will report the people who pass the bus ILLEGALLY.

I'm boggled by people who think it is not a big deal or okay to pass a bus illegally and put children at risk.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

The big deal is it is the law. The OP doesn't want these people to get in trouble, she is trying to prevent that because she knows the bus driver will report the people who pass the bus ILLEGALLY.

I'm boggled by people who think it is not a big deal or okay to pass a bus illegally and put children at risk.

Do you know it's an actual law? Like I said, around here we CAN pass a special needs bus, because they are not stopped in the street..they are pulled over to the side, giving room for driver's to pass.

 

[Mom2Nick]

Do you know it's an actual law? Like I said, around here we CAN pass a special needs bus, because they are not stopped in the street..they are pulled over to the side, giving room for driver's to pass.

If the bus driver has engaged the stop sign and put on the lights - that means you have to stop for the bus. People cannot decide for themselves if they need to stop in that situation or not. The law says you stop even if you don't like it, even if it makes you late, even if you disagree with it.

 

[Tomader]

I have a 6yr that was getting picked up at the corner. She is the only one. I cannot tell you how many times people have passed the bus. Once the car came so close to her she could have touched it. The bus driver acted real mad but when I gave the license number she did nothing. I called the police. They said they would come out and watch. They never did. I finally called the bus garage and demanded she be picked up at the house. All the other kids are. She goes to a private school. I was amazed at the people who would do this. At least 5 times this had happend. People are such in a rush today they just don't care. They are lucky nothing happened to my daughter.

 

[manhattan]

I am shocked at some replies - why do some people feel that they are above the law? I pass four school zones on my way to work and sometimes find myself behind a school bus that makes three stops in less than two miles. I am always amazed at how people ignore the stops signs and continue speeding on their way. I have posted this suggestion before - a town near where I used to live actually had someone videotape and read off the license plates and hand in the videotape to the police. If people don't care about your child - don't worry about them. I always think to myself - why are people in such a rush? to die?

 

[Rence]

Apparently there are a number of folks here who believe that traffic laws are optional, especially if one is running late or would be inconvenienced.

I would like some clarity on this - we have already learned that stopping for a school bus with its flashing lights is optional, but are stop signs and red lights also optional? What if I'm not just running late, but running really really late? What about flashing lights at a railroad crossing, are those also optional? School zone speed limits and crossing guards I would assume would also fall under the optional traffic laws category.

I don't seem to recall any of this from my driving test, but that was years ago, so things must have changed over the years.

 

[merryweather20]

No it not

It absolutely is. If you don't beleive me drive up to Southern Ontario and give it a try.

 

[ols386]

I think I'd try to get the plate number of the car(s) speeding by when the bus is picking-up your child, and turn the numbers in to the police and let them handle it. I don't think the fliers will make any difference, so I'd probably not waste time pursuing that.

It seems like these people speeding by probably would ALREADY know about what time the bus is there to pick-up your child EACH day, and there's no reason why they can't adjust their schedule to accomodate a special needs child. They could leave even just a couple of minutes earlier each day and avoid the whole thing.

 

[Chicago526]

Maybe it's just my police department but in my town, if they get enough complaints from a street just about speeders, they'll pick a nice day and set up a speed trap. It's a win-win, they catch the speeders, drivers see that people are getting pulled over and slow down for at least a few weeks after the speed trap day, and the city gets revenue.

If my police department got a call about cars passing a stopped bus, they'd be all over that like white on rice.

Call you police department, speak to whoever is in charge of the traffic division (if they have such a division) and explain the situation. They may even send someone out before the end of this school year. If not, perhaps they could send one out early next school year, and start it off right!

I don't think the flyer would work, anyone that would pass a stopped school bus won't care about a flyer anyway, and anyone that does care is already stopping and waiting.

 

[61292cna]

I know for sure you will spend more than 5 min. waiting to be arrained & have bail set when you've "accidentally" murdered a child because 5 min. was too long to wait for a school bus!!!

 

[Darsa]

I am completely and totally AGAINST anyone who feels that their day and their schedule is so much more important than the life of any child, be they 7 or 17, that they would go around any school bus with red flashing lights. I don't give a flying FIG if there is a stop sign or not, you see those flashing red lights YOU STOP. If you're late, it's your own fault. Chances are pretty good you've gone that route before and know the bus' schedule just as well as you know yours. There is NO EARTHLY REASON for anyone to pass a school bus that is stopped and flashing. NONE

Yeah, so I'm pretty big on that stuff; quite a while back (when my DBrother26 was in 8th grade) there was an incident where someone behind didn't stop for a stopped school bus, and rammed into it. The child was just getting on the bus, and was thrown UNDER the bus. Thankfully the child "only" ended up in a cast with multiple leg fractures for a while. That has always stuck with me, and even more so when my daughter started school.

Okay, I'm off my soapbox, heh.

 

[maslex]

i am completely and totally against anyone who feels that their day and their schedule is so much more important than the life of any child, be they 7 or 17, that they would go around any school bus with red flashing lights. I don't give a flying fig if there is a stop sign or not, you see those flashing red lights you stop. If you're late, it's your own fault. Chances are pretty good you've gone that route before and know the bus' schedule just as well as you know yours. There is no earthly reason for anyone to pass a school bus that is stopped and flashing. none

okay, i'm off my soapbox, heh.

amen, amen, amen, !!!

 

[fey_spirit]

For that long? When did 5 minutes become that long? If you're that busy - you need to slow down... this is what people talk about when they talk about how everything is moving so quickly it's unhealthy these days.

And you don't know their story, you don't know why they choose to have their child ride the bus. But what you do know is that if for some reason you had to be in this situation, you would want people to treat you and your child with compassion and patience.

I know you do things that annoy other people, things that inconveinene them - probably every day of your life (because we all do, whether we realize it or not) - do you want them to greet you with compassion or irritation?

What is so hard about showing a little compassion towards a special needs child and his mother? Especially when the time comes for all of us when we need a little daily forgivness from someone?

Personally I would be mortified if I knew that someone in my family was holding up traffic for that long and would try to find an alternative to the situation, but that is just me.

 

[C.Ann]

If you can't stand to wait five minutes for kids to get on a school bus, leave five minutes earlier - then you can be in front of the bus.

This isn't directed at you, exactly... but after reading over and over again that five minutes is such a long time to wait... it makes me want to cry.

What has this world come to when five minutes is too much for us to give to acomodate another human being who needs help? Especially when it is so easy to simply leave ten minutes earlier to avoid the situation to start with.

Couldn't agree with you more..

Around here, the special needs bus pulls off to the side of the road. We are allowed to pass them. Expecting people to wait five minutes is an eternity when you are trying to get to work, or anywhere.

Sorry, but if your son is in no danger with the traffic, what's the big deal?

If 5 minutes is an "eternity" when you're trying to get to work or anywhere, you might want to adjust your schedule.. 5 minutes is nothing - if you're willing to take the responsibility to plan accordingly..